Just let Donald Trump whine.
He always has. He makes vague, unsubstantiated allegations. Repeats those allegations regularly, makes no attempt to document them or to support them with evidence of any kind- and simply relies on the uncritical willingness of his supporters to believe anything he says to put opponents, critics, or simply somebody he momentarily disapproves of under a shadow. And the great thing, of course, is that there is no opportunity for his target to fight back if there are no specifics.
Did anybody ever figure out what the hell "Obamagate" was?
He also loves to whine. Not very manly, whining. Not in keeping with his self-image as a strong, alpha male. But of course, he isn't a strong, alpha male. He's a man with a very, very fragile ego, who is unable to accept responsibility for the consequences of his own behavior. If something goes wrong, it's never his fault. Somebody else must be to blame. He cannot possibly have lost the election fair and square. That's something Mr. Trump could not accept. The other side must have cheated.
Somehow. Never mind how. Never mind the absence of any evidence of cheating or any reason to believe that it happened other than the inherent and invincible awesomeness of Donald Trump. Mr. Trump cannot admit to being a "loser," the type of human he holds in such deep contempt. So he can't really have lost the election to Joe Biden. He was robbed! He was cheated!
Except there is absolutely no evidence that he was robbed or cheated. In fact, a group of international observers from the Organization of American States found no serious problems with the election and chided Mr. Trump for his “baseless allegations of systemic deficiencies.”
The observers said that they did not witness any instances of fraud or irregularities in Michigan and Georgia's polling places where they were stationed. The second group of observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also found nothing amiss and condemned the President's "unprecedented attempts to undermine public trust."
Which is really the problem here. Our thoroughly toxic outgoing President has always thought first of himself and only later, if at all, of others or even of the country. Evidence? He doesn't need no stinkin' evidence! The very fact that he's made an allegation means that his partisans, for the most part, will believe him, whether there is any reason to or not.
Nobody questions Mr. Trump's right to seek legal recourse if he truly believes that he was the victim of systemic fraud. However, it's difficult to imagine how widespread a bi-partisan and carefully-concealed conspiracy would have had to be to pull off what he is suggesting. But we've seen over and over in the past four years that not only do Mr. Trump's claims not require supporting evidence to be believed by his followers, but they need not even be plausible. It's enough that he makes them.
The charges will serve to keep his base, and its sense of grievance fired up. It will provide a narrative to support what I suspect will be Mr. Trump's attempt to return to the White House in four years. It won't prevent Joe Biden's inauguration, but it will undermine the American people's confidence in the legitimacy of the new President and even in the democratic process. The potential for damage to the country is enormous. But that takes second place to the protection of Mr. Trump's ego, and the sacred conviction that he must at all costs avoid admitting to being a "loser."
I would counsel President-elect Biden and the Democrats not to push back. Don't even complain much. Simply and conspicuously cooperate with any inquiries the President wants to be made. Just insist on evidence rather than mere innuendo, and always plainly label mere innuendo for what it is.
Humor the poor, sad, pathetic man.
Evidence is what Donald Trump is always short on, after all. Evidence and rationality. Just highlight its absence, and let him rave.
Of course, Mr. Trump will do everything possible to stay in the spotlight after he leaves office. The best course will be for Mr. Biden and the new administration and Mr. Trump's opponents generally to simply ignore him. Don't respond. Don't draw any more attention to his antics than necessary.
Despite the surprising (and dismaying) relative closeness of the election, I have a hunch that when all is said and done, most of us in both parties have had quite enough of his antics. He will not go into private life graciously; that would be contrary to his nature. But let him go with as little of the attention he craves as possible.
Comments