Finneran: Snatching Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory

Finneran: Snatching Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory

Once upon a time, long long ago, in a land that many love, the Republicans seemed to be on the verge of capturing the White House. The nation had grown tired, as it so often does, of “too much President Incumbent”.

Eight years earlier the Democrats had won the White House with a “new” candidate, an “old” incumbent, lackluster opposition, and a combination of voter fatigue, voter fury, and voter fright. What was new then is old now and the nation has said “wrong track, enough already” for many months. Such was the stage seemingly eons ago, in the Spring and Summer months of 2015.

The Republicans, sensing great opportunity, and brimming with the confidence that comes from back-to-back historic mid-term victories over Democratic candidates, had a large field of interesting, accomplished, and experienced candidates to consider.
On the utter irrelevancies of race and gender, now today’s essential ingredients, the Republicans were miles ahead of the pale-faced and almost elderly Democrats. The Republicans had black (1), female (1), Indian (1), and Hispanic (2) candidates, practically a United Nations photo-op for those who find such things important.

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In addition, the Republican field included current Governors, former Governors, and current as well as former U. S. Senators, all serious, all experienced, and some impressive. Various combinations of these many candidates seemed to present formidable challenges to Democratic dreams of holding on to the White House for another term or two.

Enter Donald Trump.

Mr. Trump, to the shock and dismay of many, has eviscerated the field. The body count mounts with each passing week---Walker, Jindal, Huckabee, Santorum, Paul, Perry, Graham, Fiorina, Bush, Christie, Carson, Rubio. It’s a staggering rollcall of the fallen, a political Gettysburg. And Donald Trump looks every bit the victorious General.

At the moment, neither John Kasich nor Ted Cruz seem intent on handing their swords to Mr. Trump. But Trump has all the momentum and it becomes increasingly difficult every day to deny him his due.

Many thousands of Trump voters from all across the country have had it with the unbearable political correctness of the New York Times and other media outlets. Many thousands of Trump voters, from regions as diverse as the Northeast (New Hampshire, Massachusetts) and the Deep South (Florida, South Carolina, Georgia) have expressed their angry rejection of the now daily charge of “racism” and “privilege” over every policy disagreement. Many thousands of Trump voters sense the sinister game of “comprehensive” immigration reform and the deliberate political excusing of brazenly lawless acts. From such surging numbers and sentiments one would sense that a political juggernaut is at hand. One would be wrong.

Much remains to be seen but this much seems indisputably true---the Republican party today is a broken party, at war with itself, beset with strife. I am reminded of the violent divides which shook the Democratic party in 1968 when the Vietnam War created horrific clashes between young and old, likely costing Hubert Humphrey a fair chance against Richard Nixon.

Similar divisions are evident in the ongoing Republican campaign. Trump keeps winning. But Cruz and Kasich, when added together, often outpoll him. Add in Rubio’s numbers and the division becomes even more striking. Having had many months to consider all the candidates how or why would a Trump voter migrate to Cruz or Kasich? For the good of the party? Don’t make me laugh. Or to gain the phony “approval” of the N.Y. Times? Screw the Times………….

Consider the opposite scenario—why would a Cruz, Kasich, or Rubio voter migrate to Trump? They have had ample opportunity to assess his character, his “conservative” credentials, and his fitness for the presidency. They are not impressed. In fact, they are appalled. They do not seem willing or likely to climb aboard what they see as a doomed ship. They see Trump as Ahab, obsessed and crazy.

These divisions are real and hardening quickly. Opportunities for reconciliation will be few and far between. If party elders maneuver the nomination away from Trump through political intrigue, there will be fury in the grassroots. And if Trump secures the nomination, many respectable and talented Republicans will go their own way, focusing on Congress and the U.S. Senate and likely skipping the presidential vote.

These are not the ingredients of victory. They are ingredients for a political civil war. When every single Republican vote will be needed to win, when every such vote is precious, the loss of any vote brings doomsday. Thus is defeat snatched from the jaws of victory…… 

Tom Finneran is the former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, served as the head the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and was a longstanding radio voice in Boston radio.