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Culture War Roundup for the week of February 19, 2024

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What did the Dems have to offer him? Not prosecute him?

I don’t think that has any value to Trump. It’s why voters vote for him because he legitimately won’t back down. Now I think Trump mostly just cares about Trump and wants the crown for his own ego.

I think just agreeing to enhanced election security measures for future elections would have assuaged Trump's ego.

Not prosecuting him is step one, but there's lots of other things to offer. Public Acknowledgement. An appointment to a powerful and important position. One or more Trumpian policies publicly enacted, with full credit given to Trump. One or more of his children, or Kushner, appointed to important positions.

Ok so you know there was zero chance the Dems are every giving him a high ranking position?

I mean yes, we know that. But why is it true? Why couldn't they do that? Trump, of course, would have to play along, which is the most major impossibility. But Kamala called Biden a racist just before campaigning on his ticket, Dems are perfectly capable of flipping the narrative when necessary.

Certainly Ivanka or Kushner could have been given a plum job, and if Trump in turn conceded and mildly endorsed Biden it would have been a win-win.

Trump was also friends with people like the Clintons before he ran against them. He created chants of "lock her up" and then did nothing to precipitate that. I just don't think Trump sees political acrimony as a permanent, fixed thing. He thinks they're just being theatrical and playing the game, as he is.

Exactly. Trump could accept it. But he'd need to behave and color inside the lines to be successfully co opted.