Although most sensible people know better than to put all faith into pre-election polls, the enormity and consistency of the current numbers look overwhelmingly bad for Mr. Trump.
But based on Trump’s lifetime of going against the odds (with six bankrupt casinos to show for it) the Trump forces still think their favorite has more than a puncher’s lucky chance at being re-elected. I, too, think it is way too soon to get over-confident or complacent. More than once in American politics, underdogs and those otherwise counted out, have mounted unforeseen and unbelievable comebacks at the tape.
Besides that caution, Mr. Trump, based on the evidence from his presidency so far, and what his niece, Dr. Mary Trump, recently imparted about him in her new book, is quite adept at winning ugly.
For those who engage in any kind of competition, the phrase should not be new. In a footrace, for example, when someone is clearly the better runner and is nearing the winner’s tape in front, another who certainly seems out of it clips the heels of the frontrunner, knocking the leader to the ground and out of the race. Thus, one who was clearly getting beaten seizes this improbable opportunity to come in first.
Or, someone is clearly dominating all other players in a Bid Whist hand, with a Boston all but guaranteed. Then an opposing player messes up the cards in retrieving a book of cards already played, throwing off the counting of the cards including the trump cards, and chaos ensues, preventing the hand from being finished and the Boston from being achieved. Or, in a Gin Rummy hand, someone has an Ace-King-Queen run lockup in two suits and is just about to throw down on everyone when an opposing player reneges and clutters everything up enough so no one can win.
Or, just before Nov. 3rd, Mr. Trump declares martial law for some spurious reason and postpones or cancels the election until he says America is safe enough to re-schedule the election.
Readers can see where this is going. Winning does not require sportsmanship, or good form, or proper etiquette or anything of the sort. If a soccer player is racing down the field dribbling the ball just before an uncontested kick into the net, a well-placed tackle can end that opportunity and maybe save the game for the other team. Sure, there’ll be a penalty, maybe even a severe one, but the freebie has been prevented. The point is, there’ll be no uncontested layups and no long touchdown runs to win the game in the last seconds. Players will be hurt to prevent that, and whether the prohibiting play is a foul or not is not even relevant.
Championships have been won and lost by forcing a charge, by slipping a hand quickly onto someone’s thigh, misdirecting them, or simply by straightforwardly fouling an opponent at an opportune time. You can’t hit the winning, open jumper, or catch the last second touchdown if you are sprawled out on the floor or the field, fouled for sure, but prevented from making the basket or catching the ball. How can you win with an opponent intent on doing everything and anything possible from stopping you from winning?
And playing fair is not even in consideration.
Mr. Trump and his minions have been playing unfairly throughout his time in office, and even before. There should be no surprise when he attempts to do so again. We just must ignore—or social media assassinate—Kanye West’s attempt to siphon off young Black voters, stifle through the courts Mr. Trump’s attempts at overriding the U.S. Constitution by forcing federal troops/policemen into states and cities uninvited, and allowing foreign interests to interfere in this year’s elections.
Exactly what he will try is so far not known. But it is clear as day that he will try whatever low-life tactics he thinks will work in order to win—ugly or not.
Professor David L. Horne is founder and executive director of PAPPEI, the Pan African Public Policy and Ethical Institute, which is a new 501(c)(3) pending community-based organization or non-governmental organization (NGO). It is the stepparent organization for the California Black Think Tank which still operates and which meets every fourth Friday.
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