Unfortunately, my deadline preceded Thursday’s Presidential “mic-muting” Debate. Undoubtedly, in typical vile manner, Donald Trump attacked Joe Biden and with 222,000 Americans dead from his mishandling Covid, Trump once again called Dr. Fauci “an idiot and a disaster.” (It’s classic projection how Trump describes himself.)
Fauci, a Medal of Freedom recipient, has worked harmoniously since 1984 with five presidents but has had to endure insults from anti-science Trump. As conservative columnist George Will wrote, “For those who think Trump has reached rock bottom, there is no such thing.”
The second debate was supposed to be virtual but Trump declined, grousing, “They can cut you off any time they want.” (I suppose if he couldn’t constantly interrupt and cause chaos why bother?)
Joe Biden held a Town Hall on ABC and Trump did the same on NBC resulting in “dueling Town Halls.” Biden was refreshingly sane but boring, whereas Trump’s obnoxious performance likely caused many viewers to bang their head against the wall. (Biden got the bigger ratings which must have steamed Donald who values ratings more than his children, except perhaps for Ivanka.)
Savannah Guthrie grilled Trump about his 2016 campaign promise (which still sounds like a carnival barker) “On the first day of my presidency I will deliver the finest health care at a fraction of the price.” Guthrie reminded him after four years he’s done absolutely nothing. However, on November 10, Trump is hoping the Supreme Court will rule Obamacare unconstitutional leaving 20 million more Americans without health insurance. This during the worst pandemic in 100 years! #Insane.
Then Guthrie mentioned Trump’s retweet claiming Obama Bin Laden’s assassination was a hoax, commenting, “Mr. President, you’re the President of the United States, not somebody’s crazy uncle!” Actually he is. Clinical psychologist Mary Trump, author of the best selling and scathing Trump family memoir, “Too Much and Never Enough” is his niece.
Responding to Guthrie’s probing, Trump claimed he knew nothing about the extremist right wing QAnon other than, “I hear they’re against pedophilia and so am I.” Apparently Trump forgot about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
Meanwhile, Trump has said twice if he loses to Biden, “I might just disappear. I may even leave the country.” (If only.) But Trump often reveals these “tells” and in this case, there’s considerable logic.
As this election may be life or death for American democracy, so might it be for Trump’s freedom. If he wins (God forbid) the statute of limitations on his possible state crimes will run out. If he loses, however, he could wind up in prison. It could also lead to the “Trump empire” collapsing, bad news for Ivanka, Don Jr. and Eric, not to mention Melania’s pre-nup. But if Trump flees, what country might welcome him?
Obviously it’d be a nation that didn’t have extradition agreements with the U.S. And since Trump is disdainful of our democratic allies and infatuated with our authoritarian adversaries, that further narrows the list. (We’ve never had a POTUS embrace our enemies, not to mention one who spends 2 hours every day on hair and makeup.)
A likely destination for Trump would be Russia, home to his puppet master Putin and maybe another shot at building his dream “Trump Tower Moscow.” Or it could be Turkey, ruled by the murderous dictator Erdogan as there’s already Trump Towers Istanbul.
Or he could go to the Philippines, run by the ruthless dictator, Rodrigo Duterte, who, in 2017, actually crooned Trump a love song, “You Are the Light.” It was at an official state dinner and so obsequious I imagine it caused the Filipino audience to covertly dry heave.
Unlikely as it sounds, maybe China would be a destination. The New York Times just reported that Trump has a secret bank account there. In fact, while he only paid $750 in U.S. income taxes, over three years he paid nearly $200,000 in taxes to the Chinese. (On Wednesday, Obama joked at a rally, “Imagine if I’d had a secret Chinese bank account! Fox News would call me ‘Beijing Barry.’”)
Kidding aside, with eleven days left, I’m terrified Trump will cheat his way into a second term employing voter suppression and intimidation, including placing armed thugs like the Proud Boys at polling places, Russian meddling, sabotage of mail-in ballots and voting machines some made in China. Appearing unbelievably corrupt, after attending a 2017 White House dinner with President Xi, Ivanka was granted Chinese patents on the odd combination of voting machines and handbags.
Meanwhile, I cringe at what crazy uncle Trump, with his tiny sweaty hands near the nuclear button and in debt to someone or some country $421 million, will do between October 23 and January 20th. The height of the word understatement, if Trump loses it won’t exactly be a peaceful transition of power. (Sigh!)
On Sunday’s “60 Minutes,” TTT (temper tantrum Trump) storms off the set. And, for those who consider Covid a hoax, with the caveat it’s disturbing, Google “dailydot man makes video from ICU.” Jack is at: jackdailypress@aol.com.
