How long does it take to teach an old dog new tricks? Once again, I write that America may be waking up to who Trump is. I hear Ronald Reagan muttering from his grave, “There he goes again,” but I like to think that Reagan would agree with me that a convicted felon does not belong in the White House.
In the past, the Billy Bush Access Hollywood tape, boorish behavior, racist comments and actions, and a lot more convinced me candidate Trump was finished. This time, it is Trump’s 34 felony counts that convinces me that his reign of terror may be over.
A new poll, out this week, surprisingly suggests that Trump remains ahead of Biden, but that Biden’s favorability ratings continue to improve while Trump’s ratings decline. Whether Trump’s drop in favorability is solely because of his felonies is unclear. Trump continues to focus on his legal problems at campaign rallies. He also continues to make bizarre comments about sharks, electric cars, and a lot more.
Trump railed against a contractor who supplied teleprompters at a Las Vegas campaign rally held in 100-degree heat, suggesting that their work was “sh*tty.” When several attendees needed medical help because of the heat, Trump lamented that there was not enough concern about him. He also told the audience that January 6 was a “set-up” and that the insurrectionists were victims.
Trump’s continuing mental decline may yet be what costs him the election, but Democrats are focusing on the ex-president’s criminal record. They have been quick to resurrect Donald Trump’s 2016 comments where he told voters a candidate under criminal indictment should not be allowed to run for president. In 2016, Trump told attendees at a Reno, Nevada, campaign rally: “Folks, folks, folks, she shouldn’t be allowed to run. If she were to win this election, it would create an unprecedented constitutional crisis. In that situation, we could very well have a sitting president under felony indictment and, ultimately, a criminal trial. It would grind the government to a halt.”
Trump added, “Her current scandals and controversies will continue throughout her presidency and will make it virtually impossible for her to govern and lead our country.”
Hillary Clinton, of course, was not under indictment, but Trump’s message helped taint Clinton and rally his base. The statement is also an example of a rarity: Trump was telling the truth. He was right–a candidate who faces criminal charges (let along having been convicted of them) should not be president.
Trump’s legal problems are not limited to the “hush money” felonies. He also has been labeled a rapist by a New York judge and fined millions of dollars for business fraud and for defaming Ms. Carroll.
Importantly, there are many reasons why Trump should not be returned to the White House that have nothing to do with the ex-president’s convictions, indictments, and judgments. His policy positions, threats of retribution against his political opponents and persecutors, racism, and declining mental ability are enough. But ask any Trump supporter if they still intend to vote for Trump, and most will respond yes. That is why Democrats are focusing on the convictions. As James Carville once said, “Keep it simple, stupid.”
While a criminal conviction is an obvious disqualification for the presidency for me and many of us, it may take a special effort to convince Trump supporters to change their minds. One 2020 Trump voter I spoke to last week responded to my question of whether a felon belonged in the White House by updating me on the Hunter Biden trial. Did I know about Hunter Biden’s crimes? Trumpers like first names, Hunter Biden is always “Hunter” just as Hillary was always “Hillary” or “Crooked Hillary.” The Trumper ignored my response that pointed out that Hunter is not running for president.
Recently, a group of anti-Trump Republicans posted billboards in Arizona depicting Republicans who “won’t vote for a convicted felon.” I expect the billboards will cost Trump some votes. Who wants to admit they want a criminal in the White House?
Not every Trump supporter will see the billboards, but television ads, social media posts, and references in campaign speeches will follow. Direct testimonials from fellow Republicans who will not vote for a convicted felon will cost Trump votes.
Will Biden’s emphasizing Trump’s criminal convictions be enough for Biden to win? That remains to be seen. Trump fights fire with fire, so expect him to respond to efforts to undermine his candidacy by attacking Biden. Thus, we will hear more about Hunter Biden’s guilty verdict and Joe’s cognitive decline. We will also be reminded that if a re-elected President Biden dies in office, Kamala Harris will be president.
I plan to continue to write about Trump’s convictions. If you pour enough water on a duck’s back, some of it will stick. I really do not care if Trump goes to jail. I am not interested in retribution. I want him out of the White House. I am okay if he lives out his days cheating at golf, railing against Democrats, and predicting an economic collapse caused by another election being stolen from him.
