A now-rescinded proposal that circulated within the Republican National Committee seeking to declare Donald Trump the party’s “presumptive” presidential nominee before the end of the primaries shows that the GOP’s MAGA-controlled process is essentially scripted TV with a predetermined outcome.
And I think we should explore the characters a little more.
I’ve always thought there was something to the various articles highlighting how Trump’s history with World Wrestling Entertainment — scripted television that centers on conflict, microphone presence and stories of vengeance — prepared him for his political career and continues to influence it now.
And I think the GOP primary is playing out precisely like a wrestling script might. I’ll explain.
Do you know what a “jobber” is? In wrestling, it’s what you call someone whose job is primarily to lose matches and make the stars look good. So, for example, if you’re a manager booking a match and you want to make Hulk Hogan look formidable, you book a jobber — also known as “enhancement talent” — as the opponent, someone who can be tossed around, humiliated and dispensed with rather easily. (Check out this video for a great explainer.)
So Trump — as he has beaten his chest, antagonized his detractors and squawked insults at his opponents while not having to debate — is cast as the star in this scenario. And his competitors in the primary have been cast as futile challengers destined to be suplexed, slammed ... and added to the mythology that Trump, or Trumpism, is unbeatable.
Essentially, they’re jobbers.
Nikki Haley. Ron DeSantis. Tim Scott. Vivek Ramaswamy. Doug Burgum. All of these past (in Haley’s case, present) “opponents” of Trump’s have only put up half-hearted play fights against his reign over the GOP.
Sure, some of them have criticized his failure to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and his addition of trillions of dollars to the nation’s debt (weak attacks, in my view). But they have gone down for the count in one way or another, either by dropping out and endorsing Trump or by vowing to support him even if he becomes the nominee and is convicted of a crime in one of his various court cases.
It’s like they were fighting him with an understanding that he was likely — if not certain — to win. Like good jobbers do.
But here’s the thing: In both politics and professional wrestling, it’s essentially sacrilegious to openly admit the competitions are fake. That’s arguably what the RNC did by allowing Trump to spurn all of its sanctioned debates. And that’s clearly what the committee did by moving to name Trump as its “presumptive” nominee just two primary contests in. Democracy be damned, they want to crown their champion now, evidently.
The fact that the RNC rescinded the resolution at Trump’s request only shows how, well, trumped up this primary race has been. With MAGA acolytes in charge of the committee, Trump has been allowed to write his own script. Unsurprisingly, that script has had him emerging victorious and all of his opponents taking a dive.
P.S. My friends, in case you weren’t aware, Joy Reid is preparing to take her book about Medgar and Myrlie Evers on tour! Check out this special message from her below to find out where you’ll be able to find her.