Discussing the once (and perhaps future) president's uncanny staying power in American politics.
In my decades of covering national politics, I've seen a lot of weird, unsettling stuff. But nothing has been weirder and more unsettling than Donald Trump's enduring grip on the American electorate. Even now, eight years in, I sometimes find myself shaking my head and wondering: For the love of God, why? |
There's no easy answer, much less a clear blueprint for moving the Republican Party and American politics more broadly beyond the pernicious former president. But with the 2024 presidential primary gearing up — the first Republican debate is in less than two weeks! — the "Matter of Opinion" crew figured it was time for us to dig into the issue in our latest podcast episode. Once more unto the breach, dear friends! |
As my co-host Carlos Lozada noted during our conversation, for a brief moment after the midterms, it looked as though the "Trump magic" was fading. But that moment passed. The MAGA king came raging back and is now crushing the Republican field. A New York Times/Siena College poll has him running even in a general election matchup against President Biden. So what is it about the guy that makes him harder to put down than Rasputin? (Politically speaking, of course.) |
Ross Douthat took us deep into the notion that it's the indictments, stupid. After all, nobody plays the political persecution card better than the 45th president. And with three indictments having dropped and a fourth expected any day, the rally-around-Trump effect is unquestionably in full swing. |
But this only led us to more questions, debates, discursions and a couple of minor rants — apologies! — about how we got here and where this ulcer-inducing situation is headed. Is Trump really immune to the laws of political gravity? What would it take at this point for another Republican to pull ahead? What the heck has happened to Ron DeSantis? (I'm harsher about the Florida governor than Ross is.) Why is Mike Pence even in this race? (Carlos may be harsher about the former V.P. than anyone.) And my favorite: Is there a chance Trump could wind up campaigning from behind bars? (I say no way — though you'd think by now I'd have learned to never say never.) |
As for what a second Trump term would look like, we basically agree it would be a full-blown freak show: fewer guardrails, more bootlickers and so much drama. |
Obviously, none of us at "Matter of Opinion" know for certain where the 2024 race is headed. Like you, we're just trying to make sense of the chaos as it unfolds, one campaign event — and criminal indictment — at a time. |
Here's what we're focusing on today: |
Forward this newsletter to friends to share ideas and perspectives that will help inform their lives. They can sign up here. Do you have feedback? Email us at opiniontoday@nytimes.com. |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment