To be sure, it is possible that we Americans have become so dire and politically polarized that we are no longer able to run a responsible democracy. But for those still clinging to hope, I have a theory that could move forward.
It has more to do with football than anything else.
Football is one of the few American institutions that continues to unite us. The sport attracts reliable audiences in blue and red states alike. This year’s Super Bowl was watched by more than 120 million people, a record high. I’ve always watched the game from the outside and more recently from the inside, and I’ve always wondered if soccer had something to teach politics.
The answer finally became clear when Kamala Harris did something unconventional at the Democratic National Convention in August. In her acceptance speech, she referred to her running mate as “Coach Tim Walz,” and said voters were more likely to meet with the Minnesota governor than meet with the former defensive coordinator of a high school football team that won a state championship. He suggested that he may also be feeling the enthusiasm. During Walz’s acceptance speech the night before, attendees spontaneously chanted “coach, coach, coach”, conclusively confirming this assumption.
At that time, I thought: Americans are tired of being coached, but they are genuinely open to being coached.
Consider the benefits of being a chief coach. The great coaches I know are big on strategy, but they also know how to delegate. They use emotion to inspire people, but rarely at the expense of consistency or calmness. They tend to overcommunicate and avoid trafficking out of fear. They understand that there are no style points in soccer. All that matters is the final score. And they know what can happen on the field, so you have to be ready to pivot, be willing to compromise, and you can’t hold your principles too dear. When you’re winning, you should take a step back and let the players win.
This sounds like a blueprint for a politician who can unite us in a way we haven’t seen in a long time.
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