Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
In March 2020, all the major Democratic primary candidates abruptly, mysteriously, and in near unison withdrew from the presidential race, ceding the nomination to Joe Biden.
Yet Biden had lost the first three races in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada—and only won his first victory in South Carolina.
Suddenly, on the eve of the Super Tuesday mega-primaries, the candidacies of front-runner Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren, and others simply evaporated.
The fear of a front-runner Sanders’ socialist victory and nomination—and thus an enviable landslide loss to incumbent Donald Trump in the general election—had prompted the donor class and shadowy political insiders to act.
And they did so by choosing a perceived moderate, old Joe Biden from Scranton. That required the coerced departures of all his far-left rivals, who had hitherto performed much better than Biden in the primaries.
Now front-runner Biden still displayed obvious symptoms of serious cognitive decline that had only seemed to mount through the 2020 campaign. And his dementia continued to accelerate during his first three years as president.
Biden had deceitfully promised to conduct a healing campaign and a unifying presidency. But once in the White House, his extreme agendas proved the most divisive and far-left in nearly a century.
Rumors of that prior March 2020 Faustian bargain emerged. The Bidens got to serve as useful moderate veneers. So, they enjoyed the ceremonial functions of the presidency while outsourcing the real operations to former Obama officials, consultants, and advisors.
Indeed, Obama did not, as most ex-presidents do, exit Washington upon leaving the White House. Instead, he bought a mansion and stayed close by.
Democrats demonized anyone critical of Biden’s obvious mental decline. Their smearing crested during Biden’s now-aborted 2024 reelection bid, even as Biden could no longer display even a veneer of mental and physical engagement.
Polls revealed an impending Trump landslide victory in November—and a massive Democratic loss of Congress.
So suddenly on a Sunday, July 21—just days left before state ballots were formalized with the names of the parties’ official nominees, and on the eve of the Democratic convention—party bosses, mega-donors, and Obama puppeteers went into action for yet a third time.
They reportedly threatened candidate Biden with a complete loss of any further campaign funding and raised the specter of invoking the 25th Amendment to end his presidency—should he not suddenly withdraw from the race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his surrogate on the ticket.
In one moment, the choices of nearly 15 million Biden primary voters were vitiated. No delegates were consulted. No other alternative Democrat candidates were even considered.
Biden was dethroned; Harris was coronated—without much public input or even knowledge of how or why.
Democrat grandees stopped smearing Biden’s conservative critics, who had worried over his dementia. Instead, they now trumped opposition criticism of Biden’s decline.
Yet Biden most certainly did not resign his presidency. Instead, he promised to serve out his remaining six months in office.
So Democrat insiders not only removed their leading candidate, who for the prior six months had won all the 2024 primaries and almost all the delegates, but insisted that Biden keep Democrats and himself in power—but only if he agreed to quit the race.
In sum, at the 11th hour of a two-year reelection effort, a cabal arbitrarily decided that Joe Biden might well lose the Democrats the White House and the Congress.
So, they reversed course, now claiming his dementia was so acute as to destroy their November prospects. But mysteriously, his decline was not severe enough to imperil the American people, whom Biden must continue to lead until January 20, 2025.
Furthermore, the bosses’ replacement choice, Vice President Kamala Harris, had entered no primary. She never won a single delegate. Harris also never captured a single delegate in her first and only presidential run back in 2020. She then dropped out of the race even before the first Iowa and New Hampshire balloting.
We have now witnessed three left-wing veritable coups.
In 2020, covert actors decided to ossify the Democratic primary races. Next, they conferred the nomination on a clearly cognitively challenged Joe Biden. He was now tasked with serving as a useful moderate vessel for a virtual, even more radical, Obama third term.
The same operators next assumed virtual control of Biden’s presidential agenda, given his accelerating cognitive decline.
When that charade could no longer be sustained, for a third time, they circumvented the normal transparent democratic process.
So, they removed the once useful but now a liability Biden—while insisting that he was still fit enough to keep the left in power—until the anticipated Harris victory in November.
And all of this was the shadow work of those who sanctimoniously lectured America that “democracy dies in darkness.”
