To tell himself the words he’s most famous for: “You’ve been fired!”
Between speculation of a 2024 run and talk of a Grover Cleveland replay, there’s an inevitable crunch on Trump’s third bid for the White House: obsolescence. Not without reason, Mr. Trump has proven himself to be expendable.
Ironically, Mr. Trump’s candidacy and presidency was his 15th season of “The Apprentice”. Intentional or not, he educated young Republicans to counter Democrats and to oppose a predominantly hostile media. In contrast Mr. Trump’s 2016 follows the weak-knee cowardice of the McCain and Romney campaigns. It should come as no surprise that a new generation of Republicans found the experience novel and instructive. Unsurprisingly, Mr Trump himself turned out to be the most persuasive argument for his step back.
You don’t have to be Elizabeth Barrett Browning to count the ways for Mr. Trump to spoil another shot at the White House. If they suffer another loss then their brand will suffer irreparable damage. He will always claim that the 2020 election was stolen and will always maintain his status as a winner. But if he loses in the 2024 general election (or even more embarrassingly, the primary), he can’t cry wrong again. No one likes a loser – especially a two-time loser.
Furthermore, Trump’s defeat in the general election of 2024 would wreck Republicans out of the White House for four years. Republicans will forever be angry with the former president for ruining the opportunity, and Mr. Trump will quickly turn from party redeemer to pariah.
It makes more sense for Mr Trump to play the kingmaker. He can throw his blatant support behind a young candidate who shares his Republican authenticity with little exposure to himself. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is an obvious choice. In 2024, assuming he is re-elected this November, Mr DeSantis will have a six-year political season since his election in 2018.
He is far more delicious than Mr. Trump and is free of the former president’s rough edges, mean tweets and meanness. Yet Mr DeSantis has the courage to endure harsh criticism without hesitation, as demonstrated by his handling of the pandemic and the “Don’t Say Gay” controversy.
It’s hard to think of a more suitable apprenticeship for Mr. Trump. But there are other capable 2024 flag bearers, among them Nikki Haley, Gov. Christie Noem and Mike Pompeo, all in line with Mr. Trump’s political beliefs but still independent thinkers. Anyone would be a worthy successor but not a slave clone.
Mr Trump could win a second term without putting his name on the ballot. No matter which successor gets the nod, it’s time for Mr. Trump to step aside and say to the person, “You’re hired!”
Mr. Opelka is a musical-theatre musician-songwriter.
Journal editorial report: Georgia results raise questions about Trump’s influence. Images: AP/Shutterstock Overall: Mark Kelly
opinion | Trump needs an apprentice
President Trump makes his way to the stage at a rally at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Mendon, Ill., on June 25.
photo:
Mike Sorensen / The Associated Press
it’s time for
Donald Trump
To tell himself the words he’s most famous for: “You’ve been fired!”
Between speculation of a 2024 run and talk of a Grover Cleveland replay, there’s an inevitable crunch on Trump’s third bid for the White House: obsolescence. Not without reason, Mr. Trump has proven himself to be expendable.
Ironically, Mr. Trump’s candidacy and presidency was his 15th season of “The Apprentice”. Intentional or not, he educated young Republicans to counter Democrats and to oppose a predominantly hostile media. In contrast Mr. Trump’s 2016 follows the weak-knee cowardice of the McCain and Romney campaigns. It should come as no surprise that a new generation of Republicans found the experience novel and instructive. Unsurprisingly, Mr Trump himself turned out to be the most persuasive argument for his step back.
You don’t have to be Elizabeth Barrett Browning to count the ways for Mr. Trump to spoil another shot at the White House. If they suffer another loss then their brand will suffer irreparable damage. He will always claim that the 2020 election was stolen and will always maintain his status as a winner. But if he loses in the 2024 general election (or even more embarrassingly, the primary), he can’t cry wrong again. No one likes a loser – especially a two-time loser.
Furthermore, Trump’s defeat in the general election of 2024 would wreck Republicans out of the White House for four years. Republicans will forever be angry with the former president for ruining the opportunity, and Mr. Trump will quickly turn from party redeemer to pariah.
It makes more sense for Mr Trump to play the kingmaker. He can throw his blatant support behind a young candidate who shares his Republican authenticity with little exposure to himself. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is an obvious choice. In 2024, assuming he is re-elected this November, Mr DeSantis will have a six-year political season since his election in 2018.
He is far more delicious than Mr. Trump and is free of the former president’s rough edges, mean tweets and meanness. Yet Mr DeSantis has the courage to endure harsh criticism without hesitation, as demonstrated by his handling of the pandemic and the “Don’t Say Gay” controversy.
It’s hard to think of a more suitable apprenticeship for Mr. Trump. But there are other capable 2024 flag bearers, among them Nikki Haley, Gov. Christie Noem and Mike Pompeo, all in line with Mr. Trump’s political beliefs but still independent thinkers. Anyone would be a worthy successor but not a slave clone.
Mr Trump could win a second term without putting his name on the ballot. No matter which successor gets the nod, it’s time for Mr. Trump to step aside and say to the person, “You’re hired!”
Mr. Opelka is a musical-theatre musician-songwriter.
Journal editorial report: Georgia results raise questions about Trump’s influence. Images: AP/Shutterstock Overall: Mark Kelly
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Appeared in the print edition, June 29, 2022.