TOI correspondent from Washington: The top American general who served during Donald Trump’s presidency said he was a “fascist to the core” and “a most dangerous man.” Trump’s own niece Mary Trump said that “aways are for sale” and billionaire tech-bro Elon Musk is the new owner. Actor Jeff Daniels, whose “America is not great” screed from the US in the TV series became a global viral hit, said Trump rally is a place for people to get away from their conscience.
Outside MAGA echo-chamber, Trump take-downs are relentless across America. However, not a single vote has moved in the US Presidential polls, with the most reliable surveys showing the two candidates very close. There is a marginal change in the lead in the seven states of war, but each state is within the normal size polling error of 3.5 points and can swing either way. An NBC poll put him in 48-48 nationwide, with only a “sliver of undecided” left to make up his mind.
Beyond the polls, the campaign has become more vicious and toxic, pandering to partisans with never worse swipes. In some of the most virulent language ever used by a presidential candidate, Trump reportedly called Kamala Harris “retarded” at a meeting with donors, even as the MAGA crowd chanted “She’s a Ho'” at a rally in Coachella, California, Trump played back the view a dark dystopian US overrun by illegal immigrants.
Meanwhile, liberal hacks taunted Trump with memes about his supposed incontinence, including a fake post in which the former President had a video contest where he could be heard making loud noises. Trump’s critics were in full flow this week with fetid stories about “Diaper Don” and his problems with incontinence, said former personal staff and associates on The Apprentice show.
Meanwhile, the film The Apprentice centering on Trump opened in movieplexes across America to acclaim from film critics but blistering criticism from many MAGAs, including the threat of legal action by Trump’s lawyer for the negative portrayal of young Trump. Among other things, the film shows that Trump had a homo-erotic relationship with a lawyer named Ray Cohn who was his mentor and shows him attacking his first wife, Ivana Trump after she called him fat and bald.
No one can support the man who once boasted that he could shoot someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue in New York City and still not lose his voice. If anything, the relentless trashing of Trump seems to be consolidating support for a candidate who appears to be against the “establishment.”
In fact, Trump supporters over the weekend exposed one of the country’s top generals, the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Mark Milleywho is quoted as describing the former President as a “total fascist” in Bob Woodward’s new book. “I had suspicions when I talked to you about mental retardation and so on, but now I know that he is a fascist. He is now the most dangerous person for this country. A fascist to the core,” Milley told Woodward.
But the MAGA mob has now turned on Milley, calling him a traitor who should be tried by a military tribunal because, according to them, he withheld the nuclear codes from Trump when he was President and signaled to China that he would give his head. if Trump decides to start a war.
In fact, revenge is a recurring theme among Trump supporters should he return to the presidency, an outcome they believe is inevitable. Trump himself has repeatedly said that he will accept the results of the election only if he wins. A recent Pew survey actually showed that 72% of voters said that if Harris had lost, they would have accepted the result and conceded Trump a victory. Virtually all Harris supporters (95%) and about half of Trump supporters (48%) expect Harris to concede. But only 24% said if Trump lost, they would concede, while 74% said they would not. About half of Trump supporters (46%) and only 4% of Harris supporters expect Trump to recognize Harris as the winner of the election.
