A page from the Nixon playbook.

Paul GleiserA page from the Nixon playbook.

The youngest you can be to have voted in the 1960 election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon is 83 years old. Consequently, most of the people who voted in that election are now gone.

But there are parallels between the 1960 election and the 2020 election. Nixon narrowly lost to Kennedy. Had he carried Illinois and Texas, he would have won. In both states, there was plausible evidence of vote fraud. (There were nearly 2,000 more votes cast in Fannin County, Texas than there were registered voters.)

Like Trump in 2020, Nixon in 1960 had defensible reasons to contest the election. He declined, saying it would be bad for the country. It was a statesmanlike decision that served Nixon well. He came back in 1968 to decisively win the presidency against Hubert Humphrey.

On December 8, 2020 – a month after the election – Texas filed suit in the Supreme Court contesting the administration of elections in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Georgia. I sat down and read the entire petition. That suit was eventually joined by 18 other states.

In a decision with which I vigorously disagreed, the high court refused to hear the suit. With that refusal, the game as it pertained to the 2020 election was up for Donald Trump. For the good of the country and for the good of his political future, he should have recognized that fact. In Nixonesque fashion, Trump should have accepted the unpleasant reality of 2020 and immediately turned his attention to the future. Had he done so, he would be in superb position to win the presidency a second time – particularly given the dismal performance of his successor.

Instead, his petulance sowed the seeds for the debacle of January 6. (And no, it wasn’t an “insurrection” nor was it an attempt to “overthrow the government,” as the media and the Dems keep insisting. It was a bunch of knuckleheads. Still, Trump was tarred by it.)

Since winning in 2016, Trump has needed to update his act. Trump 1.0 was an unlikely, unconventional, outsider, dark-horse candidate. He needed “schtick.” That schtick helped win him the presidency in 2016. But with him having now been president, we need Trump 2.0. Calling Jeb Bush “Low-energy Jeb” and calling Hillary Clinton “Crooked Hillary” worked six years ago. Calling Florida governor Ron DeSantis “Ron DeSanctimonious” week before last was merely sophomoric – especially because it was gratuitous and unprovoked.

Trump’s constant re-litigation of 2020 has grown tiresome, even to many of his supporters – and particularly to independent voters.

Trump had a successful presidency – arguably the most successful in a generation. From open borders to inflation to energy to the economy, things were much better during Trump’s presidency than they are today. In a head-to-head Trump policy vs. Biden policy debate, Trump wins hands down.

But elections are never purely about policy. Personality and style and comportment matter – particularly to those voters who can go either way. Among those voters, Trump’s self-inflicted wounds will be hard for him to overcome in 2024.

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Paul Gleiser

Paul L. Gleiser is president of ATW Media, LLC, licensee of radio stations KTBB 97.5 FM/AM600, 92.1 The TEAM FM in Tyler-Longview, Texas.

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27 Responses

  1. C M Solomon says:

    Stolen elections, if gone unpunished or even acknowledged by the “truth oracles” in the Marxist propaganda media, will continue but at an even more exaggerated rate BECAUSE Woke Marxist thieves are rewarded by WINNING! So let us all bow to the unrelenting fact that cheating is the order of the day to be codified in a corrupt Nation that will Federalized elections for the inevitable Communist Victory as announced by our TRUE “domestic enemies”: those that have been bought by the CCP and the Globalist WOKE Elite.

    So, WHEN should those of us who revere the Constitution and want to live in a free country and who also reside in Red States, take action to DIVORCE ourselves from a corrupt marriage given a Communist takeover of the Former USA that has NO END in sight or possibility of reversal since elections have become MEANINGLESS by design? Shouldn’t we make a peaceful Declaration of Independence from a formerly great American experiment in Liberty gone badly? Benjamin Franklin challenged us in the beginning that our Republic was viable only if “you can keep it”. Hello! We are NOT keeping it!

    We formed the Nation of the USA (a Republic) from free and independent States with Constitutional guarantees. When those Constitutional guarantees are scrapped by our tyrannical overlords, then we are GUARANTEED the RIGHT to remove ourselves from that TYRANNY, are we not? Red State Governors had better start a LIBERTY plan for their citizens if they have not already been compromised by fear of media criticism or Federal retaliation. Without such a plan, our hope to continue the flame of Liberty for our life and our progeny’s life will be doomed forever, given the unrelenting trends already underway.

