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Editor's Note: María Cardona is a political commentator at CNN, a Democratic strategist and director of the Dewey Square Group. She was senior advisor to Hillary Clinton and was communications director of the National Democratic Committee. She is also former communications director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The opinions expressed in this comment are only those of the author.
(CNN Spanish) - Next Tuesday, in Iowa, the Democrats will have the last debate of the presidential primary season of the year 2020, on the eve of voter assemblies in that same state. It will be a discussion where foreign policy and national security are probably the most important issues.
Historically, Democrats have not done well when they compete on the national stage with Republicans in these two subjects. Foreign policy issues helped Ronald Reagan win his first term and George W. Bush win his second. Democrats have been painted by their opponents as weak in national security, which has worked for their electoral opponents.
But now the Democrats have an excellent opportunity to change this situation and describe President Trump as a serious threat to our national security. Even before Trump became president, 50 Republican experts in national security declared that it would be "dangerous" if he won the election.
They were right.
Since then, criticisms of Trump's ineptitude and inability to be commander in chief have only increased, and have come from various members of the intelligence, foreign relations and national security communities.
In fact, 58 former officials in that area criticized Trump's national emergency declaration signed on the border with Mexico. They claimed that this would subvert the country's national security interests, aggravate the humanitarian crisis that their own administration caused and make us less secure.
They were right.
In September, 300 national security professionals signed a letter condemning Trump's actions toward Ukraine, supporting a political trial investigation. The central argument was that, by putting his political interests ahead of those of the country, Trump had abused his power and set aside the national interests of the United States in the process.
They were right.
Then, in October, 90 national security experts signed a letter supporting the whistleblower of the intelligence community, whose Trump identity continues to threaten to reveal and whom he has even called 'traitor'. The specialists declared the right and responsibility of the complainant to expose the irregularities in the government.
They were right.
In summary, Trump's deficiencies in national security issues have been demonstrated in the last three years of his presidency. These warnings and declarations do not come from Democratic partisans but from experts in the area, many of them Republicans, who have worked as officials in past administrations of both parties.
But on Tuesday we can, and should, see stronger statements and outrage from the six Democratic candidates who came to the debate. They are former Vice President Joe Biden, Senators Bernie Sanders (Vermont), Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota), the former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, and billionaire activist Tom Steyer.
Biden has the greatest experience in national security of the group, and should use it to differentiate himself from the rest of the candidates. He will be criticized for his vote in favor of the war in Iraq, but he can take this opportunity to say that he was wrong and that he learned the terrible effect that erroneous information can have on a country, which is most likely being repeated right now with provocations. Trump with Iran.
It is important to emphasize that Biden can use his knowledge in international affairs and his relations with world leaders to assure the American people that he understands the importance of diplomacy, and that he knows how to navigate obstacles in a global scenario that is incredibly complicated and that the This country's leader must understand.
Sanders, Warren and Klobuchar can use their foreign policy work in the Senate and their appreciation and understanding of how the world works.
Buttigieg has been able to effectively use his experience on the battlefield and his perspective as a war veteran as a fortress against Donald Trump, who lied about bone spurs to avoid serving in the United States Army.
There is no competition between these Democrats and Donald Trump in terms of who can be a better commander in chief.
Trump rules through the social network Twitter, in which he is all day, instead of being president. He has rejected, and even insulted, our intelligence community, and then used it as an excuse to put us on the brink of war with Iran. His chaotic attitude is the furthest thing from the firm hand and the balanced mind that the country and the world so desperately need right now.
We also need a commander in chief that we can trust, something that the public cannot do with the words that come from Trump, who has lied more than 15,000 times since he began his term according to the Washington Post, or his administration , especially in foreign policy matters.
It is time to choose a Democrat.
Democratic Debate