And thus self-government is being destroyed by self serving oligarchy. The people lose their sovereignty and a cabal of criminals becomes sovereign.
VDH avoids the power behind the antics of the DemoncRats: their absolute dedication to the slaughter of innocent babies in the womb. It is a very sick nation that tragically and repeatedly votes for its own self destruction.
Messaging
“A” word = MURDER IN MAMA
Pro choice reality
Premeditated Parenthood
Time to message like we’re in a fight.
-DK
Don’t forget that Hillary engaged in some shady dealings in obtaining the 2016 Democratic nomination. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/11/02/clinton-brazile-hacks-2016-215774/
A very well written piece! I listen to Victor Davis Hanson regularly! He is very knowledgeable and not afraid to put forward truth.
I love Victor Hansen. One learns so much from this man and he cares greatly for our nation. As Mr. Hansen has so eloquently written in this article concerning the sanctimonious left and how they operate, I do believe they will see their fall.
Joe Biden was showing signs of Lewy Body Dementia in late 2021.
The vitriol directed at Russia by Democrats is merely a representation of their hate at the Russian people for stopping the mandatory teaching of Marx to school children and the dismantling of the Communist Party leadership in Moscow. Thus, the Democrats have decided they can do Communism better and have surreptitiously decided to adopt Marxist tenets as policy which includes controlling and even overthrowing elections. Unless they are stopped they wont stop.
Leave it to DNC to bring North Korean Workers’ Party machine politics to America https://tinyurl.com/y784hv9w
Joe Biden is Lurleen Wallace writ large.
George Wallace was governor of Alabama, for the first time, between 1963 and 1967. Although efforts were already underway to change the constitution and would later prove successful, at the time the Alabama Constitution prohibited two consecutive terms as governor by the same person.
George Wallace, with his well known appetite for power, saw a way around this constitutional issue, and with the aid of the Democrats in Alabama, h ran his wife Lurleen for governor.
Lurleen had gone to business college, but had never had a paying job more demanding than working at a five and dime in Tuscaloosa. She had spent the previous 20 years raising her family and supporting her husband, an up-and-coming politician. Homemaker is certainly honorable in its own right, but not necessarily adequate qualification for governor.
Unfortunately, when she had been diagnosed with cancer as early as 1961, the doctors told her husband but he refused to allow her to be informed of this. In 1965 it became evident to her, her husband, and doctors that she was suffering from cancer. During the campaign, her condition and subsequent treatment was mostly hidden from the public by lies and subterfuge.
Lurleen won both the nomination of the Democratic Party and in the general election beat the Republican and became governor in 1967.
Early in her governorship her condition and treatment begin to take a toll on her. And at age 41, after 16 months as governor, Lurle
Lurleen Wallace died and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Albert Brewer.
During this whole sordid affair, George Wallace and the inner circle of the Democratic Party lied repeatedly to the people of Alabama and to the nation.
The majority of Alabama voters chose not to punish George Wallace for his lies and deceit (and other negative traits) and elected him 3(!) more times to the governorship.
…Again, sorry for the double post but I wanted to finish the story. There is nothing new under the sun. The Democrats have done this before.
And they will do everything they can to repeat the past gloom and doom of their party.
And yet the Democrats, in all of their pearl-clutching splendor”, rail against Trump and Republicans as the “threat to democracy”, when, in fact, it is they who ignore the citizen voters in their own party. It is disgusting and we all need to call them out on it every time they make this absurd claim.
… Sorry for the double post. I didn’t realize there was a character limit…
Lurleen won both the nomination of the Democratic Party and in the general election beat the Republican and became governor in 1967.
Early in her governorship her condition and treatment begin to take a toll on her. And at age 41, after 16 months as governor
No personal I offense I guess, but I didn’t even read it. I’ll take more time to comment than read it…here’s why.
Why even talk about this anymore? The angst from watching all this has turned into distain for all parties involved knowing
for a fact that this was all just a big show. ” In God we trust”….nope, even he couldn’t care any less.