    Take heed Governors! Your citizens are now wise to the overwhelming Leftist takeover of almost EVERY institution that can destroy their prosperity and freedom to pursue their dreams, free from fear and intimidation by Evil run amok. We are not fooled by Leftist media LIES anymore. Forced compromise with the Left to maintain “civility” didn’t work and never will. In a war for survival, the “personality, style, and comportment” of my Liberty fighter means nothing in comparison to his willingness to restore my Liberty against overwhelming odds and at his own personal risk. I don’t want any Bush-like “kinder and gentler” bones in his body.

    As one of 30 million Texans, I want to know where the Governor of Texas stands on this issue. Is he willing to defend and preserve our Liberty against the enemy forces that have publicly threatened to destroy us without mercy since we are THEIR definition of “domestic terrorists”? We need an escape hatch. The “tooth fairy” isn’t going to save us by wishing for “civility” with our conquerors.

    • Linda M says:

      CM Solomon,
      You speak the truth! Thank You!

    • Buddy Saunders says:

      CM Solomon is absolutely correct in saying, “stolen elections, if gone unpunished or even acknowledge… will continue but at an even more exaggerated rate.” In Florida, where free and fair elections take place, Republicans did very well – – a red wave did occur. Nationwide where honest elections occurred, Republicans again did very well. But in predictable places, where a corrupt Democrat machine operates, the red wave didn’t happen because of fraudulent voting. That is exactly what I and millions of other Americans believe.

      Paul, you and too many other people in positions of influence, are to one degree or another tolerating the institutionalization of voter fraud. It is being baked into the system .

      In their desperate desire to see Trump go away, the Trump haters see voter fraud as the lesser evil. Voter fraud is welcomed by the elites if it ensures that that Donald Trump, a man they cannot buy and make their puppet, never serves as president again.

      This nation is on a dark and dangerous road.

  2. Jean Bammel says:

    Thank you for saying what some people are thinking. I was so proud of Mr. Trump’s actions moving our country back on to the road of prosperity, but he never learnt that his constant attacks on enemies and friends was damaging the Republican Party and it’s members. And himself most of all.

  3. Troy Forbus says:

    You sound like a child who’s hero isn’t perfect and pouts. Trump was hired by those of us who are sick and tired of professional politicians. He was and still is a real estate investor from Queens who doesn’t suffer fools or personal attacks well. We are tired of the quietly retiring public servants who are told to ride into the sunset if a shenanigan filled election doesn’t go their way. You say you’re conservative, and I have no reason to not believe that, but, you also sound very establishment; reach across the aisle; status quo; compromise; go along to get along as well. We’re sick of that. Both major parties have proven to be either a disappointment at best and/or supporters of evil at the worst. That is why my wife and I became Independents. The constant nit-pick of the some of the non-professional politicians, Trump included, is becoming irksome and the biggest reason I turn off your stations and instead listen to pod casts or music instead.

    • C M Solomon says:

      The Left is trying to soil the term “Independent” and categorize these voters as willing to vote against Trump because he is so “nasty”, meaning they would vote instead with the never-Trumpers who will vote with the WOKE sympathizers anyway, because of the Trump threat to their Globalist Cartel. I am also fed up with the politically correct Republicans because the “courage of their convictions” is so SOFT: all Hat and no Cattle. However, I see a new generation of America First Republican Conservatives that have drawn from Trumps “take no prisoner” ACTION during his former Administration in order to stay in the battle for the Constitution as our forefathers did and for which we still enjoy a measure of Liberty. God Bless this new generation of Patriots!

    • Buddy Saunders says:

      I say amen to Troy’s comments! My wife and I are no longer Republicans. The Republican establishment has betrayed us at every turn. We are conservative independence as are more and more Americans.

