Here’s hoping that Trump has a Nixon to China Moment
In 1972, Richard Nixon flew to China with the goal of normalizing relations between the world’s leading democracy, and its largest communist state (by population). Given his strong reputation as an anti-Communist politician, it became popular to argue that only Nixon could go to China. Now, it should be noted that this framing of the issue may not be entirely accurate from a historical perspective, but ever since the attempted assassination of former President Trump I can’t stop thinking about it.
Donald Trump certainly does not bear exclusive culpability for the sorry state of American politics in 2024 - far from it - but he does bear the greatest measure of individual responsibility. Consequently, I disagree with the idea that the Democrats have gone too far in describing Trump as an existential threat to American Democracy; on the contrary, I think that his behavior and speech ever since he lost the 2020 election warrants such a negative characterization. Nevertheless, the very fact that he is a primary author of today’s political extremism makes him uniquely suited for the task of helping America off the ledge.
Of all of today’s politicians, only Trump could realistically persuade the American right to step back from the brink, and to return to a more normal style of politics where everyone accedes to the outcome of elections - however begrudgingly - and where the core institutions of our democracy are broadly respected, even if they are not always loved. More generally, he could offer a message, and a policy platform which prioritizes national healing and conciliation over further division and conflict. Furthermore, the spectacle of a man like Trump coming to his political and cultural senses might encourage left wing Americans to consider whether they too have gone too far in some important areas.
Overall, he has an extraordinary opportunity in front of him, and I very much hope that he chooses the path of statesmanship rather than partisanship. And if, by doing so, he more or less guarantees that he will win overwhelmingly in November, then I can live with it: a Trump dictatorship remains as unacceptable today as it was before the assassination attempt, but a strongly conservative Trump presidency which respects the basic guardrails of American democracy would be fine.
Of course, the odds are that whether this week, next month, or next year Trump’s authoritarian impulses will re-assert themselves. Still though, having experienced serious violence once in my life - a thankfully non-fatal, and non-weapon related mugging where I was knocked out cold on the sidewalk and had to get emergency eye surgery - I do think it’s possible that Trump’s experience of near mortality, as well as the experience of seeing one of his innocent supporters die in front of him, could have a profound impact on his state of mind.
At any rate, I’m hoping that he delivers a great speech for all of America.