US voters yearn for humility and kindness, not hubris

Republican Presidential Candidate former US President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

At Catholic masses around the world two Sundays ago, parishioners heard these words from Saint Paul: “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4: 31-32)

Regardless of their faith, or lack thereof, the campaigns for President of the US would be well served to reflect on such epistolic advice and tone down the divisive and demeaning rhetoric that spews forth daily from their camps.

Bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, reviling, malice … it’s there in abundance; demagogic detritus strewn across the political landscape. Kindness, compassion, forgiveness? Missing in action.

I know, I know. “Politics ain’t beanbag,” as the 19th century fictional character, Mr Dooley, proclaimed from his Chicago pub (presumably not far from this week’s Democratic Convention).

Having volunteered in many campaigns over the decades, I’ve played plenty of hardball politics myself. But I sense the American public yearns for a change in how partisan combat is waged, especially as we experience its dystopian apotheosis across social media. And I believe that the candidate who demonstrates some measure of humility – and less hubris – will succeed.

Some may feel a humble or contrite nature connotes weakness. Just the opposite – it takes real strength of character to recognise one’s limits and to admit mistakes. In contrast, a lack of humility demonstrates arrogance and disdain for others.

US President John F Kennedy

History provides examples from on high: In 1961, John F. Kennedy took “sole responsibility” for the Bay of Pigs failure.

In 1987, Ronald Reagan took “full responsibility” for the Iran-Contra affair. Both presidents have been ranked highly by historians, often in the top 10. Indeed, their ability to admit error, coupled with their capacity for humour, helped endear them to substantial swathes of the American public, then and now.

Neither Donald Trump nor Kamala Harris has a long record of contrition on their political resumes. Yes, in 2019 Vice-President Harris did apologise for laughing and responding, “well said” when a supporter referred to Trump’s actions as “mentally retarded.” And in 2016 candidate Trump admitted “I was wrong and I apologise” for his comments on the Access Hollywood tape.

But surely both have committed additional sins worth confessing in the past half decade.

The Trump and Harris campaigns also should do more to stifle attacks on the supporters of their opponents. That’s not just good citizenship, it’s good politics.

Why? Because many of the (increasingly) small and (therefore increasingly) powerful group of undecided voters who will determine the outcome of the election chose both Trump and Biden in the past. That means they are not likely to take kindly to attacks that suggest choosing one or another of the candidates would be “evil” or a “threat to democracy” (a problem that is compounded when celebrities trash-talk Harris or Trump supporters).

President Ronald Reagan

If you aspire to be president of all the people, then show respect for citizens who aren’t supporting you. Policies are fair game; people do want to hear robust debate about inflation, immigration, crime, energy, abortion and many others. But you can do that without diminishing the people who disagree with you.

Besides, if you burn bridges along the journey to the Oval Office, it’s that much harder to rebuild and cross them when you are in power. So don’t demonise Democrats. Don’t call Republicans repugnant.

Better yet, talk about how you plan to find common ground; that is itself a humble gesture and an acknowledgment that you need the other side to get things done. You can be for or against the right to abortion and work to make it rarer. You can combat gun violence without infringing on the Second Amendment. You can debate climate change while agreeing to sensibly reduce reliance on fossil fuels, without destroying many jobs.

Harris won’t shatter that glass ceiling if she fails to close the gap between the elites of her party and the working families who once reliably voted Democratic, and that will require her to (humbly) admit the error of some of her progressive ways. And if Trump doesn’t rein in his rhetorical excesses and exhibit a capacity for humility, then the cracking ceiling above her head will become a trap door beneath his feet.

Political pros in both camps are likely to counsel against such advice, calling it “naive”. I modestly admit it may be. But hey, humility can be “joyful” and is not “weird”. And good vibes won’t be enough for Harris to win, and MAGA alone can’t make Trump president again.

As is written elsewhere in Saint Paul’s Epistle, “put away the old self of your former way of life … and be renewed in the spirit of your minds … for we are members one of another” (Ephesians 4: 22-25).

Bill Clinton

That reminds me of another popular president, Bill Clinton, who often demonstrated a capacity to admit fault and an ability to challenge his own party. As he frequently said, “our differences do matter, but our common humanity matters more”.

Like it or not, believe it or not, we are members one of another. And the candidate who best appeals to such better angels of our nature is bound to reap the rewards of victory come election day …. and then the real and, yes, humbling task of healing the fissures of this democracy begins anew.

Jim Kennedy is a former spokesman for former president Bill Clinton, vice-president Al Gore, senators Hillary Clinton and Joe Lieberman, the Clinton Foundation, Sony Pictures, Sony Corporation of America and News Corp.