  4. Linda M says:

    In 1960, I was just a child, but well aware of what was going on around me. Raised in a “RED” household and by Grandparents who were politically outspoken, I was well aware of the political surroundings. Course, things were different back then in the way of manners and such and one would have back then saw what Nixon did as the “right and gentlemanly thing to do”. But was it? Did Nixon REALLY do us a favor by sweeping the fraud under the rug and wait for another day?
    Perhaps all it did was lead right up to what has happened NOW! It reminds me of the story my Granny liked telling me when I was a child about the frog and the stew pot. Put froggie in a hot stew pot and immediately he would jump out! BUT, put him in a stew pot of cool water he’d sit there as the water grew warmer and warmer and before you knew it ole froggie was COOKED! If you think about it this is exactly what has happened to us now. We have ALLOWED the fraud to go on and on over the years…just a little at a time to acclimate us to what fraud was going on in this country. Over the years it became increasingly more and more each election cycle. Instead of cleaning the mess up, it was allowed to fester and grow until it was way out of control. No, I can’t see where Nixon did us any favors by letting the steal go back then. It only allowed it to grow out of control. President Trump, by speaking out, made people aware of what was going on. Hiding what was going on all this time by sweeping it under the rug was doing no one any good. It only made the left bolder. We will never have true and fair elections by staying quiet and this is what you are thanking Nixon for? No, he didn’t do us any favors. He just made it harder to fix!

    • Buddy Saunders says:

      Thank you, Linda, for making important points and for making those points so well. You are absolutely on target. election fraud should never be tolerated. It should be called out, loud and clear for what it is, a grave threat to the fabric of this nation.

    • C M Solomon says:

      It is amazing how “gentlemanly” one can become when they avoid conflict with corruption in the eyes of those who would rather “switch than fight” because “it would be bad for the country”. What happened to the conscience of someone that would believe such ridiculous propaganda? The moral of the story is that cowards are praised by those that tolerate criminality in government. This is WHY would-be criminals find government to be a great place to have a “prosperous” career that avoids accountability while enjoying RESPECT from the corrupt media at the same time.

  5. Troy Forbus says:

    Those that defend the “gentlemanly” behavior are just as guilty of fraud as those that commit the actions. It has never been acceptable to capitulate to evil no matter the outcome.

  6. Don G says:

    Paul, I really don’t appreciate this one way commentary, much like CNN, you seem to have forgotten what Trump did for this country while under constant attack. You are playing right into the Dems playbook of any means possible of trying to keep President Trump from running again. Don’t you realize Dems will use the same tactics on DeSantis or anyone else. We need to stop this madness of the Dems constant barrage of attacks and obstruction of our candidates. And work together for once.
    You have control of your station and a very crass, crude and frankly gross radio personality that seems to have to share every broadcast on how drunk he got last night. But the content is your choice apparently as is your personal views and promotion of DeSantis which is more than I can take. As I love Beck and Hannity the rest is too much for me personally. Thank you

    • Paul Gleiser says:

      I have in no way forgotten what Donald Trump did “while under constant attack.” I have repeatedly said that no president in history has been treated more unfairly than Donald Trump. I have repeatedly said that he had what can be argued as the most successful presidency from a policy perspective since Ronald Reagan.

      I understand completely that the media and the Left will tear in to Ron DeSantis (or any other candidate that Republicans might nominate).

      If Donald Trump is on the ballot after the 2024 primary season is complete, I will support him with full throat and full heart.

      My problem with him is his self-inflicted wounds. A man that knows that he is going to be under constant attack can’t afford to do things that are injurious to himself. Yet Trump constantly says things that alienate those critical voters in the middle that can go either way and who, in the end, decide the outcomes of elections. The just-completed midterms should be a wakeup call. Everyone — including Democratic pundits — expected voter dissatisfaction with the failures of the Biden administration to bring about a “wave” election.

      It didn’t happen. That tells you that GOP voters alone can’t move the country to the right.

      Absent moving a significant number of independents into the Republican column, the GOP will lose the election in 2024. That cannot happen.

      The base of the Republican Party loves Donald Trump. Independent voters are much more ambivalent toward him. To persuade those voters, Trump is going to have to exercise a great deal more message discipline. He shows no sign of doing that.

      In order to implement policy one must first win the election. My fear about Trump — as much as I admire what he accomplished — is that when you add up all the plusses and minuses that he has accumulated (and continues to accumulate), the net sum doesn’t get you to a majority of the Electoral College in 2024.

