As they did in 2016, multiple high-level Democrats in and out of our government are unethically colluding and coordinating to take out the leading opposition candidate to Joe Biden. Back in 2016, it was operatives from the Clinton and Obama machines teaming up with the deep state in an overt attempt to deny then candidate Donald J. Trump the White House.
Today – with operatives from the Clinton and Obama machines and the deep state still involved – it is seemingly the Biden White House operating in lockstep with certain far-left Democratic judges, district attorneys, prosecutors, and state supreme courts to use “lawfare” to take Trump out of the 2024 race.
These attempts to take Trump out of the race are unethical, outrageous, and un-American. These are the tactics of totalitarian thugs and must be condemned at every opportunity.
That said, former President Trump’s two main competitors for the Republican nomination – former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis -- have either only offered lukewarm pushback against this illicit election interference or used the partisan indictments as a vehicle to try to smear Trump.
For instance, back in August during that month’s politically motivated indictment of former President Donald J. Trump, Nikki Haley cravenly said in part on a New Hampshire radio show:
“Unlike the other candidates, I didn't rush out with a statement yesterday on Trump's indictment for one simple reason — like most Americans, I'm tired of commenting on every Trump drama,” said Haley. “I've lost track of whether this indictment is the third or fourth or the fifth.”
Interesting.
Maybe Haley has also “lost track” of the fact that it was “the third or fourth or the fifth” politically motivated attempt by the Democrats to take out the leading Republican candidate. Maybe Haley “lost track” of the fact it was President Trump who appointed her to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Maybe Haley also “lost track” of the fact that in April of 2021 she declared that if Trump ran for president in 2024, she would not. Maybe Haley “lost track” of the fact that when asked in April of 2021 if she would support a 2024 run by former President Trump, she answered: “Yes.” Maybe Haley has also “lost track” of friendship and loyalty.
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Maybe Nikki Haley should locate the “track” of truth laid down by Kevin O’Leary – “Mr. Wonderful” of Shark Tank fame and echo it.
With regard to the long-planned, politically motivated scheme to go after Trump for “overvaluing” his assets, O’Leary not only exposed New York Attorney General Letitia James as a political hack but took her to school in the process.
It was a highly instructional lesson O’Leary outlined on CNN:
“Well,” said the man who knows a great deal about the real estate world and business in general. “Let's leave out Trump for a minute, and let's leave out politics, and just talk about what happens in real estate development anywhere…every single real estate developer everywhere on earth does this. They always talk about their asset being worth a lot and the bank says no. That's just the way it is. So in this case [Trump’s], who lost money? Nobody.”
The famous entrepreneur then went on to further explain: “The bank got paid back the construction finance loan, and a new building was built. If you're going to sue this case and win, you've gotta sue every real estate developer everywhere. This is all they do. This is what they do all day long every day. So I don't think this thing will ever survive appeal regardless of what the fine is. This doesn't even make sense.”
Haley and DeSantis have every right to run against Trump in the primary. That said, some – myself included – believe their current campaigns smack of ingratitude and disloyalty. In Haley’s case, first because then President Trump did appoint her to the United Nations. An experience she has bragged about constantly on the campaign trail while taking credit for policy decisions ultimately enacted by President Trump. Next, because as she said assured the nation in April of 2021, she would step aside if Trump ran in 2024.
Next, we come to Governor DeSantis. “Governor” being the key word here. Were it not for the endorsement of DeSantis by then President Trump in December of 2017 during the Republican primary, DeSantis never would have been governor.
Or, as the Florida Times-Unionlater headlined it: “DeSantis rides Trump Endorsement to Win.”
Does Trump deserve gratitude and loyalty from Haley and DeSantis? Tens of millions of Americans surely believe so.
But let’s put gratitude and loyalty aside for a moment. Haley and DeSantis are still two of the most influential voices in the Republican Party. More than that, both have powerful platforms which do reach Americans from every walk of life.
DeSantis is a Harvard educated lawyer. Haley is a former governor. Both know right from wrong. Both know the Democrats, the Deep State, and the liberal media have been after Trump since he first declared for president in June of 2015.
As Americans with incredibly powerful platforms, they had – and have – a duty to speak out against such draconian, chilling, and truly un-American conduct. For the most part, both either mostly looked the other way or, in Haley’s case, tried to exploit the blatant election interference.
Ironically, there is a strong case to be made that if Haley and DeSantis had rightfully come to the defense of Trump against these fraudulent attempts to smear him and take him off the ballot, the voters would have respected them all the more.
For not only would they have been doing the right thing, but they would have been defending the vision and values of our Founding Fathers.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the book: The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence.
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