Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
Joe Biden won in 2020 on the premise that until the November election, he would pose as good ol’ Joe from Scranton and not scare voters.
So Biden talked about “unity” and “competency.” He erased his prior wild primary pandering to left-wing voters about shutting down fracking and opening the border.
But as soon as he was elected in 2020, Biden became the leftist veneer for a hyper-radical Obama third term.
Fooled and naïve voters were shocked that their supposedly moderate candidate turned into a veritable neo-socialist president.
In general, the left acknowledges that its spread-the-wealth, high taxes, big government, open borders, soft on crime, and woke DEI agendas don’t appeal to 51 percent of the people.
That reality requires disinformation for leftist policies to be implemented.
No one voted for the Biden-Harris ticket to borrow trillions sparking hyperinflation, to wage war on fossil fuels, to go woke, to welcome in 10 million illegal aliens, to abandon $50 billion in weapons to the terrorist Taliban, and to find America facing existential wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and soon perhaps over Taiwan.
But getting leftists elected requires fooling the American people into thinking their “moderate” campaign veneers will continue into their presidencies—even though they never do.
So, for now, Harris and her new vice presidential candidate, Tim Walz, will smother all their cherished left-wing positions—at least until November.
The two left-wing chameleons will assume the temporary identities and policies of “moderates.” That is a de facto admission that they know that the public does not want any of their true agendas.
The temporary metamorphosis means that the leftist nominees superficially feign agreement with what most Americans support—energy independence, low taxes, limited government, strong defense, deterrent foreign policy, secure borders, legal-only immigration, and assimilation rather than woke/DEI tribalism.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are the most brazen and extreme examples of left-wing flip-floppers in memory.
But for both, the cartwheeling will still be difficult.
Harris is utterly incapable of articulating a coherent thought without a teleprompter or a staged interview. Walz is a buffoon who, in his first speech as the nominee, screamed out the “couch” lie about J.D. Vance and then stupidly bragged of his falsehood.
Harris, until recently, was proud that she had been one of the most radical California politicians in memory. She ran such a hard-left, polarizing presidential bid against Biden in 2020 that she could not capture even a single Democrat delegate.
Now she has selected as her vice president pick the most left-wing governor in the nation. Walz, during the long 2020 summer of rioting, allowed BLM and Antifa to run amuck in Minnesota while his new partner Harris raised bail for those jailed for violence.
Walz, like Harris, has done his best to stop pipelines and curtail fossil fuels.
He once boasted that “Democrats go into depression” when they see electoral maps shaded in red, “but it’s mostly rocks and cows that are in that red area.”
Apparently, his advice for Democrats was just to win urban areas and don’t sweat alienating greater rural Minnesota regions where fewer voters live—a blueprint for their 2024 campaign.
That snark was an expansion of Barack Obama’s dismissal of rural Pennsylvanians as “clingers” and Hillary Clinton’s trashing of the rural working class as “deplorables.”
By selecting the hard-left Walz, Harris reminds the nation who runs the Democratic Party. It is preparing for a hard-left neo-socialist administration—while it seeks to deceive the public for the next 90 days that Harris-Walz are temporary moderates.
Like the cognitively challenged Joe Biden in 2020, word-salad Harris won’t be let out to campaign much by her wary handlers.
Instead, she will outraise Trump, count on non-Election Day balloting, pose as a centrist, and let her surrogates, like the blowhard Walz, brand Trump as a criminal extremist.
But if the current initial Harris-Walz flipping is embarrassing, their eventual post-November flopping back to the left will be shameless—and dangerous for the nation.
In 2025, under a Harris-Walz presidency, borders would again magically evaporate. Millions more illegal aliens would regroup and flood into the U.S.
Printing more trillions of dollars would spike more hyperinflation. Cutting defense would further encourage even more wars in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
More woke and DEI mandates would ensure more tribal disunity.
Harris-Walz would try fulfilling earlier promises to ban fracking and horizontal drilling, render the U.S. vulnerable to hostile foreign oil producers, distance the U.S. from Israel, and out-appease Biden’s coddling of Iran.
They would continue the crazy left-wing war on the Supreme Court and implement Joe Biden’s plan to neuter it.
But for now?
The Harris-Walz message is clear: “In order to run your country for the next four years, we must lie and deceive you for the next three months.”
The same idiots who voted for Biden will be voting for Harris. It’s what idiots do.
“The same idiots who voted for Biden will be voting for Harris. It’s what idiots do.” And Biden received a stunningly large vote total of over 81 million votes. That’s a lot of idiots.
That’s a lot of fraud to compliment a lot of idiots
20M more than voted for Obama.
“In general, the left acknowledges that its spread-the-wealth, high taxes, big government, open borders, soft on crime, and woke DEI agendas don’t appeal to 51 percent of the people. ”
Can Americans be this naive? A Harris win will destroy America. Either result will lead to some form of insanity.
Naive, stupid, call it anything you want. Any way you look at it, it’s still true.
Well if you believe that, you don’t get out much.
If you believe what you wrote, you get a “Royal Idiot With Ka-MAH-la Harris Whoopie Cluster” to wear to her next rally – – . If you DON’t believe what you wrote, you’re just another crook – –
But, no worries, there are more. Biden invited and has taken in some 14 to 18 million useful idiots to top off the scam.
Exactly! Credit goes to our leftist-loving media for collusion with this scam. Freedom of the press has become collusion of the press. Sickening.
Well past time for an amending gathering to modify the Constitution.
I classify democrats into 3 categories of which they fall into always one, possibly two and often all three categories.
Ideolougues – believe the nation has been bad and needs to be progressive to the left to become a great nation.
Ignorants – Watch the propaganda on CNN, MSNBC, the VIEW, Oprah and such with never considering alternatives.
Idiots – Exactly what one would have to be to fall for the lies over and over again.
IMO the second, Ignorants, is the only type of democrats that have any hope of recovery.
Yep, Idiocracy is very real. Republicans ignore it at their own peril.
“Joe Biden won in 2020…..” – Biden didn’t win 2020. As factual evidence is now emerging, Democrat poll workers manipulated and manufactured votes “for” Biden.
Better get it out there and make sure it is not partisan approach. Just facts…
Half the country will get fooled again
I think you meant, “In order to *ruin* your country for the next four years…”
I wonder if the republicans have better safeguards in place at the election centers to catch any shenanigans. We need a lot of observers who pay attention to what’s going on in the counting process.
It’s not the vote that counts. It’s who counts the votes.
We need in person voting paper ballots with i.d. required.
Do you actually think that poll-watchers will be allowed to observe anything? Remember, during 2020 voting, how they made them stand in the corner, in the interest of social distancing?
I used to trust the intelligence of the American voter. No more.
This election should be a landslide with Harris/Walz relegated to the dumpster…I fear it will be way too close.
Unfortunately, I think we’ll only have more tribal disunity. The cows already out of the barn.
The last sentence tells it all. So true.
Victor, you know what the overriding problem is in countering their lies and deception.
It is unquestionably the lack of a fair media.
They are in the tank, straight down the line for the Democrats.
I just watch Donald Trumps fantastic one hour press conference on Fox News, and who is on after the presser, left wing leaning Shannon Bream, Karl Rove, I think a former Obama advisor, and Trump Campaign chair Karoline Leavitt.
Do I need to tell you how that went, let’s just say it started out with skewed election polls favorable by big margins to Kamala/Walz.
Bream referred to them as the Kamala honeymoon/ bump.
I mean Fox News essentially in the tank for the Democrats.
Without a honest and fair media in America the battle for The Republican Party is constantly, “uphill.”
Newsmax is better. Also, OAN, but cable companies won’t even carry the latter.
A problem with that is that owner boasted of donating a cool $million to Clinton’s Little Rock money laundering and massage parlor because ‘he (the owner) admired’ Slick Willie so much. It was a shock to hear and i immediately canceled my subscription. That was several years ago still, it opened some eyes to the real values of some of these new media. If one reads for tone and nonobvious messaging, it is easy to see they are neither conservative nor objective.
It’s a well-oiled, slick operation.
““In order to RUIN your country for the next four years, we must lie and deceive you for the next three months.”
Unfortunately, it’s not for four years. This is an election that will define the future of the USA. If the democrats win this one its all over.
To Noel. In Reality, the direction of the country was determined in 2008! And that regime is going to have 16 of the last 20 years, to accomplish the “Dreams of My Father”!!!
Terrifying beyond words that at least 50% will fall for it.
It truly is stunning that so many do fall for it.
To watch and/or listen to so many of them fawn over O is mind boggling.
It’s a tyranny by the ignorant.