      The bottom line is I don’t care which candidate wins as long as the country wins.

  7. Richard Anderson says:

    2024 is going to be tough on “any” conservative Republican nominee be it Trump or someone else.

    BUT the big difference is this. President Trump has PROVEN he can win under the “blitzkrieg of fire from the leftist dems” because he punches back ten times harder! And I believe it’s going to take that degree of fortitude at this time of peril in our nation’s history to right the ship of state.

    ALSO, and importantly, DJT “cannot be bought.” He works for “We The People”.. people from every walk of life whether rich, poor, middle, or someplace in between.. I like that! because it includes every single man, woman, and child.

    So, what is not to like about TRUMP? whose one goal is to “Make America Great Again” or MAGA which the prevaricator Biden –when he says– “MAGA” it’s as if that is some evil slogan or moniker. I really don’t think Biden or his cabal even really know what it really means or is about!

    “Making America Great Again” means a return to The Constitutional Republic of our youth, a place where common sense, freedom, and more prosperity for ALL citizens are the rule rather than the exception. A return to a nation with a secure border, lower inflation, no “hate on” for fossil fuel, and more freedom while ditching the political correctness balderdash. A return to LAW and ORDER.

    Much is bound up in the word common sense (or rather a severe lack of) concerning the current executive branch of government in Washington, D.C.. Why are Biden and his fellow dems allowing our border to be violated by millions of foreign nationals? Not addressing inflation? Sending and spending endless billions of dollars to Ukraine with General Milley saying for as long as it takes? More concerned with propagating teaching sex, CRT, and gender confusion to little children instead of reading, writing, and arithmetic? These are just a few examples of why a return to common sense policy is in dire need in our next President.

    Donald J. Trump is the most able to bear up to and to address all of these matters and WIN by carrying the ball across the goal line as HE HAS DONE IT BEFORE. No one else can say that. Not one.

    • C M Solomon says:

      Amen, Richard! I can’t add much to your comments regarding Trump that clearly sets him apart from the “normal” politician for which he should be recognized, supported, and honored in the spirit of our greatest American heroes. His COURAGE under fire is why he is loved by truly PATRIOTIC Americans and hated by the WOKE Marxist demons that love tyranny. Here are a few quotes from the wisest men of history that understood human nature, both its strengths and weaknesses.
      “Courage is the first virtue that makes all other virtues possible.” –Aristotle
      “Courage is rightly considered the foremost of the virtues, for upon it all others depend.” — Winston Churchill

  8. C M Solomon says:

    I didn’t know that “Independents” were so shallow in their political judgment that they might vote for Trump if ONLY he would have a more “stately demeanor” after considering his monumentally successfully policies that brought about stability and prosperity to all Americans as compared to Obama’s legacy of Marxist policies that tried to crush Conservatives at every turn at the expense of the Nation at large. But, due to Trump’s confrontational nature and mean tweets, these “Independents” would rather flock to the arms of Party that has a candidate that would continue the accelerating trend of Obama’s sponsored radicals that are succeeding in converting America into a third world Marxist hell hole which is currently starting to be visible to everyone with two brain cells that are not drunk with Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS).

    Better yet, I believe that these so-called uncertain “Independents” are In Name Only and consist of former RINOs and apostate Conservatives that support the status quo: One World, Globalist Elite Marxist Agenda. This “concern” about “Independents” is really just another red herring excuse to defame Trump by closet never-Trumpers and so-called “Independents” because Marxism is more attractive to them than a hard-nosed, America First, Conservatism that is totally incompatible with the Bush-like, “kinder and gentler” legacy of surrender.

  9. Mike says:

    After listening to a Bill O’Reilly podcast this last week, he made a pointed comment on “what if” Trump were the Republican candidate in 2024. Trump would automatically start with an Electoral College deficit of 210. Mr. “O” spelled it out; ALL the Blue states would line up against him with no chance of flipping even one because they hate him more than Satan. This is very true. To become President of the USA, one needs 270 electoral votes. IF Trump were the GOP nominee; he would have to win over 90 % of the states left; with states such as Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and even to some extent Ohio are toss ups; loose one of these and it is the ball game. TDS or Trump Derangement Syndrome is so prevalent in this country winning any future election just might be impossible for him.

