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Life is full of surprises. Not long ago, most American voters were quite discouraged when faced with the choice between two older men for our nation’s highest office.
For many, the prospect of Donald Trump returning to office seemed daunting but nonetheless likely. Although President Joe Biden’s legislative record dwarfed that of his predecessor, economic problems (especially inflation) combined with his poor health made his re-election seem at least uncertain. The Democratic Party, under private and eventually public pressure, made the difficult decision to cast President Biden aside.
The election campaign has changed almost overnight. Everything points to a closer election, with Kamala Harris and her vice presidential candidate Tim Walz ahead in almost every poll.
Meanwhile, the Republican Party is left with a candidate who can only be described as deeply flawed. Trump, who is not much younger than our current president, regularly displays episodes of the same diminished mental capacity that made Biden unacceptable to voters and, ultimately, his party.
While the former president appears louder and more forceful than Biden, he also has a tendency to make wild claims that are easily disproven, impossible to verify, or simply so bizarre that he seems to have lost touch with reality. He seems unable or unwilling to clearly articulate a policy position or plan.
Unless you rely exclusively on Fox News and other right-wing news media, it’s clear that the Republican Party is in trouble. Trump could easily lose, taking the House and Senate with him. Despite rallying an unnaturally devoted core of supplicants (note the oddly fanatical worship of Trump at his rallies), most Republicans are holding their noses and putting up with the 45th president. The long list of former Cabinet members and associates from his previous term who do not support him is unprecedented. It seems that those who know him best are the ones who like him least.
The most sensible thing to do would be to let Trump step down and let a candidate with broader appeal take his place. But the very traits that make Trump repulsive to so many make replacing him impossible. No one dares to consider that possibility.
He keeps predicting that if he is not elected, everything will fall apart. This is just another example of such projection. Biden will ultimately be remembered for his devotion to the country. An unelected Trump looks forward to his golden years punctuated by endless court dates and the possibility of prison time.
Edward M. Dowd lives in Greenfield.
