Voters Need to Honestly Vet Trump

 

August 3, 2024

There seems to be more than the usual interest in the vice president selections this very important election year. This is a good thing. The choice and the process can tell us much about the candidates at the top of the ticket.

It’s certain the short list of Democrats for veep are being thoroughly vetted. Professionals in the press and media along with the growing army of instant online experts are sure to do follow-up inspections of the choice.

This vetting process usually includes digging into the personal, financial and criminal history of the potential candidate. Family and close friends and business associates are also researched. They might be vulnerable to blackmail or negative press reports. Advisors are reminding Harris of Billy Carter and Hunter Biden. Really small fish, but . . .

Donald Trump made his running mate selection and now he must live with it, not run away from it. It’s not clear how J.D. Vance was vetted, but as candidate Vance he is off to a rough start. There are a number of Republican Party leaders who are having buyer’s remorse. They remember Spiro Agnew slinking out of office in 1973. They remember how the David Stockman choice for veep hurt Ross Perot in 1992.

It’s worth noting Republican leaders didn’t vet their candidate for president in 2016, 2020 or 2024. They either joined the Never Trump group who left the party or they trooped down to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the ring and shut up and do as told. That’s not vetting. That’s escaping out of principle or surrendering out of ambition and fear.

So we, the voters are left with the requirement to do an honest vetting, a digging into the personal, financial and criminal history of Donald Trump. No need to wander into conspiracy theories. Facts speak to us.

Trump is a convicted felon. Trump was found liable for sexual abuse. Trump is a con artist who bilked hopeful Trump University students out of their savings. Trump is the father of five children by three wives. Eight of Trump’s close allies have been sentenced to prison. And many who read his speeches report he’s an old guy who can’t string three sentences together into a coherent statement.

But a moment of charity and understanding of J.D. Vance is called for. Can’t you hear him defending himself to the leading Republican Party honchos who grimace at his being their vice presidential candidate? “Hey,” he’s saying, “I’m not as bad as you know who. I only have the childless cat ladies bad mouthing me.”

— Gary Daily,