This is where the William Kristols contribute to Trump's "debasement of political discourse." I had a conversation with a friend last week and he said the Republicans "hate Hillary so much they will never vote for her." He continued, "I would. If Trump were running as a Democrat I'd vote for whoever the Republican was."
The political culture in this country has usually not been about mutually unacceptables. There is a long history, including in modern times, of crossover voting, most recently the "Reagan Democrats." There was an implicit consensus, both at elite and average voter levels, of what was beyond the pale and when, per Psalm 72, such a candidate arose, partisans voted for the opposing candidate. To take the position, as Kristol does, "NeverTrump" AND "NeverHillary" is to reject that political consensus.
Would William Kristol have taken the same position in Germany in 1932? #NeverHitler & #NeverWeis? Would he have looked to Ernst Thalman, 14%? Adolph Hitler's high-water mark of popular support came in July, 1932. He won 37% of the vote. Trump, 2016? "Of the 20.35 million GOP primary votes cast so far, he has received 7.54 million, or a mere 37%." (Wall Street Journal). "A mere 37%": There are only two people who can win the presidency in November, the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate. No third-party candidate can win. To sit out this election (as I once vowed to do) or to vote for a third party candidate is to put Hillary Clinton in the same "Never" category with Donald Trump and to aid the rise of another Nazi. This then is the choice: the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, or the Republican nominee, Donald Trump. Choose, Mr. Kristol.
The political culture in this country has usually not been about mutually unacceptables. There is a long history, including in modern times, of crossover voting, most recently the "Reagan Democrats." There was an implicit consensus, both at elite and average voter levels, of what was beyond the pale and when, per Psalm 72, such a candidate arose, partisans voted for the opposing candidate. To take the position, as Kristol does, "NeverTrump" AND "NeverHillary" is to reject that political consensus.
Would William Kristol have taken the same position in Germany in 1932? #NeverHitler & #NeverWeis? Would he have looked to Ernst Thalman, 14%? Adolph Hitler's high-water mark of popular support came in July, 1932. He won 37% of the vote. Trump, 2016? "Of the 20.35 million GOP primary votes cast so far, he has received 7.54 million, or a mere 37%." (Wall Street Journal). "A mere 37%": There are only two people who can win the presidency in November, the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate. No third-party candidate can win. To sit out this election (as I once vowed to do) or to vote for a third party candidate is to put Hillary Clinton in the same "Never" category with Donald Trump and to aid the rise of another Nazi. This then is the choice: the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, or the Republican nominee, Donald Trump. Choose, Mr. Kristol.
Bill Kristol
#NeverTrump. & #NeverHillary. So: We must a) defeat Trump for nomination or b) run a credible independent candidate.
