“Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume suggested that many elected Republicans are secretly hoping that the Jan. 6 House select committee ruins Donald Trump’s chances of running for president again in 2024,” Huffington Post reported on Monday, June 13, 2022 (story here).
This isn’t really news, and it’s probably true. I’ve seen many stories to this effect over the last year and a half — too many to keep track of.
Hume posited that “if they succeed … such that he is either unable for legal or political reasons to run again ― they might end up finding out that they’ve done the Republican Party a great service.”
Then he ruined it by adding, “Because I think a great many Republicans think they can’t win with Trump at the head of the ticket again.”
He apparently missed the bigger picture. Ridding the GOP of Trump would be a “great service” if — and only if — the lying, racism, and violence went with him.
The Republican Party once was a peaceful political party for business, free markets, less regulation, balanced budgets, and a strong defense. Its leadership was populated by (mostly) respectable people (except Nixon). Trump transformed it into a howling mob by appealing to racism and bigotry. He made dishonesty and lawlessness its core tenets.
Hume continued, “They’re afraid of his supporters and don’t want to come out against him directly. But they’d like him to go away. If the effect of this committee is to make his possible candidacy go away, I think a great many Republicans would privately be very glad.”
This isn’t news, either. While some Republicans in Congress are outright goofballs or worse, the bulk of them are abject cowards. We all know that. By saying they’re afraid of Trump’s supporters, Hume is stating the obvious.
If the GOP was a functioning political party in a democracy, and its leaders had any guts, they’d band together and tell their constituents, “Look, Trump is a liar, a crook, a racist, an adulterer, a draft dodger, and incompetent. Don’t have anything to do with him. He’s bad news for the country and our party.”
If they all did it, they’d have strength in numbers, credibility, and the backing of non-Republicans. Trump couldn’t possibly stand up to the entire party if the entire party stood up to him.
I’m waiting. Democrats aren’t always right about everything, and we need two competitive political parties for oiur democracy to work. But you shouldn’t even consider voting for any Republican for any office until they get a spine, show some leadership, and make character a part of their belief system again.