Debate: The leading act in America's political circus pits sitting president against a convicted felon being tried for multiple felonies on grand jury indictments in Washington, Atlanta, and Miami
On some great and glorious day the folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
–H.L. Mencken, “The Baltimore Sun, July 26, 1920,
That day took place in January 2017 after the American people elected Donald Trump to be President of the United States.
Mencken was right. As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reportedly blurted out to colleagues as he exited his first major meeting with Trump, “The man’s a fucking moron.”
But he is a particularly dangerous moron, a convicted felon who led a conspiracy and attempt to overthrow the 2020 presidential election and with it the Constitution, and the Leader of an American fascist movement which today seeks to take over the presidency and undermine the rule of law in the world’s oldest living democracy.
On Trump’s crimes, see,
Melissa Murray and Andrew Weissmann, The Trump Indictments; The Historic Charging Documents With Commentary (New York: W.H. Norton & Company, 2024).
On May 30, 2024, Trump was convicted by a jury of 12 anonymous men and women of 34 felonies related to a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels made through Michael Cohen and fraudulent bookkeeping entries made to cover up reimbursement of the payment by Cohen.
See,
“Alvin Bragg and other New American Heroes,” Trenchant Observations, June 14, 2024.
How did America come to this point, in which a President of the United States, a man with an unblemished record of over 40 years of public service as an elected official, is constrained to enter into a modern-day gladiatorial contest with a dangerous convicted felon in order to pursue re-election to the presidency in November, 2024?
One is reminded of the title of Gary Sick’s book on the failed Iranian hostages rescue attempt in 1979, All Fall Down (New York: Random House, 1985). Indeed, it seems that many sectors of society and many leaders have contributed to the deterioration of our political system to its present nadir. It is at such a low point that gladiatorial battle between the two principal candidates seeking election to the presidency will be judged by voters in part on how well the candidates perform as gladiators in this combat. The contest will be viewed or read about by voters who may decide the outcome of the November 5, 2024 election.
In reporting on this match-up the media completely ignore the context and treat the battle as if were between two reputable candidates. It is not. They will continue to ignore this context during and in the days and months after the debate.
Rational voters will largely ignore how the two gladiators perform, but won’t ignore the analytical conclusions that should be drawn about the character and crimes of the the convicted felon who is campaigning to become president again.
The problem is that perhaps half the country and potential majorities in seven swing states do not fit within the category of rational voters dedicated to upholding democracy and the rule of law. Many are Trump cult followers and nothing can persuade them not to vote for the convicted felon.
Many others are wealthy businessmen who are willing to overlook deep character flaws, including an utter disregard for the truth, disdain for legal constraints, and a troubling criminal record including a conspiracy to launch a coup d’état and overthrow the Constitution.
Viewers who watch the gladiatorial contest tonight and voters who read about it tomorrow should bear these facts and this context in mind.
The race for the presidency is not a horse race between two legitimate candidates. One is an career politician with with unblemished record as an elected public servant which has extended over more than 40 years.
The other is a convicted felon and the leader of a fascist movement which does not respect truth, the Constitution, or the rule of Law.
These are the combatants in tbe gladiatorial duel scheduled to take place on television tonight.
NEXT:
“Biden’s disastrous debate performance may determine next president and control of Congress in November elections”1
James Rowles is a former Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School and professor of international law at other universities.
He is the author of The Rape of American Democracy: Republican Actions and Democratic Failures, 2016-2021 (forthcoming in July, 2024).
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