You Will Anyway: MAGA in the land of Oz

Thursday, April 14, 2022

MAGA in the land of Oz

People familiar with the campaign’s operation said they expect a number of prominent Trumpworld surrogates to soon hit the trail with [Trump-endorsed physician Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania], demonstrating the depth of his MAGA backing. Among them are Ben Carson, who headed the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Trump, and John Fredericks, a conservative talk radio host, both slated to appear at an Oz event next week.

[...]

On Monday night, Fox News host Sean Hannity invited the celebrity doctor on his show to discuss his record, amid a wave of criticism from prominent figures on the right that Oz isn’t sufficiently conservative. Hannity, according to people familiar with the matter, played an outsized role in influencing Trump’s decision to endorse his friend Oz in the first place.

[...]

But the night after Hannity’s segment, his fellow Fox News host Laura Ingraham did one of her own, in which she played clips of Oz’s past positions on abortion and gun laws.

[...]

“Hannity I think endorsed Oz, and I think that’s probably not inconsequential for President Trump. [...] I think it was a mistake for Trump to endorse Oz. I’ll say it, I’m not afraid to say it.”

[...]

Following Trump’s endorsement, social media erupted with complaints from popular right-wing figures ranging from Blaze TV’s Allie Beth Stuckey and far-right personality Jack Posobiec to longtime Trump hand Roger Stone and Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), who recently saw his own Trump endorsement rescinded by the former president.

“It’s like Donald Trump’s staff is sabotaging Trump by convincing him to make the worst possible endorsements,” wrote conservative pundit Erick Erickson on Twitter.

Politico

Apparently Mr. Erickson has not met Mr. Trump. (Or is it just that any time Trump does something he doesn't approve of, Erickson blames Trump's staff?) Trump does what he wants. On the other hand, he earlier endorsed someone else. I wouldn't attribute the change to Trump's staff, however, but to Sean Hannity, if there was any influence on Trump's decision.

And it comes after the former president has faced public criticism among some on the right over his other endorsements; among them his support for former State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, who is running for a House seat in Tennessee against another MAGA favorite Robby Starbuck, and his decision to back and unback Brooks.

Trump is erratic and unhinged. Inconsistency is part of his nature. How anyone could imagine that type of person would be good at the helm of the United States (and some claim, the world) is beyond me.

Trump was impressed by the crowds at Oz’s Senate campaign events, and he was aware that McCormick had made negative comments about Trump in the past on video, according to a person familiar with Trump’s thinking.

There you go.

The Pennsylvania Senate race is key to the GOP’s hopes of regaining control of the chamber, and victory in November will require Republicans all rowing in the same direction.

And ability to turn the boat around quickly if Trump changes his mind again.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

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Life, as Explained in "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead"

GUILDENSTERN: What a fine persecution---to be kept intrigued without ever quite being enlightened.

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ROSENCRANTZ : The only thing that makes it bearable is the irrational belief that somebody interesting will come on in a minute.

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GUILDENSTERN: But for God's sake what are we supposed to do?!

PLAYER: Relax. Respond. That's what people do. You can't go through life questioning your situation at every turn.

GUILDENSTERN: But we don't know what's going on, or what to do with ourselves. We don't know how to act.

PLAYER: Act natural. You know why you're here at least.

GUILDENSTERN: We only know what we're told, and that's little enough. And for all we know it isn't even true.

PLAYER: For all anyone knows, nothing is. Everything has to be taken on trust; truth is only that which is taken to be true. It's the currency of living. There may be nothing behind it, but it doesn't make any difference so long as it is honoured. One acts on assumptions.

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GUILDENSTERN : We act on scraps of information... sifting half-remembered directions that we can hardly separate from instinct.

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PLAYER: Life is a gamble, at terrible odds-if it was a bet you wouldn't take it.