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| Julián Castro Is Worth More Out of the Presidential Race Than He Was in It | Julián Castro Is Worth More Out of the Presidential Race Than He Was in It |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Julián Castro is the latest Democrat to drop out of the 2020 presidential race. He will probably receive more press coverage today and tomorrow than he has on any other day since he announced his candidacy. But unlike other Democrats who have thrown in the towel, Mr. Castro should continue to have a significant impact on the presidential campaign. | Julián Castro is the latest Democrat to drop out of the 2020 presidential race. He will probably receive more press coverage today and tomorrow than he has on any other day since he announced his candidacy. But unlike other Democrats who have thrown in the towel, Mr. Castro should continue to have a significant impact on the presidential campaign. |
| As the race’s only Latino, extremely well-versed in policy and comfortable on the stump and the debate stage, Mr. Castro is in a unique position: | As the race’s only Latino, extremely well-versed in policy and comfortable on the stump and the debate stage, Mr. Castro is in a unique position: |
| If and when he endorses one of his former rivals, he will be a huge asset to the fortunate candidate. | If and when he endorses one of his former rivals, he will be a huge asset to the fortunate candidate. |
| This is not because Mr. Castro, a former San Antonio mayor best known nationally for being a housing secretary in the Obama administration, has a large base of voters to throw anyone’s way — if he did, he wouldn’t have been dropped from the last two Democratic debates. Nor is it because he has a big roster of donors to pass on to the candidate who wins his backing. | This is not because Mr. Castro, a former San Antonio mayor best known nationally for being a housing secretary in the Obama administration, has a large base of voters to throw anyone’s way — if he did, he wouldn’t have been dropped from the last two Democratic debates. Nor is it because he has a big roster of donors to pass on to the candidate who wins his backing. |
| It’s because Mr. Castro was the deftest communicator among all the 2020 contenders and probably one of the deftest communicators in presidential politics over the last few decades. In particular, he was skilled at making policy arguments with a smile while simultaneously doing the unpleasant but very necessary rhetorical wounding of those he tangled with. Mr. Castro’s performances this year recalled the ruthlessness, back in the Republican primary debates of 2007, of Rudolph Giuliani’s “sanctuary mansion” charge against Mitt Romney, the effect of which was crushing for Mr. Romney. | It’s because Mr. Castro was the deftest communicator among all the 2020 contenders and probably one of the deftest communicators in presidential politics over the last few decades. In particular, he was skilled at making policy arguments with a smile while simultaneously doing the unpleasant but very necessary rhetorical wounding of those he tangled with. Mr. Castro’s performances this year recalled the ruthlessness, back in the Republican primary debates of 2007, of Rudolph Giuliani’s “sanctuary mansion” charge against Mitt Romney, the effect of which was crushing for Mr. Romney. |
| Remember how Beto O’Rourke entered the first Democratic debate to high expectations? Remember how Mr. Castro thoroughly gutted him in their exchange during that debate over unlawful immigration and left him basically for dead? Even if you weren’t a fan of Mr. O’Rourke, you may have cringed as you watched it. | Remember how Beto O’Rourke entered the first Democratic debate to high expectations? Remember how Mr. Castro thoroughly gutted him in their exchange during that debate over unlawful immigration and left him basically for dead? Even if you weren’t a fan of Mr. O’Rourke, you may have cringed as you watched it. |
| Mr. Castro also went after Joe Biden effectively in the third Democratic debate in Houston. Lots of viewers thought him impudent or underhanded for asking Mr. Biden, “Are you forgetting what you said just two minutes ago?” Mean though it might have been, it put a spotlight on Mr. Castro’s skills as an attack dog and it hurt Mr. Biden. | Mr. Castro also went after Joe Biden effectively in the third Democratic debate in Houston. Lots of viewers thought him impudent or underhanded for asking Mr. Biden, “Are you forgetting what you said just two minutes ago?” Mean though it might have been, it put a spotlight on Mr. Castro’s skills as an attack dog and it hurt Mr. Biden. |
| This political knife-wielding is a skill that the other Democratic candidates haven’t mastered, or even much tried to develop. As we saw in the last debate, Senator Amy Klobuchar can bring some fire when she wants to, but it doesn’t look easy for her the way it did for Mr. Castro. Mayor Pete Buttigieg has shown he’s able to seriously injure Senator Elizabeth Warren in particular, but it doesn’t seem natural or comfortable for him. | This political knife-wielding is a skill that the other Democratic candidates haven’t mastered, or even much tried to develop. As we saw in the last debate, Senator Amy Klobuchar can bring some fire when she wants to, but it doesn’t look easy for her the way it did for Mr. Castro. Mayor Pete Buttigieg has shown he’s able to seriously injure Senator Elizabeth Warren in particular, but it doesn’t seem natural or comfortable for him. |
| Where these candidates still aren’t quite there, Mr. Castro proved himself to be a rhetorical hit man right out of the gate. Now he can put those skills to great use on behalf of whoever he chooses to endorse — on TV as a surrogate, at town halls, at rallies, in post-debate spin rooms, and indeed in debate prep. | Where these candidates still aren’t quite there, Mr. Castro proved himself to be a rhetorical hit man right out of the gate. Now he can put those skills to great use on behalf of whoever he chooses to endorse — on TV as a surrogate, at town halls, at rallies, in post-debate spin rooms, and indeed in debate prep. |
