Strap in for another three months of weirdness. Expect the unexpected. Don’t underestimate how low Donald Trump can go.
And I say the same for “J.D. Vance, the hillbilly, venture capitalist, senator who once called his running mate ‘America’s Hitler” and alerted us to the conspiracy of cat ladies to make us all miserable.
I started making a list of weird things in this election. Donald Trump’s rally speeches, for example, are increasingly odd. Did you know “Kamabla Harris” caused the stock market to crash on Monday? “Kamabla” is one of the new nicknames Trump has conjured up as he scurries around to find something to make voters uncomfortable with Harris. So far, it is not working. And how could Kamabla cause the stock market to crash when, according to Trump, she is the least effective vice president in history, and Trump is guaranteed to win the presidential election?
Voters are getting more comfortable with Harris. Suggestions that she is a left-wing lunatic are not working. The more people see her on TV, the more they realize they did not know her until President Biden quit the presidential race. Why was that? Harris did what good vice presidents do: She supported the president, accepting the job of being “the spare” in exchange for the possibility (in Harris’ case, always a probability) of getting a shot at the top job.
While voters are seeing Harris act normally and talk about issues that will be incorporated into the platform for the Harris-Walz ticket at the upcoming Democratic National Convention, we are learning that the Justice Department was investigating a possible $10 million bribe paid by Egypt to Trump. The Washington Post broke the story. The story is weird with a capital “W.”
Just before the 2016 election, some of us learned how weird Trump was. A video of Trump bragging to TV host Billy Bush that, as a celebrity, he could grab women “by the p*ssy” surfaced. The tape was the type of thing that used to implode campaigns (Senator Gary Hart (D-CO) photographed with a girlfriend on the yacht “Monkey Business” is an example.) Trump went into crisis mode. Egypt, spotting an opportunity, schemed, with the apparent help of Trump operatives, to get $10 million to the endangered orange-haired candidate.
The scheme worked. Notwithstanding the Billy Bush Access Hollywood tape, Trump won. The DOJ investigation was shelved, and the statute of limitations has run out. Once again, Trump will escape prosecution.
However, I wonder if the Washington Post is done with this story. Look for more information about it in the coming months.
Another weird thing about this election is Melania Trump. It was weird that she did not speak at the Republican Convention like Hulk Hogan did, which was also weird. Melania Trump is not campaigning for her husband. She has a new book called “Melania.” The “collector’s edition” is on sale for $150.
I wonder if Mrs. Trump will do a book tour wearing the infamous “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” jacket or if the Republican National Committee (which is weird) will buy up every copy and give books away, effectively creating another grift for Trump to help pay his legal bills and penalties.
I struggle with whether a Trump Weirdness Tipping Point is about to be reached. Will things get so weird that the more rational Trumpers will shake their heads and conclude that they can no longer support a candidate who has been convicted of 34 felonies, been called a rapist by a New York judge, confuses Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi, calls the people who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021 “patriots,” and tells more lies than every Liars’ Club that ever existed?
It will be weird if Trump wins in November despite all his weirdness. But it will be weirder to see him back in office, crowning himself proudly as a dictator on day one, telling America they now will never again have the burden of voting, and sucking up to Vladimir Putin.
Weirdness may save the day for American democracy. Kamala Harris has more than Trump’s weirdness going for her, but it helps.
J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. He writes on politics, government, and, too infrequently, other subjects.
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