J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. He writes on politics, government, and, too infrequently, other subjects.
Willard T Engelskirchen says
Agree
What really concerns me is that Trump has told us what he will do if elected. Among other things he would jail his opponents, arrest those who he thinks have offended him, throttle the press, deny broadcast licenses to those who disagree with him, and execute generals who do not tow the line. Judges will be appointed who will further destroy the courts.
He has told us what to expect. Can’t we hear this? Would this be our last free election?
John Dean says
Thank you for your comment I, too, am monitoring Trump’s promises. I only wish more people were.
David W. Lloyd says
Excellent commentary!!! Anyone who would vote for Trump has to do a better job of learning what he is really about: just himself. Also, have to ask: Hunter Biden’s felony hurt just how many people? Compared with Trump’s felonies? Wow.
John Dean says
Thank you for your generous words. You are right–how many people were hurt by Hunter Biden’s crime?
Thanks for reading the piece.
William Keppen says
Many of us live with family and friends, or former friends, who continue to display fealty to that corrupt (human) being, it’s difficult to understand and virtually impossible to change. However, loyal, God fearing, real Americans can bring an end to his reign of terror this coming November. Please join me, voting for anyone but Trump.
Anne Stalfort says
Voting for anybody but Trump suggests that voting for a third party will elect someone besides Trump. I want to make it clear that only a vote for Biden will keep Trump out of the White House.
John Dean says
Thanks for responding to the piece. I second your plea–vote for anyone but Trump.
Rebecca Ellison says
NO!
Anne actually said that only a vote for Biden will not end up with Trump in the a white House.
Anne is right and you are wrong … your suggestion of a vote for ‘anyone but Trump’ permits votes for a third person … and votes for a third person will likely dilute the Biden vote and the result of that will be to give us Trump.
VOTE FOR BIDEN …. Please, like your life depends on it.
Gerry Levin says
Trump obviously has mental health issues. Why would we want this in the White House? What an embarrassment to our country!
John Dean says
Hear, hear!
Thank you fore the comment.
Lena Gill says
Well said. We definitely do not want a convicted felon like Trump in the White House. Trump is also a loser who cannot accept that he lost the last election. By now, he is just a vindictive old man who does not make sense when he speaks. I hope the Republicans come to their senses.
Barbara Denton says
Trump is not a convicted felon until he is sentenced. I dare and defy you to tell us all what his crime was. It is not illegal to pay for a nondisclosure agreement. He was not convicted of rape. E. Jean Carroll made up a story about being accosted in Bergdorf Goodman’s in New York City. A billionaire Trump hater financed her defamation suit when Trump said he never met the woman nor would he have looked at her twice if he had. He said she was lying, which led to the defamation suit. She could not say what year it was, except it was sometime in the nineties. New York had conveniently changed its statute of limitations so she could accuse him well after the statute of limitations had elapsed.
In so far as the business fraud case is concerned this too is a farce. Judge Endoran was the decider of this case. Letitia James swore she was going to get Trump when she ran for office. She sued him saying he overvalued his Mara-a-Lago property to get the loan for a development he was building in NY. Endoran who knows nothing about property valuation decided Mara-a-Lago is worth 18 million dollars instead of the 1 billion dollars it is actually worth. The banks who loaned Trump the money were very happy with the deal as they made money on the loans. They said this in court and they testified there was no one hurt and everyone involved in the deal was happy. However, Endoran, who too was after Trump, ruled against him and fined him over a half billion dollars which was reduced to 495 million. This too was a travesty and will be thrown out of court on appeal.
The only person who is in mental decline is slimy Joe Biden. He had classified documents which he was not supposed to have. He was not prosecuted due to the fact that he is old and would not be able to defend himself if he were taken to court. Really, so a too old, I have lost my memory slimy President, cannot be prosecuted for having classified documents he was not supposed to have should be President of the United States? Biden is the head of his own crime family. Hunter and James were the bag men who set up the millions of dollars (17.1 million and counting) that has flowed into the Biden coffers since slimy Joe was Vice-President. China, Russia, Ukraine were the major contributors to this graft.
