Did the leader of the Free World just rip a serve in the all-stakes match against Democrat leaders hellbent on reducing their individual state economies to rubble? While President Donald Trump is strongly encouraging governors to use a lick of common sense and reopen, several have severely hobbled their citizens by doubling down on stay-at-home orders and small business closures.
One such nose-snubbing Democrat who captured Trump’s ire is Governor Roy Cooper of the beautiful state of North Carolina. Coincidentally or not, the location in which the Republican National Convention is slated to be held this August. Cooper has his people locked down tighter than a drum and continues to warn, “I want you to have a great time, but continue using caution.” Cooper is still enforcing social distancing, mask wearing, and incessant hand washing – and that will not be acceptable practice for thousands of Republican delegates who want to gather, politick, hobnob, and rally the delegates for November.
To say Trump is a tad testy about Cooper’s lack of commitment to preside over a fully functional state by convention time is a gross understatement. He instead threatened to find a state that was open, bringing those millions of dollars where it will be welcomed and needed. He tweeted his nasty-gram as reported by The Hill:
“I love the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end of August. Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena.”
It’s a great excuse to get North Carolina voters on his side of the court. It’s also a simple, oh-shoot-sorry-for-you way to punish the governor for keeping the economy at half-mast heading toward Election Day in November.
Are NC’s Edicts Warranted?
North Carolina as of this writing reports 742 cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 23,964. Since the beginning of the outbreak, 754 people have lost their lives. Of course, concerns are expected, and protection is welcome, but how long is too long to keep the state, the president, and excited Republicans from participating in the electoral process?
Most states have a multi-phase reopening plan underway, and North Carolina is no exception. The dates of the convention, Aug. 24-27, fast approach, so it’s necessary to either commit to the event – at full capacity – or simply scrap the plans and head to a state that is open for business. Several are, South Dakota, for one.
And businessman Trump isn’t happy at the position he has been put in: “…we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space.”
Is it possible that the Democrats clearly believe their guy is no match for the blustery Trump in a head-to-head debate, and so, by stopping the rock-concert televised events of thousands of cheering people, they can level the playing field? The Biden camp is making noise that it would consider a “virtual” convention. The campaign may be working up a Joe 2.0 hologram -- that is gaffe proof -- as we speak. Stranger things have happened in the game of politics.
It seems as if the Democratic National Committee is prepping America for a blind “trust us” approach to Election Day, having pushed its convention date back a month and demanding vote by mail. Perhaps pecking at the president’s ankles, whacking the 2020 ball erratically across the net, and elected officials petulantly thumbing their collective noses at the incumbent are keeping down the burbling panic in the draining, drying Swamp.
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