Deflecting blame

Former President Donald Trump has heard the rumblings about how the vast majority of his highly touted U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidates woefully underperformed this past election cycle. But as Trump is wont to do, he deflects blame for his failures. 

"It wasn't my fault that the Republicans didn't live up to expectations in the midterms," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "It was the ‘abortion issue,’ poorly handled by many Republicans, especially those that firmly insisted on No Exceptions, even in the case of rape, incest or life of the mother, that lost large numbers of voters."

"Also, the people that pushed so hard, for decades, against abortion, got their wish from the U.S. Supreme Court, and just plain disappeared, not to be seen again," he added.

As usual, Trump is short on facts. While there are some pro life folks who believe abortion should not be legal even in the case of rape or incest, there is literally no credible voice who oppose it in instances of the mother's life being in jeopardy. Not one. The fact is the most heavily engaged pro life crowd knew full well that overturning Roe was merely the beginning. The next phase was to elect representation to draft laws severely restricting or outright banning abortion. So this idea they "just plain disappeared" is bull pucky. Also, Trump handpicking U.S. Senate candidates who were "pro choice" (Mehmet Oz in PA) or who paid a mistress to have an abortion (Herschel Walker in GA) wasn't exactly the most effective way to court the GOP's most loyal voting bloc. 

Trump's denigration of pro lifers' efforts over this past election cycle makes him D.O.A. if he happens to be the Republican presidential nominee in 2024. At this point, the only solid support he has for just the nomination is the Trump cultists. If indeed the GOP presidential field (outside of Trump) coalesces behind one candidate (i.e. Florida governor Ron DeSantis), they can easily avoid the 2016 scenario where Trump needed a mere plurality of votes to win the nomination. 

Perhaps the most stupefying aspect of Trump's shenanigans? He's behaving like his cultists are enough to put him over the top. Get ready for some more "RIGGED!!!!" talk once that proves to be a delusion.

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