There was a time not so long ago in Iowa when you could drive through most neighborhoods, and it seemed as if every other home had a “Trump” flag flying, or at least Trump bumper stickers were on the fenders of their SUVs and cars. Not so anymore! Walking into the grocery store, it seemed as if most were wearing a t-shirt or a ballcap displaying “Make America Great Again” with Trump branding. Those seem to have diminished as well.
Having worked for the past four months for an opposing campaign, I have learned “where” most of these once “die-hard” MAGA supporters have gone, and it’s not to who you would think.
In January 2015, Des Moines, Iowa, hosted a major presidential cattle call. In total, 16 potential candidates attended a Christian and Family organization-sponsored event at a historic opera house in downtown Des Moines. We listened to 15- 30 minute speeches by Former Governor Sarah Palin, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Dr. Ben Carson, Senators Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and many more. Those in attendance were the most prominent Republican supporters in Iowa who were to give their blessing. In other words, if you did not garner the approval of these GOP Aristocrats, you’re campaign was likely not to get off first base.
As the event was winding down, I walked up to the lobby, where I was cornered by a couple of reporters who knew me. One of these reporters was Seth McGlaughlin from the McClatchy News. His question to me was, “So Ken, who is the Tea Party supporting this go-round?” My response was, “I don’t know who the Tea Party is going to support, but I can tell you who is going to win this election.” With an almost mocking tone, Seth’s eyes grew larger, and he said, “Oh really, and who is that?” I went on record as saying, “Donald Trump.” Seth laughed and said; Trump wasn’t even going to run for President; his appearance was for show.” I chuckled and said, “No, he is running and will win. He will win because America is looking for John Wayne, and Donald Trump is John Wayne.”
Recalling that time in our history, Barack Obama’s tenure was coming to a close. During his time as President, he had bowed to foreign dictators (IE, The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and more), run up our national debt by trillions of dollars, acquiesced Israel’s national security by sending Iran plane loads of cash, opened up the military to sexual deviants, inserted himself into social flairups thus creating racism where prior to we had no significant racism, had a struggling economy, and in general American’s moral was in the gutter.
Trump was loud, he was patriotic, he was going to “punish” Mexico by making them pay for a wall, and he insulted those that the politically right didn’t like. Donald Trump was “in your face,” and the voters loved it. FINALLY, America had a tough guy who didn’t bow to anyone and who professed patriotism and his unbridled love of our nation. We had John Wayne in a $5,000 suit who seemed tough as nails.
While Trump’s “in your face” rhetoric was loved by the general public, “Joe-Six-Pack” in particular, it also became his nemesis and Achilles heal. His “no-holds-bar” style of speaking became his “Bull in the China Shop” style, and this sort of rhetoric rapidly became (by the Establishment on both sides of the aisle), “We must stop this clown at all costs.“
Trump’s threats of “draining the swamp” became such a threat that an All-OUT war was declared on this renegade political hack by the political establishment hacks reigning and abusing their power across Capitol Hill. Trump had made the fatal mistake of stirring the wrong pot. Now the gloves were off, and America was made to suffer for the next four years, and now an additional three on top of the original four.
While there is no disputing that Trump did accomplish good as President, an argument can be easily made that he performed some epic gaffes as well. And the tragedy is, it is a couple of these epic gaffes that might and likely will cost him his dream of re-election. America doesn’t seem to care much for the porn star payoff trial regarding Stormy (whatever her last name is). That is a throwaway as far as the public is concerned. Just as they didn’t pay much attention to the vengeful writer rape trial, which was also bogus for the most part. Then we have the circus trial down in Georgia, getting ready to start. That one is also not high on the “I care meter.” As far as the witch hunt trial by the New York Attorney General suing Trump for (who is still the real question) real estate fraud, bank fraud, and many other bull-shipping charges, the public is still not interested.
The trial beginning in March is the one that the public and (if Trump is smart, he won’t take this one lightly) the legal eagles will be interested in. This one involves the Top Secret documents found at Mar-A-Lago in that infamous early morning raid on Trump’s compound. The fact is, Jack Smith (the Special Prosecutor) pretty much has Trump by short hairs on this trial. Even Trump’s lawyers quit his case over Trump’s handling of these documents in regards to lying to Archives folks and the FBI. In other words, there is a very real likelihood that Trump will be found guilty of felony obstruction of justice over this little fiasco.
Will Trump go to prison? Not likely, but he could be forced to serve some “hometime” with an ankle bracelet, pay a stiff fine, or both. In addition, later next year, we have the January 6th trial. The optics from that trial will most assuredly not be friendly to Trump’s campaign. That is assuming he is still in the race after having been convicted of a felony.
The campaign and political fact is Trump’s numbers have peaked and are now slowly beginning to turn South. So, who are the beneficiaries of Donald Trump’s legal misfortunes? The hardcore conservative factions of Trump’s support base seem to be gravitating toward Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Trump’s more moderate yet patriotic factions seem to be aligning with Robert F. Kennedy Jr…
At this juncture, I would love to be able to give you a prediction as to “who” will win this clown show. A better description is a herd of monkeys attempting to make love to a football. Can Donald Trump stay off the felony list? Can Ron DeSantis temper his hard right rhetoric enough to win some big Northern States? Can Robert F. Kennedy Jr. manage to not listen to his rookie senior staff and raise enough money to stay viable? And what about Vivek? How much of his money is he willing to part with to gain traction?
Does Joe stay in, or is he forced out for Newsome or some other Democratic whack job? Does any of this really matter, as we might be eviscerated by Biden’s WWIII he is setting up in the Middle East? Only time will tell.
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