Take A Stand

Profiles in courage. That was John Kennedy’s book on politicians who demonstrated bravery and integrity by defying their parties or constituents to do what was right. We don’t have those kind of politicians today.

Tulsi Gabbard ran for president as a Democrat in 2020.

But when it was time to take a stand on impeachment, she didnt’ vote for impeachment. And she didn’t vote against impeachment. In either case, you could make an argument. What did she do? She voted present. The most important vote in her voting history, and she stood on the fence.

With Trump trailing in the polls, all of a sudden GOP senators are trying to create distance. Ben Stasse doesn’t like how Trump kisses up to dictators. John Cornyn all of a sudden is against deficit spending.

But I reserve the worst GOP equivocating for my longtime home state, the governor of Maryland. Larry Hogan considered running in the GOP primary, but he realized he’d get no votes. He has made it clear he doesn’t like Trump. And he announced the other day that he is not voting for Trump. So who did the principled GOP governor vote for? A dead man.

That’s right. There is no living Republican, native born and 35 years of age or older that Hogan thinks would be better than Trump. He could send a true signal of where he thinks the party should go. He could vote for John Kasich. Or Mitt Romney. Or himself. But no, that would be a profile in courage. Instead, he voted for Ronald Reagan.

Larry Hogan’s president of choice in 2020. Dead is just an inconvenience.

To vote for a dead man is a rejection of democracy. Of the importance of making one’s voice heard. Of being counted. Of taking a stand. Hogan has embarrassed himself in a way that history will never forget. Maybe someone will one day vote for him for president — -when he’s dead.