To musician Don Henley, he was nothing more than “this tired old man that we elected king.” But to generations of Republican voters – including those nostalgic for the “better-managed” days of the 1980s – Ronald Reagan remains the gold standard for American leaders.
A “happy warrior” who vanquished the “Evil Empire” of the Soviet Union, Reagan more than any other leader was responsible for creating the “New World Order” America inherited (and promptly squandered) heading into the 1990s.
This (ongoing) failure has only enhanced the nostalgia …
So, it was not at all surprising when supporters of U.S. president Donald Trump – eager to resuscitate his flagging presidential prospects – invoked Reagan’s likeness in one of their innumerable pitches to small-dollar donors.
This particular fundraising appeal – ostensibly written by Trump under his 2020 campaign masthead – is laden with the sort of faux exclusivity language routinely used to separate intellectually incurious donors from their hard-earned money.
You know … “a special offer only for you.”
And yes, there are shiny coins associated with this “limited-time offer” … although to hear Trump tell it, “these aren’t any ordinary coins.”
“They symbolize an important time in our nation,” Trump wrote in reference to these trinkets – one cast in his likeness, the other cast in the likeness of the late fortieth president.
Take a look …
(Click to view)
(Via: Trump Pence 2020)
“Unfortunately, we already sold out of the first batch we had in stock. But I liked these coins so much that I asked my team to rush order another batch for my TOP SUPPORTERS ONLY (emphasis original),” Trump continued. “I’ve authorized a very limited production of these iconic coins, which is why I’m ONLY offering them to our top supporters, like YOU. This offer is NOT available to the general public, so please, do NOT share this email with anyone.“
LOL … so secretive.
What is that expression about a fool and his money?
The Trump email was sent on July 19, 2020 at 10:18 a.m. EDT – urging recipients to secure their coins by donating at least $45.00 to the president’s reelection bid by the time the clock struck midnight.
We do not know how much money this online solicitation wound up depositing in Trump’s coffers, but it is looking like the haul will prove costly.
According to columnist Karen Tumulty of The Washington Post, representatives of the Reagan Foundation – based in Simi Valley, California – placed a call to the Republican National Committee late last week requesting it cease using Reagan’s likeness on coins in support of Trump.
In a follow-up report from Colby Itkowitz, it was noted that “the RNC agreed to stop using Reagan to solicit funds for Trump’s reelection.”
That may not be the end of it, though, as the Reagan Foundation has suggested the unauthorized use of the late president’s likeness by the Trump campaign “might require further legal action.”
Which would mean more news cycles in which a wedge can be driven between Reagan and Trump in the public consciousness …
Worth noting? The chairman of the Reagan Foundation board is Frederick J. Ryan Jr. – publisher of The Washington Post. Along with other liberal mainstream media outlets including CNN and The New York Times, Ryan’s paper has dropped all pretense of objectivity in its coverage of national politics – embarking on a campaign of non-stop Trump demonization ahead of the November elections.
Meanwhile, the media cabal has done its best to bury bad news involving his opponent, former U.S. vice president Joe Biden.
Like social media, the mainstream press is all about driving herd-think.
Be that as it may, though, this particular punch hit its mark … as evidenced by Trump’s response on social media. Interestingly, though, the president didn’t just lash out against the Post, he also assailed Fox News for its “terrible” coverage of his reelection campaign.
“So the Washington Post is running the Reagan Foundation, and RINO Paul Ryan is on the Board of Fox, which has been terrible,” Trump tweeted.
“We will win anyway,” he continued, mocking Fox for what he referred to as “phone suppression polls.”
Will he win, though?
Liberal Republicans have been working hard to undercut Trump’s seemingly monolithic GOP support – a reprise of the #NeverTrump movement of 2016 that pulled out all the stops in a failed effort to deny the GOP nomination to the billionaire mogul. This campaign has had little in the way of ammunition to work with, however.
Until now …
-FITSNews
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