The Republican National Convention Hall of Shame (Special Edition):

Trump's Speech Last Night, and The Telling Story of Politicians Who Sell Their Souls (Or, How Trump Made It To the Big-Time).

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Today, we might be asking ourselves the question posed by Mark 8:36 (thanks to Tim Alberta of The Atlantic for bringing this to my attention):

“For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

Or,

“For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?”

Or,

“For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world [with all its pleasures], and forfeit his soul?”

Or,

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?...”

Via ww2.solarmovie.id. Carlito’s Way’s Pachanga, who is embodied in real life at the RNC by party elites like JD Vance and Nikki Haley.

This question rings in my head as I reflect on this week’s recent Republican National Convention. Watching Donald Trump’s speech, we could see that this was not a “changed” man. I wonder if anyone should have ever thought he would change, least of all his Republican handlers willing to cover up his divisive rhetoric, his crimes, and his love of dictators like Putin, Kim Jong-Un, and Viktor Orban.

What a disgraceful performance from Trump. However, it was an even more disgraceful performance from people like CNN’s Trump lackey Scott Jennings or the many other Republicans/aiders and abetters of Trump. “Unity?” Are you kidding me? That was the best he could do? That was the olive branch the Republican establishment promised to us?

Ah, why did we expect any better? Trump just can’t help himself.

I know many friends who are true believers in Trump. There are many complicated reasons for why they trust in a man like the one we just saw last night. Over the course of this election and beyond, we must speak to those reasons and the many legitimate grievances behind them. In fact, President Biden and Vice-President Harris have been doing great work trying to answer those grievances (think of President Biden’s historic support for workers and consumers).

Yet there is only one reason for the Republican Party elites and career politicians have stood behind Trump for as long as they did: they are cowards. I take true believers any day of the week over flip-flop politicians bowing to the political headwinds of what they think people want to hear. Yes, people like Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene concern me more, and so do organizations like the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, or the Three Percenters. I am very concerned about them. But it is hard to deny the passion and sincere beliefs of the many other Trump supporters.

I have much more of a gripe and contempt for the people who kiss the ring. Who sell out when it suits them, especially if and when they know what they say and do is complete garbage. That is what the RNC is about. As important as it is to see the new, unhinged, cruel, incendiary, isolationist, election denial-promoting party elites—like Kari Lake, Robert Unanue, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Peter Navarro, and Mark Robinson—we should not forget the many sell-outs who got us to this concerning point.

Let’s take a few examples. First, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, who teaches all of us an important lesson: you can become Vice President merely by being well-connected to antidemocratic Big Tech figures like Peter Thiel and giving up any sense of your principles. “America’s Hitler.” “Noxious.” “Leading [us] into a dark place.” “I’m a Never Trump guy.” “I never liked him.” These are some of JD Vance’s own words on record.

JD Vance is not dumb. He knew who Trump was before a lot of people who knew who Trump was. It makes what he did all the more shameful. He knows better. Every time he talks about immigrants, or election denial, or the “weaponization of justice” against Trump, he knows it is completely false. He knows he is culpable of deceiving the public for Trump. And he knows he is poisoning the country with his bile.

Arguably, JD Vance surpasses Trump himself in culpability, indulgence, greed, and shame. Which brings me to another sell-out politician who ought to know better. And that is former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Originally, she supported “Little Marco” Rubio in 2016 and criticized Trump intensely. Soon thereafter, she served with him in his Administration and supported his 2020 reelection. Then she privately blasted Trump’s responsibility for January 6th. Then, she ran for President, attacking Trump in the most brutal way imaginable, saying he can’t win and is taking the country on a suicide mission. He proceeded to call her a “birdbrain,” attacked her husband’s military service, mocked her birth name, and so on and so on and so on. Now, she flipped again to preserve her career in the GOP once more. Especially given Trump’s divisive speech, Haley voters have every right to be angry with her flip-flops and MAGA pandering.

It is just like Tim Alberta reported over the years. It is no wonder why so many of Nikki Haley’s former friends have been really turned off by her. She has no beliefs, no spine. God forbid, does she even have a soul? Is it even in her self-interest to do this? She is distrusted and disliked on all sides.

(Among the few things Democrats and Republicans both can agree on? No one likes Nikki Haley, just as no one liked Hillary Clinton. By the way, doesn’t seem like Haley’s change of mind gave the SC GOP delegation a better spot in the RNC either. Ring-kissing does not always get you a front-row seat).

Out of curiosity, what did Ted Cruz have to say about the man who called his wife ugly? The man who said his father helped assassinate John F. Kennedy? The man who nicknamed him (rightly) “Lyin Ted?” Well, see for yourself now.

How about “Little Marco” Rubio, who called Trump a con artist, and dove into a spirited debate over the size of Trump’s hands and private parts? He sold out too. Faker. You can hear it in his voice that he doesn’t believe a thing he’s saying. Like a man whose soul got sucked straight out of his body.

“Meatball Ron DeSanctimonious?” He just couldn’t wait to flock back to Trump.

And finally, CNN political contributor Scott Jennings. I suppose he will do anything for a job at either CNN or in another Trump Administration. He once called Trump an asshole for his Michael Haley comments. He lectured us on the limits of Trumpism after January 6th, 2021. He claimed he himself held Trump responsible for January 6th, like his former boss Mitch McConnell did. He said Independent voters “abhor Trump” after the 2022 midterms. Here’s Scott on Trump’s Bible photo op back in 2020. He even went so far as to proclaim Trump unhinged and deranged. Now he has become Trump’s biggest cheerleader on CNN, doing MAGA’s PR dirty laundry because he thinks it will earn him a promotion in the Trump era. George Conway is right. We should ask Scott about what his purpose on CNN is. He should at least explain his own contradictory stances and what exactly he is vying for.

The lack of moral conviction is a problem. This is what the American people despise about our politics. And it is how Trump has become the “Felon Frontrunner” for President of the United States.