The right’s anti-Trump argument goes like this. Donald Trump lost the House, the presidency, and the Senate in that order. This observer was not optimistic Trump cost the GOP two Senate seats in the 2021 Georgia runoff. But, given the poor showing of Trump-endorsed Senate candidates in the 2022 midterm elections, it is hard to argue Trump did not lose the Senate. We will quibble with one point, though. Trump saved the Republican Senate majority in 2018, campaigning doggedly for vulnerable Senate incumbents like Texas’ Ted Cruz, turning out tens of thousands of MAGA hats at rally after rally and netting the GOP two senate seats.
Back then, Trump could do that.
But, given the great Republican disappointment of 2022, Trump clearly is not the force he was in 2016 or even 2018.
During the 2016 campaign and the 2018 midterms, Trump rallies were exciting events for the MAGA faithful. Attendees cheered and chanted, almost as if they were at a rock concert or religious revival. But, Trump’s November announcement that he was running for president seemed restrained and somnolent, at least for Trump. Watching Trump’s speech, one was reminded of a 40-year-old rock band long past its prime, performing their half-dozen hits for an audience increasingly becoming more selective.
New York Sports and Trump
Observers may get a clearer view of events with the passage of just a little time when one isn’t caught up in day-to-day political fighting. Nearly two years after he left office, Trump’s flaws are more obvious.
Trump had enormous trouble keeping people of talent in his administration. Others have pointed out that Trump’s management style resembles another famous and controversial New York personality, New York Yankees owner George M. Steinbrenner.
During the 70’s and 80’s, Mr. Steinbrenner was notorious for hiring and quickly firing managers – 18 in all between 1973 and 1990. Mr. Steinbrenner was prone to public outbursts as well. In office, Trump was undisciplined and remains so today. His recent dinner with Kanye West and latest remarks about Jews are merely the latest in a long series of self-inflicted wounds. This observer cannot be the only two-time Trump voter sick of defending him.
“Let’s be honest”, as another New York sports personality is fond of saying. Trump’s 2016 victory was stunning but not all that impressive. He ran in circumstances that favored a challenger. The economy was okay but not great. The nation faced a bourgeoning border crisis and fentanyl epidemic. Al-Qaida and ISIS ran large swaths of Iraq and Syria. The war in Afghanistan went on and on. The Obama Administration’s Libya adventure was a disaster. Most importantly, Hillary Clinton was a lackluster and tired candidate who missed her best opportunity to win the presidency in 2008. She was the Democrat’s version of Bob Dole. Besides, it is difficult for a party to win three presidential terms in a row. Just ask Richard Nixon and Al Gore. Trump will never have better circumstances than he had in 2016.
No Growth
After the 2020 debacle, fans of Trump (including this fan) wanted to see a leaner, meaner candidate in preparation for a 2024 run. This meant sound, smart advisers and message discipline.
Trump should have spent the last two years talking about his record. That includes a great economy, victory over ISIS and al-Qaida, the Abraham Accords, and Operation Warp Speed. Trump should never have slammed former subordinates. His attacks on Vice President Mike Pence, the administration’s loyal straight man, are unconscionable. Trump should have gotten leaner, literally. Nothing would signal a new and improved Trump better than laying off the McDonalds and Diet Coke and losing 25 pounds.
After Georgia Governor Brian Kemp refused to go along with Trump’s election fraud allegations in 2020, this observer was eager to see Trump foment a revolt against him. But foreshadowing the November election, Trump was already picking bad candidates, in this case, the recently defeated former senator David Perdue. Kemp destroyed Perdue 73-21 in the primary and went on to defeat space president Stacey Abrams 53-45 in the general election. In winning a second term, Kemp defeated Abrams and Trump.
Donald Trump: What happened to Winning?
“We’re going to win so much, you may even get tired of winning,” Trump promised his supporters in 2016. But Trump’s record the last two years is that of a loser. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (for whom this observer twice voted) slammed Trump after the midterms. “We keep losing and losing and losing. And the fact of the matter is the reason we’re losing is because Donald Trump has put himself before everyone else.”
He’s right. Christie knows a thing or two about winning tough races in blue states, having won two in New Jersey. Trump is a diminished force and fading fast. With each new gaff Trump fades more.
Trump is past his prime; that’s all there is to it. Meanwhile, tough, sharp, seasoned, and winning candidates await the GOP presidential primary. These include Florida governor Ron DeSantis who has turned his state into a Republican stronghold, and of course, Brian Kemp.
DRob4JC
December 13, 2022 at 11:46 am
Trump is not self destructing. The GOPelite in tandem with the liberal narrative makers are creating this narrative in the hopes of steering people away from Trump. They want to kill MAGA liked they killed the Tea Party.
