In the summer of 1941 British Prime Minister Winston Chirchill had a problem. Aside from the fact that his nation was fighting for its life against the Nazis, he was faced with another issue.
Churchill had been an anti-communist all of his life. Just after the Bolshevik Revolution he had championed the Allied intervention in Russia designed to crush the communists. He said then, “The aid which we can give to those Russian armies which are now engaged in fighting against the foul baboonery of Bolshevism can be given by arms, munitions, equipment, and by the technical services.” The move failed. After that his antipathy towards Moscow did not abate for some time.
But as Hitler rose to power in Germany, Churchill recognized the role Moscow could play against the Germans. He softened a bit, out of geopolitical necessity. Then Hitler invaded Russia in June of 1941. What would Churchill, a lifelong anti-communist, do?
He said this, “If Hitler invaded Hell, I would make at least a favourable reference of the Devil in the House of Commons.” Churchill subsequently rushed aid to Russia, even denuding his own stocks to do so. It was a smart strategic decision, as the Soviets were to bear the brunt of ground fighting against Hitler. And that brings us to Donald Trump.
No, Trump isn’t Hitler. However, in this analogy, for about 25-30 percent of the Republican Party, including me, he is the Soviets.
We didn’t support him in 2016 until he was the last candidate standing. Against Hillary we warmed to him. He bore the brunt of fighting against the left. As opposed to the Soviets, his administration did some terrific things. But like the Soviets in Berlin at the end of WWII, he did some outright unconscionable things at the end of the last presidential election season and beyond. And now, he’s possibly running for president again.
We’d like to see DeSantis, Cotton, Tim Scott, or Pompeo beat him in the primaries. But they probably won’t run against him and if they did Trump’s fanatical following would likely send them home right after Super Tuesday.
This leaves Trump as the nominee against Biden or Harris. We think Trump is an albatross, an egomaniacal child. And yet, we look at the Biden record and know that can’t go on. We could toss our votes away by voting Libertarian and simultaneously help Biden. Bad move. Thus, we have only one viable option if Trump is the Republican nominee. We have to make a favorable reference to him in the voting booth.
I don’t say this happily and, like Churchill when he returned to the Tory benches, I can legitimately be accused of “reratting”. But we must use the ballot box to end the Biden administration as soon as possible. The country desperately needs that to happen.
We’ll just have to hope and pray Trump has gained some maturity and judgment since his breakdown at the end of 2020 into 2021. His weirdness continues today. Yeah, possibly supporting Trump may be a weak bet. But if he’s the nominee it’s the only play left to us.