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Have the New Indictments Given Trump His Path to the White House?

Have the New Indictments Given Trump His Path to the White House?

In a recent speech, President Trump said that he only needed one more indictment to assure his victory in the 2024 presidential election.  It would make him unbeatable, he claimed.  He got it.  Putting aside his proclivity for hyperbole, does he have a point?

We are not without some evidence in support of his theory.  Three prior indictments – and a loss in a sexual assault civil case — were followed by increases in his polling numbers.  That seems counterintuitive, and political analysts and sociologists have been trying to explain the reasons for the phenomenon without much success.  The left-leaning media is responding with something between utter bewilderment and advanced apoplexy – and vicious attacks on the millions who would still vote for Trump.

In their zeal to bring down Trump and the entire Republican Party – in their own campaign for one-party authoritarian rule – Democrats seem to have forgotten that one half of the nation voted for Trump.  They have gotten the court decisions and indictments they wanted, but that appears to have actually exacerbated strident partisanism and locked in the two sides even more.  In fact, the only discernible movement has been in Trump’s favor.

To explain Trump’s resilient popularity, you need to understand that at least half of America does not like, trust, or want left-wing Democrats in power.  Of course, those on the left are too arrogant to believe that they and their policies are the problem.  In fact, millions of voters hate Democrat policies so much that they will accept a Donald Trump as the alternative.

Many believe that the indictments are not justified – and others believe that they are at least excessive.  It appears to many to be the weaponization of the justice system.  To those on the left, anyone who believes that is an ignorant and evil cultist.   Which brings up another point. 

In an effort to explain Trump’s support without assuming any responsibility, they declare half the nation to be political zombies.  Well, that half of America is sick and tired of being demonized as some sort of Neanderthals hell-bent on destroying the American democracy as declared by a cabal of pompous left-wing media propagandists.  Why Democrats and their media pals think that that attacking the American people will win friends and influence people is inexplicable – but it seems that is all that they have.  

Even though Democrats use every lever of power – and a massive media industry putting its one-sided propaganda on serial loop — at least half the public is not buying it.  The much-maligned FOX News remains by far the most watched cable news network.  According to most opinion polls, the public has a little trust in the Washington establishment – especially the Department of Justice, the Congress, and the entrenched bureaucracy.

Public opinion of the Executive Branch is largely dependent on the occupant of the White House.  Biden is running unprecedented low favorable ratings – and despite all the baggage being placed on Trump’s back, the best President Biden can do is enter into a tie with Trump.  Geez!  

They are betting that somehow their myopic anti-Trump campaign will eventually work.  “When will the Trump fever break?” they ask.   Democrats seem to assume that the more baggage they heap on the former President, the Trump fever will eventually break.  But that is not what is happening.

The Democrats’ approach reminds me of the old practice of bloodletting when a person is sick.  When the patient does not improve, they simply take more blood – eventually killing the person.  Some historians said that is what actually killed George Washington. 

To change the analogy, Trump and the GOP seem to be responding more like the “force” in Star Wars.  The more you strike it, the more powerful it becomes.  But the irrational Trump haters – as opposed to those who may legitimately dislike him and his policies – are determined to employ the same piling-on strategy that has made Trump a more formidable political force in the past.  It goes to that old saying that if your only tool is a hammer, all your problems look like nails.

In my humble opinion, had Nancy Pelosi taken a pass on impeaching Trump … and had various prosecutors used their renowned discretion to limit the charges against Trump … and had Democrats and their media mouthpieces not inflated the Capitol Hill riot to an insurrection … and had they not try to sell their fearmongering approach by claiming the Republic is near collapse … and had they not gone on an attack on grassroots Republican voters … I honestly believe Trump would be in single digits or not in the race at all.

That is not to say that Trump should be given a pass for any laws he may have broken.  It is just that Democrats and the left have gone waaaaay overboard – and created the pushback that has put Trump in the lead for the Republican nomination and in a nose-to-nose horse race with Biden.  They have given Trump a path to the presidency that he would not likely have otherwise had.  Good work, guys (and gals)!!

So, there, tis.

