Escape from the Dark Side
Kamala Harris should be the next President. But don't take it from Democrats. Take it from Republicans -- the ones who know Trump the best.
It should give us hope that a number of highly placed Republicans have given up on Donald Trump, have risked the ire of their own party members and Trump supporters, and — in some cases — put truth and a desire to maintain our democracy ahead of their own political careers. Former Rep. Liz Cheney is perhaps the most prominent among those, at least in recent months, but there are many others.
In their own words:
Liz Cheney — Former GOP Congresswoman, Co-Chair of Jan. 6 Select Committee
“As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this, and because of the danger that the Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I'm voting for Kamala Harris.”
Dick Cheney — Former Republican Vice President
"In our nation's 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump. He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again. As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris."
Adam Kinzinger — Former GOP Congressman, Member of Jan. 6 Select Committee
“I've learned something about the Democratic Party, and I want to let my fellow Republicans in on the secret. The Democrats are as patriotic as us. They love this country just as much as we do, and they are as eager to defend American values at home and abroad as we conservatives have ever been …
“Donald Trump is a weak man pretending to be strong. He is a small man pretending to be big. He is a faithless man pretending to be righteous. He's a perpetrator who can't stop playing the victim. Listen, he puts on quite a show, but there is no real strength there …
“Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican Party. His fundamental weakness has coursed through my party like an illness, sapping our strength, softening our spine, whipping us into a fever that has untethered us from our values.
“It's the bedrock that separates us from tyranny and when that foundation is fractured, we must all stand together united to strengthen it," he said. "If you think those principles are worth defending, then I urge you: Make the right choice. Vote for our bedrock values and vote for Kamala Harris."
— Excerpts from speech at DNC, 08.22.2024
Anthony Scaramucci — White House Communications Director, Trump Administration
“With Vice President Harris, you get a full team of very smart, educated people. With Donald Trump, you get a team of one because that's what he does to people. There's a reason why 40 people who went to go work for him are denouncing him and trying to warn the American public about him.”
Gov. William Weld — Former Republican Governor of Massachusetts
“Donald Trump belongs nowhere near the White House. With democracy hanging in the balance in this election, I'm standing with Kamala Harris to defeat Donald Trump and his attacks on our democratic institutions. I look forward to working with the Republicans for Harris program to bring that message to the hundreds of thousands of moderate Republicans in battleground states who know Donald Trump doesn't represent their beliefs in freedom, democracy, and the Constitution.”
Rep. Denver Riggleman — Former GOP Representative from Virginia
“I was heartbroken and horrified to see how close we came to losing our democracy on January 6, because of one man — Donald Trump. I’ve seen with my own eyes how Trump’s thirst for power, revenge, and retribution is his real motivation, and that’s why I cannot stand by while he tries to destroy our country.”
Alberto Gonzales — Attorney General, George W. Bush administration
“As the United States approaches a critical election, I can’t sit quietly as Donald Trump — perhaps the most serious threat to the rule of law in a generation — eyes a return to the White House. For that reason, though I’m a Republican, I’ve decided to support Kamala Harris for president.
“Power is intoxicating and based on Trump’s rhetoric and conduct it appears unlikely that he would respect the power of the presidency in all instances; rather, he would abuse it for personal and political gain, and not on behalf of the American people.”
Olivia Troye — Homeland Security & Counterterrorism Advisor to VP Pence
“Being inside Trump’s White House was terrifying. But what keeps me up at night is what happens if he gets back there. The guard rails are gone. The few adults in the room the first time resigned or were fired.”
Mark Esper — Secretary of Defense, Trump Administration
“I don't think President Trump is fit for the office. To me, I set a bar that says character counts. To me, that's what I look for first and foremost. And secondly, I look for somebody who can unify the country, who can heal the wounds …
“I've liked [Harris’] messages with regard to unifying the country. I like the positive, the joy of her campaign, which stands in stark contrast to the Trump administration.”
Stephanie Grisham — White House Press Secretary, Trump Administration
Grisham was somewhat infamous for holding zero press conferences during her entire time as White House Press Secretary. But she certainly has been speaking out lately.
Trump has “no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth.”
“I love my country more than my party. Kamala Harris tells the truth. She respects the American people and she has my vote."
The latest Republicans to endorse Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are a group of Reagan administration officials and staffers. They released a statement on Sunday that leaves little room for interpretation. Here’s the statement, in its entirety:
President Ronald Reagan famously spoke about a “Time for Choosing”. While he is not here to experience the current moment, we who worked for him in the White House, in the Administration, in campaigns and on his personal staff, know he would join us in supporting the Harris-Walz ticket.
The time for choosing we face today is a choice between integrity and demagoguery, and the choice must be Harris-Walz.
The choice between truth and lies demands support for Harris-Walz.
The choice between freedom and suppression of freedoms means support for Harris-Walz.
The choice between serving the people and serving the few leads us to support Harris-Walz.
We join our friends and colleagues from the George W. Bush White House, his Administration, and his campaigns, and those from the McCain and Romney campaigns in supporting VicePresident Harris and Governor Walz.
Our votes in this election are less about supporting the Democratic Party and more about our resounding support for democracy.
It’s our hope that this letter will signal to other Republicans and former Republicans that supporting the Democratic ticket this year is the only path forward toward an America that is strong and viable for our children and grandchildren for years to come.
Reagan Administration Officials and Staff Members — Ken Adelman, Carol Adelman, Elizabeth Board, John E. Bowman, Gahl Burt, B. Jay Cooper, Paul O’Neill, Ashley Parker Snider, Elizabeth Penniman, Wing Pepper, Charles Sethness, Kathleen Shanahan, Nancy Sinnott Dwight, Pete Souza, W. Grey Terry, Robert Thompson, Michele Tourtelotte Woodward
As you might guess from the array of names and quotes, there’s probably wouldn’t be much overlap in a Venn diagram of these Repubicans’ core beliefs and most Democrats’ and progressives’ core beliefs. The endorsement of the Harris/Walz ticket might be the only thing we agree on. But we’re at a point in the nation’s history where we must come together on the fundamental issue of maintaining our democracy. If we succeed, there will be time later on to argue about the details of policy and governing philosophy. If we don’t succeed at this first step, it’s game over.
Will these endorsements make a difference? It’s hard to tell. At this point, most voter’s opinions of the candidates seem pretty well established. But this election is going to be won in the margins. If these prominent Republicans can convince even a small fraction of Republican party members to vote for the Democrat (or, at least, not to vote for Donald Trump), it certainly bodes well for Kamala Harris.
It gives me hope.
Sitting over here in Europe, we are watching with great concern. Sure we have corruption in politics but please advise us why a convicted criminal and blatant narcissist is even considered as a candidate for the US Presidency. Unbelievable yet here we are