There isn’t a single institution,that as a 50+ yr old man, I haven’t seen and comprehended, that hasn’t turned into an utter opposite of what its job was created for in the first place. I’m disgusted with all men and their useless gods at this point. What exactly did the “republic” stand for? You all getting paid?? How much money does Yahweh require? None of you fear Him except in your imaginations or cataclysm. You’re not serious men.
All possible by the purveyors of cognitive bias…
Victor,
Remember back in 2008, Hillary was the anointed front runner, but slowly behind the scenes 1 by 1 brave people slowly threw her under the bus until enough subterfuge had occurred and Obama rolled into position! I’d call that a coup too! Including the Obama/Nuland coup in Ukraine in 2014. Democrats play for power and their desire to rule over every of us! The rest of us just want to live our lives in peace!
Of virtual certainty is the surety of Harris’ VP pick being a very familiar face and presence in the WH for the last three years, that is the shadow POTUS who has been acting head of the executive branch with Slo Joe Biden providing the pantomine for public consumption. If/when Harris is “elected” she will task her new VP with all sorts of POTUS level responsibilities along with the authority to act as such. In time – not too much time – Harris will resign for “personal reasons” leaving the true leader/tyrant firmly in place and the ultimate result of the coup a fait accompli. Leftist/Marxist tactics never change.
You hit the nail on the head.
And the democrat sheep just go along with whatever the part boss says. As long as there is a (D) at the end of the name/title they just don’t care. Try that in the Republican party and there will be a different response to party apparatchiks arbitrarily changing the candidate without a vote.
My husband myself and friends really have nervously been waiting for your clarity on this subject. Eagerly waiting for your next podcast but feel we missed the right one. This little article really helped
Thank you dear Sir
Mr and Mrs John B Crimmins III
They are democrats, not democratic. Please stop using an adjective to describe democrats.
100% this. Thanks, Prof. VDH.
ur theory doesn’t make sense, if it was obama’s 3rd term, and he installed kamala, why isn’t he publicly saying so?
Because he plans to (secretly) continue behind the scenes!
And so it is that the American people, the true substance of a Constitutional Republic, are subject to third world political shenanigans and treachery, eventually to lead us all down The Road To Serfdom. It is high time to exercise the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence to bring and end this farce and treachery.
I wonder if Harris is seen as expendable. She can beat up on Trump and try to get him to pursue bad behavior, which he is famous for, and if she continues to sink in the polls the Dems can dump her the same way they dumped everyone in 2020. Why has Obama not pledged support for Harris? She was barely tolerable on the world stage as a VP,,, how will world leaders see her as President?
Democrats have proven increasingly every year for thirty years that facts, “SCIENCE!”, reality itself is whatever they say it is and their all encompassing menagerie will agree in lockstep and not merely demonize any doubters they will seek through legal, societal, judicial, academic, bureaucratic & financial means to ruin their lives. The Republican leadership cabal symbolized by a doddering, often literally frozen in place McConnell, on his best days pottering aimlessly around the Capitol in soft moccasins with matching cashmere socks & sweaters quietly embracing the Democrat platform, rabidly when that involves eviscerating Trump or any of those Reps actively opposing Democrat policy. His last flash of life coming when Tucker Carlson played actual footage inside the Capitol of Jan. 6th(oddly given to him exclusively by then Speaker McCarthy) when in a red-faced blinding rage, joined by his equally unhinged pal Schumer, demanded Carlson be fired immediately.
People who vote Republican have for most of this century been the most ill-served in our nation’s history, albeit those on the $30 trillion “free” borrowed money train since 2000 have made out like bandits.
VDH may be suffering from dementia too, since he somehow seemed to skip over the entirety of the PDJT assassination thingy, and how his surviving it impacted the democrats’ timing of their coup against Biden.
For a guy often called Captain Obvious, VDH failed to call balls and strikes, once again.
All true. What can be done about it though? If this is illegal, who has a standing to sue?
ok but the word is “crowned,” not “coronated.” this is the most popular mistake online right now and it is ANNOYING AS HECK.
I always thought of Biden as being INSTALLED rather than inaugurated!
Crowned at a coronation. Check.