| Usually, it doesn’t work like this. An also-ran who polled in low single digits and didn’t bring in a ton of cash typically endorses a rival to signal party unity, and then disappears, making only the odd cable news appearance and maybe getting a speaking slot at the convention. But there is some, albeit imperfect, precedent. | Usually, it doesn’t work like this. An also-ran who polled in low single digits and didn’t bring in a ton of cash typically endorses a rival to signal party unity, and then disappears, making only the odd cable news appearance and maybe getting a speaking slot at the convention. But there is some, albeit imperfect, precedent. |
| When former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas dropped his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 and announced he was “all in” for Donald Trump, it suggested that maybe a thrice-married businessman who did not seem particularly religious or socially conservative could gain traction with evangelicals. It also made it clear that Mr. Huckabee, Bill Clinton’s successor in Arkansas, was ready and willing to speak out about the perceived sins of the Clintons, with devastating effect in areas where it counted most. | |
| Obviously, Mr. Castro and Mr. Huckabee are not political twins. But Mr. Castro could, say, add fire to Mr. Biden’s team and underline his strength with nonwhite voters. Mr. Biden often comes off as more of a fun guy to have a (nonalcoholic) beer with than a political fighter. To win this contest, he may need to TKO a fellow Democrat — or an incumbent Republican. Mr. Castro can help with that, especially should he become the vice-presidential nominee, a job for which the main qualification is being a pull-no-punches attack dog. | Obviously, Mr. Castro and Mr. Huckabee are not political twins. But Mr. Castro could, say, add fire to Mr. Biden’s team and underline his strength with nonwhite voters. Mr. Biden often comes off as more of a fun guy to have a (nonalcoholic) beer with than a political fighter. To win this contest, he may need to TKO a fellow Democrat — or an incumbent Republican. Mr. Castro can help with that, especially should he become the vice-presidential nominee, a job for which the main qualification is being a pull-no-punches attack dog. |
| Whether it’s Mr. Biden or someone else, Democrats will need a vice-presidential nominee who relishes slicing, dicing, hitting, kicking and generally bloodying the other side up. President Trump will be tough to beat — partly because he’s not just another cookie-cutter politician. He’s deliberately and intensely mean, he throws his weight around, he hits incredibly hard over and over again, he does not abide by the rules, and above all, he does not care what anyone thinks. The Democratic nominee will need all the reinforcements he or she can get to put Mr. Trump in a bind. | Whether it’s Mr. Biden or someone else, Democrats will need a vice-presidential nominee who relishes slicing, dicing, hitting, kicking and generally bloodying the other side up. President Trump will be tough to beat — partly because he’s not just another cookie-cutter politician. He’s deliberately and intensely mean, he throws his weight around, he hits incredibly hard over and over again, he does not abide by the rules, and above all, he does not care what anyone thinks. The Democratic nominee will need all the reinforcements he or she can get to put Mr. Trump in a bind. |
| Yes, Mr. Trump enters his re-election campaign with low approval ratings, scandals, and impeachment. But he still has the benefit of incumbency — and he has gotten very, very far politically by refusing to play the game the way anyone else does. | Yes, Mr. Trump enters his re-election campaign with low approval ratings, scandals, and impeachment. But he still has the benefit of incumbency — and he has gotten very, very far politically by refusing to play the game the way anyone else does. |
| It would be unfair and inaccurate to put Mr. Castro and Mr. Trump on a par. But they do have two things in common. First, their zero-damns-given attitude. Second, their lack of interest in deferring to the supposed power players, the bright and shining stars, the elders in the room. Mr. Biden, Mr. Buttigieg and Ms. Warren all need to work on reviving, or developing, that attitude much more. | It would be unfair and inaccurate to put Mr. Castro and Mr. Trump on a par. But they do have two things in common. First, their zero-damns-given attitude. Second, their lack of interest in deferring to the supposed power players, the bright and shining stars, the elders in the room. Mr. Biden, Mr. Buttigieg and Ms. Warren all need to work on reviving, or developing, that attitude much more. |
| Getting Mr. Castro on their team now would be smart. Adopting more of his approach will be valuable in dispatching Democratic rivals — nasty work though it is. It will also better prepare the Democratic Party for taking on an incumbent who will not go easily or quietly. | Getting Mr. Castro on their team now would be smart. Adopting more of his approach will be valuable in dispatching Democratic rivals — nasty work though it is. It will also better prepare the Democratic Party for taking on an incumbent who will not go easily or quietly. |
| Liz Mair (@LizMair), a strategist for campaigns by Scott Walker, Roy Blunt, Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina and Rick Perry, is the founder and president of Mair Strategies. | Liz Mair (@LizMair), a strategist for campaigns by Scott Walker, Roy Blunt, Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina and Rick Perry, is the founder and president of Mair Strategies. |
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