Some good advice for Dems from a WaPo column:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

Trump can be played by every tinpot dictator and sullies the United States’ reputation whenever he leaves home. So what should Democratic presidential contenders do? They are auditioning for commander in chief and to take on Trump, so it behooves them to respond to shockingly awful foreign policy.

What is required is consistent, continual denunciation of Trump’s conduct as inimical to our values and our national security interests. He puts dictators in the driver’s seat, makes the United States look subservient, abandons an excellent tool for pressuring our enemies (revelation and condemnation of corruption and human rights violations) and, candidly, embarrasses Americans whose consciences have not been whittled away by participation in the Trump cult.

A savvy Democratic presidential candidate should consider any and all of the following: assembling a team of national security advisers to regularly critique Trump, interact with the media and highlight his reckless conduct; giving at the very least a weekly news conference exclusively on foreign policy to denounce Trump’s conduct and offer a preview of what a loyal, competent commander in chief would do; take a foreign trip or two during August (which has no scheduled debate) and meet with our closest democratic allies and North and South American neighbors; and get regular private briefings on national security developments.

In other words, a candidate who wants Trump’s job can demonstrate she is already operating at a more sophisticated level and responsible manner than Trump. Call him out for weakness and stupidity. Get under his skin. And most of all, remind Americans it is not normal and not acceptable to have a president who puts dictators’ interests first and American values, security and interests last.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/06/30/now-is-time-democrats-engage-foreign-policy/?utm_term=.fe9155d2dc76

I think Biden might have a bit of an edge over the other candidates in the area of foreign policy due to his eight years as Obama's vice-president - and Obama was always respected by foreign leaders, at least the good ones - as well as his many years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Also Cory Booker is currently on that committee. Since Trump's foreign policy, to the extent there even is such a thing, is a total dumpster fire, and he's scaring people, seems to me that the advice in this WaPo opinion is good advice and maybe the Dem candidates should get into that topic in depth, maybe go visit NATO in August.

[Honeycombe8]

1. This is usu. done down the road.

Not usu. done at the beginning, with a numerous field of candidates. A comment here and there would be appropriate, or a response if asked, but anything else would get drowned out by the other 20 candidates who are doing the same thing.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. This time is different.

Trump's foreign policy is not just terrible and stupid, it's an existential threat. I agree with the opinion; I think the candidates should take every opportunity, the sooner the better, to point out the awfulness of Trump on the international stage, and how they would restore the standing of the United States by not trying to do deals with autocrats and despots, and instead engage with our allies (who are pretty close to not being allies any more) in NATO and the EU.

[Me.]

2. Love This Line

In other words, a candidate who wants Trump’s job can demonstrate she is already operating...

[SWBTATTReg]

3. Sounds like good advice...from the way rump is conducting foreign policy (with a big ...

lump of "what's in it for him and his kids" prior to enacting any kind of foreign policy moves), this would be a smart way to provide a constant battering ram against rump's worse instincts.

[world wide wally]

5. We are not going to convince any Trump voters to vote against this insanity any more

than we can talk an elevator into going sideways. We have to get new voters and old voters alike all excited about moving onto a new world without Trump and his minions.
That needs to be our number 1 focus.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. I'm not talking about converting Trump voters; they're hopeless.

I'm talking about getting people to vote, period.

[Vegas Roller]

7. Biden has a yuge and bigly edge period. nt

[peggysue2]

8. I actually agree with this idea

We have the press/media routinely acting as if embracing dictators and killers is normal. Whether we win teetering Trump voters or not, the actions of this Administration are a security risk to everyone.

The North Korea photo-Op was a disgusting display for an American leader. Trump might as well have rolled on his back and begged for a tummy rub. And why the hell was Ivanka prancing around the edges? I said elsewhere that she said the experience was 'surreal'. One of the few times she was correct. A former model, so-called business woman pretending she's a diplomatic guru? You cannot make this stuff up.

Democratic candidates need to separate themselves from this reckless, ignorant Squatter-in-Chief. Foreign policy is one of the most important aspects of the Oval Office. Trump is completely vulnerable in this area because he's too ignorant to know what he doesn't know. Putin's recent comments that Western liberalism is obsolete should have been followed by a strong pushback. Instead, Donald Trump complained about West Coast liberal elites.

Because he's a know-nothing imposter. He should be hearing that at every debate, every campaign stop.

This is not normal.