King vs. Kingmaker
Donald Trump laid out the Republican playbook for the next few years during yesterday's CPAC appearance.
In a surgically precise hour and a half speech, the 45th President expounded on all of the necessary talking points, rekindling support from citizens and giving marching orders to his political allies. He urged Republicans to unite: "They don't care about almost anything. They don't care about USMCA. How about that? I think their lousy politicians. But two things they have, they're vicious, and they stick together. They don't have Mitt Romney in their midst. They don't have people like that. They stick together. You never see them break off."
Trump detailed everything the Biden administration has accomplished thus far, and it is not pretty. Many jobs have been lost thus far (including 42,000 jobs lost with the Keystone Pipeline shutdown, not the 11,000 number thrown around by the media). Biden's White House continues to push cleaner energy despite strong evidence of its unreliability. Foreign enemies like China have become stronger at the expense of Americans. Cancel culture has become an omnipresent danger to American society. Trump sent criticized Anthony Fauci and the new double mask policies; he pulled some receipts on Kamala Harris, reminding the audience of her scathing accusations towards Biden; Trump also scolded the Supreme Court several times. "This election was rigged and the Supreme Court and other courts didn't want to do anything about it." "They didn't have the courage, the Supreme Court, they didn't have the courage to act, but instead used process and lack of standing." Donald also teased a 2024 Presidential run while nixing the rumor of starting a third party.
While there is much to be discussed from what Trump said, what he did not say is just as intriguing. For instance, Trump said the name "Biden" 36 times during his speech, but not once did he say "President Biden". A clever way to call Biden an illegitimate President without overtly saying so (like Hillary for four years). Trump never referred to Barack Obama personally. He twice mentioned the Obama administration, but not Barack directly. If he had, it would have overshadowed his message. Trump also did not take any verbal jabs at Mitch McConnell.
The 45th President and the Senate Republican leader have had a tumultuous relationship over the years. McConnell chastised Trump for his culpability of the Capitol riots, "The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the President and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence". Trump said of McConnell, "The Republican Party can never again be respected or strong with political 'leaders' like Senator Mitch McConnell at its helm." Oddly enough, these two men despise one another, yet need each other at the same time.
Many conservative pundits are calling Donald Trump a "Kingmaker". If he does not run for office himself, whomever he endorses will hold the keys to the Republican party in 2024. To be a Kingmaker, one must control a system in which their candidates routinely win House and Senate seats and affect legislation. McConnell is Kingmaker right now. Consistency is what makes one a Kingmaker. McConnell has the track record, political mastery, and establishment machine backing him. Until McConnell's (and the establishment’s) grip on the red party is lessened, Trump needs his influence to keep himself afloat. McConnell could have easily voted to convict Trump in the impeachment trials and urged more Republicans to do the same. He didn't.
On the flip side, McConnell and other establishment Republicans need Trump's sway over the voters to remain in political power. Trump is the King of the Republican Party. His influence will go a long way in determining if Republicans can take back the House or the Senate in 2022. Trump’s momentum carried many of the Republicans back into their Senator and Mayoral seats. As a King, Trump can dethrone them just as easily. During his speech, he put the ten Republicans who voted to impeach him on notice.
A biased and unscientific example of Trump's pull is in the results of the CPAC straw polls.
The first poll asked whom people would vote for if the Republican primary were today. Trump won with over half the vote. Some pundits criticized proclaiming 55% from a pro-Trump crowd as a sign of his diminishing power. Considering the poll was conducted in Florida where DeSantis is wildly popular himself, 55% is a remarkably high percentage. Trump and DeSantis were the only two in double digits. Had DeSantis not been an option, Trump’s percentage might have been over 75%. Three-fourths of Republican voter approval is not shabby at all.
The second poll asked the same question, but with Trump not listed as an option. The hometown Governor Ron DeSantis won. Furthermore, every Trumpian candidate received a boost in support. Donald Trump Jr. received a considerable boost.
Trump and McConnell are fully enthralled in a chess match over control of the Republican party. However, the two of them need one another more than they probably want to admit.
