Trump should be defending keeping Biden in the election
Former President Donald Trump never put reason before his tendency towards personal and petty invective, but if Trump could he would be at the forefront defending Biden to keep him in the race
By Ray Hanania
FREE/Politics Presidential Election/Wednesday July 10, 2024
During his first term in office, President Trump’s biggest weakness was his inability to resist the temptation to engage in petty attacks against rivals who viciously attacked him.
Trump just couldn’t stop himself from attacking people like Rosie O’Donnell, who first initiated the personal attacks against Trump during her appearance as co-host on the far left TV show “The View.”
O’Donnell attacked Trump after he decided not to fire Miss USA Tara Conner following disclosures of drug use, underage drinking and sexual activities. Trump said he was a believer in “second chances.”
That provoked O’Donnell, one of the most vicious celebrities in Hollywood to launch an investive against Trump during her appearance on The View.
O’Donnell said she doesn’t “enjoy” Trump and accused him of going bankrupt, hitting a Trump nerve. But she didn’t stop and continued saying Trump is “not a self-made man” but a “snake-oil salesman on Little House On The Prairie.” She got personal, attacking him for his multiple marriages blaming he “left the first wife – had an affair” and “had kids both times.” She concluded, “But, he’s the moral compass for 20-year-olds in America. Donald, sit and spin, my friend.”
Unable to restrain himself, Trump immediately lowered himself to O’Donnell’s scuzy gutter level.
Trump has done that with so many people who have criticized him, weakening his presidency and making him look incapable of taking criticism. Trump never took the high road as a “strategy” which would have strengthened his presidency. Instead, he weakened it and made himself vulnerable, baited into hundreds of personal feuds that undermined his re-election.
During the debate with President Joe Biden, however, Trump showed he could restrain himself, give his rivals the rope they needed to do themselves in, and benefit from a restrained strategy. The restraint was imposed on Trump by CNN, which hosted the debate in a misguided effort to help Biden that backfired.
And Biden’s troubling performance exposed challenges his age is imposing on his ability to be a strong leader.
Right now, Biden’s poor debate performance has created a rift among Democrats concerned that if Biden stays in the race, Trump will win. The rift is not going to go away any time soon. Criticism has come from members of the Democratic party, Democrat elected officials, Democrat fundraiser (George Clooney) and form the left media like the New York Times and the Washington Post.
The temptation is for Trump to jump in to the fray and pound on Biden, but that isn’t the smart political move. The smart political move would be for Trump to do the opposite and become the voice of reason, defending Biden.
Trump should hold a press conference and denounce those attacking Biden, accusing them of engaging in “elderly abuse.” Everyone get’s old, although in all honesty Democrats who defend Biden were among the loudest critics of Senator Mitch McConnell when he had his moments of “freezing” and not speaking for long uncomfortable pauses. Democrats were also among those who led the charge criticizing President Ronald Reagan who suffered from Alzheimer’s during his second term in office. The Reagan administration was basically run by First Lady Nancy Reagan, and his key members of his cabinet and staff.
The temptation for Trump to pile on Biden would have been too much to resist during his first term when pettiness was more of a Trump policy back then, than it is today.
Trump has a chance to reposition himself. Although it won’t undermine his critics, it will create a stronger environment for him.
And the bottom line is that if Trump really believes, as do many Americans, that Biden is incapable of maintaining a strong cognitive presence during a second term — being president is a tough job that erode’s a president’s health — he would want Biden to be the Democrat candidate he will face in the November 5, 2024 Presidential election.
We know Biden has serious challenges that he really can’t physically overcome. But can Trump overcome the one troubling aspect of pettiness that made his own challenges even worse than they were.
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Oh, I'm done. But, please know that I will ALWAYS get a comment in to you if I so desire. I no longer desire, as I see now "you can't handle the truth."
You blocked me? Continuing my final comments to your previous stupid dialog.
You really need to learn how to understand common sense - which apparently you don't have. You think you do, but you don't. "Extreme and Vicious" is what you are. I don't distort facts, as facts cannot be distorted. You'd think you know that. Finally, I do not "have a political agenda that serves (my) interest rather than the truth."
Yes, "Pathetic" is who, and what you have become over these many years. Let's just end this back and forth as I don't traffic being in an argumentative conversation with someone who apparently has never been told that 'you are not all that.' You're not all there either. Your misplaced sarcasm proves that. It appears to me that there is a vacancy in your brain. Intelligence has moved out! All this because you don't understand jack! Shameful, just Shameful! Now I understand why there's not much commentary on your postings. Everyone understands that you're in your own little world of ignorance, and common sense is no longer your friend. I'll keep reading you though - I need some good laughs!