About The Author

Larry Horist

So, there ‘tis… The opinions, perspectives and analyses of businessman, conservative writer and political strategist Larry Horist. Larry has an extensive background in economics and public policy. For more than 40 years, he ran his own Chicago based consulting firm. His clients included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. Larry professional emphasis has been on civil rights and education. He was consultant to both the Chicago and the Detroit boards of education, the Educational Choice Foundation, the Chicago Teachers Academy and the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. Larry has testified as an expert witness before numerous legislative bodies, including the U. S. Congress, and has lectured at colleges and universities, including Harvard, Northwestern and DePaul. He served as Executive Director of the City Club of Chicago, where he led a successful two-year campaign to save the historic Chicago Theatre from the wrecking ball. Larry has been a guest on hundreds of public affairs talk shows, and hosted his own program, “Chicago In Sight,” on WIND radio. An award-winning debater, his insightful and sometimes controversial commentaries have appeared on the editorial pages of newspapers across the nation. He is praised by audiences for his style, substance and sense of humor. Larry retired from his consulting business to devote his time to writing. His books include a humorous look at collecting, “The Acrapulators’ Guide”, and a more serious history of the Democratic Party’s role in de facto institutional racism, “Who Put Blacks in That PLACE? -- The Long Sad History of the Democratic Party’s Oppression of Black Americans ... to This Day”. Larry currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

9 Comments

  1. frank stetson

    Until the court case, you are going overboard to claim Democrats have gone overboard. And premature conclusions as well.

    Some of us believe that we live in a country by the rule of law and that the law is above politics. At some point either that’s true OR we don’t live in a country governed by the rule of law and instead live in a partisan cesspool.

    The cases will decide that. If it’s a majority of charges overturned, sounds political. If they succeed in gaining a majority of guilty convictions, he is a criminal.

    The rest is armchair general stuff, however, the armchair general says he sure looks like toast.

  2. larry Horist

    Framk Stetson … You wrote: “Some of us believe that we live in a country by the rule of law and that the law is above politics.” That is either a pollyanna view … or just stupid. The law is applied or enforced on the discretion of political people. Rule-of-law sounds good, but is subordinate to the rule of people with political biases. Did you forget that judges issue RULINGS? And if you believe in the rule-of-law you should have no criticisms of the Supreme Court You must be in high praise of those old southern Democrat courts meting out “justice” to black folks. Just the rule-of-law in action. How about all those Democrats prosecutors letting rioters walk — and refusing to enforce certain laws. Another example of the rule-of-law? You seem to be embracing tooth fairy logic.

    • frank stetson

      Framk here,

      Lamry, maybe I’m just a stupid Pollyanna whereas your view pretty much concludes America is a total failure so every man for himself, as, in your world, all decisions are political because all people in all jobs are political and so it has been and so it will always be. The founders lied and anyone thinks different is “embracing tooth fairy logic.”

      Although — wasn’t the article about Trump? Nice to see you work in Dixiecrats, SCoTUS, blacks and rioters…..way to stay on point.

      The truth is political bias can be seen in some court decisions, not all. And sometimes, we make terrible mistakes like Slavery, which even there DeSantis tells us offered benefits and a hand up to many a Black.

      I am sorry Larry, but I believe we are a country governed by the rule of law and I am not going to let you take that from me because you are a tired, cynical, frustrated old man that has to blame others to gain support for your lame ideas, of which you have few.

      As noted: it’s a bit early to claim Democrats have gone overboard. Hell, the guy with the exoneration report just balked. We live in a country by the rule of law and the current cases will decide the truth about criminal or political acts based on it’s outcome. The rest is armchair general stuff, which you promised you were above.

      BUSTED

  3. andy

    This is all classic Fourth Turning stuff. Read Neil Howe’s latest book if you want to understand the times we are living in. It’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better, and everyone will be wondering if we will survive it. We will, and we will come out the better for it when it’s all over and done with.

    Now if only Larry can figure out why I have to type my name and email every time I post here.

