The “official” start of the 2020 presidential campaign is the day after the midterm elections. With less than 100 days until November 7, it’s time for a silly season of wild political speculation.
The spotlight is on New York Times, who recently published two diametrically opposed columns with a similar subtitle: “A Quick Look at The Times’ News Analysis of November 4, 2020.” The titles speak for themselves:
“How Trump Won Re-Election in 2020” July 26 by Bret Stephens.
“How Trump Lost Re-Election in 2020” July 29 by David Leonhardt.
Both columns are entertaining reads with predictable assumptions supporting opposing conclusions. In Stephens’ piece, Trump’s “reelection victory” — even though he loses the popular vote again — is based on a powerful economy and unpopular socialist giveaway programs put forward by Democrats.
Leonhardt, meanwhile, blames Trump’s “failure” on his consistently low approval ratings and his “I’ve had enough” attitude, which mobilizes key Democratic constituencies and motivates legions of independent voters to the polls.
Interestingly, in Stephens’ “2020 sneak-peak” article, the losing Democratic candidate is Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and her vice presidential running mate is Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
Meanwhile, in Leonhardt’s November 4, 2020, “news” article in which Warren is elected the first female president in the country’s history, her vice presidential running mate is former Attorney General Eric Holder.
It is worth noting that at the end of Leonhardt’s column there is a postscript explaining that, like Stephens, he chose Warren as the Democratic presidential candidate because ““she is very likely” and “to avoid any suggestion that a particular candidate was the reason I proposed a different result from that which he himself proposed.”
Inspired by New York Times columns, my 2020 presidential campaign “news” headlines with “outside the box” thinking offer more speculative summer fun for political geeks. These “headlines” also rely on the undeniable concept that in politics, “always expect the unexpected.” Let’s start with the most dramatic concept:
President Trump is NOT the Republican Party’s nominee for president in 2020.
Wait! Before any die-hard Trump supporters send me hate tweets, this highly speculative assumption is based on own words as Piers Morgan was told in an interview on July 13 during a visit to the UK.
When asked by Morgan about his re-election, President Trump he replied, “Well, you never know, um, what happens with health and stuff. I mean, you know, let’s be honest…”
Of course, Trump is right, “you never know.” So fill in the blank, for anything grounds, Trump is not the incumbent president in 2020.
Moreover, in a well-documented article on Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign in September Vanity fair Gabriel Sherman writes: “Much of the Republican establishment, and even many of Trump’s allies, have been considering Plan B for months.”
Sherman also quotes Roger Stone, who said, “He could simply decide, ‘I’ve made America great again. I’ve kept all my promises. Now I’m going to play golf.'”
Now that we know there are “official” talks about a “Plan B,” let’s look at two scenarios.
First, Trump drops out of re-election and ends his term.
Assuming there is no sitting president, here is the headline from spring 2020:
“Vice President Mike Pence and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are vying for the 2020 Republican nomination.”
As summer 2020 approaches, another headline reads:
“UN Ambassador Nikki Haley Wins Republican Presidential Nomination.”
Then on November 4, 2020 New York Times “headline” explains:
“How Haley Won 2020”
Subhead: “Democrats furious that first female president is a Republican.”
Scenario two: Vice President Pence is “President Pence.” (Again, for some reason, because this stupid season of wild speculation isn’t based on reasons “why,” it just “is.”)
Along with the incumbent “President Pence,” there is also an incumbent Vice President, as reflected in the following headline from mid-2020:
“President Pence Wins Republican Nomination, Haley Remains on 2020 Candidates”
Then the headline from November 4, 2020: “The presidential race is too close to predict.”
Subhead: “Chaos! Recounts required in five battleground states.”
As we move into the 2020 Democratic Party nomination race, unlike New York Times columns, I have every confidence that Senator Elizabeth Warren will NOT lead the ticket. So here are some more speculative headlines. The first one is based on Trump running for reelection:
“Former Vice President Joe Biden Wins Nomination, Promises One Term.”
“Biden: I will be a nightmare in “Trump’s Dream.” ”
“Biden picks Sen. Kamala Harris for vice president, promises promotion.”
Speculating that Trump would not be the Republican nominee, headlines read:
“California Sen. Kamala Harris wins Democratic nomination.”
“Harris selects former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe as vice president.”
And finally, the most scandalous title of the 2020 campaign:
“Harris vs. Haley in Historic Battle of the Presidential Girls for Power.”
Remember, in politics everything is possible!
To reiterate, New York Times inspired my speculations about the headlines for 2020, motivating me to provide alternatives. Other than that, I’m just having fun politically, like I did in June 2013 when I wrote: “Why It Looks Like Donald Trump Really Is Going to Run for President in 2016” (I can still hear the bursts of laughter.)
And in September 2013, more fun (and groans) after writing, “Five Reasons Why a Trump Run in 2016 Could Be Good News for the Republican Party.”
Whether it makes you laugh or groan, I learned that wild speculations about the presidential election are Always entertaining.