    • Troy Forbus says:

      Many of us will not vote if Trump doesn’t win the nomination. We’re going to hell in a handbasket and Trump will undoubtable slow that down and maybe reverse it a while. No one else can or will, such is my lack of belief in professional politicians. I would rather get the trip over with as fast a possible and then rebuild than to take it slow and prolong the suffering. Trump or none seems to be the only choice. Professional politicians include DeSantis.

      • Buddy Saunders says:

        If the Republican elites and the Wall Street Journal big business types collude and conspire to deny Tromp the Republican nomination for president, and if they succeed in doing so, I will join Troy in not voting for anyone for president.

    • C M Solomon says:

      I believe that the TDS issue would transfer to ANY Conservative Republican candidate in 2024 that would be a Trump-like believer in the MAGA, America First agenda. The WOKE Marxist Democrat Party will burn down cities with their surrogates (ANTIFA, BLM, etc.) in order to defeat ANY threat to their tyrannical goals for a one-world Communist government. Remember they have the corrupt “voting machines” and the fraudulent ballot harvesting Cartel always at their beckon and call as well as the weaponized DOJ and HHS to carry out attacks on “domestic terrorists”. Don’t forget the Damocles’ sword of Martial Law they could use to protect the fraudulent Federal power base (deep State) infested with Marxists. In other words, the “war for Liberty” is only going to get more severe unless a RINO style candidate is floated in order to be a “kinder and gentler” personality that values consensus over conflict for the “good of the Nation”, of course.

  10. Chris Clarke says:

    Donald Trump will never change just like the Democrats, corrupt LOCAL and NATIONAL media, corrupt DOJ, big tech and business elites. Donald Trump learned long ago that he gets no credit for admitting he was wrong-so why bother. It’s ironic that the original election deniers so upset that queen Hillary was not elected have used the term against Republicans during the midterms. Instead, these election ENABLERS have used their usual bag of tricks to elect the likes of Federman. Hobbs, Witmer and other like minded imbeciles. I thought most people could not be so stupid to vote for Biden but Federman and Hobbs proved me wrong.

  11. Scott Mckenzie says:

    It’s not the independent but the fraudulent that has us in this situation. Without a thorough cleaning of voter rolls, eliminating drop boxes and vote harvesting were done. If mean tweets and a bragidous personality are the price of liberty at this point in history count me in. Also not a fan of Rushes replacement.

  12. A Democrat can win the presidency without 1 Republican vote. A Republican presidency requires Democratic votes. One of many reasons for Trumps victory was, many Democrats refused to vote for Hillery. Many didn’t vote at all.
    So how many Democratic votes can you get by calling them or their family stupid along with a bunch of other names.

    • Mike says:

      Your post brings up many valid and pointed issues; thanks for this post!!! First of all, just how many of those 75 million votes for Trump were actually Republican and how many were actually Democrat? This would be interesting to know and vital information to the RNC; I bet they know. Second, what is the ratio of Democratic voters to Republican; of course, this number could be a wash due to the Electoral College. Yes Sir Ree (as my Grandmother used to say) name calling never got anyone anywhere other than discredited and ignored. One would think Trump would have learned that by now. Third and most important; EVERYONE should vote. In my book of credibility (for what that is worth) IF YOU DO NOT VOTE YOU DO NOT HAVE A SAY IN MATTERS YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH!!! PERIOD, END OF STORY. Our Nation was founded on We The People voting. No vote, No gripe. ALL votes do count. G. W. Bush’s last election hinged on every single vote. That election should have taught all of us to VOTE~!

  13. Dennis Doud says:

    So, Paul Gleiser, you are saying we should give the stolen election a passe? Giving in to crime is NOT the American way. You may not have an issue with following the course of Venezuela, giving in to Socialism but I DO take issue! As a matter of fact, this is the course we are on at this time, under the current regime. Where does it stop? With current status it is only a matter of time before we have become a communist nation, the USSA! I most vehemently disagree with your analysis.

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