  4. Mike f

    Larry, your post is interesting but confusing to most of us as well. You state that prosecutors have gone ‘way overboard’. Which of these indictments is ‘way overboard’? It seems to me that the E Jean Carroll indictment (of which he has already been found guilty) is the only one that could possibly fall into that category, as that is the only one we don’t know with absolute certainty that he is guilty of. All the rest of the indictments-stealing and holding classified documents in an unsupervised manner, attempting to overturn an election, and attempting to prevent the legitimately elected President from being sworn in we know for certain he is guilty of. So where do we go from there? The only answer is that a sizable number of American citizens don’t care if their president is a total crook (and liar-just last week he announced that on Monday-yesterday if you have forgotten-he would be providing information to completely exonerate him of all charges in the Georgia case-just one of the thousands of lies he has told since he announced his run for President). So what can you possibly think about people who want a crook and a liar to be their president? Those people are certainly not ‘Patriots’ and the only way I can describe such people is stupid. That is the only conclusion that a logical thinking person can reach-of course if emotion is what drives your thought process, then I suppose another outcome is possible….

  5. frank stetson

    Mike F: we need to be clear on EJ Carroll —- he has been found guilty TWICE. First time for sexual abuse. Second time on his failed stupid countersuit that she defamed him by declaring rapes he was found guilty of “digital” rape, not the internet kind, but the get her alone, slam her against the wall, pin her, reach up under her dress, pull down her tights, wiggle inside her panties and then stick you finger inside her vagina. Judge said, dude, you may have gotten off on NYS law technicalities requiring a penis for rape, but any moron except you knows what you did, as shown in court records by Carroll and two others who said you did it to them too, everyone knows the man on the street calls that RAPE. Case close, you lose in a yuge way.

    I am sorry to keep repeating this but folks —– this is the truth as adjudicated in a court of law. You have to be like Horist and slough it off with a “it’s all political” piece of bullshit rather than face up to who he is.

    He’s a man who gets his rocks off by grabbing em by the pussy. Better known as Trump – the dickless rapist. He can’t even get it up for the act but gets off with power and control by digitally raping them to gain his sexual satisfaction. Why? ED? Afraid of STDs? He can’t get it up but he appears to get off.

    Now extend that to Stormy Daniels and what was he paying for there?

    Freaking pervert as proven in a court of law.

    I rest my case.

  6. larry Horist

    Frank Stetson … First allow me to make one thing very clear. I do not like, condone or defend Trump’s behavior no matter how many times you misrepresent and l lie about my opinions and writings. You really need to get that fantasy Larry Horist out of your head if you want to be taken seriously.

    But you are not allowed a free ride in spreading false information. Technically, Trump was never found “guilty” of rape or sexual assault. That would have required a criminal case, which Carroll never pursued. Trump was declared “liable” in a civil suit — and had to pay damages. Jury declared that liability, but never found him guilty of any criminal act.. They specifically rejected even the civil claim by Carroll that she had been raped. It is the same deal as when O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of murder but was held “liable” for the deaths of his ex-wife in a civil suit. It does not seem right, but that is how the law works in America.

    The judge who said that Trump raped her, was misstating the FACTS. And since he was not the judge in the case, it was very inappropriate to make such an off-hand determinations from the bench.

    And did you ever notice you repeat the same things over and over and over and over in you frequent looooong rambling — often incoherent — screeds. We both agree that Trump is not a nice person. But you keep ruining the same litany of accusations no matter what the subject is.
    You are not only ill-informed and obsessed … but BORING.

    I can hardly wait to read how you will twist this into some sort of support of Trump. You do not merely spin, you LIE,

    • Mike f

      I did note you had nothing to say about my comments Larry. The bottom line is that people who want a liar (please don’t try to equate Biden’s misstatements to the deliberate and continuous lying of DJT-that would really show extreme ignorance on your part) and a criminal to be their president are pretty effing stupid….

    • frank stetson

      Horist rides again: my first paragraph deleted. Patience is a virtue. Wisdom comes with age. Knee-jerks are only the second half.

