In a recent analysis on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” political analyst Anand Giridharadas cautioned Democrats and supporters of President Joe Biden against prematurely celebrating former President Donald Trump’s disqualification from the ballot in certain states. Despite legal challenges and Trump’s exclusion from the 2024 presidential election in Colorado and Maine, Giridharadas emphasized that this development does not guarantee success for Biden.
Giridharadas, who is also the publisher of The.Ink newsletter, welcomed the application of the “rule of law” to Trump but stressed the importance of focusing on building a robust movement rather than relying on legal disqualifications. During the broadcast, he remarked, “This is not a substitute for building a bigger, better movement than his movement and defeating him in the marketplace of ideas.”
Highlighting the danger of overestimating the impact of ballot disqualifications, Giridharadas drew attention to the need for Democrats to articulate a more compelling vision and message than Trump’s. Private conversations with individuals on the Democratic side revealed a “real acknowledgment” that they currently lack a “bigger, better movement” or a message capable of countering Trump’s appeal.
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Giridharadas likened the efforts to remove Trump from the ballot to “trying to win a sports game by praying for rain and hoping for injuries.” He emphasized that legal victories, while significant, should not serve as a substitute for building a more potent movement and prevailing in the battle of ideas.
In Colorado, Trump’s disqualification resulted from a state Supreme Court ruling based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. The court found that Trump’s actions surrounding the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol constituted insurrection or rebellion, barring him from running for public office. In Maine, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows ruled on the disqualification under both the 14th and 22nd Amendments, citing Trump’s violation of the two-term limit.
Despite these legal setbacks, Trump remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in 2024, according to polls, and has hinted at running again. Trump’s campaign has denounced efforts to keep him off the ballot as “illegal” and “unconstitutional.”
While Biden faces challenges on various fronts, including immigration, inflation, voting rights, and foreign policy, he has expressed his intention to run for a second term in 2024. Giridharadas urged Biden and the Democrats to articulate a “bigger, better” vision for the country to counter Trump’s appeal and expand their voter base.
