Author Tim Wise argued that Democrats are "bringing spreadsheets to a gunfight" with Republicans and Donald Trump.
Wise, who was instrumental in thwarting former KKK leader David Duke, wrote last week that Trump's opponents should not ignore his racism.
"Trumpism did not gain steam based on policy," Wise explained to MSNBC's Joy Reid on Sunday. "People who voted for Donald Trump didn't sit down and compare policy positions and 10-point plans. They were responding to the rage that Donald Trump was tapping into. He hates who they hate and that is why they've stuck with him -- I'm talking about the hardcore base."
"So, you're not going to win an election against an emotional movement by just talking about your wonderful plan for this or for that," he continued. "Not that we don't need good plans, but I think the entire campaign of any Democrats needs to be focused on the existential threat that Trumpism poses to the America we care about and the values that we believe in."
Wise said that Democrats should point out that bigotry "doesn't solve our problems."
"That's going to have to be the message that unifies people," he said. "Not just simply having really good plans. The Democrats... are bringing spreadsheets to gun fight. Right? They are bringing debate evidence to a gun fight rather than understanding this is about values, the values we care about as a country as opposed to the values that Trumpism represents."