The truth is ultimately it’s not about Trump. It’s about the 75 million that voted for Trump, and the GOPelite and liberals efforts to stamp out the fire before they get burned.
Bob
December 13, 2022 at 12:53 pm
“This observer” should try the Google: did President Obama create more jobs in his final 3 years than trump did in his first three? Go ahead, try it.
And please put the “schools” where you teach in your bio so I will make sure not to send my kids there.
Jk Mann
December 13, 2022 at 1:00 pm
I’m not tired of winning. I’m tired of “President” do-nothing man-baby wipe his pasty behind with the constitution and laws big and small for no other reason than “he can”. Nothing good is gained from hollowing out the core of this country.
If one wants to shrink or expand Social Security, or hire or fire 5,000 IRS agents, or drill for oil in fragile habitats, that’s fine. Those are policy decisions that whichever party is in power has earned the right to make. And if one is ok with having a Commander in Chief whose first and only priority is enriching himself above all others, then change the laws to let them do that.
Alan Erickson
December 13, 2022 at 1:20 pm
Would you have this cheat, liar, and crook at your Xmas dinner?? Would you consider Trump your friend if he said he liked you because you liked him??
His idotic comments, which show his ignorance of all things human, are enough to boggle the mind. I will never wear THE haat.
dB
December 13, 2022 at 1:52 pm
How convenient that “this observer” omitted Nick Fuentes from that dinner with Kanye comment. It’s bad enough that drumpf dined with an outspoken bigot. It’s inexcusable that he dined with a white supremacist who is also a holocaust denier.
Brian Casey
December 13, 2022 at 2:09 pm
Dude I do not care how or where you taught or teach how many books you have read or written you are clueless. To have voted for the baboon twice says it all. You pretend to know nothing about the world in which Trump operated in and still supported the crook. Now only has he given up his Big Macs and lost 25 lbs. things would be hunky dory. I’m not sure which of you two is the craziest ?
atpcliff
December 13, 2022 at 2:43 pm
If trump is the 2024 candidate, the Republicans will lose the Presidency, House, and the Democrats will keep the Senate.
If the Republican Party can come up with a less awful candidate than trump, they have a chance to sweep all three elections. Whether they win or lose those elections depends on a number of factors:
How good is the Democratic candidate?
How is the Economy doing?
How much does electricity/heat/oil cost?
How many more Republicans die from COVID19? Because of COVID, many Democrats/Democratic-leaning voters left the Blue state cities, and moved to Red state suburbs and rural areas. And, about twice as many Republicans as Democrats died of COVID, because of the vaccine rate, and mask-wearing differences between the two groups. Those two changes, resulted in Dems winning races in areas that they would not have won in, if COVID had not occurred.
How many negative effects of the Climate Emergency take place between now and the 2024 elections, and what are the government responses to help afterwards?
Ray
December 13, 2022 at 2:44 pm
Has anyone listened to Rachel Maddow podcast Ultra? If not you need to. 1935 to 1945 period when group of Natzi sympathizer, including US senators tried to overthrow our government. All fact checked from national archives. Know what they called the movement? America First. Sound familiar? Also that is not the last time it was attempted.
Gwen
December 13, 2022 at 3:02 pm
I find this assessment so naïve. Just because “operation warp speed” had a cute name; there was NOTHING warp speed about the managing oh Covid. Situation was handled in a messy manner from the beginning, and there is WAY too much to say about that.
Nor is the assessment of Hillary apt at all, and she was warning people exactly what would happen.
It was huge hubris that convinced Trump to run for the presidency, and he was the loser from that moment. Someone in his orbit should have warned him about the “skeletons”. He had no desire to “president” this country. It was a money making project for him, and ultimately will stand of his greatest loss. They will be studying the machinations of his presidency in Universities throughout the world forever.
He is not self-destructing now; he was doing it from the time he entered that race.
There are way too many aspects of that to discuss in the format. But your assessment of it is completely inadequate.
Frank Mix
December 13, 2022 at 11:01 pm
It’s one thing to write an opinion it’s another thing to invent history. This is nothing but a piece of poorly written fiction.
You are bad
December 14, 2022 at 2:14 am
The author fails to mention Jan 6th. Stay out of politics.
William Stroock
December 14, 2022 at 7:42 am
Thanks for not letting me down, folks.
Yad
December 14, 2022 at 8:10 am
No credibility if you voted for the orange con man. One is born everyday.
Whitmore dallas
December 14, 2022 at 9:15 am
Trump was a train wreck long long before he got to the crossing.
None of your business
December 23, 2022 at 8:17 pm
Thanks for not letting you down? Seriously? Grow a pair and stop with the lame articles.