Oops! Trump gets his wish

Back when the 2020 presidential campaign started, Donald Trump needed a strategy to beat Joe Biden. 

Trump didn't have any real policies. He couldn't speak knowledgably about the issues. His own track record included botching the Covid response, crashing the economy, and disparaging institutions such as the judiciary and the FBI. 

So, Trump defaulted to bully mode: relentlessly attack an opponent with personal insults and baseless allegations. This one was that Biden was feeble--physically and mentally. 

And as he entered 2024, in the wake of impeachments, indictments, convictions, civil judgments, and lying to overturn an election, Trump continued the attacks with the wish that enough people would believe his lies and accusations to swing the election.

Sure, there have been Biden gaffes over the years--although Trump had his share, too. But as Biden bested Trump in the 2020 debate, or was elected President, or even delivered a rousing State of the Union speech earlier this year, Biden's cognitive decline wasn't really a salient issue for anyone outside of Trump's MAGA sphere as they tried to distract voters from their own candidate's court proceeding after court proceeding (they also ceaselessly touted Hunter's "nothing-burger" laptop, or empty impeachments against members of Biden's administration, or non-existent bribes supposedly coming Joe's way). 

Primarily because of Biden's shortcomings being exposed during the debate (and since), it now appears that Biden has slowed. 

Trump has been granted his wish.

As a result, Trump now leads Biden in most polls. The Democrats are sniping and in seeming disarray. And Trump's Republicans are united behind him as he heads into Milwaukee to accept the GOP nomination.

But now that Trump's gotten his wish, is it a case of "be careful what you wish for?"

After all, there remains a real possibility that Biden--a struggling incumbent who Trump had at least a 50/50 chance to defeat--will be replaced.

By someone younger than Trump.

By someone smarter than him.

By someone less controversial than him.

Which could significantly change the calculus regarding the election.

And that wouldn't be good news for Trump.

But it just could be the very thing America has been wishing for.