Going high when they go low, “that’s not who we are” (a phrase which should be permanently banned from political discourse because every time it’s used you can bet that’s who we are), and any number of other bad rhetorical habits our often aged leaders have fallen into over the decades.

Schatz had the balance right. Hawley is hurting our national security with his power play. (By the way, it’s power they want first and foremost; money follows power, not the reverse). Then he did what Democrats so often fail to do which is close the sale by demolishing Hawley’s credibility.

A more politically adept party would take the baton from Schatz and launch a concerted anti-Hawley campaign, which would dovetail nicely with the headway Biden has made approval-ratings wise via national security. I won’t be holding my breath on that one.