Articles

Oh, Trump Believes in Yesterday

November 17, 2022
Cd6625710a846c07c22d68e92c9bd04e

Donald Trump hates not being the center of attention. So on Tuesday he announced a third run for the presidency, even though Republicans rightly worry his announcement will change the Georgia Senate runoff from a referendum on President Biden to one on Mr. Trump. Fox News exit polls in Georgia showed Mr. Trump’s favorables were 44% and his unfavorables 54%, with 45% very unfavorable.

Even some of the former president’s supporters hoped he would stay off the stage at least until after the runoff. But seething from the defeat of so many of his endorsed candidates, and agitated that the spotlight was on other potential 2024 GOP contenders, Mr. Trump filed to run hours after one of his favorite candidates, Kari Lake, was declared the loser in the Arizona governor’s race. 

Mr. Trump is the front-runner for the GOP nomination, but the first contests are 14 months away. Time is often unkind to early front-runners (see Rudy Giuliani, 2008). Anyone who has been defeated for the White House must show he has learned something from the experience to convince people who voted against him then to support him now. Richard Nixon did that in 1968, having lost to John Kennedy in 1960.

But Mr. Trump’s delivery was robotic and flat, his words too familiar. He read from a teleprompter, swiveling from side to side to look at the monitors. He recited, as if for the first time, his record on economic growth, border security, energy independence and national security before pivoting to the current administration’s shortcomings.

He sounded like a male version of Siri. There were only a few moments of emotion—praising Herschel Walker and celebrating Nancy Pelosi’s loss of the House majority. Then he wandered into ambling self-congratulations on trade, China and other accomplishments, while alluding to claims of a stolen election and declaring himself a “victim.” They were old, shopworn lines. 

Beset by a civil trial that could crumble his financial empire, multiple criminal investigations, and Republicans unhappy over an unsatisfactory midterm who are looking for a new (and younger) leader, Mr. Trump reminded me of The Beatles’ 1965 hit: “Yesterday / All my troubles seemed so far away / Now it looks as though they’re here to stay / Oh, I believe in yesterday.”

Still, Tuesday’s address was better than Mr. Trump’s fall rallies. They had become stale rituals. Voters had been subjected to his rage, crude insults and wild claims about a stolen election for more than a year and a half. Repeating them ad nauseam at increasing volume didn’t impress many. True believers wanted fresh red meat, while swing voters wanted a forward-looking vision. Neither got what they wanted.

Mr. Trump’s critical weakness is that he doesn’t yet have a second act. His message Tuesday was essentially “Elect me and I’ll do what I did last time.” Unless he offers a fresh, convincing vision for the future, he risks losing the nomination or general election to someone who does.

Donald Trump hates not being the center of attention. So on Tuesday he announced a third run for the presidency, even though Republicans rightly worry his announcement will change the Georgia Senate runoff from a referendum on President Biden to one on Mr. Trump. Fox News exit polls in Georgia showed Mr. Trump’s favorables were 44% and his unfavorables 54%, with 45% very unfavorable.

Even some of the former president’s supporters hoped he would stay off the stage at least until after the runoff. But seething from the defeat of so many of his endorsed candidates, and agitated that the spotlight was on other potential 2024 GOP contenders, Mr. Trump filed to run hours after one of his favorite candidates, Kari Lake, was declared the loser in the Arizona governor’s race. 

Mr. Trump is the front-runner for the GOP nomination, but the first contests are 14 months away. Time is often unkind to early front-runners (see Rudy Giuliani, 2008). Anyone who has been defeated for the White House must show he has learned something from the experience to convince people who voted against him then to support him now. Richard Nixon did that in 1968, having lost to John Kennedy in 1960.

Read More at the WSJ

Related Article

A19d43065bc26c839dd9c0d739f3cf83
April 24, 2025 |
Article
You’d think things couldn’t get any worse for Democrats after a March 11 NBC News survey found only 27% of Americans had a positive view of the party—its lowest rating ever in the poll.   ...
5764bc048ca78311e9d4185efc5c5ef0
April 17, 2025 |
Article
We aren’t 100 days into Donald Trump’s second term and many Americans are already exhausted. They’ve had way too much thrown at them.   ...
B24598d0f10a03fb109ae46ef5278a83
April 10, 2025 |
Article
Common sense prevailed Wednesday when President Trump announced he’d pause tariffs on most countries for 90 days.  ...
7bd49868130cc5ec2f577aa791c91bc5
April 03, 2025 |
Article
The GOP’s political dashboard is flashing a yellow caution light after Republicans faced their first electoral tests of President Donald Trump’s second-term Tuesday.  ...
Button karlsbooks
Button readinglist
Button nextapperance