I wanted to let it go, to not scribble another line about Donald Trump, but no matter how repugnant, he still hovers like a menacing cloud. This time, though, the carelessness in his latest screed, its utter disregard for what makes America (at least in promise, in potential) unique, should oust him forever from our political landscape. “Should” is the word, for surely it would ruin any other ex-president and/or political candidate in my lifetime, but will it – finally – do in the Mar-a-Lago resident?
What he said, screaming again about a “stolen election,” reveals everything about his maniacal ego, his disregard for history, his disdain for truth, his rejection of American values.
“Do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!” — Trump, on Truth Social
Read it again – remembering the Big Lie of a stolen election, minus any evidence, refuted by courts across the country but repeated to this day by Trump – these words in particular:
“…the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”
It’s a new bottom for the architect of so many lies, slurs on decency, on the values of democracy itself. If we are still the country our Founders imagined, the one we still wish to build, this week’s outburst should be the ruin of Trump.
Well said, Mike. His unhinged rhetoric on this is absolutely appalling. That some would even consider voting for someone who fundamentally wants to override the Constitution is nuts. Both the GOP and the larger America need better options. Let’s hope some emerge.
Well I watched numerous GOP members refuse to condemn Trump for this under persistent questioning from Chuck Todd and GeorgeS. I have seen many acts and Comments I thought would finish him off, beginning with the rich draft Dodger calling McCain a Loser for getting captured. This time I had to verify he actually said this, as I though even Tr*** wouldn’t go this far. I hope you are right Mike, and this finally does it. But the guy won’t go away. Nor will his supporters.
Hey Mike, go easy now: He only said it “allows for.”
The sane wing of the Republican party needs to get some intestinal fortitude sooner than later for the good of what used to be referred to quaintly as “the body politic” (and as a fairly left of center D I sincerely hope they do).
It was sad watching Rob McKenna have to bow and scrape to the moron wing of the party during that primary election, as I actually think he’s an otherwise serious and competent pol/person that undid decades of hard-earned personal credibility debasing himself for that process. And a fat lot of good it did him, too.
It certainly figures in the running for a new low from the Donald, but I can’t help feeling that your coverage is exactly what he was looking for. Outrageous statements like this garnered Trump far more media attention than his competitors for the 2020 Republican nomination and it’s fair to say that all the media coverage, even though consistently negative, helped him get elected in the first place. (Its all about the clicks and gross rating points…) For many in the media, getting Trump in as the nominee made it a lock for a Clinton victory. Needless to say, they miscalculated the half of America who believe our current government is hopelessly corrupt and voted for Trump because he was an outsider that was going to ‘clean the swamp.’ None of that has changed much.
One of my pastimes on my iPhone / Apple news is to check Vanity Fair for their headline every morning, which 9 times out of 10 is about Trump. Their record from my un-offical count is 32 straight days in a row at one point. They are all negative stories, of course, but considering the media share-of-voice that he gets from it I expect he doesn’t mind that much.
The obvious answer is for the media to ignore Trump, but like addicted addicts, most can’t give up the readership they produce by putting out another salacious Trump story. And, sadly, no one pays much attention to policy, since we all seem to prefer junk personality media to a real understanding of of the effects of policy decisions on our lives.
Certainly agree that Trump gets an overload of undeserved headlines – and surely loves it, but as a now retired journalist I will say that when a former president of the United States and now an announced candidate to regain the office not only repeats – again – the lie about MASSIVE FRAUD, but adds that it allows “…the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,” that is a story that must be covered, and given headlines. American citizens deserve/require no less from the 4th Estate.
Trump’s latest rants show an increasing disdain for reality, even for him. But that makes him even more dangerous. He may feel thwarted, his followers don’t necessarily. So while I deeply sympathize with David Berett’s point of view, many observers feel they can’t take their eyes off him for a second. I know I’m afraid to look away, as much as I would like to. Herschel Walker’s loss in Georgia, after Trump’s fervent endorsements, and the ex president’s latest lunacy may be the beginning of his end. If only Fox News would hire him as an on-air consultant and give him the audience he so deeply craves. (Only half-joking.)