      You seem to miss the important point. The victim, EJ Carroll, feels the same about the encounter whether he’s found guilty or found liable. We can quibble the finer points of that distinction, but she is still “digitally” raped as adjudicated in a court of judge and jury..
      Here’s your big lie: I said: “he has been found guilty TWICE.” Guilt versus liable, oh, the horror of it all. You EXPOUNDED on that by adding the correction: “Technically, Trump was never found “guilty” of rape or sexual assault. That would have required a criminal case, which Carroll never pursued. Trump was declared “liable” in a civil suit — and had to pay damages.” Not exactly innocent either. Actually, technically, your “had to pay damages” is totally wrong, in your parlance, a lie, no LIE, since Trump has paid nothing and, based on his experience, will never pay the full amount, if any. It’s good to be King.

      However, you expounded correctly. In both cases, it can be a jury decision; one of these was, the other was by the judge. The difference is “level of guilt” where civil is about being held (or not) liable for you actions by a preponderance of the evidence versus criminal conviction where your guilty is determined beyond reason of a doubt. I stand corrected and will amend going forward, one is determining liability, the other guilt by the two levels of evidence noted. Amazingly, EJ Carroll’s body, soul, and vagina are still digitally raped in either case.

      I should have said based on the preponderance of evidence, Trump was found liable because he got EJ Carroll alone, slammed her against the wall, pinned her, put his hand under her skirt, pulled down her tights, fondled under her panties, and forced his fingers up and into her vagina. Two other women testified he tried similar shit with them. Is that fairer and more honest?
      That’s the lie hill you wish you make this stand? Sorry, I meant LIE. Sigh.

      On your other point: “The judge who said that Trump raped her, was misstating the FACTS. And since he was not the judge in the case, it was very inappropriate to make such an off-hand determinations from the bench.” It was the same judge, you were wrong in that (in your parlance it would be a LIE), and your judicial aspirations and experience notwithstanding, what do you know about judging and New York State law? Do you have support, a source? The judge, a very learned and experienced guy, was pretty clear on two points:
      – NYS law says rape requires penis penetration (does Judge Horist know that to be not true?)
      – The judicial transcript: “As the court explained in its recent decision denying Mr Trump’s motion for a new trial on damages and other relief [in the New York case] … based on all of the evidence at trial and the jury’s verdict as a whole, the jury’s finding that Mr Trump ‘sexually abused’ Ms Carroll implicitly determined that he forcibly penetrated her digitally – in other words, that Mr Trump in fact did ‘rape’ Ms Carroll as that term commonly is used and understood in contexts outside of the New York penal law.” Now, you can argue the fine points of the judges view of the common man and what he thinks, and maybe you don’t call this rape, but this man finds what Trump did, as testified in court, as noted by Trump himself in the Access Hollywood tapes, well beneath even being common. He found it as rape in the common parlance.

      The jury found Trump sexually abused Carroll by implicitly determining forcible penetration digitally, raping her as the term is commonly used outside of the NY penal law code that requires penis penetration. If you want to parse liability over guilt over that, that’s your call. In my world, he is a perverted dick-less rapist, probably serial. Adjudicated as such, criminal or not.

      You may not like the guy, but you are on record as promising to support a dick-less rapist over Biden for President, found liable by a preponderance of the evidence, as adjudicated by a jury of his peers, in a civil case where liability is determined and Trump was found totally liable for …..oh, you know. I am saying, to use your favorite technical source, we all know what happened, if you don’t, shame on you. The account above sure seems legit to me, and beyond the crime —— what sort of guy gets his rocks off raping without penis penetration? What’s that about? Two others testified to similar accounts, there’s over a dozen others in the court of public opinion. Live with it and tell yourself, it’s better than Biden.

      You mentioned Stormy, so I will expound myself in saying she claims one-time sex. I really wonder and hope we discover more in that trial because I don’t think he swings that way for one reason or another. May be ED, may be fear of STDs, or he might be even stranger that I think.

      Excuse my beating a dead Hoirst, (horse things are never gonna get old) but your name calling got me this time. Again. I did kill the Horishit name calling return volley though. I feel better for it. But really Larry: you drawing some line over liable versus guilty when the same fingers went the same place in either definition? What do you need to say: ENOUGH. Because you going to get more. Much more before Trump is out of the public arena.