President Donald Trump, 76, showed why he’s not fit to run for president in 2024, annoying conservative radio host John Fredericks, prompting the MAGA-friendly radio host to tell Trump “nobody cares.” Frederick refers to Trump’s ongoing but old war with the U.S. press, an unfortunate reality that makes his third bid fpr president all the more difficult. Frderick would like Trump to address the economy and foreign policy, especially the Ukraine War where growing numbers of conservatives question whether the U.S. can afford the conflict much longer. “President Tru p is going to do what he wants,” Fredericks said. “I think he should have stayed out of totally, not even send surrogates. Just let the chips fall where they may. Same with [House Speaker Kevin] McCarthy,” Fredericks said. Fredericks referred to the recent battle for Republican National Committee Chairwoman won by Ronna McDaniel.
Focusing on “fake news,” Fredericks thinks Trump is barking up the wrong tree, since he has little backing in the media for his 2024 campaign. By constantly slamming he mainstream press, Trump assures that he’d get no fair treatment during the campaign, repeating what he lived with for four years in office. Most Trump-haters didn’t care whether or not the government broke the law investigating him for alleged ties to the Russian Federation. Trump was the first to talk about how Democrat political operatives control the press and government agencies like the Department of Justice, FBI, CIA and National Security Agency [NSA]. Trump tried his best but got little traction with Special Counsel John Durham. Durham got one conviction in the Russian hoax with FBI Atty. Kevin Clinesmith convicted of altering a document to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act [FISA] court.
GOP’s right wing faction wanted activist Hameet Dillon to take over the RNC, but Trump intervened to help Ronna prevail in a not-so-close vote. Trump also did his best to push former House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to prevail in his bid to win House Speaker. Whether Fredericks or other GOP pundits like it or not, Trump still has clout with about 25% of the GOP base, certainly, as many anti-Trump Republicans point out, not electable in national election. “We’ve all been saying to stop giving money to the RNC,” Fredericks said, showing the kind of division within the Party. If the GOP can’t find a consensus candidate in 2024, the train-wreck known as the Biden presidency will get four more years. When you consider the Democrat registration advantage, Republicans are already behind he Eight Ball in national elections. Fredericks mirrors those divisions.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has done an OK job promoting Republican candidates around the country. Conservatives blame the RNC for not doing better in the 2022 Midterm elections. But losing the Senate by two seats doesn’t tell the whole story, when the GOP picked up the House in an even bigger upset. Whether anyone thought, with the Democrat registration advantage, that there would be a red wave sweeping Washington is anyone’s guess. Pulling off a win in the House was an even greater upset, that taking the Senate. Whether the GOP can retain the House in 2024 depends on whether they can pick a consensus candidate to lead the party over Biden’s disastrous domestic and foreign policies. So far, there’s not enough coherent opposition from the GOP and Democrats to get any change in Ukraine policy. Biden has plowed ahead giving Ukraine more cash-and-weapons.
Fredericks sees Trump’s lawsuits against Washington Post columnist Bob Woodward or continuing to feud with the press a distraction from dealing with substantive issues. Fredericks doesn’t state conservative opposition to the Ukraine War, because of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and other conservatives back Biden’s proxy war against the Kremlin. When it comes to Biden’s profligate spending policies, Graham and other conservative express no real opposition to fighting with the White House over a Continuing Budget Resolution to keep the government’s lights on. Fredericks recognizes that Trump, as a presidential candidate, is not controllable or amenable to a winning GOP agenda. Fredericks faults Trump for keeping his feud with the press, knowing it only makes things worse. He sees the $50 million Woodward lawsuit as another waste of valuable time.
Fredericks tried to make the point that GOP or independent voters don’t care about Trump’s pas squabbles with the press, the Department of Justice or the FBI. “I’m telling you, it’s all grievances,” Fredericks said. “No one cares. They just don’t care! I just don’t care,” mirroring most voter that want lower gas prices, less inflation, more prosperity and a foreign policy that doesn’t lead to nuclear war. When you hear respected U.S. generals say the U.S. could be at war with Beijing in the next two years over Taiwan, it speaks volumes about Biden’s failed foreign policy. When it comes to Ukraine, there’s no bigger threat to the U.S. and Europe than taking on the Russian Federation in an active proxy war. Whatever Ukraine’s border dispute with Russia, it’s not the U.S. responsibility to fund the Ukraine government or to join a failed proxy war against the Russian Federation.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
