Why Again Do We Still Have a Special Relationship With the Tyrannical UK?
Remember Those Two Jordanians Who Tried to Infiltrate a Marine Corps Base? Well…
Is There Trouble Ahead for Pete Hegseth?
Celebrate Diversity (Or Else)!
Journos Now Believe the Liar Trump When Convenient, and Did Newsweek Provide the...
To Vet or Not to Vet
Trump: From 'Fascist' to 'Let's Do Lunch'
Newton's Third Law of Politics
Religious Belief and the 2024 Election
Restoring American Strength and Security with Trump’s Cabinet Picks
Linda McMahon to Education May Choke Foreign Influence Operations on Campus
Unburden Us From the Universities
Watch Jasmine Crockett Go On Rant About White People Over the Abolishment of...
Texas Hands Over Massive Plot of Land to Trump for Deportations
Scott Jennings Offers Telling Points on Democrats' Losses With Young Men
OPINION

Being Wronged Doesn't Make You the Right Candidate

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

It's hard to ignore the fact that a past president is the subject of four separate indictments the year before an election where that person is the leading candidate the left might face. The timing of this prosecution is suspect. The indictments are questionable and may very well be thrown out on appeal after they are no longer necessary to bring Trump down.

Advertisement

Victor Davis Hanson summed it up well in an Epoch Times interview: "They are prosecuting Donald Trump for election interference, and they are interfering in a way that has never happened in American history. With the 2024 election, they are going after the leading candidate and trying to emasculate him, neuter him, and affect the way that people have a choice, a choice to vote for him or not vote for him. Not if he is in jail, and that seems to be the aim." 

There also seems to be no question that the Trump indictments have been orchestrated to take away the sting of negative news about his likely opponent, President Joe Biden. On March 17th, Hunter Biden accidentally admits that the laptop is his, and on the 18th, Trump acknowledges that he will be indicted. On June 8th, an FBI document claims that the Bidens were allegedly bribed with $5 million. On June 9th, Trump is served with the Mar-A-Lago indictment. On July 31st, Devon Archer testifies and on August 1st, and the Trump indictment for January 6th occurs. Trump's Fulton County indictment is introduced in Georgia as more evidence of the Biden bribery scheme is explored in the House, and Washington reacts to the biased appointment of David Weiss as the special counsel in the Hunter Biden tax case. The goal is clear-keep the media focused on Trump's indictments to justify why Joe Biden's problems are not even covered. 

Yes, President Trump has been wronged in how he has been treated. He's joked that with his growing popularity in the polls, all he needs is another indictment, and his election is guaranteed. With candidate Trump's growing popularity in the presidential polls, it would appear that the Democrats are either very stupid or very smart. If they thought his indictments would negatively affect his candidacy, then they are stupid. It increasingly looks like Trump is most likely to become the Republican presidential candidate in 2024. But if their assessments indicate that former President Trump is the candidate they want to face, they may be more intelligent than they appear. 

Advertisement

There is no question that many faithful Trump supporters are mad as hell and can't wait to vote for the man whether he is in jail or not. But what of independents? What about the never-Trumpers in his own party who continue to reject his candidacy? Trump is popular now, partly because people feel he has been wronged and singled out to keep him from running or at least seriously damaging his chances of victory. 

Americans do not like one-sided justice. Trump faces multiple indictments, and Joe Biden's bribery schemes hardly get coverage, much less calls for his impeachment. There are clearly two standards of justice-pain and suffering for leading Republican candidates and the sound of media crickets for Democratic wrongdoing. 

It's time for both parties to face the reality that both Biden and Trump could be in deep legal trouble by the time the 2024 election comes around. Is that what we want? No American from either party should want such a mess. We don't need a dangerously divided country trapped in the rearview mirror of determining whose candidate was the worst criminal. America deserves better.

President Trump is now acting like an embattled king worthy of coronation without having to earn it. He questions appearing in any debates. He calls for loyalty but refuses to promise support for the eventual Republican candidate chosen through the state primaries. He has even called on the other candidates to drop out to clear his way to the victory he feels that he alone deserves. He attacks. He cajoles. It's his way or the highway. His most faithful may like it, but it will not endear him to many voters he needs to win.

Advertisement

Let's be clear. If Trump is able to survive the indictments, runs the primary gauntlet, and wins the nomination to face whoever the Democratic standard bearer is, most Republicans will vote for him. But will enough independents join the faithful? That is not clear. With Trump and Biden, the focus will be stuck on the legitimacy of all the indictments and the blame game. 

There are many good candidates on the Republican side who deserve to be heard. Let them focus on the issues that will shape our future. Weigh their plans to improve the economy, lower inflation, secure the border, provide school choice, and deal with our foreign enemies. 

Unfortunately, it's clear that former President Trump does not trust the American voters to give him the victory he feels he deserves. If he did, he would be at the debates. He would welcome the competition, and he would promise loyalty to the party and support the candidate who earns the nomination. 

Being wrong doesn't make Trump the right candidate to support. The winning candidate should have to earn it the old-fashioned way, by winning the hearts and minds of voters throughout this great land. With President Biden's disastrous record, the eventual Republican winner has an excellent chance of being our next president. May it be so!

If you haven't yet purchased Dr. Paulson's "Joy Comes with the Morning" devotional course, take advantage of a special deal from @tomeapp.com. Not only will you get to enjoy his 31 short, recorded messages designed to expand and enhance your joy-filled faith experience whenever you need or want it, you now can have access to all of TOME's faith-focused resources for one year at no additional cost. Just use the code TERRYP to gain exclusive access to Tome's offer  <https://launch.tomeapp.com/ https://launch.tomeapp.com/. You can contact Dr. Paulson at terry@terrypaulson.com <mailto:terry@terrypaulson.com 

Advertisement

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos