President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before departing the White House, on September 20, in Washington. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

Democrats are doing it again.

They’re forced to use conventional political tactics to battle the most unconventional president in history — repeating a scenario that keeps leading them to political disaster.

At first sight, in the third week of the government shutdown , things seem to be working out better than expected for the opposition party locked out of Washington power. They’ve made their key issue — looming health insurance premium hikes — a national story. They’ve opened divisions in the Republican Party. And contrary to stereotype, they didn’t immediately cave, showing supporters a backbone.

In classic shutdown politics, this might have

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