Looking To The November Presidential Election

America’s presidential election of 2020 promises to be one for the history books in more ways than one. It is already being suggested that if Donald Trump loses re-election, he may not vacate the White House voluntarily.

Trump has been accused of molestation and extra martial affairs. He has not revealed his income taxes, he has conflicts of interests, he won’t wear a mask during a worldwide pandemic.

He bears the scars of impeachment. He has hired and fired those who disagree with him. He is the master of the tweet, he is in denial on the most important issues of the day, and on and on and on.

Trump has proven himself to be racist and has divided the country at every opportunity. He is the unashamed President of Whiteness and all that it brings from yesteryear into the brand-new world.

He is a marketing genius, in the vein of a snake oil salesman. He is an attack dog. You don’t agree with him, and he attacks. He is disrespectful as he gives everyone a derisive nickname. He says he looks like the “Long Ranger” in a mask, forgetting the position of the mask from eyes to mouth.

He works from his self-interest standpoint alone; the country has become his business, as he has positioned his family members in the White House Palace as though it is his kingdom.

He is a different kind of President, perhaps the worse the country has seen. But he has a loyal base, even though that may be dwindling because of his disastrous handling of Covid-19.

The Oneness Of Trump

I am student of slavery and the Holocaust. I have asked scholars and professors how Hitler rose to power. I have had the discussion with Jewish friends, including Holocaust survivors. Yet no one has ever answered the question to my real satisfaction.

But now with the Trump presidency, I know. Power is infinite and when in power, you can do just about anything and convince others that you are right as you master communications with propaganda.

It is amazing how Trump ignores and twists the medical advice and warnings on the coronavirus. Dr. Tony Fauci, the country’s medical expert, walks on eggs and speaks very specifically as he gives his advice and data that Trump ignores on the pandemic. Trump’s theory is that the virus will disappear one day soon. And that the vaccine discovery is immediate and needs no trials. He defies medical practices.

Is America ready for a Black woman Vice President who might become a Black woman President?

Trump in his election of 2016 was the virgin politician, the inexperienced businessman who came to the table with a reputation and a reality show that made him famous for saying, “You’re fired.”

He beat out 18 other Republican candidates with his attacks, mistruths, public appeal and no political experience. He beat Hillary Clinton, the experienced, seasoned politician with all of the answers. He beat her not on knowledge and intellectual power. He beat her because of optics from the debates, where he was the dominant force to be reckoned with.

He intimidates. And of course, there is the Electoral College. He has attacked the legacy of President Obama at every turn, beginning with the hoax of Barack not being born in the United States, which the press played to the hilt. Trump got away with the hoax; it was his entry into politics.

Trump has altered the Republican Party to the point that it is now the Trump Party. He has changed the face, the game of politics. The Republicans walk on tippy toes, as he shows no loyalty. Still, they try to hold on to the party as they discuss and defend and explain the phenomena that is The Donald. His close friends and advisors have been jailed.

The Force Of Biden

That brings me to the presidential election of 2020. Joe Biden, the seasoned Democratic presidential candidate, is job-ready. He knows where the bathroom is and can start full force on Day 1.

He served as Delaware’s senator for 36 years. He is experienced in the White House, he can cross the aisle, he knows the protocols, he has a presidential bearing and his personal story gives him a beyond measure of empathy. When Biden eloquently addresses that, he sounds more ministerial than political and brings a beautiful comfort and portrait of his true self.

He is the “Average Joe” to a certain extent. He is a union guy. He is relatable in multiple ways. However, he has had issues as one searches his background.

He chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Justice Clarence Thomas. His treatment of Anita Hill was not admirable; we saw a woman accuse the candidate for the Supreme Court of sexual harassment. There was no “me too” movement at that time and Biden was not so nice as he questioned her. Perhaps we can move on.

A Black Woman VP?

Biden would be the oldest president ever at the age of 78. He would be in his eighties when his first term ends and that’s when illnesses begin to appear and when mental and physical questions arise, as Father Time comes forward.

That to say, who the Vice President is under Biden becomes critically important because that person could really have to serve as President. Biden has said that he will choose a woman as his running mate. Many are qualified for the post, including African-American women.

Is America ready for a Black woman Vice President who might become a Black woman President? It would be the “right” thing at this time given the movement of Black Lives Matter and the fact that Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina turned the campaign around for Biden.

A Black woman would be most appropriate. But is it real? Can Biden win with a Black woman running mate? Can one of the Black women under consideration deliver a region of the country or a winning demographic?

Can a Black woman deliver the Black vote? Will a Black woman appeal to white women? Women are the majority of voters, so the woman’s vote is crucial. White women did not vote for Hillary Clinton, Black women did. Will a Black woman crossover?

Gazing Into The Crystal Ball

We live in interesting times, where the predictable is wrong and logic is out of the window. With the pandemic in the world’s air and moving at the speed of lightning, we know what we don’t know. Uncertainty is the order of the day.

It is too early to pay attention to the polls. The polls at this time can be tricky and are good only for pundit-type discussions with theory and hypothesis made for Sunday morning TV newsy talk shows and CNN.

And now we learn that Kanye West is throwing his hat into the 2020 campaign. Really? Don’t laugh. What’s the move? Is Kanye a stalking horse for the Trump campaign? Could he draw a young vote, a young Black vote particularly that would take enough from Biden to make a difference for a Trump win? Perhaps.

Here are a couple of other scenarios to consider during this political climate that might produce a win.

To keep Biden true to his word of choosing a woman, what if Hillary Clinton was the Vice President choice? Would America look at Hillary differently after she lost a race that she won by popular vote? Does she want the job? Is the time right for a white woman or a Black woman to crack the glass ceiling? Does it matter?

And lastly, here’s a winning proposition. How about Andrew Cuomo, the Governor of New York, for Vice President? He has risen in popular stature as he has demonstrated leadership in the Covid-19 crisis. He has taken center stage nicely. He has established himself as an authority, with reason; he has exhibited fairness and political insight and experience.

He has proven to be a wise man. And notice Trump does not attack him, for whatever reason. If Biden brought Cuomo into the race, he would be a great Vice President. And Biden has said he would probably only serve one term, as a transitional president. Cuomo would be ready for 2024 and maybe 2028.

Think about it.