Hamby is not necessarily wrong. It could be that a Democrat might use social media in ways that are broadly popular, or that Trump’s tweeting aided him despite people not liking it. Alternatively, the contrast Democrats want to draw might not involve promoting a third consecutive celebrity presidency. This is likely a matter of overall candidate quality, of which age is but one factor.

Beyond native social media skills, there is a larger problem with seeking a candidate who “understands the culture.” There is just enough truth in the idea for the argument to gain traction in the political conversation. Yet the notion of “the” culture in America is flawed on more than one level.

In the most obvious sense, our current politics are largely about cultural conflicts. The prominence of these conflicts suggests there is not a single culture in America. To the degree that Hamby means popular culture, it should be understood that many people voted for Trump in 2016 as a slap in the face of “the” culture.