Is it just me or does Donald Trump appear to be melting like the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz? The 77-year-old is looking tired, sweaty, and doused in too much orange spray tan.
Ordinarily, I would deem such derision uncouth, but Trump deserves a taste of his own medicine just as he has earned the legal problems he now faces.
His weariness is understandable, given that he’s in the crosshairs of Jack Smith, the special counsel with the no-nonsense name.
Also on his mind is Fani Willis, the Georgia prosecutor, and racketeering statute specialist. Those who know her say, “She don’t play.”
Their dogged pursuit to reveal the truth about Trump’s desperate attempts to overturn the 2020 election has him good and worried.
He lashed out at Smith as a “deranged” Trump-hater, and claimed that Willis is a “young racist” who had an affair with a gang member.
You could say that the ex-president is only doing what Republicans do best; engage in personal attacks.
Before securing the 2016 nomination, Trump was called a kook by Sen. Lindsey Graham, a sniveling coward by Sen. Ted Cruz, a fraud by Sen. Mitt Romney, and a dangerous con man by Sen. Marco Rubio.
Nevertheless, the king of name-calling is the man who’s growing angrier and more self-centered with each passing day.
While the Make America Great Again-Again cult will never turn on him, moderate voters might if this meltdown continues.
No doubt the vitriol spewing from Trump’s mouth will intensify if he and President Biden have a rematch in 2024.
But going from “Sleepy Joe” to something much worse may be to the Republican frontrunner’s detriment.
Researchers at Indiana University have concluded that disrespecting a foe does not appear to help the candidate. Also, the more vulgar the name-calling, the more it could backfire.
However, the 4-times indicted former president has proven to be a special case when it comes to getting away with disgusting antics.
Many thought Trump’s goose was cooked after the Access Hollywood tape became public.
It still boggles the mind that nearly 63 million Americans were fine with a future president boasting about grabbing women’s genitalia and using the “p-word” in doing so.
“I moved on her like a bitch,” he said of one such incident.
Psychiatrists say Trump’s narcissistic personality disorder is why he considers himself first and foremost in every situation.
Even with his own child, Trump puts himself first.
Trump said publicly many times that Ivanka was so attractive that he would date her if he could.
Talking about the fruit of his loins as being desirable serves to feed his narcissism.
A father who cares so little about embarrassing his daughter by including her while talking about his sex life is lower than low.
It’s safe to say that Trump doesn’t care about you, the voter, either.
Otherwise, he’d focus on food prices, climate change, teacher shortages, air travel woes, improving health care, and other issues during those interminable speeches at campaign rallies.
He prefers to fling invectives.
Trump’s pronouncements are full of what psychiatrists label as obvious projections: Democrats are weaponizing government agencies, Joe Biden is crooked, Mike Pence is weak, Chris Christie is a total loser, and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has earned a special place in hell for refusing to endorse him.
Republicans and the Christian right would do well to note what Jesus thought of name-calling.
Scripture scholars cite Matthew 5:22 in which Jesus tells his followers to speak kindly to one another.
He said do not slander, hurl insults or call one another names; for such actions are answerable to both men and God.
Let us pray that Trump’s tirades about his criminal indictments and other perceived slights prompt undecided voters to put the kibosh on returning a man who lacks couth to The White House. Such a denial by voters will keep us traveling the yellow brick road in our country’s quest to get back to civil discourse.
Jo Ann Allen retired recently from Colorado Public Radio in Denver after 47 years of reporting the news. She is the creator and host of the podcast Been There Done That.
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