Media Trying To Foment Primary Against Trump

So, the establishment newspapers now run a help wanted ads on their front pages: "WANTED a candidate to oppose Trump in the primaries. Must be willing to be abused, mocked, derided and, eventually, shellacked by Trump.

But the pay is good: In return for venturing forth, he or she will get to be celebrated in the mainstream media as the Savior of the Republic, get invitations to all the posh cocktail parties, rub shoulders with high tech billionaires and have his name enshrined in the history books right next to Walter Mondale's and Mike Dukakis' under L for loser.

The media wants Florida governor Ron Desantis to run, but they'll settle for Nicki Hailey, Mike Pompeo, Ted Cruz, Josh Halley, Tom Cotton, or any willing and breathing candidate. In a pinch, they could be forced to choose Mitt Romney or Lynn Cheney or John Kasich.

Some of these possible candidates might be permitting or even encouraging their name to be bandied about in the hopes of promoting their chances for the vice presidency. But that would be a lethal mistake. Nobody ever curried favor with Donald J. Trump by running against him. He's not really the forgiving sort.

Or they may be hoping to earn a place in the future presidential field of 2028. But that also entails a risk. Before Trump makes a formal announcement of candidacy, these alternate candidates have free shots on goal. But once he's in the race, their dilemma becomes: Do they criticize Trump or not?

If they don't, how can they develop any traction? If they do, how will the avoid earning the perpetual enmity of Trump himself and the seventy million people who voted for him? (Remember Mike Pence).

Of course, they could could praise Trump's record and accomplishments and say that they stand for Trumpism without Trump. A kinder, gentler Donald Trump.

But voters realize that a kinder gentler Trump would be an ineffective one. We would not want a kinder or gentler version of General George Patton to lead our armies across Europe. Trump's unique ability to hold his party in line behind his program (cf: Biden and Manchin), terrify opponents like Kim Jung Un, and mock his critics (i.e., little Marco, Dishonest Ted, Corrupt Hillary, and Low Energy Jeb) all make him what he is: the most successful Republican since Reagan. Just try to tone him down. A doomed effort! The Fake News media is trying to hype the January 6th hearings to convince these possible candidates to commit suicide by running against Trump. They pretend to believe that this rump committee can do what two impeachments and a special prosecutor haven't been able to do — besmirch Donald Trump.

The likelihood is that Trump will not face serious opposition in the '24 primaries. DeSantis knows that the national polls have him behind Trump by forty-four points — 59-15 in Mclaughlin's latest survey. He's already the front runner for 2028. Oppose Trump now and, if the former president wins, face his wrath for four years.

And if Trump loses, be blamed for his defeat (as Ted Kennedy was blamed after his primary challenge to Jimmy Carter helped Reagan get elected). Better to stay in Tallahassee and save his fan mail for future use.

Nicki Hailey, alone among the likely also rans, is trying to earn her place by criticizing Trump for fixating on the 2020 election. That's like attacking a candidate for president of Israel for obsessing on the Holocaust!

Cruz is too smart to run. He'll keep his powder dry. Ditto for Hawley, Pompeo, and Cotton.

Looks like they'll be a vacancy when the help wanted ad goes unfilled.

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Dick Morris, who served as adviser to former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and former President Clinton, is the author of 16 books.