I always thought OBAMA’s goal was that of his communist handlers, the Bill Ayers of the world, who preened Obama for the job. Their goal was to destroy America as we have known it. Thus, his Presidency was just the first step. It could not end with that or they would lose the momentum they had gained. I hate to be a conspiracy person, but it sure looks like one. I think it may get much worse.
If we are fortunate, we will have no presidential nominee from the D party. Then the D party will be, for all intents and purposes, destroyed. #MAGA!
What I find …interesting…shall we say is that even people who dive deep into the completely fraudulent Democratic party primaries usually stop at 2020 or 2016. Maybe because they dislike HRC so much that they don’t want to acknowledge and/or remember her defeat in the 2008 primary season. But many of us left the Dems back in 2008 because they 1) disenfranchised both MI and FL voters in the primary – from our standpoints, arbitrarily; 2) then after a series of hearings decided to “award” BHO delegates he never received from those states as a “compromise.” Of course, just enough delegates to get him over the edge in the 2008 DNC convention. But – again – delegates he never actually ran for or received. There was a whole “PUMA” movement over that in 2008 which has now been memory-holed. I left the party then when I was told “this is a private organization and we can do what we want. Well – as the saying goes “I don’t want to be in a club that would let me in.” I also certainly didn’t want to be in a club that claimed to welcome all except for those who didn’t vote exactly as they wanted. But, let’s remember.
100% SPOT ON!!! 100% They are the TRUE enemies of Democracy! What dark and dangerous times indeed.
Amen
Brilliant, as always. Thank you for always telling us the truth of what is happening in politics.
Excellent analysis from VDH the master storyteller
It is probably better for the country that Biden finish his term. That way, if challenged he has nothing to lose. Harris, as interim President, would have everything to lose…
Floating crap game… Obama has the pot faded so can grab the dice before they stop rolling!
We may notice no rules and sometimes the dice have stopped moving! That’s when the straight razors come out.
Completely plausible and completely terrifying.
You forgot to mention the biggest coup…. stolen election from Trump.
To Victor –
Joe Biden’s physical condition may indicate that he does not have much time left on earth.
What would be best for him is first to repent from his sin and turned to Christ in faith as his Lord and Savior.
Secondly, the greatest service that he could do for the country is to expose all the secret undemocratic dealings that rule the Democratic party, the injustice of his Department of Justice, the despotic control of the FBI, CIA, and the bureaucracy, and his own financial corruptions along with his family.
If his time on earth is nearly gone, he has nothing to lose and no man to fear.
It is better to fear God and honor him because that relationship lasts forever.
re: “Secondly, the greatest service that he could do for the country is to expose all the secret undemocratic dealings that rule the Democratic party”
Maybe that will occur in his last few moments when TL (Terminal Lucidity) returns to his body as influenced by his immortal soul …
I’m a big fan of Victor Davis Hanson, but “coronated” is not a word. It never has been a word, and it never will be. The verb is to “crown”.
As in “The King was crowned”.
Merriam-Webster apparently disagrees.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coronate
coronate
verb
cor·o·nate ˈkȯr-ə-ˌnāt
ˈkär-
coronated; coronating
transitive verb
: crown sense
Craven, heinous, hypocritical of “Will of the People”. We won’t forget. We will never accept.
I can’t imagine a majority of Americans, including those in battleground states, electing someone like Harris. She laughs publicly so often it’s off-putting; creates word-salads; and loses coherence (much like Biden) if she’s not on a teleprompter. It’s shouldn’t be too difficult for the Trump team to find all the minefields she has planted for herself with all the extreme leftist and woke comments she’s uttered over the years. Presented with these, not just in television adds, but (if we’re lucky) in at least one Trump debate that she’ll likely have trouble navigating, the American people will see through this farce and do the right thing.
If that’s all it would take, Trump would only have to replay the campaign destroying description of Harris’ record that Tulsi Gabbard provided in the 2020 Democrat Primary Debate and recount Harris’ Border Czar disaster, but Democrats don’t listen to Republicans, especially Donald Trump, and the propaganda is already flowing from the media, minimizing, if not outright denying that Harris isn’t the perfect candidate with the perfect record. The sheep will listen to them. They’ve already forgotten that the media were saying the same thing about Joe last week, and that the party has ignored their votes and handed the nomination to Harris. Unless Republicans remain focused and determined and get out the vote en masse, the next coup will be another stolen election. Don’t take anything for granted.