As per usual, dedicated lying Democrats are accusing President Trump of crimes to take the focus off of the Biden crimes syndicate. Trump will remain ahead of Biden because the USA cannot survive another 4 years of Democratic despot rule. The real threat to Democracy in the USA is the Democratic Party.
Deirdre LaMotte says
I believe Russia,North Korea, China would agree with you.
John Dean says
Thank you for reading my column. I hope you are not calling me a “lying Democrat.” If you are not, let me just say we are on different pages. The words “polar opposites” comes to mind.
Rebecca Ellison says
Suggest reading this earlier Spy article … https://talbotspy.org/wc-launches-american-renewal-program-with-help-from-eastons-barbara-denton/
John Dean says
I did. May I politely suggest you read or re-read Ms. Denton’s comment. As I wrote, Ms. Denton and I are on different pages. I’m comfortable on the page that I am on.
Rebecca Ellison says
Oops … just caught your comment. You seem to have misunderstood my reason for adding the Spy link about Barbara Denton which indicates that she is not the ‘average’ pro-Trump activist. She is also a philanthropist who has donated significantly to Washington College in order to set up what is being called an ‘American Renewal Program’. Rather than try to characterize this program in my own words, I am simply sending the link. Personally I detest Trump and am sick of hearing about him. He has proved, beyond doubt, with words and deeds, that he is a despicable human and unfit to govern. And, furthermore, I am certain the United States does not need to be ‘renewed’ through such right wing college programs any more than it needs to ‘be made great again’.
Paul Rybon says
Mr Dean is welcome to his own opinion but not his own facts. Donald Trump was not convicted of rape, and ,last I heard, was hoping for an appeal. Without a jury verdict, the judge was all too eager to pronounce a verdict even before the trial. And talking about Biden, we’re not talking about Hunter here. We’re talking about the Biden family alleged bribery scheme here, with the Hunter trial just a warmup. FBI finally forced to disclose the laptop chronicles in court.
It’s somewhat likely that both major candidates will be found guilty of something unless Biden gets a pass for his illegal retention of classified documents or the DOJ continues to stonewall on evidence that they are hiding about the family laundering scheme. If I were Donald Trump I would hold on too because this POTUS race is far from over.
Deirdre LaMotte says
“Today’s so-called ‘conservatives’ don’t even know what the word means.
They think I’ve turned liberal because I believe a woman has a right to an abortion. That’s a decision that’s up to the pregnant woman, not up to the pope or some do-gooders or the Religious Right. It’s not a conservative issue at all.”
Barry Goldwater
John Dean says
Thank you for reading my piece. I hope you noticed that I wrote “labeled a racist by a New York judge.”
Also, in law school I was taught two wrongs do not make a right. I’m not sure why you allegations against Biden are offered as a defense against indictments against Trump.
Wilson Dean says
As we all can readily see, there are those who will defend the indefensible Trump no matter what happens. His actions over the years have clearly revealed him to be a business fraud, racist, rapist, traitor, and uncontrollable liar. Most Trump supporters will not let the felony convictions sway their vote and that speaks volumes about them. My sincere hope is that there are enough pro-Trump individuals left in America who will look at his felony convictions and decide he is not the person to lead our country in the positive direction we all need. Otherwise, we will all sadly experience the irreversible erosion of our democracy where respect for our fellow citizens and compromise can no longer carry us through divisive times.
John Dean says
Thank you for the comment. I join you in your hope that more voters, especially independent voters, will conclude that ex-president Trump is unfit for the office of president.
Kurt Grumbach says
So that is your problem. You are a Lawyer. How many crooked Lawyers have been involved in corruption in D.C. in recent years? Should we trust the writings of a person who belongs to that profession. After all they became politicians to become rick off of the blood of normal Americans. Trump is a beginner compared to that lot. Most of them have never held an honest job.
John Dean says
Ouch!
James Brennan says
I agree. Convicted felons should not lead our country. There must be at least one Republican qualified for our top job. Time for new, law-abiding leaders to step up and lead the Grand Old Party out of its Trump tailspin.