Fizzling Trumpism

Peter Lorre in "M" (1931).

Once Joe Biden was declared the winner, according to the television networks and the Associated Press, the magic of Trumpism began to fizzle. At first, it wasn't so noticeable, because it was being drowned out by the cacophony of speculation about what crazy, dangerous things Donald Trump might do before January 20 ... and after January 20.

For the time being, it seems many pundits can't stop issuing dire warnings about Trump in the role they imagine for him -- that of an evil monster of an ex-president, hellbent on payback and amassing portable power he can take with him. Many of them are telling us they view Trump as the still unchallenged top dog of the Republican Party, the GOP's 2024-nominee-in-waiting. 

Well, I'm here to say, “Bullshit!”

After weeks of fizzling in plain sight, Americans of all political persuasions have witnessed Trump's pitiful efforts to overturn the results of November's election. We've all watched Trump's shameless and fruitless campaign to use the courts and convince state legislatures to cancel legitimate votes. Moreover, rather than looking like a battered but brave victim seeking justice Trump has revealed himself to be a scared and impotent fool.

Every day the fizzling is getting easier to see. So damn easy that even the millions who voted for him have to be seeing it, too. Mired in the quicksand of denial, most of them may not be ready to admit it. Not today, but they have been seeing it. No doubt, some of them are already wishing they hadn't told anybody they voted for Trump.

Rather than a badass gangland boss, post-election Trump is looking like a cowardly, loathsome movie villain. He is reminding me of the furtive child-slayer in Fritz Lang's “M” (1931), as played by Peter Lorre, darting into the shadows to escape the street mob's instant justice.

Because Trump can't stand the idea of no longer being the above-the-law president, his fear has convinced him that the crazy scheme to hurl unfounded charges at the election results in several states will be accepted as being true to his school. For instance, he seems sure that his white nationalist supporters will regard him as a hero for attacking Black voters, in particular. 

However, I think all that stuff will only work for him that way if his blatantly underhanded tactics pay off and get something done. Then maybe he would appear to be a ruthless winner who wins, no matter what. But as it is turning out, Trump is being revealed as a poser and a loser. 

A sore loser. Maybe Trump, the poser, wants his Kool-Aid guzzlers to see him as being like the fearless Jack Palance in “Attack” (1956). Unfortunately, as the days go by, he's looking more and more like repulsive Peter Lorre, trying with no success to evade his inevitable fate. 

My guess is Trump's true potential as a king-maker and a TV network boss/talk show host in 2021 is likely to end up more like his ventures into failed New Jersey casinos and Trump University. That, rather than another ride down the golden escalator. 

For the cowardly Republicans in public offices who can't already read the handwriting on the wall, well, too bad. Their day to take the fall for their lack of foresight will come. Hey, I realize we've all seen Trump avoid accountability so long we have come to expect his lawlessness will never be checked. Well, I also know it sounds like wishful thinking, but my prediction is that Trump's 2021 is going to be a bumpy ride. 

The gratitude factor the public should feel toward President Joe Biden, once he's in the Oval Office and everyday life in this country begins to calm down, isn't going to help Trump's image, by comparison. Then the ex-president's talent for inspiring widespread hopelessness look pretty bad in the rear view mirror.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not suggesting there won't be scary problems with diehard Trumpists in the next 50 days. Then, after Jan. 20, at first I also expect plenty more mischief from those same intransigent and frustrated fools. Nonetheless, from here on Trumpism is mostly going to be about sore loser-ism ... which is going to get stale, fast.

Then we will eventually see how long Americans really wants to hear a lot more of sore loser-isms' repetitive nonsense.