Ken's Second Act
Trump needs to leave the limelight and retreat to private life
1Former President Donald Trump came to nearby Prescott Valley Friday to stump for Republican candidates in Arizona for governor, the U.S. Senate, secretary of state and others who share his unsubstantiated claim that Joe Biden stole the November 2020 election from him. I’m hoping it will be his last rally and that he will retreat from public life, but I realize that is wishful thinking on my part.
I chose not to attend the rally, a ticketed event. Press coverage confirmed my suspicions that Trump would use the occasion to continue to engage in self-delusion and lies about the 2020 election. Instead, I drove about 11 miles from Prescott to see whether any protests would take place (they were absent) outside the Findlay Toyota Center and get a feel for the place.
While crossing Glassford Hill Road, I met supporters of Senate candidate Jim Lamon who referred to Trump-backed candidate Blake Masters as “Fake Blake” because Silicon Valley tech giant Peter Thiel is bankrolling him. Trump also took the stage with Kari Lake, the former Phoenix Fox News anchor who is running for governor.
Vendors selling pro-Trump merchandise, including T-shirts and caps, lined both sides
of Florentine Road. I had cordial conversations with two merchants. Daniel, an African-American man from North Carolina, disagreed with diehard Trumpers by saying Trump lost the election to President Joe Biden, and criticized the Jan. 6 insurrection. “They won fair and square,” he said, referring to President Joe Biden
Nevertheless, Daniel said Trump was good for business, enabling people to keep more of their income.
“We had more international respect from other countries,” Daniel told me. I disputed Daniel, saying Trump was immensely unpopular throughout the world and only drew widespread support in Russia and Israel.
Daniel also credited Trump with Small Business Administration loans that helped businesses cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apparently alluding to a divided country, Daniel said, “We should embrace each other.”
Nearby vendor Freddie, of Buckeye, displayed merchandise bearing his own designs for the letters MAGA, which stands for Make America Great Again.
“I do believe in the guy,” Freddie said, referring to Trump, adding he was “not political” before the 2020 election. He said he thinks Trump was “cheated out of winning.”
Freddie and Daniel seemed to be more straightforward than a heavyset Arizona State University student in a dark suit who promoted a survey for College Republicans United. The student was certain that the Democrats stole the election despite numerous unsuccessful court challenges as well as statements from Trump’s close advisers that he lost fairly. I asked on what basis. He cited 2000 Mules, the documentary produced by Dinesh D’Souza.
“It’s widely discredited,” I told the student. End of conversation. Apparently, the pro-Trump student has not learned in college to distinguish between the truth and lies and propaganda.
And while Trump stumped for Masters, Lake and others, the sanctimonious former Sycophant in Chief, ex-Vice President Mike Pence, came to Arizona to campaign for wealthy developer Karrin Taylor Robson for governor. Pence, a possible candidate for president in 2024, is closely aligned with outgoing Gov. Doug Ducey, and has been bucking Trump by backing candidates for office in other states who do not have Trump’s blessing.
Frankly, in light of the disclosures of the Jan. 6 House select committee that Trump waited 187 minutes before calling off the mob attack on the Capitol, I believe any candidate seeking Trump’s endorsement is morally bankrupt and does not deserve to be elected. Trump could face criminal prosecution.
The 2000 presidential election was much closer. Yet, Vice President Al Gore gracefully conceded to George W. Bush, saying, “It’s time for me to go.”
Trump needs to go, and think about his future as a private citizen. Even after his Waterloo on Nov. 3. 2020, Trump urged his followers to “fight like hell.” He needs to live in internal exile in his Elba at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, where he can open his presidential library. The library could sell ghostwritten books naming him as the author, DVDs of The Apprentice, MAGA caps and other merchandise. He could endow a Chair in Narcissism at his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania. And lastly, he could hawk Parmesan cheese on late-night television with the slogan Make America Grate Again.
Ken, your a hack. Everyone knows the treason committed in last election. Treason that's been going on long before Trump camp along. Your globalist technocratic boot licker aka commie. Very un American same on you for being so. Jan 6 was a awesome day for America only disgrace is seeing you other fraudsters try to spin your fraud. Those were some of the of the best Americans making the appearance in honor & peace , standing for our Republic and the clear winner of that election. Your part the problem perpetuating the fraud.
The event was not ticketed, first 6000 people at the door got in. What do you mean that President Trump "engaged in self-delusion and lies about the 2020 election"? He won the election by a landslide, it's so obvious that the deep state cabal cheated. Why don't watch 2000 Mules or listen to the X22 Report to get the truth? President Trump kept every promise that he made for the good of the American people. Do you like paying $5.00 + for gas, the 9.1% rise in inflation and seeing billions of our tax dollars go to Ukraine to be laundered right back into the pockets of Democratic scum? Why do you think Pelosi and the rest of them visited the Ukraine-- to pick up their cash before Russia exposes all of them, nobody goes into a real war zone for photo ops, etc. without wearing appropriate gear. You are just another member of the fake news media being paid off by associates of China or Soros. We are glad you only came as far as Florentine St., people who care about the direction that the United States is heading don't appreciate the lies spread by you and the mainstream media.