It's been pretty gruesome watching Trump melt down the past few weeks -- ranting and interruption at his debate, going on a joyride outside the hospital where he was being treated for COVID-19, removing his mask while still positive for COVID-19 before entering the White House, slamming Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the day arrests were made for a white supremacist terrorist plot to kidnap her that was prompted by his own words, holding superspreader rallies without social distancing and masks, dancing on stage during a pandemic that has killed 220,000 Americans so far, retweeting an anonymous conspiracy claim that bin Laden wasn't killed, claiming he didn't know who QAnon group was that he retweeted, claiming he didn't know if he was tested for the coronavirus before his debate, campaigning against Hillary Clinton and Ilhan Omar and Hunter Biden rather than his actual opponent...and more, including showing he paid no taxes in some years over the past decade, and $750 in the others. And just yesterday -- yesterday alone -- whined about being tired of coverage of the pandemic, told a reporter (protected by the First Amendment, of course) it was criminal that he didn't report on something false that Trump wanted covered, called a news network "dumb bastards," said the most-trusted and admired doctor in America about infectious diseases was an "idiot," and openly pondered in a tweet about asking corporations for a bribe to his campaign. This is the man, after all, who is still in the Oval Office and will be until at least January 20. And all the more weird when realizing that he's down in the polls by a lot while early voting has already started, with 26 million votes already cast, and needs to everything possible to pick up votes, not hold on to his dwindling base. Let alone risk losing votes.
While it may not be surprising that I think is a good thing for Democrats, I also think it is a very important thing for the good of the country in a way that transcends mere election results and is very recent. Only a month ago, saying this would have been improbable. After all, only a month ago, though Joe Biden was in the lead in the polls, the results were very flexible, most notably because of electoral votes by state. But not only were the results in flux, the country was bitterly divided. Serious anger on both side, mostly among Republicans based on Trump saying he wouldn't guarantee a peaceful transition of power. Ever since the debate meltdown, though, after which Joe Biden's margin in the polls reached 10 points up to 14 points, and then all the subsequent crazed actions by Trump, I get the sense that the public perception of Trump has changed somewhat. After all, when someone's approval drops precipitously and his election deficit increases, those changes have to come from somewhere -- which means losing some of his supporters and undecideds. But even among his moderate supporters who still do plan to vote for him, I have to believe they know they are looking at a different person -- one they may still support (for now), but one out of control. Even if you support someone, Americans tend to still like having a peaceful transition of power. Still know that over 220, 000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and that it's very infectious and extremely serious. Still, don't like white supremacist terrorist groups. Still know that paying taxes is something they have to do . Still know that kidnapping a governor is a very bad thing. Still know that Hillary Clinton ran in 2016, and that Joe Biden is the candidate now. Still know that cramming groups of people together without masks is crazy and dangerous. Still know that First Amendment protects journalist and that not reporting a story isn't a crime. Still know that Trump got impeached for trying to commit bribery. Still know that a president swearing like a drunk sailor is not normal nor the standard most Americans want from their leader who is also the country's ultimate role model. Still know that now is not the time to start ignoring the coronavirus but well-past the time to figure out how to resolve it already. And so, even if this is your candidate, you know you're seeing someone out of control. And this doesn't take into consideration the supporters Trump has lost from his out-of-control antics. The point being that a month ago, there was great anger in the country's election division. But even though the division is still there, I think that some of the anger among moderate Republicans watching Trump be Trump has dissipated somewhat. No, not the divisive anger of the Trump cult. But moderate Republicans who still support Republican policies and who support Trump for being the Republican candidate and will still be unhappy if he loses the election...I suspect they, this group more in the middle, will be less bitterly angry that this out-of-control person who they've been watching melt down the past few weeks lost. They will instead -- perhaps -- now view the election like people pretty much always have looked at elections: not that it was "rigged," not that it was "stolen" by the "Dark State -- but that unfortunately the candidate they wanted to win has lost, life will go on, they can oppose the policies of the new President and hope for the best. And as sorry as they are that their preference lost (assuming he does...), there is the comfort of knowing that someone that out of control will not be in the White House. This is not to say there won't be bitter anger and division if Trump loses. There will be. But instead of that bitter, angry, it was "rigged" 52-48% division of a month ago, the anger may now be closer to 65-35%. That's still horrible, but it has a whole lot more protective buffer. This is nothing I'd have thought possible a month ago. Or almost just two weeks ago. I now thing it's a reasonable consideration. And I also think it's possible too that some of this reaction may rub off in even just a small way on Republicans in downticket races, because they enabled this out-of-control sociopath and are seen as complicit. And in tight state races, just a small change could make a big difference.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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