I was introduced to this apparently simple notion of doorkeepers through a book entitled, “How Democracies Die” written by two Harvard University professors, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.
The book recognizes that in a democracy, it is possible to win elections and gain power through demagoguery. How do we prevent populist leaders from gaining power? The answer is the party doorkeepers.
In a chapter dedicated to discuss this notion, the two authors start by summarizing a work of fiction entitled The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. In this novel, the aviation hero Charles Lindbergh, who was the first to cross the Atlantic flying alone, won the Republican Party nomination to challenge President Franklin Roosevelt. Lindbegh was a mass media hero and he defeated Roosevelt. But the problem was Lindbergh was a Nazi sympathizer and idolized Hitler. Thus, his presidency was characterized by violence and Judeo-phobia rhetoric. Some Americans would relate this work of fiction to the triumph of Donald Trump in 2016 and in 2024. The main difference is that instead of Judeo-phobia, there is a well-cultivated hatred against immigrants. Furthermore, Vladimir Putin has replaced Adolf Hitler.
There had been demagogues with extremist positions who became extremely popular. Perhaps familiar to history buffs would be Sen. Joseph McCarthy who was notorious for his anti-communist witch-hunt and Alabama Gov. George Wallace who advocated racial segregation as late as the 1970s. But they never got near the presidency because the gatekeepers of the party would not allow them.
Party doorkeepers would know or are supposed to know who among the members of the party are extremists. They are willing to prevent even sure winners from obtaining the party nomination if they believe that these populists are not good for the country. Surely, loyalty to one’s party mates should be subordinated to the concern for the welfare of the country.
Doorkeepers were successful in the United States. Until 2016. It was not for lack of trying. Mike Pence, his vice president, openly opposed Trump in 2024. About half of the cabinet members in 2016 no longer supported Trump in 2024. But these were the few exceptions who still believe in gatekeeping. This time, for several reasons, the gatekeepers were no longer successful in preventing a populist to occupy the White House.
This notion about gatekeepers came to my mind when many thought Trump was unhinged lately. The current president has always shown signs of irrational behavior. His name will always be associated with Jan. 6, 2020 attack on the Capitol. He has not shown signs of ongoing maturation in his second term. He successfully toppled down the leadership of Venezuela. He has openly expressed his desire to get Greenland, the world’s largest island which is currently part of the Kingdom of Denmark, an American ally. And now this war against Iran.
Who in his right mind would produce an AI-generated Christ-like image of himself? Prior to this picturing himself as the Christ, he also issued a warning, “a whole civilization will die tonight.” The pronouncements and the actuations have become more abnormal.
But what happened in the United States also happened in the Philippines in 2016. It may happen again in 2028. In 2016, a populist candidate who was professionally diagnosed as having anti-social narcissistic personality disorder won the presidency. The psychiatric report also says that he tends to humiliate people and violate their rights. Anyone who reads the report and compare it with his behavior as president would conclude that the psychiatrist hit the mark.
We now call on the doorkeepers. You know the personalities of your party mates. For the love of God and of country, please spare your countrymen and women of another leader na may sayad.
