Given recent political events, the Republican nomination for president belongs to Donald Trump. Congratulations, Mr. Trump. Of course, only God knows the future, and some interference with Trump’s nomination could occur. He could die of a heart attack, or some TDS kook could assassinate him, or some such happenstance. But barring the unforeseen and unpredictable, Trump will be the Republican nominee when all is finalized in the summer convention. This article is being written on that assumption. I’ll make relevant amendments later, if the unforeseen and unpredictable make that necessary.
If the race is indeed over, then, as soon as possible, all Republicans need to get behind the candidate—wisely or unwisely—selected by the Republican Party members. The infighting must stop; the people (will) have spoken, and the choice of Trump (will be) made. It’s democracy. No spilled milk arguments or recriminations can be justified—until after the election. If you are a Republican, you support Trump. If you have TDS and simply can’t do that, don’t vote. But Trump will be the nominee and that’s what we live or die with. We look forward, not backwards.
Thus, the significant question that now remains is not, “can Trump win?” Who he selects for VP is weighty, but not THE most important consideration. The major question is “HOW can Trump win?”, and it isn’t too early to start asking it. If a path to the White House for Trump isn’t determined, then nothing else really matters—who his VP is, what he would do when he gets there, etc. etc. “Can he win?” is irrelevant. “HOW can he win” is what is important now.
And I will be forthright and totally honest here—right now, I don’t know. I’m not saying he can’t win; I just presently don’t perceive his route to victory, and will be listening closely to anybody who might elucidate a method. Ronna McDaniel hasn’t given one. I did read one commentator who suggested his best chance was to select Nikki Haley as his Vice-president, but that (apparently) isn’t going to happen. But it IS an argument, and the only one I’ve read so far.
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Most conservatives who supported Ron DeSantis or Vivek Ramaswamy also like Mr. Trump. The issue is not, and never has been, among most of us who backed DeSantis—would Mr. Trump be a good president again? I thought he was an excellent president (with some reservations, no president is perfect), and I think he would do a good job again. I wrote a series of columns last year on Trump’s accomplishments as president (here, here, and here). I’ve never said he was a bad president or that he would be a bad president if elected this year. I think a huge number of DeSantis/Rawaswamy supporters would agree with me on that.
So, again, the issue is not and has never been Mr. Trump’s past accomplishments or future goals. The critical issue now becomes...how can he win the presidency again? And, except for the utterly repulsive “Haley-for-VP” proposal, I have seen no answer to that question. I read people who say, “well, Trump did a great job before!” Granted. And utterly irrelevant. “He’s a fighter! He never gives up!” Granted. And utterly irrelevant. “He is being treated unjustly!” Granted. But...utterly irrelevant. None of these are plans for conquest in November.
I have brought up, many times in columns (and I am far from the only commentator who has done so) Mr. Trump’s penchant for offending countless people via his arrogance, bombast, rudeness, and general dislikeabilty. And I always, ALWAYS, get responses, “I don’t care about how ‘likeable’ he is if he governs well.” Yes, many Republicans DON’T care what kind of person Trump is. But many do, and Trump-conservatives are not in the majority in America. Now, you can walk the streets and call me a fool if you want to, but his character IS an issue, a major one, to countless Americans. If Trump’s personality turns off more people than it turns on, then he is going to lose, and it is...utterly irrelevant...if some conservatives aren’t offended by his antics.
But his bombast isn’t preventing him from securing the Republican nomination. Trump is what he is, he isn’t going to change, and he will win or lose with it. You like him and don’t care what his character is. So be it.
Now. Tell us how he can win in November.
Tell us how he can overcome the millions of Americans who won’t vote for him because he HAS offended them, and to whom it DOES matter what kind of person he is. Saying, “it doesn’t matter to me” is no answer. It obviously won’t matter to anybody who votes for him.
But the question now—the ONLY question is—how do we overcome his negatives and get people to vote for him?
We must come up with positive solutions; it’s not enough to produce only a “Biden is incompetent” campaign. I’ve never seen a path for Trump back to Washington, and that is one reason I supported DeSantis. I hoped there might be enough Democrats disgusted with Biden to vote for a new, fresh, non-repulsive face—“DeSantis Democrats” a la the “Reagan Democrats” of the 1980s. Or these disgusted Democrats might just stay home. But they probably will vote now—not for Biden, but against Trump. And every one of them will get their dead mother, their dog, and their pet fish to vote for Biden, too. Simply because they hate Trump so much.
Further, how does Mr. Trump plan to overcome possible cheating? And the help the Chinese will surely give Biden? How? We need good, solid solutions to these conundrums.
I’ll ponder it, long and hard, and publish any answers I concoct. But currently, I’m almost blank. And have heard no viable solutions yet.
Good luck, Mr. Trump. We support you.
Subscribe to my substack mklewis929.substack.com for more on Leftism, our Founding Fathers, and true freedom. My “Story of the Bible” series will help you understand God’s Word. Follow me on Twitter: @thailandmkl. Read my western novels, Whitewater , River Bend, Return to River Bend, and Allie’s Dilemma all available on Amazon.
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