Guno צְבִי
We fight, We win, Am Yisrael Chai
In the final days of his desperate, dishonest campaign to upend last month's election, Donald Trump tossed off a particularly audacious and offensive challenge aimed at those he somehow thinks can change the outcome.
"Let's see if they have the courage to do what everybody in this country knows is right," he said.
With time running out, his blatant hope was to intimidate and bait state legislatures or the Supreme Court into overturning a vote of the people, by legislative or judicial fiat.
Trump's perverse definition of "courage" and "right," of course, amounts to a willingness to bend truth to his will and prize his continuation in office over American democracy.
Thousands of everyday Americans worked around the clock -- in the midst of a pandemic and sometimes with the din of howling mobs in the background -- to count and recount the votes. These patriotic Americans showed inspiring courage.
So, too, did the governors who loyally campaigned for Trump but refused to bow to his threats and intimidation after the election.
Yes, they were simply doing what the law required and democracy demands by certifying the vote in their states. But these officials acted knowing that in the hothouse of Trump's Republican Party, doing their duty now could cost them their jobs in primaries later.
Dozens of judges -- some appointed by Trump -- have summarily dismissed his ferocious, groundless assault on the election results. They have shown gratifying fidelity to the law.
Courageous, too, have been those handful of elected Republicans who have acknowledged the results, congratulated President-elect Joe Biden and urged a peaceful, orderly transition of power.
But if we have seen acts of courage, we also have seen cowardice.
History will scorn the cowards who meekly complied with Trump's scheme to tarnish and overturn the election -- and honor the many who showed courage and fidelity to the rule of law during this time of trial.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/11/opinions/trump-election-cowardice-axelrod/index.html
"Let's see if they have the courage to do what everybody in this country knows is right," he said.
With time running out, his blatant hope was to intimidate and bait state legislatures or the Supreme Court into overturning a vote of the people, by legislative or judicial fiat.
Trump's perverse definition of "courage" and "right," of course, amounts to a willingness to bend truth to his will and prize his continuation in office over American democracy.
Thousands of everyday Americans worked around the clock -- in the midst of a pandemic and sometimes with the din of howling mobs in the background -- to count and recount the votes. These patriotic Americans showed inspiring courage.
So, too, did the governors who loyally campaigned for Trump but refused to bow to his threats and intimidation after the election.
Yes, they were simply doing what the law required and democracy demands by certifying the vote in their states. But these officials acted knowing that in the hothouse of Trump's Republican Party, doing their duty now could cost them their jobs in primaries later.
Dozens of judges -- some appointed by Trump -- have summarily dismissed his ferocious, groundless assault on the election results. They have shown gratifying fidelity to the law.
Courageous, too, have been those handful of elected Republicans who have acknowledged the results, congratulated President-elect Joe Biden and urged a peaceful, orderly transition of power.
But if we have seen acts of courage, we also have seen cowardice.
History will scorn the cowards who meekly complied with Trump's scheme to tarnish and overturn the election -- and honor the many who showed courage and fidelity to the rule of law during this time of trial.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/11/opinions/trump-election-cowardice-axelrod/index.html
