In the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, Walmart pulled guns and ammunition from its shelves, preparing for civil unrest. Now, across the United States, election officials are upping their security measures (as well as their pay rates) for the same reason. In Maricopa County, Arizona, the tabulation centre already has a tall security fence, built in response to the chaos of 2020 and 2022. This year, the centre will resemble a prison — the roof of the centre will be populated by snipers. There will be metal detectors and security at every entrance. Drones will circle like vultures overhead.
Maricopa County recorder Stephen Richer (a Republican) has been subjected to repeated death threats for his stated conviction that the 2020 election was not stolen. This includes from Shelby Busch, who “joked” that Richer ought to be “lynched”. Busch is the chair of Arizona’s delegation to the Republican convention. Earlier this year, Tim Murphy wrote in Mother Jones that “Arizona shows what happens when a conspiracy takes over a party, and election denial becomes not just a tactic but its animating purpose”.
Richer’s term will end at the beginning of next year after he lost July’s Republican primary to GOP challenger Justin Heap, a state representative backed by the far-right Freedom Caucus. In response, Richer posted: “Elections have winners and, sadly, losers. And in this one, it looks like I’m going to end up on the losing side of the column. But that’s the name of the game. Accept it. Move on.”
Meanwhile, ProPublica reports that in Arizona, as well as other crucial swing states Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, far-right activists who have spread apocryphal election fraud claims about 2020 are recruiting poll workers.
Don’t yet rejoice in his defeat, you men!
As with many of the things we learn about former US president Donald Trump from people who have worked with him, there was more than one element to find worrying. The confirmation came this week of a long-reported conversation between Trump and his then chief of staff John Kelly regarding Trump’s need for the “kind of generals Hitler had”.
The first, and most obvious response is the cold sweat realisation that, once again, a man with such thin skin and such an explicit admiration for despots may once again be the commander-in-chief of the world’s biggest army.
The second is the childlike grasp of history it betrays. Kelly has confirmed the exchange in conversation with The Atlantic‘s Jeffrey Goldberg:
[Kelly] told me that when Trump raised the subject of ‘German generals’, Kelly responded by asking, ‘Do you mean Bismarck’s generals?’ He went on: ‘I mean, I knew he didn’t know who Bismarck was, or about the Franco-Prussian War. I said, Do you mean the kaiser’s generals? Surely you can’t mean Hitler’s generals? And he said, Yeah, yeah, Hitler’s generals. I explained to him that Rommel had to commit suicide after taking part in a plot against Hitler.’ Kelly told me Trump was not acquainted with Rommel.
Madison for it
In the face of all this, the Democrats have a rock-solid plan: some of the cast of The West Wing, baby! What could possibly be better to convince the non-college-educated swing state voters that will decide this election that their material needs are at the heart of the party’s pitch than getting together the stars of liberal wish-fulfilment porn that went off the air nearly 20 years ago? Speaking at a rally in Madison, Wisconsin Bradley Whitford did NOT mince words, you guys!
If the Trump/Vance ticket is somehow able to withstand this, I know of a certain councillor from Indiana who might have a couple of thoughts on ol’ Donny Trump.
Whitford was attempting the admirable aim of getting the vote out ahead of speeches by Kamala Harris’ VP nominee Tim Walz and former president Barack Obama. Harris, meanwhile, has been touring Pennsylvania with late-to-the-party never-Trumper Liz Cheney.
It’s getting close… who has their nose ahead? Let us know your thoughts by writing to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
