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CNN New Hampshire and January 6, 2025

Only the technology has changed (Sony tape recorder used to tape conversations in the White House, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives and Records Administration)

CNN has taken a lot of flack for providing free airtime to a person incapable of telling the truth except by accident. The ratings were not spectacular and there is no indication that this will be a repeat of 2016.

In many ways, CNN did the nation a favor. Think back to the trial which had just ended the day before. His own testimony under deposition helped hold him liable. No matter how well prepared his lawyers might have been, no one could have anticipated that he would confuse E. Jean Carroll with his second wife Marla Maples. The lesson to be learned is the more he talks the deeper into a hole he digs himself. CNN provided an opportunity for him to defame Carroll as a wack job whom he did not know. The result has been an increase in the amount of damages sought against him. Good thinking immature child with the emotional maturity of a three-year old, just keep talking.

And now there are tapes.

The same applies to one exchange that has not received the attention it deserves. He was asked if he would accept the results on the 2024 election if he lost. The answer was “No!” In his terms he replied only if he decided the election was honest. Translated in to English, that means if he loses again to Joe Biden (assuming he is the nominee) he will not accept the results.

So what? His Arizona gubernatorial candidate has not accepted the results that she lost and what impact has it had? Unfortunately it does mean a possible Senate candidacy for her. If she should win that then the Senate could have its own counterpart to Marjorie Taylor Greene.

HE’S A LOSER

One should keep in mind that the wannabees will be spending months tarnishing the image of Criminal Loser Liar Trump. They already have begun referring to the losses experienced by the Republican Party due to him. Every time they refer to the Republican Party as a loser party, they are indirectly attacking and rejecting his claims of being a winner.

He did not win the popular vote in 2016.
His party did lose the Congressional elections in 2018.
He did not win the popular vote or electoral vote in 2020.
Election deniers did not win in 2022.

In short, everything he touches dies. At some point, people in the Republican Party are going to place winning over fealty to The Donald. Survival trumps obedience. The story will not be the same everywhere. But the more Republicans face the threat of losing in a state despite all their efforts to suppress the vote – or because they have a conscience – the more resistant to blindly following the Criminal Loser Liar will. Certainly with all the presidential candidates, some will hammer home the message that The Donald is a loser. Especially if one wants to stand out on a crowded debate stage, the greater the likelihood of confronting the Criminal Loser Liar head on. Given the winner-take-all format of Republican primaries, such attacks may not be sufficient to prevent him from wining a plurality even if he is under multiple indictments. What it does mean it that Democrats don’t need to spend much effort attacking him until after the Republican convention, the Republicans will be doing it for them.

JANUARY 6, 2025    

Despite all the legal threats and attacks from Republican presidential candidates, he still could be the nominee. What are the options then if he loses again to Joe Biden? They would seem to be quite limited.

Will he unleash Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell on the state legislatures again? Unlikely since they are likely to be on trial for their efforts last time around.

Will he seize voting machines as he failed to do last time? No, he would have no power to do so?

Will he create alternate electors to stealthily cast votes on his behalf? No, the fake electors from last time will be on trial or have sought immunity deals for themselves for their actions. It seems unlikely that anyone would try that route again.

Will state legislatures with Republican super-majorities openly declare alternate electors if necessary? Meaning if they calculate the electoral votes needed and coordinate their actions with other states with Republican super-majorities sufficient to close the gap? Unlikely although it remains a possibility depending on how the Supreme Court rules. Even if it rules in their favor it would be such a brazen step to steal the election, I question whether such a maneuver would even work. Even as I write this the current Texas Attorney General who might be expected to lead the charge may find himself removed from office.

Will he call upon his patriotic tourists to assemble at the Capitol with the cry that “it will be wild”? Unlikely. This time the Capitol will be fully prepared for the arrival of his tourists, his good people whom he loves. Those people will have seen what happened last time. They have seen the arrests. They have seen the convictions. They have seen the sentencing. All this talk about pardoning the tourists from 2020 are a constant reminder of the consequences of their attempt to steal the election. Consider the outcry over his first indictment in New York. It was a big nothingburger.

As one examines the various options available to the two-time loser, one sees that they are quite limited. They are more in the style of Kari Lake. She can huff and puff all she wants but she cannot undo the election results. By this point, even his own followers expect him to be indicted.

In short, it is good to have on record on his unwillingness to accept the results in 2024 unless he wins. It is something his fellow Republican candidates can criticize the big baby for in their own campaigns. So the bottom line is if he calls for a national effort to steal the election in 2024 so he can win, nothing much will happen. He would just be a laughingstock as he continues to defend himself in court(s) from the last time he tried to steal the election.

At least this time he telegraphed his punches and CNN should be thanked for giving him that opportunity to expose himself.

Of course, it is also possible that he will win the election.