Now is not the time to take one for the team

Four years ago, Americans elected an elitest Washington politician and vastly overrated man to lead the most powerful country in the world … theirs.

At the time, many on the Left were convinced that this decision would take care of itself as the new president would surely surround himself with professionals and subject matter experts who would provide a vital counterweight to his lack of leadership experience, his many character flaws and his cognitively challenged mind.

"It will all sort itself out," was the liberal consensus, that was, until he showed us all just how clueless he was when it came to America's energy independence, our border security, our economy and foreign affairs challenges.

Keystone XL pipeline? Cancelled. Southern border with Mexico? Keep it wide open. The economy? Force electric cars, busses and trucks on Americans; ignore runaway inflation; threaten job creators with new corporate taxes; and lock the country down, citing a national health emergency. And on the foreign policy side? Re-enter the Paris climate accords that did nothing to stem the pollution from China and India. Then exit Afghanistan in the worst U.S. military fiasco in modern memory.

Add to that his insistence on end-running the Supreme Court with ridiculous schemes like declaring amnesty for student loan debt and threatening to ignore the court's ruling on the Roe v. Wade and Americans finally began to wake up from their self-imposed slumber to realize that their vote had created a vacuum which was being filled by the most radical left-wing political agenda ever.

The president's numbers started to nose-dive this year, aided by the incompetence of his vice president who cackled her way out of the hearts of even the most stalwart Democrats.

That was until Joe decided to go. Then it all changed.

Kamala became the Dems' new Joan of Arc, ready to slay the evil Republican dragon as the real Joan did by defeating the British army's attack on France during the Hundred Years' War.

An amazing transformation took place that would put George Bernard Shaw's Professor Henry Higgins to shame. She was now every strong woman leader rolled into one, like Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher. As a 'person of color' she was elevated to the pantheon of Rosa Parks and Sacagawea and was now the new Left's heroine, standard-bearer and symbol of hope for a second Democrat-led term. The spin machine was now operating at full speed.

Her thin resume rapidly gained weight. She was no longer standing in the shadow of her pathetic boss. Her "word salads" were gone as were her references to a love for school busses and Venn diagrams. She was now joined at the hip with the teleprompter. She could taste victory as she continued to pummel Donald Trump with epithets, verifiable lies, and accusations of being an enemy of the people ... and of democracy.

Her handlers were convinced that they were now showing Americans the REAL Kamala Harris that could lead the country to a new tomorrow filled with rainbows and unicorns and equity for all, all while keeping Russia, China, Iran and North Korea at bay and the world at peace.

Americans needed her NOW, just as they needed Joe Biden back in 2020 to prevent a return to those pesky freedoms and values that the other side kept harping on, the ones that were guaranteed in our Constitution.

Barack and Michelle were on board with her as was Oprah, Hillary, all of Hollywood, the media, pro-abortion groups, big tech, the arms manufacturers, the labor unions, investment banks, and, of course, women of all ages who desperately want a skirt-wearer to sit behind the Resolute desk, regardless of her ability to serve.

The Left is telling us that we have little time to save America from the clutches of a possible Donald Trump victory. And that's why we must all look the other way, beyond Kamala's shortcomings, and take one for the team … again.

After all, it's only America's future that's at stake, and surely we can all endure four more years of mediocrity, mendacity and mismanagement. And if we have to fall on our swords now, it is a small price to pay to keep hope and change alive if only in the teleprompter.

Stephen Helgesen is a retired career U.S. diplomat who lived and worked in 30 countries for 25 years during the Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, Clinton, and G.W. Bush Administrations. He is the author of fourteen books, seven of which are on American politics. He has also written over 1,400 articles on politics, economics and social trends. He can be reached at: stephenhelgesen@gmail.com.

Image: Screen shot from Daily Mail video short, via YouTube

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