Democrats need more John Fettermans

It’s an old saw that Democrats are chronically in “disarray.” Always that word. It’s like “hearty” with “soup.” If you think disarray, you’re supposed to think Democrats. Even at times like this, when the party is plenty well-arrayed.

A slightly newer saw is that “Democrats are bad at messaging.”

This one’s wrong too — but not because Democrats are good at messaging. It’s because messaging itself is a fool’s errand.

To buy a catchphrase from Don Draper and hammer away at it might have worked in 2008 or 2012. But it shouldn’t be any congressional candidate’s strategy in jaded 2022.

Which is why it’s been so refreshing to see John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for Senate in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, continue to reject Hollywood makeovers and Madison Avenue branding.