Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign slogan was "In Your Heart You Know He's Right." It was Goldwater's way of saying that the conservative principles he espoused resonated with the majority of Americans, despite any reluctance they might have to express them publicly.
On today's Morning Joe, occasional Biden speechwriter Jon Meacham -- a man no longer capable of making Biden sound coherent -- turned Goldwater's slogan on its head. He said of traditional Republicans who support Trump: "In their hearts they know [it's] wrong."
Meacham made his comments in the context of railing--along with Joe Scarborough--against a Wall Street Journal editorial rejecting the attempt by Democrats and the liberal media to brand Trump a "fascist." The editorial obviously enraged Morning Joe, since calling Trump a fascist is Joe's stock in trade!
The editorial is replete with pointed criticisms of Trump. But it makes the point that Trump's record during his presidency rebuts the notion that he would act like a fascist if elected again. The Journal also expresses confidence in the system of checks and balances to restrain any possible bad impulses Trump might harbor. Finally, the editorial points to numerous tramplings of democratic norms by the Democrats themselves.
Meacham suggested that Americans looking for guidance as to "the central thesis of the American republic" should turn to Washington's Farewell Address, wherein he wrote:
"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports."
But whereas Washington considered religion "indispensable," Meacham was only too happy to dispense with it, saying, "Leave out, if you want to, leave out the religious part for a minute." A very long minute—since Meacham never got around to discussing religion's role. These are the Democrats, who don't like the God talk. It sounds to them like "patriarchy."
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
Morning Joe
10/21/24
6:08 am EDTJON MEACHAM: The central thesis, the central thesis of the American republic, if you want to go back to George Washington's Farewell Address, was that this republic cannot exist without the moral and religious principle of a people. And leave out, if you want to, leave out the religious part for a minute. And let's just talk about the moral part.
. . .
What worries me to death, nearly, is either the kinds of Republicans that we know and grew up with, either really believe this, they really believe that there's really a kind of both sides thing, which is bad enough. And what's even a little worse is they don't really believe it.
But because they are not sufficiently troubled by what the former president represents, they're looking for anything they can tell themselves to justify doing something that I think in their hearts they know is wrong.
