The kind of president they will be

Donald Trump is pushing hard the idea that if he loses it is because the election was rigged. His ardent supporters (the only ones left) are also turning to violent rhetoric and actual violence against protesters. Others are ready to be poll watchers, which translates into poll intimidaters. The Secret Service is is beefing up security – apparently to protect the press.

Senator Jeff Sessions of New Hampshire is adding his voice to the claim of a rigged election. As is Trump’s VP Mike Pence. The GOP has been trying to tell Trump to stop it already with that rigged election nonsense – it hurts their lie about voter fraud and the need for tightened voter ID laws. But the GOP is losing court cases in their efforts to suppress the vote and are now defying these court orders.

One hashtag being used a lot on Twitter is #Repealthe19th. That’s the 19th Amendment of the Constitution, the one that gives women the right to vote. Which means lots of people want to go backwards on women’s rights and Trump has thus made women’s rights a central theme of his campaign. We aren’t in a post-feminist world anymore than we’re in a post-racial world.

This has prompted First Lady Michelle Obama to give a rousing speech. What we see as a candidate may be what we get as mayor, governor, or president. Sometimes the person in office is worse than what we saw in the candidate. Rare is the case that an office holder is much better that what we saw in the candidate. And candidates who are troublesome often are agonizingly awful once in office.

So, if a candidate is erratic and threatening, if a candidate traffics in prejudice, fears, and lies on the trail, if a candidate has no clear plans to implement their goals, if they disrespect their fellow citizens, including folks who make extraordinary sacrifices for our country—let me tell you, that is who they are. That is the kind of president they will be.