Michael might be the man
In her recent “Commentary” in the Sunday edition of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, columnist Patricia Murphy writes that former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg might be the Democrats’ best hope for retaking the White House in November. Could she be right?
Early in the Civil War President Lincoln accused Union General George B. McClellan of having “the slows” because of his reluctance to attack. I likewise accuse the Democratic Party of having “the dumbs” because of their apparent inability to count Senate votes before launching their ill-fated, sure-to-lose impeachment effort that only boosted Trump’s stock. A two-thirds Senate majority is required to convict and remove the accused in an impeachment trial. And the Democrats lacked several votes of even having a simple Senate majority, much less the required two-thirds. Was the trial dumb or what?
In 1998 the Republicans tried impeaching Bill Clinton under similar circumstances. And although he was guilty as sin, they still failed to convict him because they simply didn’t have the votes. In fact, Clinton emerged from the impeachment trial with his popularity enhanced. What made the “Dumbocrats” think things might be different this time?
So far, I have endured the Democratic Primary debates and, to say the least, am unimpressed. But I would trust any of the Democratic primary candidates’ hands on the tiller of our ship of state over Donald Trump’s. But that’s not saying much. If I were forced to pick one Democrat to be our president today it would be Elizabeth Warren. Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg are, for different reasons, unelectable. Joe Biden has the most experience, is the best known and the most likeable. But I have always had misgivings concerning his judgment. And the fact that his son served on a Ukraine board of directors at over a $1 million a year in a capacity about which he had little knowledge or experience tends to confirm my suspicions.
We must also remember that debating skills are not a prime requisite for our chief executive. Going head-to-head as commander in chief with congressional leaders, military chiefs of staff, business leaders and government department heads is. Presidents lacking these skills can be and have been eaten alive.
The Republican Party is owned and operated by and for rich guys. But they didn’t get to be rich guys by being dumb guys. And Donald Trump has given them things no other Republican president has ever been able to deliver: the biggest individual and corporate tax cuts ever for the extremely wealthy and a Supreme Court packed to overturn Roe v Wade the next time an appealed case comes up. That should keep the religious right happy and loyal. For these reasons the GOP fat cats will go to any length to keep Donald Trump in the White House for a second term. If he wins this year the GOP will have the Supreme Court locked up for decades. And that’s scary.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is quite wealthy, knows how to run a campaign (Hillary didn’t), has honed his survival skills on the rough and tumble politics of New York City and is a Democrat with mildly conservative leanings. To me he appears to be the only Democrat who can beat The Donald in November and run the country afterwards.
George B. Reed Jr., who lives in Rossville, can be reached by email at reed1600@ bellsouth.net.