Time for Democrats to Make Some Noise

The black pickup cruised down Route 28 in Falmouth, MA, heading East, windows wide open, boom box blaring.

“They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats,” the pro-Trump rapper chanted as the car drifted by.

It was all part of Saturday’s political carnival at one the town’s busiest intersections.

Mind you, I live in a blue town in one of the country’s bluest states. But you'd never have known it Saturday at the intersection of Route 28 and Worcester Court. I joined other Democrats holding signs for Harris-Walz and statewide candidates from 10 a.m. to noon.

But often we were outflanked, and sometimes outnumbered, by a group called Women for Trump, who arrived with MAGA flags, a bull horn and the encouragement of lots of horn-honking and yelling supporters, who drove by and sometimes doubled back to cheer them on again.

Part of me saw this as ominous. It’s clear Trump supporters are angry, aggressive and motivated this year.  But I could see it as a positive, too. I think the notion of the so-called "shy" Trump voters who lies to or shuns pollsters is a thing of the past. No one seems reticent in trumpeting their support for the man who keeps saying he wants to turn the US military on the "enemy within.” So I doubt that there's a hidden bounce left for Trump when actual votes replace the various polls.

Something else heartened me. At one point on my shift, a really fit man about my age walked up to the light where I was standing to cross the street.

"Don't worry, I'm on your side," he said.

"That's good," I answered.

"I've already voted,” he said. "General Kelly sealed the deal. I have a lot of respect for him."

It turned out he was a Marine veteran, who had served in Vietnam and stayed in the service afterwards. His reference, of course, was to Trump's longest-serving chief of staff, John Kelly, a former four-star Marine general, who this week told The New York Times that Trump had fascistic tendencies and should never again sit in the oval office.

Maybe, just maybe, those words will touch enough military and former military officers and rank and file to make a difference in a race as close as this one appears to be.

But that will only happen if Democrats stop wringing their hands and whining about Kamala Harris’ endgame.  Only if they knock on doors, put up lawn signs and follow the lead of those obnoxious Trumpers. It’s past time, with barely a week to go, to make some noise.

Democracy is on the line.