The ‘If Trump Loses, He Was Stabbed in the Back’ Narrative Has Begun

Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:20 pm

Donald Trump could not possibly lose because his message was toxic. So the Republican Party has resurrected the old myth explaining Germany’s defeat in the First World War: the stab in the back. Such lies are always more palatable and comforting than the truth.

Steve Doocy is the spreader of today’s false gospel, courtesy of Fox News’ Fox & Friends. According to Doocy, Trump is “a unique character,” but he’s the GOP’s unique character and “she’s a lot worse.” It’s a thin thread, but it’s all die-hard Trump supporters have left.

Watch the Fox & Friends co-host do what they do best, and talk themselves into a comfortable lie, courtesy of Media Matters for America:

STEVE DOOCY: Nonetheless, as we just heard from John Roberts what’s going on with Paul Ryan yesterday and talking to his caucus, he’s still endorsing Donald Trump, but won’t campaign with or defend Donald Trump, you know which is curious the message —
 
BRIAN KILMEADE: Steve he’s not endorsing him, he’s going to vote for him
 
AINSLEY EARHARDT: He did endorse him and he didn’t walk it back.
 
DOOCY: He’s still endorsing, he won’t campaign or defend Trump. And he said for the members of Congress, it’s OK for them to do the same. It’s interesting because all along the message has been from Republicans, establishment Republicans, and Donald Trump is not an establishment Republican, but nonetheless, the establishment has said, look, he’s not perfect, but he’s our candidate and she’s a lot worse. Remember, we’ve got to control who picks whom for the Supreme Court. So has something changed?
 
[…]
 
Just know that if the party abandons Donald Trump 30 days before the election, the narrative will be he lost because he got stabbed in the back.
 
EARHARDT: And a lot of Republicans are saying like what you were saying. You have to think about the Supreme Court. There can be four justices that are up.
 
DOOCY: Right, and as so many Republicans have said, he’s better than her. So what changed if anything changed, or isn’t he still the guy?
 
KILMEADE: Steve, that is a theory. You could say that well if the Republicans didn’t jump ship. But you could also say that Donald Trump did a series of things that were irrational that caused the Republicans to jump ship
 
EARHARDT: Right, right.
 
DOOCY: Look, he’s a unique character, no doubt about it. But he’s the guy who won.

The Trump campaign has hit a point of diminishing returns. For awhile, Trump kept his campaign going on sheer force of hate, but his words and actions have now made his message so toxic that even Republicans who previously supported him are dropping away.

Trump isn’t being stabbed in the back. He is experiencing cause and effect. Even if people disagree with Hillary Clinton’s policy positions, she is clearly the only sane candidate remaining in the race. Republicans recognize this.

The GOP has been doubling down on their hate with every lost election, thinking more of the same will somehow have a different effect. It won’t. Easy as it is for them to slip into this pre-election excuse making, if Trump loses, it will be because he because he deserved to lose; because enough Americans voted their conscience and found Donald Trump wanting.

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Hrafnkell Haraldsson

Hrafnkell Haraldsson, a social liberal with leanings toward centrist politics has degrees in history and philosophy. His interests include, besides history and philosophy, human rights issues, freedom of choice, religion, and the precarious dichotomy of freedom of speech and intolerance. He brings a slightly different perspective to his writing, being that he is neither a follower of an Abrahamic faith nor an atheist but a polytheist, a modern-day Heathen who follows the customs and traditions of his Norse ancestors. He maintains his own blog, A Heathen's Day, which deals with Heathen and Pagan matters, and Mos Maiorum Foundation www.mosmaiorum.org, dedicated to ethnic religion. He has also contributed to NewsJunkiePost, GodsOwnParty and Pagan+Politics.

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