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John F. Kennedy, in the wake of the Bay of Pigs disaster in April 1961, took the blame for the defeat. He stated, “Victory has a hundred fathers, but defeat is an orphan,” and bravely remarked, “I am the responsible officer of the government.”
Contrast this with Donald Trump’s reaction to the catastrophic defeat of Republicans in the midterms. He cravenly blamed others for the defeat while muttering about wanting to decorate the Oval Office.
Governor Ron DeSantis was left to acknowledge defeat forthrightly, calling the Republican losses “an extinction level event.” While the President struck a puerile "profile," it was DeSantis who displayed “courage.”
It is also clear that this was not just Trump’s management of the government, but his management of the GOP. The loss of Texas stemmed from his endorsement of the morally flawed Ken Paxton over John Cornyn, and his shoving Michael Whatley down the throats of North Carolina Republicans, which cost the party another Senate seat. Add to the list his poor choices in Georgia and South Carolina; all these can be laid directly at Trump’s doorstep.
Moreover, he divided the party by endorsing Mike Collins over experienced choices and blew it with Darlene Graham Nordone when he had Ralph Norman in the wings. He insulted Marjorie Taylor Greene and nearly all he met on the Campaign Trail. Even Paxton came in for abuse. He is more than anyone else responsible for the defeat and the heavy losses. Hubris did him in, and he seems not to care.
Not that the Republican Party didn’t contribute; they were on their own, getting very little support from the top. Moreover, the candidates resorted to the usual culture wars slander and racist tropes. Mike Rogers’ usually steady approach degenerated into ugliness against Abdul El-Sayed, and others copied the technique.
In South Carolina, the so-called moderate, Nikki Haley, while campaigning for the ticket, advocated deporting Raphael Warnock of Georgia. The usual trash talk permeated the GOP. This is what happens when you leave the children without supervision.
Trump, when in Georgia, criticized the state near and dear to us all. Remarking about industries, he reassured the people of Perry, Georgia, “West Virginia will take whatever you don’t want.” Well, if you think Trump gives a fig about Republicans or the Mountain State, guess again. Perhaps it is a reflection of what Shelly Moore Capito is really delivering to her constituents: the leftovers.
In this case, as Ronald Reagan used to say, “It takes teamwork to produce a disaster,” as occurred for Republicans on November 3.
For moderates, the results were sobering, with a few exceptions. Susan “oh dear, oh my” Collins went down to defeat with “my, my” Joe Manchin at her side. Haley Stevens entered the political Hall of Shame with her last-minute endorsement of Rogers in Michigan. Manchin and Stevens abased themselves to no purpose. In both their cases, they proved they understood nothing of the new America emerging.
Democrats revived themselves and partly owe Trump thanks for their success. James Talarico, Gina Hinojosa, Amy Andrews, Keisha Lance-Bottoms, El-Sayed, Roy Cooper, and all the rest should give thanks to their vanquished rivals. They could not have done it without the aid of a vengeful GOP and the partial founder of the feast, Donald J. Trump.