Victor Davis Hanson is historicallyvbrilliant. Former President Trump should incorporate Hanson in his rallies and as an active member on his team. He would be a great cabinet member.
Did you really mean enviable?
Or should it be inevitable?
Indeed, as .a foreigner living Down Under in Australia, one of your nations allies, I accept this illustration of confirmation bias for my long-held view of US politics.
But, please, please, not “coronated” – the action is “crowned” if Harris actually takes that famous seat in the Oval Office, although “anointed successor” would be closer to the present situation.
Victor,
I agree completely with your analysis!
However instead of using the term ‘coup’, I recently heard from Lee Smith (investigative reporter/columnist/author) a better analogy. What’s essentially happened since Obama became President is that the Democrat party now functions more like the old Soviet Communist party system with an over riding Politburo which essentially selects and then deselects their leaders: Stalin, Krushchev, Brezniev, etc. until Gorbachov when things fell apart. So the Democrat party is not ruled by their voters/constituents but by a shadowy undemocratic Politburo (Obama, Pelosi, billionaire donors, Hollywood, etc). Wouldn’t that be a more precise description than coup, as a “coup” implies ‘knocking off/out’ a leader who obtained power legitimately which Biden did not?
Regards
Jeremy K.
In September the UN has a summit where countries will be joining (1 world order). My guess is fjb will sign America in this garbage and there won’t be an 2024 election. China has their military ready for something BIG.
There will be a fourth coup. They will want Harris to campaign as first black female. President Biden will be prevailed upon to stand aside due to ill health. I give it a month.
Democrats certainly did do all those things, and more, if you add in all the negative coup activities they launched against former President, Donald Trump, since 2016.
Those activities were so brazen, that Rosa Brooks of NYT actually called for a military coup in Jan. 2017, if necessary, to take out Trump – before he even took office.
Admiral McRaven opined, in an Oct. 2019 NYT op-ed, “it is time for a new person in the Oval Office” if “this president doesn’t demonstrate the leadership that America needs.” Calling for the removal of a President, with the people’s vote only a year away.
Democrats have repeatedly tried, and often succeeded in disenfranchising voters – including their own constituents during primaries, violating their own DNC charter to do so.
The sad part about it all, is not only that Democrats have tried almost everything they can think of to destroy the Republic, but that they have gotten away with until now – pretty much scot-free. These coup activities started in 2016 – the American public has been dealing with it for 8 straight years….and counting.
If ever there was a time for the people to slap down with their votes, the authoritative and dictatorial political regime that the Democrat party has become – that time is Nov. 2024. Otherwise, I fear it might be too late.
The GOP voted against more voting access in many states, voted to eliminate voting access in Democratic areas in many states, voted against bringing food and water to people standing in line for hours to vote, repeatedly kicked people off the voting rolls with no reason, voted against Mail in voting which other states successfully have, and have realigned districts to get more votes even though the state reflects something different. Please get the facts.
Not true. Never denied access, only denied bringing food/water IF it is “served” by people advocating for the dems as they do it, never kicked people off roles == and in face, the roles are still full with dead/moved people in many states. As for gerrymandering, both parties do it.
Too much corporate news for you — you can tell when someone has all their talking points down.
I seriously believe the Radical-Left will continue to search for a hateful assassin to complete where the first failed. The new applicant will be obliged to register as a Republican and wear a MAGA hat. The Left media will claim trouble within Republican ranks. Temp-Prez Harris might even declare a national holiday.
Oh, do you hear about the ISIS/Hamas protesting in the Capitol rotunda being arrested and inprisoned with J6ers? Neither did I.
Yup….. No one can say it like VDH.
Thank you Professor Victor Hanson for bringing the light to our country!!
