Trump Win Claim Not Working

The usual suspects are not playing along.

As noted this morning, all of the major media outlets—including Fox News—are rejecting President Trump’s false claim that he has won the election and dismissed calls to stop counting the votes.

Even more encouragingly, even Republican figures who have disgraced themselves with pro-Trump sycophancy are pushing back.

When even Rick Santorum and Ben Shapiro won’t back the play, it’s a loser.

FILED UNDER: 2020 Election, US Politics, , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is a Professor of Security Studies. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. mattbernius says:

    Anecdotally, it seems like this is the issue that Bot farms have decided is the place to really sow confusion. I’m seeing a lot of dodgy accounts picking up and running with voter fraud accusations. If I was a foreign power, this frankly where I’d focus in order to sow discord.

    That said, I’m wondering if, with the Senate apparently remaining in Republican control, if this is the moment where the national party decides it’s a chance to finally make their stand against Trump (knowing that he’s not going to win) and start reclaiming the brand.

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  2. Not the IT Dept. says:

    Maybe if he and his spokes-scum (hi there, Jason Miller!) hadn’t given the game away repeatedly over the last week then it would have had the element of surprise, at least. But when pundits have been discussing it for days it kind of loses the impact.

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  3. Jay L Gischer says:

    @Not the IT Dept.: Well, but if he hadn’t tipped his hand, then it might have taken all the bot farmers longer to get up to speed, right?

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  4. OzarkHillbilly says:

    When even Rick Santorum and Ben Shapiro won’t back the play, it’s a loser.

    Just like the guy claiming it?

  5. James Joyner says:

    @mattbernius:

    I’m wondering if, with the Senate apparently remaining in Republican control, if this is the moment where the national party decides it’s a chance to finally make their stand against Trump (knowing that he’s not going to win) and start reclaiming the brand.

    One can only hope. Alas, I have little confidence in the integrity of Republican political leaders at this point. Still, it’s one thing to engage in voter suppression behind the scenes; it’s quite another to openly steal an election.

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  6. KM says:

    @James Joyner:

    Still, it’s one thing to engage in voter suppression behind the scenes; it’s quite another to openly steal an election.

    This. The GOP takes ballsy, stupid risks when they think they can get away with it and not suffer consequences (see the SC BS for the last few years). If they’re not backing Trump’s play its because they’re aware that liberals aren’t going to just sit back and watch blatant theft occur. For all their blather about Anitfa violence, they don’t really think liberals will break out the pitchforks en mass…. unless it was for something like this. This really feels like a bridge too far for even them. Better to take the W they didn’t think they’d get and go back to Obama-resistant mode they spent nearly a decade in. Siding with the loser in what could be called an attempted coup doesn’t generally end well and above all, they value themselves and their power. There was always going to be a life after Trump and they need to protect their asses and assets.

    Trump’s been tossing people under the bus for years. Now it’s his turn in the headlights…..

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