New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is not to be confused with the better-known Alvin of “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” said when he was running for District Attorney that he would “get” Donald Trump. He never explained the reasons for his hatred of Trump, but that hatred is common amongst those suffering from what is called “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

The reaction from progressive pundits and personalities on some cable news channels to the Trumps indictment was one that could best be described as hysterical glee. I have never been able to figure out why progressives hate Trump. I have asked some of them why they hated Trump and generally they can’t clearly explain why.

Some say it’s because he has been getting away with “stuff” all his life. They can’t tell you what the stuff is but that it’s “stuff.” My response to is to remind them that many progressive elites have gotten away with “stuff.” People like Hunter Biden who got bounced out of the Navy for drug use and who produced a child he refuses to take responsibility for and much more. Then there was America’s royal family the Kennedys whose male members made cheating on spouses a high art, and finally the Clintons who both got away with “stuff.”

For many the complaint is that Trumps is not “presidential.” I am not sure what being “presidential” means but I am very sure that Joe Biden could not be described as presidential these days as he stumbles through appearances and speeches or stumbles climbing up Airforce One’s stairs. A president that many would characterize as presidential was Woodrow Wilson who despite being an intellectual and a college president was a racist who introduced segregation to the federal work force in Washington. Richard Nixon was also seen as presidential but that didn’t keep him from being involved in the Watergate break in coverup that forced him from the presidency.

Then there was Harry Truman who became president on the death of Franklin Roosevelt in April 1945. To begin he was not seen as presidential yet because of his handling of the office, today he is recognized as one of the great presidents. It’s the same with Abe Lincoln, a gangly self-educated lawyer who was hardly presidential but who led the Union to victory in the Civil War and ended slavery.

Some say that they hate Trump because in 2017 he treated our European NATO allies badly when he told them to start spending the 2% of GDP they had pledged for the common defense. Sadly, they didn’t listen as shown by 2022 figures where only seven nations are devoting 2% of GDP to defense.

Contrary to Biden administration propaganda the precipitous and botched withdrawal from Afghanistan was totally the work of the Biden administration. When Trump was president Russia would not have dared to invade the Ukraine and or would China have talked tough about Taiwan. The Trump administration’s foreign policy can be characterized by blunt straight talking to our enemies China, Iran and Russia who understood that the U.S. under Trump meant business. Trump’s blunt talk unsettled them and that made for a safer world.

Domestically, the Trump haters always tried to paint Trump as only caring about the rich, but his policies made life better for all Americans by controlling inflation, insuring near full employment with record low unemployment for minorities, lower taxes, and a bullish stock market.

With a record like that, they still hate Trump and continue the campaign of character assassination that began in 2016. To progressives destroying Trump is all that matters. Why? First, he defeated the Democratic Presidential heir apparent Hillary Clinton in 2016 and in Her’s and their minds that couldn’t have happened unless he cheated. This was despite the fact that she was the worst Democratic presidential candidate since Gen. George B. McCellan ran against Lincoln in 1864.

Worse, he brought with him advisers and a plan that scared not only the Washington Democratic establishment but much of the Republican establishment as well. What scared them was that Trump was the symbol of a populist movement centered in flyover country. Populist movements are anathema to Washington elites who see such movements as attacks on their position and privileges.

Now comes 2024 and my advice to all is to hang on tight for a wild ride.

Thomas Kirkpatrick Sr. is a Silver Creek resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com