Republicans: There's still time to ditch Donald Trump
C'mon, save yourselves!
You asked for this, Republicans.
Did you really think that Donald Trump was going to "pivot" to something? Did you really think you could "manage" him? Did you really think he would suddenly turn into Mitt Romney once he got 1,237 delegates? It's the classic trick: The mark has to think that he's in on the con.
Remember when racism in politics was about "dog whistles"? Everyone is acting as though Trump has crossed some invisible line by saying that a Latino American citizen who took on drug cartels can't be a judge because he's a Latino, but the reality is Trump crossed the line for so long he's lost sight of the line.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The only thing stronger in his psyche than his compulsive lying is his refusal to ever back down or admit fault, so he's not going to etch-a-sketch the racial appeals that (among other things) won him the nomination. Instead, he's going to double down — the media, who are in the tank for Hillary Clinton, will only goad him into doing that further.
Now, it seems, a few people are running for the exits. Paul Ryan has straightforwardly called out his comments as racist. (Follow-up question, Mr. Speaker: Why do you think a racist should be president of the United States?) Even his lackey Newt Gingrich has called him out. We even saw something we hadn't seen for so long we thought it was impossible — a Republican with cojones. Sen. Mark Kirk (Ill.) un-endorsed Donald Trump over his racist comments. Lindsey Graham has also rejected him.
Like a battered wife who has given her abusive husband one too many chances, it's time for the Republican Party to face reality. He's not going to change. He's never going to change. This is who he is.
There's still time to escape. As talk radio host Hugh Hewitt pointed out, it's still possible for the GOP to change convention rules to allow for another candidate to be nominated. "It's like ignoring stage-four cancer. You can't do it, you gotta go attack it," Hewitt said. "And right now the Republican Party is facing — the plane is headed towards the mountain after the last 72 hours."
"They ought to get together and let the convention decide, and if Donald Trump pulls over a makeover in the next four to five weeks, great, they can keep him. It would be better if he had done so five weeks ago."
What's the argument against doing it?
That the GOP voters have "spoken"? Well, not really. Trump never got more than a plurality of the GOP vote, against a very divided field. Plus, party primaries are not democratic elections. A political party is a private organization, and it's entitled, both legally and morally, to decide its nominee however it wants, via Magic 8 Ball or drawing names out of a hat if it feels like it.
How about the idea that it would hurt the GOP politically? I mean, the question answers itself. Donald Trump is clearly on a crusade to destroy the GOP, and he would do much less damage from outside than inside.
Obviously, the GOP has already made an enormous, awful spectacle out of itself and has hurt its chances in the general. At the same time, Hillary Clinton is a terrible candidate, and the GOP would probably do better with a nominee who isn't, you know, the most hated candidate in history or have racist Tourette's.
Will Trump voters stay home? Maybe, maybe not. But the GOP apparatus is preparing to bully everyone who hates Trump with "Hillary is worse" — and if it's going to bully anyone with that line, why not make it Trump voters? Plus, who cares if they stay home? Trump's odds are pretty low to begin with. And even if he wins, for what? Do you really think he will do anything about Republican priorities, when he has kept no promises in his life, when he clearly has all the contempt in the world for conservative goals?
There's still time to save yourselves, Republicans. Do it.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry is a writer and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. His writing has appeared at Forbes, The Atlantic, First Things, Commentary Magazine, The Daily Beast, The Federalist, Quartz, and other places. He lives in Paris with his beloved wife and daughter.
-
7 cocktails for a comforting autumn
The Week Recommends Vodka, rum, brandy, mezcal: The gang's all here
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Texas court allows execution in shaken baby syndrome case
Under the radar The state could be the first to carry out the death penalty for someone convicted due to the diagnosis, despite its controversial applicability
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
How do presidential elections affect the stock market?
The explainer If you are worried, take heart: Market changes in response to what is happening politically are likely to be short-term
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court rejects challenge to CFPB
Speed Read The court rejected a conservative-backed challenge to the way the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is funded
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published