The article argues that the Democratic Party's responses to President Trump's actions, rather than hindering him, inadvertently clear his path. Instead of effective counter-strategies, Democrats often overreact and become entangled in the ensuing controversies.
The author uses the example of Trump's 'pope' image on social media. The ensuing controversy, instead of damaging Trump, dominated the news cycle for three days, allowing his administration to advance other priorities out of the spotlight. This is compared to past situations, such as the "Access Hollywood" tape, where Trump's unexpected strategy of non-apology and counterattack proved successful.
The article concludes that a new strategy is needed to counter Trump effectively. This strategy requires Democrats to stop reacting predictably to Trump's provocations and to adopt a more calculated and less emotionally driven approach. The key is to avoid playing into his strengths and stop inadvertently clearing his path to success.