Remembering Trump's Journey
A day after the January 6th protests at the Capitol, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham addressed a joint session of Congress on the Senate floor:
"Trump and I, we've had a hell of a journey. I hate it to end this way. Oh my God, I hate it… All I can say is a count me out."
Why should Graham's speech matter? Simply because Graham, who is a human manifestation of a chameleon, assumed, like other D.C. swamp rats, that after the January 6th 'insurrection,' it was the end of Trump. Hence, he ceased all pretense of supporting Trump and explicitly declared his abandonment of the man whose endorsement made his reelection possible.
It wasn't only the odious Graham and his swamp mates. Even Trump's well-meaning allies and ardent supporters, despite their hopes for miracles, assumed that Trump's political career was finished.
This insurrection hoax was the latest attack on Trump.
During his presidency, Trump was baselessly accused of colluding with Russia to rig the 2016 elections in his favor. The House baselessly impeached him by falsely claiming he was holding back aid to Ukraine in exchange for 'dirt' on his political opponent Joe Biden.
While these were the overarching narratives., there were myriad tertiary lies peddled about Trump being traitorous, bigoted, ignorant, unstable, impulsive, crude, lewd, capricious, and so much more.
After he left office, the attacks on Trump increased. The House impeached him again, this time based on the insurrection hoax. After that, the Biden administration began abusing its power in order to target Donald Trump.
First, the January 6th committee was set up which, like the Russian collusion hoax probe, consisted exclusively of Trump adversaries. This was followed by a Stalinist show trial for which TV producers were hired to spice up the proceedings.
Trump's Mar-a-Lago home was raided and his family's privacy was invaded on false premises that he held classified documents, this occurred despite Trump's lawyers negotiating the return of documents. It was also revealed that deadly force was authorized during the raid.
But there was more to come.
Four criminal indictments were filed against Donald Trump, and the basis of all these trials was flimsy.
In May 2024, Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts in a New York court of falsifying business records in the first degree related to payments made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. The targeting was so obvious that even Trump haters such as Fareed Zakaria admitted that the Democrats were going too far.
The media and politicized government agencies were flagbearers of these hoaxes. No other leader has been subjected to such relentless and vicious attacks.
It has to be remembered that all these attacks during and after his presidency would have stopped if Trump had made a deal with the establishment and quit politics. He could have returned to a comfortable and easy life. But instead, he remained steadfast.
It wasn't just the judicial overreach. When the GOP underperformed during the 2022 midterms, the mainstream media, and even the usually pro-Trump alternative media, blamed Trump and used it as a basis to claim that Trump was no longer an election winner.
The Murdochs, who are supposed to have their pulse on GOP politics, appeared to abandon Trump in favor of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Trump faced even tougher challenges. He was the target of two assassination attempts in 2024. A bullet barely missed Trump during an address in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most humans would have fled in fear and even quit the race. But once again Trump faced the storm fearlessly, displaying defiance and a fighting spirit.
During such times when one is likely to pay the ultimate price, individuals reveal their true character, Trump proved that his bravado isn't just in utterances but actions as well. Such exemplary courage is impossible to fake.
We must also remember the unfathomable stress faced not only by Trump but his family members during these attacks.
When Trump ran for president again in November 2022, even his well-wishers wondered if a victory was possible. They had good reason to doubt. The mainstream media was totally against Trump, which meant narratives could be set without much challenge. There were myriad irregularities in the 2020 elections, and many wondered if this could ever be stopped.
There were also concerns about voters who would either believe media lies about Trump or would be the kind who loved his policies but despised his 'baggage.' 'Pundits' claimed that 'minorities' would never vote for Trump. They began predicting violence from Trump supporters and Trump spending the rest of his life in jail, following his ignominious defeat. To sum it up, the impediments seemed insurmountable.
In most Presidential elections, the candidates take on their opponents. Trump, on the other hand, was taking on the D.C. Democrat establishment, the legacy media, Hollywood, the 'intellectual' class, pollsters, academia, corporate houses, etc.
On November 5, 2024, most Trump supporters expected the worst and then the results began to trickle in and it was a total triumph. Trump won the Electoral College, the popular vote, and 2,552 out of 3144 counties. This was a total triumph
The voters have proved themselves to be fairminded and intelligent, they weren't deceived by media propaganda or endorsement by celebrities.
Trump and his campaign did magnificently on many fronts, and they used alternative media very effectively. Trump appeared on various podcasts that had no restrictions over questions or time limits.
Musk's takeover of X (Twitter) meant that the platform reflected the truth unlike before where the narratives were 'managed' following directions from the establishment. Musk added various tools such as community notes that exposed various Democrat lies.
Trump had managed various unique campaign events including the one where he served food at a Pennsylvania McDonald's. The campaign worked on the ground to curtail Democrat electoral fraud. Trump was his usual self, with his showmanship and his sense of humor, but he appeared more disciplined than he was in 2016 or 2020.
To sum it up, the campaign was joyous, focused, and efficient, and there were no major mistakes.
The main reason for this success was that the basis for this campaign was substance. Trump's first term pledged safety and prosperity in the U.S. and peace globally. What makes it remarkable is that it was achieved while the establishment was relentlessly hurling proverbial bombs at him.
The results of the 2024 elections exceeded expectations which made it seem surreal. This triumph was reminiscent of episodes in mythology such as David vs. Goliath where victories are achieved despite insurmountable challenges.
During moments of jubilation to celebrate a triumph, people often forget the journey, the agony, and the obstacles.
Trump is leading his country by example and inspiring all, especially those who have become cynical, that there is still hope if one perseveres, strives, and remains focused in the face of challenges.
While we celebrate Trump's swearing-in and the dawn of a new era, we must also celebrate the journey where seemingly insurmountable obstacles were overcome.