With total cover from legacy media the spin about these two dangerous leftists will be intense. Many people are just starting to pay attention to the election and have no idea how bad Harris and Walz are, they will be hear non stop propaganda about the need for newness, diversity and change and the “historic” significance of the first woman president.
Adam Smith once said “there is much ruin in a Nation” but I fear after 8 years of Obama / Biden and 4 years of Biden / Harris America may be running out of ruin reserves.
Trump / Vance 2024
Neither one of these people are capable of managing any meaningful enterprise, let alone the largest economy and most truly liberal country in the world. The fact that over 50% of Americans may support them has a truly significant portense.
I’ve met too many people who simply do not know what is going on but will shut you down if you bring up some of these facts Dr. Hanson has presented. Trump, as they’ve been brainwashed, is the ultimate evil. Unfortunately, they are projecting.
The collaboration of the media in this unprecedented and deceptive propaganda campaign is breathaking and horrifying. Also incomprehensible – many if not most of those complicit “journalists” are smart enough to foresee what a Harris presidency will do to this nation. Never mind patriotism – simple self preservation should motivate them to run away from Kamala. We can only hope enough voters see through the lies to defeat this nightmare.
I tried posting your excellent paper on eBay along with a wonderful interview Pelosi got excited about her book and the millions she’ll get and said more than she should have about the power she has and has had as the Speaker of the House. She came right out and said she started the impeachments against him, both of them. Tearing up his Union address is what got her going. Bragging like she bagged a 12 point deer. And I thought this is it. Spill it all and I’ll pass it around and even tried to bring it her. But……Facebook policy got me. First they whipped me with ads. They were coming so fast Couldn’t get them loaded on there fast enough. And then…I got my first warning. Stop doing that or we’ll kick you out of here. By now all my friends had received some of her interview and we’re messaging like crazy. The the policy said, that’s it you are out of here. Wish I’d had loaded of my email. Sorry to say I didn’t. Maybe…just maybe some of those lefties saw it and heard from the horse mouth,
Would also like to say Victor Davis Hanson it was a brave and noble thing you did passing you warning around to all of us. God Bless you!
Shirlene
Thanks for sharing your experience. It is helpful to know what is happening.
What you said here, as well as in one of your recent podcasts–with the liberal media being about 90% & without Rush & Tucker. it’s going to be hard to win–is very depressing. Why don’t intelligent people recognize the truth when the see it? I was a teacher for 30 years and know the answer to that question. The brainwashing begins in preschool, usually with climate change, & continues through high school, college, & graduate school. If you are at teacher, you must not only act woke, but you must also think woke, or you will be subjected to severe scrutiny. You may even find yourself on administrative leave, or even worse than that. democRATs have become rabid. If you have a Trump or MAGA bumper sticker, your car will undoubtedly be keyed. Most people refuse to wear a MAGA hat, because they’re afraid of being assaulted. Some of my friends have registered as Independents but secretly vote for Republicans. They are dreadfully afraid of losing their jobs or business if anyone were to find out they are Trump supporters. I know parents who refuse to post anything political on their Fascist Book page, because they are afraid that their kids will be harassed at school. We no longer live in a free country, and I fear that our democracy will be the next thing to go.
Thanks for sharing your experience. It is good to know what is happening in our country.
Peter – PLEASE use the correct term for the form of government which our Constitution provides U.S. We do NOT live in a democracy and never have. We live in a Constitutional REPUBLIC. After 30 years as a teacher, I’m sure you understand the difference, as well as the consequences, for the improper use of WORDS (democrats certainly do). It’s the democrats who keep using the term ‘democracy’ because that is where they want to take us with the elimination of the Electoral College. A democracy is 3 wolves and 1 lamb voting on what to have for dinner. Needless to say, the lamb gets eaten in a democracy, every time. In a REPUBLIC the wolves get one vote, and the lamb get one vote, and they all live happily ever after.
I told myself I was done commenting on this site because of the censorship. Consider this my last comment. What they say or don’t say doesn’t matter. Who votes for who doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is who counts the vote. Any discussion of anything other than election integrity is a distraction. I didn’t read anything about election integrity in this article. That’s it. I’m done.
Excellent point. It’s an absolute shame that Trump couldn’t fix the voting issues to make elections fair and safe while he was in office last time. Unfortunately, I think it will bite him this time. We are doomed.