Thank you Victor for your step by step illumination of the Progressive Left indoctrination of modus operandi. This happens over and over again in subtle ways that the low information voter can fully understand and the results are maddening. I truly respect your insight and thoughtful dialogue. Take care my friend and mentor.
The Republic dies when The True Believers of the Left look you in the eyes and lie with a straight face because they believe in what ever they are telling you, even if they didn’t believe it a minute ago.
If I had not watched the above history unfold befroe our very eyes I would not believe a word you wrote. Instead, we all witnessed all of it. Yet few put it as clearly and succinctly as you. Still I watch as the greatest republic is utterly dismantled, I expect the wolves are circling the wounded animal. Yesterday, 4 bombers (2 Chinese, 2 Russian) flew into ADIZ (Alaskan air defense ID zone). It is a clear message. “We are together.” They buzzed minutes before Ol Joe read from his teleprompter. God help us.
How do you profess to know all this? Were you a fly on the wall of the Evil Left Cabal meeting?
Really, a man of your scholarly standing should know better
All journos/columnists have sources–some, to spread fake news, some to reveal the truth.
The time for continued passivity and erudite coyness is done! A coup is treason. They are traitors, violating repeatedly their oaths to uphold, protect an defend our laws, the Constitution!
Treason! Say it!
Not stating the obvious plainly is the same as being silent-a totally ignorable situation. Say it and risk something more than just not being invited on Fox or Newsmax or shunned from the very corrupted Hoover Instit. as you still have at least Rice and Mattis there, 2 who’ve violated their oaths to US to protect and defend, an obligation that doesn’t go away at their retirement yet they still monetarily benefited and prospered directly from their Govt associations and global markets!
Say it, and say it to their faces, then leave there, permanently!
Great summary professor of just a few of the ‘coups’ initiated by the democrat party. IMO it would not be much of a stretch to believe the same party did not participate in the rigging of the 2020 US presidential election nor would they hesitate to rig the 2024 US presidential election come November.
Would they even go so far as to attempt an assassination of opponent(s)?
VDH , Your assessments of the situation give validation to us, that have seen this unfold, and otherwise we would be considered conspiracy therocist.
Don’t forget the Dem’s rallying cry – “Save our democracy”
As previously asked, what won’t they do to retain control of the government in DC.
Law and conscience mean nothing to them.
Otoh, voters of the left lack foresight.
If trump loses, we’ll be in a real pickle.
Oh well …ツ
Yes, it is evident to average citizens like me that Biden was forced out. He even accused Barack Obama of being the “puppet master behind the scenes pulling the strings” as quoted in the NYT and Newsweek. Kamala is a puppet, too. They just might throw her under the bus! Anything to win.
As always, you explain what we are seeing so beautifully and succinctly. Thank you Victor.
We cannot minimize the risk. They are capable of anything and everything. Are we so powerless that we have no actionable options, no real say in our future? Between the Marxists and the Islamists when all this comes to a head, in the end, the Islamists know how to conquer and already have their sites set in place. The “regular” Americans who will swayed by the prospects of the first woman president won’t know what’s happened to America as sharia law becomes instituted little by little and barbarism replaces civilization. Will anyone be left to mourn our “late great” American republic, home of the brave, land of the free? Keep your voice loud and clear, dear Victor Hanson!
Please sir, they are what they are, demonic’s, forget the word democrats!
In my 8 decades, you sir, have summed up so concisely the very cause of the impending potential fall and decline of this Great Republic. I pray you continue your well founded knowledge and logic to the masses for the sure survival of this Nation. God Bless.
Sheer brilliance from the great VDH.
Apparently Kamala Harris is likely to be installed as 47, either by imperial fiat or obvious vote tampering, so we shouldn’t be surprised when RuPaul is appointed Surgeon General. Sorry, Victor, I have to have humor to get through this mess.
Oh please God let Kamala self destruct immediately!
You are spot on!!! This is a coup of a lifetime and I fear just one of many more.
Well Harris ain’t no PM Thatcher.
Installing Harris as POTUS will have the same effect as shoving a finger down one’s throat- guarateed to cause one to throw up at some point. It’s rather useless to speak of democracy these days, as it clearly is a historical thing and long gone.