In conversation with a friend of a friend at a party on Saturday, I recommended the new Clarence Thomas movie, Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words.  When I mentioned Thomas's name, he shuddered and called him "that terrible man."  The truth is that Justice Thomas is a great man with an inspiring life story.  By the way, I urge you to go see the movie.  You will be inspired.  But you had better hurry; it may not be around long, because few people have even heard about it.  The media are not eager for you to see it, and no wonder.

Back to my friend's friend: Isn't it amazing how effective the Democrats and the news media (but I repeat myself) are when they gang up on someone?   Thomas called what they did to him "a high-tech lynching."  So effective was the campaign against Thomas that even now, after all these years, the mention of his name can cause a conditioned negative reaction in an intelligent and accomplished man.  A few questions made it clear that he knew nothing of what Justice Thomas had done on the Court; what he knew was what Anita Hill, with the aid of the Democrats and the media, had told him about Thomas.

As you know, they used the same technique on Brett Kavanaugh, and you can be sure they'll use it again.  It is, after all, one of their favorites.

Another favorite technique gains increased power by including swamp creatures from the Deep State.  They've been using it on President Trump for some time now, and you can understand why: it worked so well for them with Nixon. 

A denizen of the Deep State popularly known as "Deep Throat" was the key player in what became the successful effort to overthrow Nixon.  Like James Comey, who was at the center of the effort to take down President Trump, Deep Throat was a high-ranking official at the FBI.  My friend's friend at the party no doubt remembers Deep Throat as a do-gooder who was trying to save the country; after all, that's the legend bequeathed to us by the media.  Actually, Mark Felt, at the time the number-two person at the FBI, had hatched a convoluted and evidently harebrained scheme to get Nixon to appoint him director of the agency by leaking to the press.  His plot failed to get him the job he craved — he resigned in an effort to avoid being investigated — but what he started with his leaks did sweep Nixon out of office.

Leaking was perfectly natural for Felt and Comey.  Leaking and the threat of leaking have long been practiced at the FBI, especially by the higher-ups.  Felt was not all that skillful in carrying out his plot-by-leaking, and Comey wasn't, either, but no matter; the press could be counted on to cover for them and lionize them, too.

We can expect to see these techniques from the Democrat playbook again because they work perfectly even when they apparently don't succeed.  True, Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh were confirmed, but no nominee facing the prospect of a high-tech lynching by the Democrats and the media can be faulted for hesitating or for saying, "Thank you, but no thank you."  And what happened to Nixon and what President Trump has been going through teaches a clear and distinct lesson to those who would challenge the Deep State: "Don't even consider it." 

Clarence Thomas and Donald Trump showed greatness — you could call it "true grit" — by refusing to give in to the bullies.  They stood up against tremendous odds in order to stand up for you and for me and for our country.  Which of us could have endured what they endured?  Which of us, given the opportunity, could have accomplished what they have accomplished?  They deserve our respect and our support. 

Trump has even inspired Republican politicians to stand up and fight, to believe that winning is possible, just as he inspires Americans who love America and show up for his gigantic rallies wearing their MAGA hats.  Like the rallies, the movie about Thomas will also lift your spirits, and that's important, because each of us must rise to the occasion and do what we can to save our country. 

Robert Curry serves on the Board of Directors of the Claremont Institute.  He is the author of Reclaiming Common Sense: Finding Truth in a Post-Truth World and Common Sense Nation: Unlocking the Forgotten Power of the American Idea.  Both are from Encounter Books.

Image: Donkey Hotey via Flickr.