How were you censored? I’ve never known VDH to be like a democrat. My comments are always factual, yet sites like Market Watch rejects about 90% of them. However, literally all of the anti-Trump comments, even though they aren’t factual (but mean, nasty, & insulting), manage to get posted. Please explain.
You accused VDH of censoring your post(s), yet you fail to explain what your complaint is about. What did he censor? I find that very hard to believe, because I’ve been reading/listening to Dr. VDH for about 20 years and know that being a weasel is NOT within his character. If anything, Dr. Hanson is just the opposite; a man of esteemed character. You mentioned a gripe you had about “election integrity”, but your gripe makes no sense whatsoever. Don’t be a troll; leaving meaningless comments. What are you talking about? Please explain. I’m sure your reply won’t be censored.
Sorry I should have checked my spelling and typing a little better.
Stayed up and read comments on here for almost 2 hours last night and didn’t get through all of them. I’m really proud to share my time with you wonderful people. I call this place my room, like in school. I learn so mush from Victor and the rest of you.
God Bless and thank you all!
Shirlene
I keep hearing or reading that “half the country is falling for it” – as if they are being fooled. I think not.
Maybe a few are being fooled, but by and large IMO most of them figure they will either be largely unaffected by progressive policies due to their higher incomes and tony neighborhoods, or they are after government handouts. They are also not really invested in the United States – couldn’t care less if it goes down the toilet. The rich elite progressives are confident that they can milk the system under any circumstances.
With all the influx of illegals under Biden, we can now add to the mix people who want to act as criminals, terrorists, and impose anti-American viewpoints – case in point being the pro-Palestinian crowd.
So there are some “useful idiots” out there, but the bulk are co-conspirators.
Look up the old Loony Tunes character Elmer Fudd. Striking resemblance to Tim Walz.
“…we must lie and deceive you…” And why? According to (D) Harry Reid who in 2012 brazenly lied on the senate floor that Mitt Romney didn’t pay his taxes, lying is effective. Questioned by CNN’s Dana Bash, Reid responded, “Romney didn’t win, did he?”
Yes, lying is effective when people do not do their own research or fact checking. Lying is effective when people only read the headline or watch the soundbite. The other night I heard a pro Democrat ad giving Biden credit for the insulin price cap. I thought I remembered something about this from the Trump administration. When one does the research, you get a lot more information.
Lies vs deceit. I am so glad you used both words and differentiated them a bit. A lie doesn’t always harm the person being lied to…”No officer, I wasn’t speeding.” But a deception is always to the detriment of those being deceived. Always. As you articulated, politicians who deceive their constituents into voting for them intentionally harm those very people who put their trust in that politician. Lies are shameful. Deceit is evil. Thanks Victor!
Presidential candidates usually tack to the center AFTER winning an election, because they realize they must represent all people, not just the ones that got them elected. Harris-Walz seem to be the exception in doing the opposite.
The real opponents here are hardcore Marxists and McKinsey – both will say and do anything to win but when the shit hits the fan, they show themselves for the shallow cowards that they really are. The fact that a true miracle happened when Trump literally dodged a bullet tells me that if enough of us – we, the majority ‘Deplorables’ stay steadfast, stay cool and continue to pray for help from the Lord that indeed this Jacobin nightmare will go the way of Al Qaeda and the China Flu – a mere bad memory of our collective past.
The Capitol Hill denizens are working in concert with the mainstream media, academia and corporate America to sucker voters with Trump rhetoric in order to render America impotent. If they succeed the damage may be irreversible.
As long as there is not a major recession in the next 2 months there is a good chance the Dems will win control of Congress and the White House. BUT Major corporations can throw money at the stock market and the government can prop up banks with printed money but inflation is inflation and debt is debt and we as a nation can’t keep up with inflation by using your credit cards forever – Household non-mortgage debt is double what it was in 2008. As in 1929, 1987 and 2007 I predict a huge September surprise that will lead to a Black Tuesday in October 2024. Inevitable.
Mediocrity breeds contempt in most cultures, and a race to the bottom in others. America’s underbelly is softer and more welcoming than ever — ushering a bastion of bastards intent on squeezing out what they can, remiss of empathy for others who contribute. It’s a veritable global feast, backed by a party of Democrat radicals who know it’s the quickest and surest way to their career ambitions. Nonsensical, incoherent speeches serenade their leftist base to expect more in exchange for a cheap vote. It’s all very predictable, and yes Victor — very dangerous!