Tom Nichols: Why this Never Trump ex-Republican will vote for almost any 2020 Democratic nominee

[highplainsdem]

I'm posting this because I believe our nominee WILL be getting a lot of votes from Republicans and ex-Republicans like Nichols.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/08/15/2020-democrat-will-get-my-vote-never-trump-ex-republican-column/2013614001/

All of the policy “what about” hypotheticals from my conservative friends are diversions. They’re trying to move the argument to policy to blind us to the reality that President Donald Trump is both unstable and compromised.

As I have argued for well over two years, there is plenty of evidence that the president is compromised by our most dedicated enemy. Even before the Mueller report laid bare the degree to which the Trump campaign welcomed Russian help, it was obvious that Trump feared Russian President Vladimir Putin — not only because Putin knew how much Trump had lied to the American people during the campaign about his dealings with Russia, but also likely because Moscow holds Trump’s closest financial secrets after years of shady dealings with Russian oligarchs.

-snip-

Compulsive lying, fantastic and easily refuted claims, base insults and bizarre public meltdowns, however, are indeed signs of serious emotional problems. Trump has never been a reasonable man, but for two years, he has gotten worse. He literally cannot tell the truth from a lie, he often seems completely unable to comprehend even basic information, and he flies off the handle in ways that would make most of us take our children to a pediatrician for evaluation.

This is why policy doesn’t matter. I have only two requirements from the Democratic nominee. First, he or she must not be obviously mentally unstable. Second, the nominee must not be in any way sympathetic — or worse, potentially beholden — to a hostile foreign power. This rules out Gabbard, Williamson and maybe New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, although in de Blasio’s case it’s hard to tell whether he is unstable or just a terrible person.

As for the rest of them, I am willing to live with whoever wins the Democratic primary process. I will likely hate the nominee’s policies, but at least I will not be concerned that he or she is incapable of understanding “the nuclear” or “the cyber.” I will feel like I have a shot at trying to convince my elected representatives that they should listen to the policy preferences of normal human beings instead of two old men wearing shirts that say they’d “rather be a Russian than a Democrat,” or a woman in a shirt indicating that she is willing to have the president grab her genitalia.

The Democratic candidate will promise to nominate people into Cabinet posts who will make me tear my hair out. But at least I will be confident that they are in charge of their own inner circle, instead of surrounded by unprincipled cronies who keep their own boss in the dark while taking a hatchet to the Constitution. Is there anyone that Warren or former Vice President Joe Biden could bring to, say, the Justice Department, whom I would fear more than an odious and sinister courtier like William Barr?

I never thought I could miss Eric Holder, yet here we are.

If you know any Republicans who are unhappy with Trump, this would be a good link to send them. We can use every vote we can get in 2020. Including from Republicans who can't stand Trump. An argument from one of the most articulate Never Trumpers is more likely to sway them than purely Democratic arguments.


I realize there are Democrats who don't want any support from Never Trumpers even if they're willing to vote for Democrats to stop Trump.

But I agree with this statement from Neera Tanden. I'll copy her full tweet below, but she's responding to a Republican who's responding to Oliver Willis, so I want to focus on the basic argument she's making.

The core of Neera Tanden's tweet:

I welcome Trump critics. Our democracy is under seige. Make allies wherever you can. We can disagree again when Trump is gone.

Link to tweet

I heard some speculation again today, I think on MSNBC (though I channel surf so much I'm not entirely sure), that Trump might refuse to give up the presidency if the election is at all close.

So we need every vote we can get.

Including from Republicans who might agree with Tom Nichols that even if a Democratic president elected in 2020 might leave them wanting to tear their hair out because of policies and appointments they disagree with, at least they will NOT have to worry that the president is mentally unstable and sympathetic (or beholden) to a hostile foreign power.

[elleng]

1. I welcome Trump critics. Our democracy is under seige. Make allies wherever you can.

We can disagree again when Trump is gone.

[highplainsdem]

3. I thought Tanden worded that perfectly.

[elleng]

5. Yes she did.

[Cha]

2. I agree with Neera!

And, Tom Nichols.

Thank you, highplainsdem

[highplainsdem]

4. You're welcome, Cha!

[highplainsdem]

6. kick

[JI7]

7. Dan makes no sense. we WANT people to vote for Democrats.

[JI7]

8. Dan Mclaughlin is Scary piece of shit that WANTS Trump in office

look at the shit he is saying.

he wants kids to suffer becsuse he believes that people need to suffer for good things to happen. of course it's women and minorities who will suffer the most and he will be just fine.

he is more libertarian anarchist privileged white guy than anything else.