Trump Licks Kemp’s Shoes
People are often shocked to learn that I do not like Sean Hannity very much. Among the most recognizable voices in the conservative movement, I often find Hannity to lack intellectual consistency and all too willing to say anything to seem like he is on the side of whoever is at the head of the pack. This approach is fine if you are simply a cheerleader, but if you need to move the ball on real, limited government policy, sometimes the leader needs a critic more than a cheerleader.
Over the last several years, Hannity has exhibited this type of simpatico with Donald Trump when it has come to the topic of Brian Kemp. For example, when Governor Kemp made the call to reopen Georgia before any other state, Hannity said that it was, “a dumb idea. And some of his other ideas are pretty dumb.”
Hannity skewered Kemp when he chose Kelly Loeffler, who is now one of Trump’s most effective fundraisers, for the US Senate seat, saying at the time, “Brian Kemp is appointing [someone] who appears to be an untested, big-Republican Romney donor described by many as a ‘RINO’.”
We now know that Sean Hannity never believed that the election in Georgia was stolen even as he allowed his show to be used to advance that narrative.
When David Perdue jumped into the race to primary Brian Kemp, Hannity resumed his cheerleading role telling his audience that, “Brian Kemp has lost the confidence of the people, of Republicans, of conservatives in Georgia. David Perdue is by far the stronger candidate to go up against Stacey Abrams. Kemp would also end up hurting Herschel Walker in his race against Raphael Warnock.”
Narrator voice over: He was not.
I mean, it’s almost laughable how wrong and for how long Sean Hannity has been about Brian Kemp.
So when Governor Kemp posted a video of his interview with Sean Hannity last night wherein Governor Kemp reiterated, for the umpteenth time, that he is supporting the GOP nominee for President, I viewed it through the lens of someone who still remembers all of Hannity’s criticism of Kemp over the years. And if you have no other take away from this post than this, then I am fine with it: Brian Kemp is a better Christian that I am.
The only thing I had not heard before that interview is Sean Hannity praising Governor Kemp. That part is new. Every single word, even support for vulnerable GOP legislators, and especially support for Trump, are all things I have heard Governor Kemp say before. And please notice how uncomfortable Hannity is at the very beginning. He has spent so much time blasting Kemp on this very program that I could actually feel how uncomfortable he was now praising the Governor.
Within minutes of that interview airing, Donald Trump took to social media to finally thank Governor Kemp for his help.
It’s almost like the last several weeks of Trump continuing to blast Kemp never happened. So why the Hannity/Trump flip?
Well here is one theory, although offered in jest by the original poster, I find to be plausible.
I mean, Donald Trump is famous for not apologizing. So that internal polling data must of been one hell of a wake up call for Donald Trump. Brian Kemp is more popular in Georgia than Donald Trump. Trump needs Kemp and Kemp has proven that he is just fine being himself without Trump.
A couple of weeks ago your intrepid cadre at Peach Pundit had heard that there was an effort among elected Republicans in Georgia to try to terminate Trump’s one sided feud with Kemp. Shaking the bushes there this morning, rumors indicate that it may have actually been Sean Hannity who brokered the peace agreement. I have no actual way of knowing for sure, but our second hand rumor mill is pretty close to undefeated.
But let’s call this what it is; a capitulation from Donald Trump. No, it wasn’t an apology. But Trump abandoned his near half decade of blistering attacks on Brian Kemp and Kemp never changed a single thing about himself in the process. Therefore, it should also serve as a powerful lesson for all elected Republicans throughout this country. There are times Donald Trump is right and we should cheerlead for him in those instances. But there are times he is way off course, and it is actually beneficial to hold your ground when you are right, even if there is some blowhard on Fox News who will attempt to skewer you. Attempt to defeat you at the ballot box. Allow things he does not believe to be true spoken on his show about you.
Don’t be afraid to stand up when you feel our party is taking the wrong direction. Your legacy isn’t Donald Trump, it’s what you choose to do. It’s your own actions.
The way I see it, Trump just licked Kemp’s shoes clean. And all Kemp had to do to make it happen was never waiver from being himself.
