It’s always surprising when someone in the establishment media complains about the nasty tone in today’s politics, which begs the question: what did you expect?
When you attend a boxing match, shouldn’t you suppose there’ll be blood and low blows? Or if you score tickets to a hockey game (maybe not the playoffs so much), shouldn’t you anticipate there’ll be gloves down on the ice and punches exchanged at least once or twice in the sixty-minute contest?
I don’t recall who said it, but politics ain’t bean bag. And it’s always been that way, primarily because American voters relish the “branding” attempts that go on by each party. The meat and potatoes issues might hold the voters’ attention for a little while, but sooner or later, the proverbial mosh pit is where the contenders are driven to.
The salacious and sleaze devouring establishment media exacerbates the phenomenon.
The only thing missing from this year’s example is childhood playground-type accusations of “He made me do it” and, “He/they started it.” The respective political families are involved, too, particularly Joe Biden’s corrupt former drug addict, stripper-impregnating son having been imprudent enough to leave a laptop full of evidence of his and his father’s corruption behind at a computer repair shop -- and then failing to pay for and collect it.
Will the rancor get worse? With Biden and Trump in the “ring”, plan on plenty of below the belt rhetoric. In an article titled “Trump-Biden race gets nasty: When they go low, let’s get lower”, Amie Parnes reported at The Hill:
“Political observers predict the campaign will only get uglier and more personal, especially with Democrats signaling they’re ready to abandon efforts to avoid schoolyard brawls with Trump.
“’We tried to play by these 20th century rules,’ said Democratic strategist Rodell Mollineau, who served as a senior aide to former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). ‘For the longest time, in theory and in practice, most of the time, I agree with that. Voters say they don’t like negativity, but then they’re drawn to negative ads. So if getting down in the mud a little is going to better demonstrate to voters what’s at stake, then so be it.’
“Republican strategist Susan Del Percio, who does not support Trump, agreed, saying there has been a departure from the tone former first lady Michelle Obama tried to set for her party during her speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, when Trump battled Hillary Clinton for the presidency and ultimately ended up winning, even as Clinton was deemed the favorite in the match-up.”
While I realize that reporters covering this year’s presidential race need subjects to write about, does Parnes truly believe what they’re telling her to report? Did the powers-that-be surmise that a rematch between a battle-hardened businessman and tabloid celebrity versus a stupid-to-the-core, career DC swamp dweller would remain above the fray and civilized for long?
Joe Biden’s always stooped to the lowest level he could get away with. Remember how he treated Judge Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas while on the Senate Judiciary Committee? Kicking an opponent is what he does best.
Further, why bring up Michelle Obama as an example of a national political figure to refer to as typifying the days of national unity and fair-fight political campaigns? Did Michelle’s hubby not brand Republicans as racists and backwards-looking rubes (bitter clingers to guns and religion) when characterizing his political opposition?
And, why would a left-of-center publication like The Hill use an establishment Never Trumper to present the general opinion of your average Trump-loving Republican? Is there a special affinity for Michelle Obama among the group?
From memory, the last campaign that didn’t turn into a voluntary slugfest was in 2008 when “maverick” John McCain refused to make Barack Obama’s close affiliation with leftists (Bill Ayres and Black Liberation Theology-preaching and America-hating pastor Jeremiah Wright) an issue in the campaign. McCain easily could’ve informed Americans of what Obama represented, but instead the GOP establishment senator opted to stay apart and safely silent about the nation’s first black major party presidential nominee.
What happened? McCain lost. “Joe the Plumber” did more to highlight Obama’s true socialist (spread the wealth around) leanings than the GOP establishment consultant goons advising McCain ever did. Do you think Democrats would ever keep things clean… on purpose?
Nastiness is expected. The utter depravity of the Democrat strategy is quite another thing. This year’s lawfare attacks alone would set a distinction with every other presidential nominating cycle where the two sides simply just didn’t like each other. In 2024, Democrats have taken it to another plain, suggesting over and over that their opponent belongs in prison. Literally.
And it’s not just what the Democrats and their legal arm are leaking to the press that alludes to their strategy, it’s the swiftness – or lack thereof -- in which they’re doing it.
