Trump may not know it’s over, but most of his voters do
Relax, Democrats. If Donald Trump refuses to concede, you’ll find yourselves with tens of millions of Republican allies.
When election night told Democrats and their trumpet section in the national media there would be no blue wave this year, the lamentations flowed. Those Trump voters had bolloxed their plans to sweep the country and remake America into a progressive paradise.
Joe Biden will be the next president, but Democrats find themselves with divided government and stuck on the same continent with these lowlifes, these Trump voters.
Now, Donald Trump refuses to go quietly and the left is understandably alarmed. Trump crossed the brightest of red lines when he said, "They're trying to steal an election, they're trying to rig an election, and we can't let that happen."
He said it with no proof.
He said it about election workers, honorable people both left and right, who have been working diligently to serve the country.
The left in this country has never understood Trump voters, so I
would borrow a word from Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and say, RE-L-A-X.
If Donald Trump tries to defy the electoral system without any real evidence of widespread voter fraud, just the run-of-the-mill imperfections we see in any election, you Democrats will find yourselves with tens of millions of Republican allies.
Republicans will defend the institutions of this country and the tradition of the peaceful transfer of power. There will be no civil war.
Sorry, Glenn Beck and Steve Bannon. Some of the networks and national media are so concerned about this, they’ve begun censoring Trump remarks the way Twitter is censoring Trump tweets.
That’s a mistake.
What are they saying with their censorship? “We in the media can process all of this responsibly. You, the American people, cannot.”
Not only can the American people see with their own eyes what is happening, the Republican voters are not fooled.
The core of the Trump electorate is composed of rank-and-file Republicans who in years past cast their ballots for Mitt Romney and John McCain and George W. Bush.
They come from all walks of life, rural, suburban, big city. Millions of them are highly educated and highly accomplished people. Many of them are brilliant people who never went to college, but are smart in ways the white-collared are stupid.
They get what is happening. There will be a conservative fringe that goes crazy, but Democrats will recognize them. They’re the mirror likeness of liberals who march in black bloc and burn buildings.
The heart-and-soul of the Republican Party isn’t grabbing its guns. They’re not aching to live out some Tour of Duty videogame fantasy.
With every crazed word from Trump’s mouth this week, the cracks are forming in the Republican edifice.
"There is no defense for the President's comments tonight undermining our Democratic process," wrote Maryland's Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, on Twitter.
"America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before. No election or person is more important than our Democracy."
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro tweeted out, “No, Trump has not already won the election, and it is deeply irresponsible for him to say he has.”
“This is getting insane,” tweeted Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. "If you have legit concerns about fraud present EVIDENCE and take it to court."
On Thursday, 19 former U.S. attorneys who served under GOP administrations called Trump's false remarks about the election "premature, baseless and reckless," the New York Times reported.
And if you listen closely to Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, you can hear him telling Trump you’ll only get so much leash on this:
"Here's how this must work in our great country: Every legal vote should be counted. Any illegally-submitted ballots must not. All sides must get to observe the process. And the courts are here to apply the laws & resolve disputes. That's how Americans' votes decide the result."
Even Trump can sense Republicans aren't with him. He sent out his sons to whip the elephant. "Where is the GOP?! Our voters will never forget," wrote Eric Trump.
Donald Trump Jr. accused “2024 GOP hopefuls” of sitting on their hands.
On Friday morning, The New York Times’ Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman reported “Republicans have begun having discussions about how to broach the topic with Mr. Trump of focusing on life after the presidency, and what leaving quietly could mean for his family, his business and his own ability to remain in politics.
“Some have suggested that sounding notes of encouragement about a 2024 campaign could be effective. Others believe that he will concede if it is clear he has lost, but that he will most likely never publicly accept the result.”
Donald Trump’s White House is coming to an end. He may not know that yet and may resist.
If he does, he’ll get an education about the people who voted for him.