Beware of Republicans giving ‘advice’ to Democrats

June 20, 2024

in Politics

Reading Time: 3 mins read

Republicans have one goal: To elect more Republicans to do their dastardly deeds.

There’s nothing wrong with that. Democrats also seek to elect more of their own. It’s politics, it’s normal, and it’s democracy in action.

You know what isn’t normal? Republicans pretending to give Democrats helpful advice. In fact, anytime they do it, you can assume Democrats should do the exact opposite.

The right-wing Washington Examiner had all sorts of such advice. “In the wake of a 12-member jury finding him guilty of 34 criminal counts tied to a hush money payment scheme during the 2016 election, Trump faces a fine, probation, or up to four years in prison per count. Home confinement is also an option after the historic conviction last month,” reported the rag. “But Republicans are already telling Democrats to tread carefully, or else they will all but ensure that the GOP takes back the White House this November.”

Ah yes, Republicans really want to help Democrats keep the White House.

“I think the Democrat Party better be very cautious because if the [past] sitting president of the United States can’t attend the convention in person, they are essentially electing Donald Trump as president,” Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin was quoted, because we know that he totally wants Democrats to be cautious in order for President Joe Biden to win reelection. (Also, Democrats have nothing to do with the trial.)

National Republican committeeman Richard Porter told the Washington Examiner, “If that judge compounds the unfairness of the trial with a jail sentence or that otherwise restricts his freedom to campaign, righteous anger at the injustice will wash away Biden and the corrupt establishment in November.” Oh my, that would be so terrible for Democrats, thanks for the great advice Richard, helping Democrats stay in the fight!

“It would be malpractice not to plan for what Trump himself seems to think is a distinct possibility: that he is sentenced to behind bars before the convention,” a Republican strategist said. “Imagine the spectacle of him delivering an acceptable speech from the visitor room at a jail or prison. Trump probably wants this to happen.”

Yes, of course Trump wants nothing more than to deliver his acceptance speech from the prison pay phone. Can anyone spare a quarter? Why would he report right to prison rather than appeal?

As Mark Sumner wrote Tuesday, no, bad news isn’t good news for Trump. Quite the opposite. Being convicted is terrible news for him, as he can’t afford to lose an iota of support in what is currently a neck-and-neck race.

Indeed, the fake advice is always a tell.

If it was true that attacking Trump as a convicted felon was bad for the Democrats, Republicans would be cheering it on. Instead, their efforts to scare Democrats away from doing so betrays their anxiety.

If Van Orden really thought a jailed Trump would “essentially elect Donald Trump,” he’d be rooting for a harsh sentence.

If that Porter guy really thought that “righteous anger [would] wash away Biden and the corrupt establishment,” he would be hoping that the judge compounded “the unfairness” of Trump’s trial.

It’s all so transparent that it’s stupid. Why even bother? We don’t see Democrats play this silly game, so what gives?