Bush can aid anti-trump efforts

The recent revelations regarding Donald Trump’s views of our military and the evidence from Bob Woodward’s book of his decision to downplay the danger of COVID -19 provide more evidence of his unfitness to be president. Some of his closest advisers believe Trump unfit, including former Secretary of Defense Mattis, former Chief of Staff John Kelly and former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats.

Indeed, many Republicans, including former governors of Ohio and Michigan, have voiced their view that Trump must go. Republican Sen. Mitt Romney has said he will not vote for Trump. And many former Trump administration officials have joined organizations like the Lincoln Project working for his defeat.

Yet dishearteningly, so many other Republicans, including ex-cabinet members, remain silent publicly while said to be harboring doubts in private. Is there anyone who might be able to move them to find the courage to speak out?

The answer is former President George W. Bush. He needs to do what no other former president has: endorse the candidate of the other party. Bush, for all his flaws, never attempted to woo or encourage racist groups as Trump has so often done. Clearly Bush is repulsed by what he has observed these last four years. He can give credibility and political shelter for those Republicans to speak out.

This election may well be as close as the last one and we need to send a clear signal to wavering Republicans that it is not about tax cuts, but the future of democracy. There is no time anymore for even former presidents to stay on the sidelines.