Frequent critic of the Democratic party and aspiring fence-builder, Donald J. Trump had to make a shocking admission yesterday, after his numerous attempts to undermine the unity of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Chuck Schumer and Democratic office holders, failed repeatedly.
Trump told state and local officials on a conference call Wednesday, "Democrats are lousy politicians in many ways, they're lousy politicians and they have lousy policy, the only thing they do well is stick together."
Say that louder for the folks in the back.
The Democrats are not in disarray.
They are firmly united and oddly, a significant amount of the credit for that fact goes to Donald J. Trump.
Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the Democratic whip in charge of rounding up votes, said holding Democrats together hasn't been so great a challenge.
"People know that this president that we currently have is not on the up and up," he said. "It's easy when you got that."
The Democrats understand the naked power grab the White House is trying to pull off, and that dire reality supplies the current class with more steel than Trump’s imaginary fence will ever procure:
"People do understand that this is no longer just about the wall, it's about how Donald Trump operates with the Democratic majority in the House," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.
"If we give into him on this, what happens if he wants to cut Social Security or Medicare or end legal migration or cut food stamps?" she asked. "Do we allow him to take us hostage for anything he wants?"
Pelosi, she said, is already proving herself to be a "strong" speaker, unlike her recent Republican predecessors. "She's also not afraid of him."
Today Trump will make another attempt to peel away at Democratic solidarity, by way of two bills snaking through the Senate.
The White House is eagerly watching Thursday's Senate votes on two bills to end the shutdown. Officials think it will be harder for Democrats to keep sticking together amid Trump's offers, according a person familiar with White House thinking who was not authorized to speak publicly. They are hopeful for defections by Democrats who may cross party lines to vote with the president
Stay strong Democrats. We can do this.