Let’s face it, Democrats are frustrated by the snail’s pace of the pre-trial processes in the federal courts in question (Washington, D.C. and South Florida), but they also are (somewhat) encouraged by it. As time drags on, it is increasingly obvious that nothing is going to come (in terms of actual jailtime) from the mess created by Special Prosecutor Jack Smith, Merrick Garland and the rest of the partisan Democrat legal army that has been assembled to do everything but install actual roadblocks in front of the Trump MAGA train – or Trump Force One -- to slow him down.
Democrats lend the impression that they desperately want Trump to be tried, convicted and imprisoned (of some sort) before the November election, even if all they’re able to derive from the witch hunt is establishment media coverage of an ankle monitor being installed on Trump’s leg to ensure that he’s unable to move within Mar-a-Lago or a campaign rally without them knowing about it.
Picture the former president slightly lifting his suit pant leg to allow authorities with uniforms and sinister sneers to fasten the device… and who says a picture isn’t worth a thousand… votes?
Media optics are everything to the Democrats, who must depict Trump as a common criminal before early voting – and Election Day – arrives, when they figure a resounding election loss to the accused will alleviate and erase any legal pressure he feels. The Democrats’ failures will be the demarcation point for the average citizen as well, who will recognize Trump’s “free” status as a go-ahead to try and vote senile Joe Biden into history as the worst president ever.
As has been demonstrated by the joke of a trial in New York City over the past month-plus, actually arriving at the trial date hasn’t paid off in benefits for the Democrats’ embattled candidates. The mocks and jabs from Democrat elected officials – including by president senile Joe Biden himself – haven’t resulted in waves of Trump voters abandoning their candidate. If anything, the savvy Trump has turned the media circus into yet another forum for making himself seem like the victim of government overreach.
Further, the novelty of seeing Trump in a “real” courtroom and being admonished by a judge isn’t enthralling or newsworthy any longer. It’s more like watching hours upon hours of procedure requiring regular viewing of the testimony to gather anything meaningful. If the American public hasn’t already been lulled to sleep with weeks of witnessing Fani Willis and her well-compensated ambulance chaser lover being verbally dissected in Georgia, there’s nothing of consequence happening in NYC to add to the narrative.
If anything, Americans are being treated to a first-hand look at how tedious the legal process can be. If anyone doesn’t consider that boring, they should be forced to attend a deposition during a products liability suit, which can last days. Pass the stimulants, it’s gonna be a long one!
The real value to Democrats, therefore, is to keep Trump away from actual campaigning and also work to drain his resources – you know, the loot he’s having to spend to pay his defense lawyers who are no doubt billing lots of overtime hours filing new motions, responding to others and also making themselves available for service 24/7.
It could be said Democrats prefer Trump mired in legal jeopardy to having him roaming the country speaking to standing room only crowds about the Democrats’ foibles. Perhaps they’re jealous of Trump’s proven ability to bring people in with very little notice. Senile Joe’s characteristic anger and teeth-gritting stage shows just don’t do it for people.
Here’s thinking there’s some sort of fall surprise waiting the Trump campaign, and it probably won’t be inside a courtroom or revealed through a jury verdict. The Democrats fanned the COVID fire flames in 2020, but Americans are wise to the government’s tricks now. This doesn’t mean they won’t try. Who knows, maybe instead of concentrating on Trump’s background they’ll invent a health scare or something similar.
Ironically, if Democrats are hoping to blunt Trump’s branding efforts themselves, they’ve picked an odd way to do it. Trump has all-but ignored “gag” orders to pretty much say whatever he wants, and showing him standing outside a courthouse ensures that people will be paying attention.
Trump’s announcement of a running mate will also make national headlines as will the establishment media’s mission to discredit the person. But Democrats will not be able to shake their Kamala Harris problem regardless. Talk about nasty tone. As Democrats get more and more anxious, they’re likely to try anything to deflect attention away from their failed issue agenda and Americans’ attitudes towards the economy and illegal immigration.
Donald Trump is good at tossing insults, but they’re based in fact and thus add to the campaign. Senile Joe Biden just makes himself appear older and less capable when he makes off-color remarks about Trump. Will the campaign tone improve as the year goes on? Don’t bet on it.
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