Stuart Stevens spent four decades helping Republicans—a lot of Republicans—win.
He’s one of the most successful political operatives of his generation, crafting ads and devising strategies for President George W. Bush, Republican presidential nominees Mitt Romney and Bob Dole, and dozens of GOP governors, senators and congressmen.
He didn’t win every race, but he thinks he had the best won-lost record in Republican campaign world.
And now he feels terrible about it.
Stevens now believes the Republican Party is, not to put too fine a point on it, a malign force jeopardizing the survival of American democracy.
✁
While Stevens is one of the most prominent “Never Trump” Republicans, and It Was All a Lie is predictably scathing about the failures of President Donald Trump, the book does not blame Trump for the failures of the party he leads.
It essentially takes for granted that Trump is as bad a president and a human being as his worst Democratic critics say—
….and that he constantly violates supposedly bedrock Republican commitments to free trade, family values, limited government and the Constitution.
His point is that Trump is a fitting representative of the modern GOP.
It Was All a Lie is really about the party that spawned Trump and now marches in near-lockstep behind him—the party to which 67-year-old Stevens has devoted his career.
The GOP’s abject surrender to its unorthodox and unconservative leader was a surprise to Stevens, but he has concluded that he shouldn’t have been surprised.
✁
Republicans always say that you can’t negotiate with terrorists; well, Donald Trump is a terrorist, and the Republican Party decided to negotiate with him.
How has that worked out?
He’s destroyed conservatism. He’s the most anti-conservative president of my lifetime.
The president’s response to the growing prospect of losing the White House has been to set fire to, well, everything — our national cohesion, our institutions, and our elections.
Trump has always been divisive, willing to wage ugly attacks on Gold Star parents and former prisoners of war who had the audacity to criticize or disagree with him.
The hopes that he would become “presidential” in office have been dashed so many times by now that “this is the day Donald Trump became president” has long been a running gag on Twitter.
As his position has become vulnerable, though, the president has become ever more willing to dissolve the already-fragile ties that bind Americans together.
Trump draws lines daily. He warns suburbanites that minorities will invade their neighborhoods if he loses the election.
He raises questions about the eligibility of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) to serve as president. (She’s eligible.)
He even retweets fans of his who urge conservatives to “Leave Democrat cities. Let them rot.”
Has any president ever expressed such contempt for his fellow citizens?
President Abraham Lincoln waged a bloody Civil War against the Confederacy, and he managed to urge Americans not to have malice against their once and future neighbors.
Trump has no time for the rhetoric of unity.
Trump has also spent his presidency hollowing out important American institutions — most notably bending and breaking the Department of Justice to short-circuit investigations of his cronies while using it as a weapon against his perceived enemies.
And while he has long been interested in undermining the United States Postal Service, those efforts have taken on new urgency as the election nears.
Sorting machines and post office boxes have been removed in cities across the country in a clear attempt to disrupt absentee voting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump has admitted this is his aim.
Darsan54 Premium Member over 4 years ago
“Woke patrol”? Oh, you’re referring to Tucker, Sean and Piro. Search and Destroy is their default ROE.
Sanspareil over 4 years ago
The real “woke patrol” would congratulate you Winslow
Silly Season over 4 years ago
Stuart Stevens spent four decades helping Republicans—a lot of Republicans—win.
He’s one of the most successful political operatives of his generation, crafting ads and devising strategies for President George W. Bush, Republican presidential nominees Mitt Romney and Bob Dole, and dozens of GOP governors, senators and congressmen.
He didn’t win every race, but he thinks he had the best won-lost record in Republican campaign world.And now he feels terrible about it.
Stevens now believes the Republican Party is, not to put too fine a point on it, a malign force jeopardizing the survival of American democracy.
✁
While Stevens is one of the most prominent “Never Trump” Republicans, and It Was All a Lie is predictably scathing about the failures of President Donald Trump, the book does not blame Trump for the failures of the party he leads.
It essentially takes for granted that Trump is as bad a president and a human being as his worst Democratic critics say—
….and that he constantly violates supposedly bedrock Republican commitments to free trade, family values, limited government and the Constitution.
His point is that Trump is a fitting representative of the modern GOP.
It Was All a Lie is really about the party that spawned Trump and now marches in near-lockstep behind him—the party to which 67-year-old Stevens has devoted his career.
The GOP’s abject surrender to its unorthodox and unconservative leader was a surprise to Stevens, but he has concluded that he shouldn’t have been surprised.
✁
Republicans always say that you can’t negotiate with terrorists; well, Donald Trump is a terrorist, and the Republican Party decided to negotiate with him.
How has that worked out?
He’s destroyed conservatism. He’s the most anti-conservative president of my lifetime.
~
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/08/19/interview-stuart-stevens-republican-case-against-trump-397918
Silly Season over 4 years ago
The president’s response to the growing prospect of losing the White House has been to set fire to, well, everything — our national cohesion, our institutions, and our elections.
Trump has always been divisive, willing to wage ugly attacks on Gold Star parents and former prisoners of war who had the audacity to criticize or disagree with him.
The hopes that he would become “presidential” in office have been dashed so many times by now that “this is the day Donald Trump became president” has long been a running gag on Twitter.
As his position has become vulnerable, though, the president has become ever more willing to dissolve the already-fragile ties that bind Americans together.
Trump draws lines daily. He warns suburbanites that minorities will invade their neighborhoods if he loses the election.
He raises questions about the eligibility of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) to serve as president. (She’s eligible.)
He even retweets fans of his who urge conservatives to “Leave Democrat cities. Let them rot.”
Has any president ever expressed such contempt for his fellow citizens?
President Abraham Lincoln waged a bloody Civil War against the Confederacy, and he managed to urge Americans not to have malice against their once and future neighbors.
Trump has no time for the rhetoric of unity.
Trump has also spent his presidency hollowing out important American institutions — most notably bending and breaking the Department of Justice to short-circuit investigations of his cronies while using it as a weapon against his perceived enemies.
And while he has long been interested in undermining the United States Postal Service, those efforts have taken on new urgency as the election nears.
Sorting machines and post office boxes have been removed in cities across the country in a clear attempt to disrupt absentee voting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump has admitted this is his aim.
https://theweek.com/articles/931585/trump-wants-take-america-down
Kurtass over 4 years ago
Empathy, patience and context. What three things trump has never had, Alex.
guyjen2004 over 4 years ago
Woke Patrol? lol
6.6TA over 4 years ago
Hmmm ….. Apparently, Mr. Stantis is living in his mother’s cellar, flipping back and for the between MSNBC and Fox News.
StackableContainers over 4 years ago
Huh?
RobinHood over 4 years ago
Hey everybody download
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1296151125754863616.html
Cut out the, self appointed middle man.