WSJ Editorial Board’s Scathing Rebuke of ‘Self-Destructive’ Trump: If Nominated ‘The Libs Will Own’ Him
The Wall Street Journal’s Editorial Board published a scathing rebuke of former President Donald Trump following his second indictment Tuesday on federal charges stemming from alleged mishandling of classified documents.
The WSJ editorial board has long been the standard bearer for conservative ideologies in the media landscape. And “real ones” may have criticized them for lowering their conservative bona fides a bit under the political rise and presidency of Trump, whose own style of brash and nation-first policies and sky-high government spending flew in the face of traditional conservatism.
But since leaving office, the WSJ editorial board has become a frequent critic of the former president, flouting the 11th commandment of “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.”
The opinion piece is titled “The Self-Destructive Donald Trump” and features a subhead that reads, “The document indictment is misguided, but he made it easier for his enemies, as he always does.”
Its thesis is neatly summed up in the opening paragraph: “It’s depressing to think this could continue for another two years as the indictment and trial dominate the 2024 presidential campaign. Republican primary voters may be the last resort to spare the country this fate.”
Yes, it notes that they believe that under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland, the indictment of Trump is a “misguided use of prosecutorial power that could have destructive consequences. It intervenes in a presidential election campaign, unleashing political furies that are impossible to predict.”
Nonetheless, the WSJ appears to be over Trump’s undisciplined ways and inconsistent, if not untruthful, rhetoric. It concludes with the most damning of allegations that, if elected, Trump would no longer be able to “own the libs.”
If Mr. Trump is the GOP nominee, he is unlikely to defeat Joe Biden. But if he did win, the document fiasco is what a second term would be like. He wouldn’t be able to deliver the conservative policy victories that Republicans want because he can’t control himself. He’d be preoccupied with grievance and what he calls “retribution.” The best people won’t work for him because they see how he mistreated so many loyalists in the first term.
If Republicans really want to defeat Democrats, the press and a hostile bureaucracy, they’ll nominate a candidate who won’t shrink from a fight but will also be smart enough not to blunder into obvious traps.
If Republicans nominate Mr. Trump again, they won’t “own the libs,” as the faddish saying goes. The libs will own them.
Read the entire essay here.
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