An awful lot of ink is being spilled these days on how GOP presidential hopefuls stack up against the former guy. But in talking about DeSantis, Katherine Stewart has written an important piece about how the Florida governor is walking the same path that Trump forged.
Authoritarianism may come to America on three wheels: a style of politics that emphasizes grievance and performative cruelty, the support of a critical number of hyper-wealthy individuals, and an alliance with the Christian nationalist movement.
Stewart walks through the first two wheels and then points out that not as much attention has been paid to the third wheel. She posits that it was Jerry Falwell, Jr.'s endorsement of Trump (followed by the rest of the "court evangelicals") that was the turning point in the 2016 primary.
As Trump and DeSantis understand equally well, the path to power in today’s Republican Party passes through an “endorsement” from the Almighty.
So DeSantis put out an ad suggesting that on the eighth day (IOW, post-creation), God decided that he needed a protector and made a fighter - all while images of the governor in heroic poses flash across the screen. That was DeSantis's shot at anointing himself as the one having the "endorsement" of the Almighty.
It may be working. Trump announced his 2024 candidacy shortly after the November midterm elections. But most of the big names among the court evangelicals are keeping their powder dry.
Many conservative Christian leaders who once rallied behind Trump and reveled in his policy victories now say they are interested in new standard-bearers for 2024...While conservative Christian pastors and political leaders often expressed interest in potential candidates besides Trump, DeSantis came up repeatedly as a “fighter” on hot-button social issues important to their demographic...
Painting oneself as a "fighter" in the culture wars (against "wokeness") seems to be the critical task for anyone running as a GOP candidate. Stewart explains why.
The belief that the United States is engaged in “spiritual warfare” is arguably the defining doctrine of supporters of the Christian nationalist movement today. They want a leader who gets that America is engaged in an apocalyptic struggle with demonic forces (often articulated as liberals, secularists, or just plain Democrats). They want a man—a certain type of rough, bullish man—who won’t let rules and niceties get in the way of the fight to restore the nation to righteousness.
Here's how DeSantis put that in a fundraising email:
Our country is currently facing a great threat. A new enemy has emerged from the shadows that seeks to destroy and intimidate their way to a transformed state, and country, that you and I would hardly recognize.
This enemy is the radical vigilante woke mob that will steamroll anything and anyone in their way. Their blatant attacks on the American way of life are clear and intensifying: stifling dissent, public shaming, rampant violence, and a perverted version of history.
That last line is, once again, a perfect example of how every accusation is a confession.
This week Nikki Haley announced her candidacy. Her big nod to the Christian nationalists was to have John Hagee provide the invocation at her campaign kickoff rally. He is the pastor who claims that the Holocaust was a divine plan from God, Hurricane Katrina was God’s punishment for Pride parades in New Orleans, and women are “only meant to be mothers and bear children.” When Haley began her speech she said, "To Pastor Hagee, I still say I want to be you when I grow up.”
On fighting the enemy, Haley is walking a bit of a tightrope. Her image is one of eschewing the nastiness (ie, performative cruelty) that has so consumed right wing politicians these days.
Still, Haley makes the claim that she's a fighter. At the end of her introductory campaign video she identifies the "socialist left" (ie, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris) as bullies who think "we can be kicked around." Then she says this:
You should know this about me. I don't put up with bullies. And when you kick back, it hurts them more if you're wearing heels.
That's a cute line, but it won't be enough for those who think that "America is engaged in an apocalyptic struggle with demonic forces."
No GOP candidate will ever surpass Trump in his ability to emphasize grievance and performative cruelty. The one play the rest of them have is to vie for the "endorsement of the Almighty" as they ramp up fear about the demonic forces on the left.
One can only imagine the level of anger & violence that a woman would be required to project before these people would accept a woman to lead them in this War for America's Soul.
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