Trump desperation increases
as do his annus horribilis events

Republican abandonment, satirical spoofs and his own statements add to the president’s woes

By Byron Toben

Thanks to all who have kept up on my various postings and precursors of events contributing to Donald Trump’s 2020 annus horribilis. Hard to keep up with all these events, which seem to generate desperation in responses by him.

More Republican abandonment

Just today the George W. Bush Super Pac has announced throwing its financial resources into the Biden campaign. This adds to the Republican biting Lincoln Project and RVAT videos.

More satirical spoofs

Solo stand-up comic Sarah Cooper has garnered thousand of eyeballs with her short low-key miming of Trump’s voice.

Randy Rainbow continues his more elaborate parodies, often to Broadway tunes.

Trump’s statements

Delay the vote
He floated the possibility of delaying the November 3 date of the election.

Invalidate use of mail votes
He seeks to invalidate Nevada’s switch to an all-mail vote, as has been the case in five states for many years – Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii – and widely accepted by 29 other states, not to mention the U.S. military posted abroad (200,000) and U.S. citizens residing abroad (9 million).

He also claims a difference between “good” absentee ballots, which he and his family have used, and “fraudulent“ mail-in ballots, which are virtually identical.

Just today the George W. Bush Super Pac has announced throwing its financial resources into the Biden campaign.

Slow down postal service
He has already cut down funding for U.S. postal services, which will further delay action – sending information from States about ballots, requests by residents for ballots and sending completed ballot back – as well as reduce non-election related activities by postal stations, which are often community hubs in small rural towns (supporting local sports, serving places that FedEx, etc. doesn’t, acting as a repository for mailed medications, etc.).

He might not recognize election results
He answers, “we’ll see” or “it depends” to direct questions.

Note to readers

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – Image: United States House of Representatives / Public domain

The U.S. Constitution ends the Presidential and Vice Presidential terms on January 20 of 2021. It limits the Congressional terms earlier, on January 3. The winners, which may include incumbents, take oaths of office on those respective dates. Results may be delayed beyond November 3 due to delays in counting mail-in ballots.

It is doubtful that an incumbent President can demand recounts for any or all of the 435 House of Representatives or the 35 Senate seats (up to each individual). Thus it is possible that there will be a full Congress and no President or Vice President for 17 days if Trump/Pence demand a recount.

In such a case, this will make the 2000 Gore vs. Bush contestation look like a picnic by comparison. There is some argument that the Speaker of the House would be authorized to fill the gap (Nancy Pelosi, if re-elected by California and as Speaker by a Democratic-controlled Congress).

What does all this confusion mean for Canada? Viewer opinions invited.

Feature image: Sarah Cooper, courtesy of Sarah Cooper

Read more articles from Byron Toben

Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated web sites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.