Magical thinking across the political universe
Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup
They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe
To no one’s surprise, Donald “91 Counts” Trump handily defeated former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in her home state on Saturday. If there is any news there it is that Haley did not lose more badly than she did. The New York Times offers five takeaways from the day, the Washington Post only three.
The Post mentions an exit poll showing that “31 percent of voters said Trump wouldn’t be fit to serve as president if he’s convicted of a crime. South Carolina becomes the third early state to show that at least 3 in 10 voters said a convicted Trump wouldn’t be fit.” But that doesn’t mean they won’t vote for him anyway.
“Today is not the end of our story,” Haley told supporters.
“I know 40 percent is not 50 percent, but I also know 40 percent is not some tiny group. There are huge numbers of voters in our Republican primaries who are saying they want an alternative.”
Where have I heard that before?
Nothing’s gonna change my world
Milton Friedman wrote in his 1982 preface to “Capitalism and Freedom” that “Only a crisis—actual or perceived––produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. . . .” Nikki Haley hopes to be lying around when the GOP finds its nominee convicted and facing jail. It is her only path forward. The original Lost Cause has its origins in South Carolina as well.
What strikes me is the parallel magical thinking on the Democratic side. Digby wrote last week (agreeing with Josh Marshall), “The brouhaha over Ezra Klein’s article agitating for Biden to drop out at this late date has been overwhelming and it’s not helpful. The idea of choosing a new candidate at the conventions is downright fanciful. Not gonna happen.”
But on this point, Haley and her supporters are thinking along the same lines as Klein and his. Klein’s article promotes yet another Lost Cause.
A 2016 Bernie Sanders delegate urged me last week to run as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention for just that reason. Yes, the chances of an open convention are extremely remote, but should it happen, he wanted me there. Stranger things have happened. He won a term as a DNC member in 2012 in the wake of a State Executive Committee meeting descending into chaos.
Stranger things happen in the Upside Down.
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