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Three years and a Donald Trump presidential campaign later, the senator is less constrained about dropping so-called "f-bombs" in private or in public. Speaking to the Personal Democracy Forum last week, Gillibrand used the word twice. Last month in a New York Magazine interview, the senator dropped three f-bombs. She's not alone. Earlier this year, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, in a speech in which children were not just present but actually on stage, attacked President Trump as someone who "doesn't give a s*** about healthcare," while also saying "your g**damn right," Trump is a liar. Beto O'Rourke, the Texas Democratic Congressman challenging Sen. Ted Cruz accused Cruz of "sure as s*** not serving" his constituents. And Kamala Harris, the California Democratic senator, reportedly also used the f-word at a public event in San Francisco.

If this language is something of a new normal among Democratic politicians, their reactions represent a new normal, as well. In the past, politicians typically apologized for such language.

In part, that may be because past instances were mistakes, where a politician said the wrong thing while speaking passionately on an issue or opponent.

In today's Trump-changed political environment, this language is no mistake; it is intentional, calculated "spontaneity" designed to draw headlines and demonstrate outrage to similarly minded activists and donors -- using some of Trump's methodology to show their strong resistance to him.

After the titillating "sugar rush" these Democrats get from the sensationalism of using naughty words, there does not appear to be any substance behind it aside from projecting some sort of "authenticity" for speaking in the same way voters angry at Washington do. Democratic politicians using this language not only run the risk of distracting from their anti-Trump message, but may wind up looking like they're trying too hard, a phoniness voters can spot a mile away.

These were key messages Democrats used to ingrain into voters' minds that Trump was too callous and profane to serve as president.

Now? More and more Democrats appear to be in a non-stop limbo contest of words, knowing the lower they go, the more headlines and clicks they can get.

If anything, the number of Democrats following the example of their party leaders and potential 2020 candidates using this, and possibly other Trump tactics, will only increase.

That Trump's campaign and presidency has forever altered the Republican Party is seen as a given. Less discussed is how the Trump-era has already affected how Democrats campaign and how they are trying to use Trump's own tactics against him.

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F-bombs could backfire on Democrats (opinion) - CNN.com - CNN