They're going to try to maneuver to the right of Trump. And then be mad at us when they manage to lose a gimme election in the midterms.
When I was very young in the '90s, the Democrats were the party that got us into war. Republicans were able to sit back, preach neutrality and isolationism. They could rightfully say that "we don't get involved in foreign quagmires, Korea and Vietnam were Democrat wars" while positioning themselves as a party of peace. Of course that was a lie, but it was a lie that resonated with a lot of people.
Starting in 2004, the Republicans became the party of war. They were the ones who got us into the most recent foreign quagmires. Democrats had an amazing opportunity to frame themselves as the party of peace, The party of no forever-wars. Something that they were somewhat successful in during the Obama years. Even though we know that it was a lie, it was a lie that resonated with people.
Watching the Democrats give up this amazing position, is like watching The Washington Generals lose a basketball game to a pack of stray dogs. It's infuriating. I don't expect the Democrats to do the right thing, I don't even expect them to do the smart thing, but if you can't run up the score in a situation like this what is the point of organizing yourself into a party?
In the '90s people were still talking about how Vietnam started off as the Democrat's war. Democrats also tended to be the party that talked about intervention, being the world's policeman.
H.W. and Reagan started plenty of conflicts but the average American saw no impact from these conflicts. They couldn't point to Granada on a map, and Desert Storm was just a fun show on CNN. These conflicts were quickly forgotten and through most of the 90s Republicans were able to position themselves as a party of peace. In 2000, George W Bush's campaign focused on limiting "foreign entanglements" and not acting as the world's police.
It's always been a lie from both parties, but even though it's a lie it's still the kind of message that wins elections.
I've been looking for sources that back me up and I'm starting to think that this impression I have, is less objectively true. I definitely remember in the lead up to the Iraq War, several people reminding me the Republicans had not gotten us into the quagmire of Vietnam or Korea, but rewatching the presidential debates of 2000, it's really hard to find a place where Bush and Gore actually differ on foreign policy.