Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley warns, “A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Kamala Harris,” suggesting that re-electing the aged and addled president would almost certainly vault the vice president into the Oval Office within the next four years.
Liz Peek/Fox News/September 1, 2023
Remember back in the fall of 2023 when Republicans ghoulishly predicted Joe Biden would not survive a second term, ensuring the ascension of Kamala Harris, an outcome Haley declared should “…send a chill up every American’s spine.” After watching last night’s debate, I have an even greater fear which has nothing to do with Donald Trump’s health or mortality. Let me explain.
We know what “Day One” of a second Trump administration would look like. For someone who has been unable to give a cogent answer about his policy positions, he has been crystal clear about actions he would take immediately following the inaugural parade. The list, compiled by a Washington Post review of Trump speeches since launching his campaign on November 15, 2022, include:
- An executive order replacing 50,000 federal civil servants with loyalists vetted by the Heritage Foundation.
- Pardoning his supporters who attacked law enforcement officers and defaced the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
- Starting “the largest deportation operation in American history.”
- Dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
- Bringing the Department of Justice, Federal Reserve and FCC under total control of the president.
- End “birthright citizenship” which is enshrined in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
- Restrict travel from countries with substantial Muslim populations.
- Cut funding to school districts which mandate vaccines or mask mandates.
- Repeal Biden’s executive order which expanded background checks for purchasers of firearms.
Not specifically included in the Post’s compendium is directing the Department of Justice to drop federal investigations and indictments related to January 6, 2021, mishandling of classified documents and obstruction of justice.
Which brings me to “Day Two.” It will likely mirror the final scene in Michael Ritchie’s 1972 film, “The Candidate.” Similar to fictional senator-elect Bill McKay (Robert Redford), Trump will retire to the White House residence, sit on the edge of his bed, look at whichever sycophant he makes chief of staff, and ask, “What do we do now?” By midnight January 20, 2025, Trump will have achieved everything he wanted to do. Demonstrate he could beat “sleepy Joe” and “crazy Kamala.” Make the specter of more convictions and potential prison time go away. It may not be the next day, but sometime before January 20, 2029, I believe he will declare victory and go home.
Which is my takeaway from last night’s vice-presidential debate. To quote Nikki Haley, the prospect of a J.D. Vance presidency “sends a chill up my spine.” For two reasons. First, as clearly demonstrated during the debate, Vance put “Slick Willy” Clinton to shame. His ability to lie with such verbal aplomb is frightening. Based on a CNN snap poll of debate watchers, a very narrow majority (51-49 percent) declared Vance the winner, attesting to his ability to effectively sell bullshit.
Second, and more importantly, while Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, Vance is wedded to it. Vance’s selection as VP candidate was engineered by the Heritage Foundation. To fully appreciate his devotion to Project 2025 and Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts, one need only read Vance’s foreword to Roberts’ forthcoming book By Dawn’s Early Light, which includes the following.
Roberts is articulating a fundamentally Christian view of culture and economics, recognizing that virtue and material progress go hand in hand.
The old conservative movement argued if you just got government out of the way, natural forces would resolve problems. We are no longer in this situation and must take a different approach.
So much for small government conservatism and “the invisible hand” of economic markets.
And Vance describes this “different approach,” not as a conversation about ideas, but in terms of armed conflict. He refers to Roberts’ perspective and specific proposals as “essential weapons in the fights that lay ahead.” And ends his endorsement of the book’s content with a call “to circle the wagons and load the muskets.” (If only the Supreme Court originalists had ruled that muskets were the only firearms the Founding Fathers thought should be covered by the Second Amendment.)
But there is good news. Dare I say, last night’s debate was a second tier remake of the October 3, 2000 debate between George W. Bush and Al Gore, with much the same outcome. Gore was perceived as the articulate, policy-wise alternative but came across as impatient and condescending. Gore campaign advisor Paul Begala summed up the effect on the audience of his candidate’s dismissal of Bush as a worthy opponent.
For all of Gore’s good answers, his feelings for Bush was his fatal flaw. You can’t afford to look across the stage with that kind of contempt at someone who millions of people have nominated as their standard-bearer.
The details of the CNN post-debate poll echo these exact sentiments. In terms of likeability, 59 percent of viewers said they had a favorable view of Walz (up 13 points from a pre-debate poll) while only 22 percent gave him an unfavorable rating. Even though Vance’s favorability rose 11 points to 41 percent, he remained underwater with a 44 percent unfavorable score. And what is often viewed as the most important polling factor, debate watchers, by a margin of 48 to 35 percent chose Walz over Vance when it came to which candidate “is more in touch with the needs and problems of people like me.”
In summary both candidates were winners when it came to achieving their goals. Vance succeeded in rounding off some of the sharp edges of his personality and positions, but not enough to make him more likeable than Walz. Walz, the lesser known of the two when selected to be Harris’ running mate, solidified his credibility as qualified to step into the presidency, if necessary, according to 65 percent of the those who watched the debate.
As is generally the case when it comes to vice-presidential debates, October 1, 2024 will not be remembered as the defining moment of this presidential election.
POSTSCRIPT: THE BIGGEST LOSERS
This one is simple. Ron DeSantis and the “Free State of Florida.” Vance is now the heir apparent to what has become the MAGA (nee Trump’s Republican) Party. And “anti-wokeness” decided to take a nap during the vice-presidential debate. No mention of critical race theory. Or transgender athletes. No defense of book banning. And admission by Vance that America is a diverse nation.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP