In this episode, Victor Davis Hanson and cohost Jack Fowler talk about the Biden speech on January 6, Democratic and Republican campaigns, the damage of court cases against Trump, Ann Coulter interviews VDH, and how the GOP should keep their focus on defeating Democrats rather than fight each other.
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Another fascinating description and conversation.
Thank you, VDH and Jack.
The end with the moving description of tragic heroes is especially poignant and meaningful in our own, current lives in this nation. Shane the movie is a classic and i love to revisit it a couple times a year. Also, other favorites with tragic heroes, imv, is the Unforgiven with Eastwood as well as Nevada Smith with McQueen.
“GOP should keep their focus on defeating Democrats rather than fight each other.” ==> This is an ingredient for losing. If they aren’t a patriot, they are our enemy no matter which team they claim to be on.
1. How does Republican in-fighting win elections for the Republican nominee?
2. What are the qualifications for being a patriot?
3. What are the characteristics of an enemy of patriots?
4. How can patriots win elections when other Americans are their enemies?
5. How can Americans move from being an enemy to a patriot?
6. What changes need to occur for enemies to vote for the patriot candidate?
7. How can patriotic Americans win elections?
1. How does Republican in-fighting win elections for the Republican nominee?
At the voter level, there are many fractions, not just republican and democrats. Getting rid of fakers within one’s party can gain votes from other fractions.
2. What are the qualifications for being a patriot?
What about who are the non-patriots? The leftist who wants to be God on earth, the tolerant Religious, the Libertarian who said live and let live, the coward conservatives, the corporate sell-out, big media, big businesses, big pharmas, big government.
3. What are the characteristics of an enemy of patriots?
See above
4. How can patriots win elections when other Americans are their enemies?
How do you still have a country when patriots lose?
5. How can Americans move from being an enemy to a patriot?
Lefty grift movement needs to be defeated. Best way to get people on your side is by winning.
6. What changes need to occur for enemies to vote for the patriot candidate?
Again, they need to be defeated overwhelmingly.
7. How can patriotic Americans win elections?
Stop listening to whiny intellectuals and the fake news and vote for the orange man.
1. At the voter level, there are many fractions, not just republican and democrats. Getting rid of fakers within one’s party can gain votes from other fractions.
What will persuade the voters of other factions to vote for your candidate? Why should the voters vote for your candidate? What evidence can you offer that your candidate is the best candidate to vote for?
2. What are qualifications for being a patriot?
3. The leftist who wants to be God on earth, the tolerant Religious, the Libertarian who said live and let live, the coward conservatives, the corporate sell-out, big media, big businesses, big pharma, big government.
How would these factions behave for you to consider them not to be your enemy?
4. How can patriots win elections when other Americans are their enemies?
5, 6, 7. Lefty grift movement needs to be defeated. Best way to get people on your side is by winning. Again, they need to be defeated overwhelmingly. Stop listening to whiny intellectuals and the fake news and vote for the orange man.
How can the lefty grift movement be defeated if you do not have some of their voters voting for your candidate? What would need to change in Americans of the lefty grift movement for them to vote for your candidate? Why should Americans vote for the orange man?
The fact that any other candidate than Trump is “running” is a disgusting Uniparty charade to get him out of the way. It’s NOT NORMAL and VDH and Joe Scarborough’s best pal Jack pretending it is has become beyond tiresome. Now VDH gives the excretable Ann Coulter – deepstate tool in every sense AND bitter DC cocktail party hag – oxygen? What a laughable farce this once-great commentary has become. https://empireoftruth.com/2023/09/15/its-not-normal/
“Lurid” is an appropriate adjective to use with Ann Coulter.
I used to follow her and read some of her books, back in the Aughts, in the aftermath of 9/11 and as I started to study conservative content more. I agree with some of her positions, generally, at a high altitude. That is, we’re both conservatives. But I got tired of her increasingly shrill delivery or presentation on every topic. It seemed that with increasing frequency, she wasn’t against this or that because of principle, but because she was personally inconvenienced (eg, airport security).
In any case, I found other authors and thinkers I found to be better in comparison. Like VDH, for example.
VDH, at 1 hr. and 5 min. into your podcast you appeared to me to be having a “senior moment” (at 78 I am well acquainted with them.) when you could not remember who in 2012 you supported over Romney. I doubt if it was Huckabee (he dropped out midway) as you said. Rather, I would be willing to bet, it was Newt Gingrich.
I, too, was a supporter of Gingrich getting the nomination in 2012,
Just imagine what a difference it would have made for our country if he had won the nomination. But alas, it was not to be. Romney (subsequently a BLM supporter) had too much money, and too much air time for him to overcome. Although Gingrich would rise in the polls for a few days after each of their debates.
But if Gingrich had won, Obama, I am sure Obama would have been a one-term president (sparing us the weaponization of our once trusted institutions), and Gingrich most likely would have had eight years in the Whitehouse. I believe with his style, wisdom, and presidential historical referencing in his speech he would have shifted our populous more to his conservative values–not seen since Ronald Reagan.
Gingrich losing that fateful Republican nomination was truly a great American tragedy!
Thomas,
I, too, liked Newt in 2012. He would’ve run rings around Obama and put the Social Justice genie back in the bottle.
What was so frustrating about Romney was that he had the potential to be an excellent president. Do you remember his fiery speech outside of a bankrupt Solyndra factory? He also destroyed Obama in the first debate.
But all of that was for nought as he didn’t even campaign during the last month leading up to the election. II don’t know who or what changed him, but the rest of his message was bland and boilerplate . Remember his five point plan for economic growth?
And to think that we were told ad nauseam “Romney is the only guy who can win.”
Ron,
I believe Romney was in a different league than Gingrich. Previously when Gingrich had run for president it was as if he wasn’t serious about it, and would drop out pretty early. Maybe he was just trying to gain more name recognition to help him sell his many (quality) books???
But in 2012 he was serious. But Romney had bought up too much air time with his boat loads of money. He was always a 2nd tier candidate in my view, but I would have voted for him in a heart beat over Obama. Romney went on to run such a weak presidential campaign that if he was a prize fighter, I would have said he threw the fight.
Instinctively, I never cared for him. My instincts proved correct because just look at the RINO he proved to be. He quickly showed his support for BLM, wearing their sweatshirt (10 minutes of advance research would have shown them to be the frauds they are). Was that during the 2020 “mostly peaceful riots”? I’m not sure but he did wear one. Also, he voted to impeach Trump. So he just wasn’t a game changer guy; he wasn’t going to even try to drain the swamp.
If only Newt had made it. We would have so very different country today. Tragedy!
VDH is turning 70 this year not 78.
Very true, Linda. I am the one that is 78.
2nd to last paragraph: “Speeches/interviews”
Victor, you mentioned Trump’s derisive tweets working against him. I believe that to be very true.Here’s why.
In my circle of friends and acquaintances the great majority are Trump supporters. None, not a one, are so because of his tweets. Rather, it is in spite of his tweets.
So, I believe he could broaden his base by showing a little Reagan humility (or for that matter–DeSantis humility). Also, Reagan went far with his self-depreciating humor. Trump could use some of this, without sacrificing any of his bluntness.
Trump has the backs of ordinary Americans; he has shown this. He has so much to run on. This is why millions upon millions will vote for him. But it certainly is not because of his tweets. BTW, count me among those who will vote for Trump even if he is in jail (Not an uncommon phenomenon for jailed IRA to win elections after the 1916 Rising.)
The only way he will disqualify himself from my vote is if he runs a a third party candidate. In so doing, I would view that as his putting ego, before country.
I would really like to hear people like yourself give a reason why the left hates and fears Trump.
Democrats and the left have been working for years to turn the USA into a Communist country and impose totalitarian rule. Barack Obama made his speech the night he took over and said this is the beginning of the “fundamental transformation” of America. He ruled for eight years until 2016. They were well on their way to getting what they wanted. Then Donald Trump won the election and interfered with their plans. They were delayed. So, in 2020 they decided that no matter how, Trump would be defeated. He was by hook or crook. Biden/Obama stepped in and instituted policies and rules as if 2016-2020 had never occurred. It wasn’t picking up where they left off. They just went full scale totalitarian.
This is why they hate Trump so much. He got in their way for four years. It has nothing to do with his personality or what words he uses. It is definitely hate but hate because he got in the way. I would like to hear this said and not just democrats hate Trump.
Victor Hanson Davis is one great person.
I have never heard any scientists push back on the climate change propaganda as thoroughly and as convincing as Dr. Willie Soon. Tucker is really doing some great work since he got fired by Fox. Never wish layoffs on anyone. But I just can’t help wondering how Victor’s tone will change if he doesn’t have to answer to donors and the ivory tower inside Stanford University.
Part of growing up for me was realizing how few truth tellers there are. The stars and universe almost have to be aligned. I always thought part of living in America is being able to speak the truth.
https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1744777758507504061
About half way through this podcast today and I was thinking, Victor, Victor, Victor, being a historian you must rememeber the 2015/2016 GOP primary when Donald Trump took down 15, maybe 16, other candidates with some of the most obnoxious criticisms ever. Trump took out my first, second and third choice before I realized he was going to be the nominee and I wasn’t sure I could vote for him. I eventually did in 2016 and am a full supporter of this man who is still obnoxious but has the best policies for the nation.
But you certainly redeemed youself by the end of the podcast recanting your excellent tome “The Case for Trump”, which sits on my bookshelf. Yes Donald J Trump was a tragic hero who many rejected after his policies began to put the nation back on the right track, before COVID struck.
I for one will be shouting “Shane, come back Shane” and vote for Trump a third time this year.
Jeff, it is my view that Trump had not yet gotten to the stage where he, the “tragic hero”, is rejected by the townspeople. “Dodge” was not yet cleaned up. It was getting better, but there was still more work to be done, and Trump was still the best man to do it.
Rather, I believe the election of 2020 was pure and simply — STOLEN!
I fear you’re overly optimistic about Trump’s chances, the legal onslaught has likely been good for him but the personal demonization and scare tactics have been in abeyance in preparation for the blanket juggernaut to come. The skittish middle reminded daily of Biden’s dementia who are now thinking maybe Trump wasn’t so bad are going to be hit with the he’s worse than you ever imagined meme. I believe the Democrat are deliberately laying off so that neither Haley or DeSantis gain traction before the yarn of how Democracy will fall under the mad dictator Trump slams home.
Regarding the Coulter interview, it appears to be available without a fee, at
https://anncoulter.substack.com/p/my-interview-with-victor-davis-hanson
I’m listening to it now.
Unless that’s a different interview from the one Victor and Jack discussed.
Thank you for coulter’s link. I went to it today and listened to her podcast in its entirety. She gives Trump credit for nothing, and she successfully communicated her intense dislike of him—Loud and Clear.
Trump is known for hurting egos. Her dislike of him sounded to me like it was more than him just not building the wall. I think he may have damaged her ego.
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