An interesting article by Mark Hendrickson raises the unpleasant likelihood of a Donald Trump defeat in this fall’s presidential election.

The point that Mr. Hendrickson makes is that Trump’s re-ascendance to the Oval Office is unlikely without the votes of the NeverTrumps.  This is a contention that I have increasingly come to believe.  Polls show Nikki Haley, a candidate sure not to be the Republican nominee, beating Joe Biden handily, while Biden is running neck and neck with or even ahead of Donald Trump.

Joe Biden has been a disaster in nearly every way a man could in that high office.  The thought of another Biden term, or Harris term, or Michelle Obama term, is nausea-inducing.  Slo Mo Joe has been such an utter failure as president that he should be completely unelectable.  But those polls are out there, and they’re scary.

I am metaphorically reminded of a house whose septic tank continually backs up into all of the home’s plumbing.  As you can imagine, this is decidedly unpleasant at shower time, or when wishing to do the dishes.  Several large plumbing companies have given their best shot at correcting the problem, to no avail.  Finally, on a tip, an orange, rather vulgar plumber is called in.  Despite showing a good bit of butt crack to the homeowners, he fixes the problem that the big guys couldn’t handle.

So the question for us is, what to do?  Trump is going to be the Republican standard-bearer, even if he is (unlikely) incarcerated.  His ego is far too large to step aside for a candidate seen as more likely to defeat the Democrat nominee, whoever that turns out to be.  His resentment of the 2020 results is too enormous.

I believe that this rock-and-a-hard-place conundrum has a satisfactory solution.  Donald Trump needs to be open about his perceived shortcomings and convert them to attributes.  He must find a way to talk about the things that the NeverTrumps complain about in such a way as to make himself more likable.  He can convert NeverTrumps into MaybeTrumps and ultimately into WeLoveTrumps.  He doesn’t have to run on a butt-crack platform, but he can sufficiently make light of his heretofore unlikable qualities and turn NeverTrump frowns upside-down.

Trump’s ability to communicate with the masses is indisputable.  So let him tell his rallies that he realizes he is often petulant and self-absorbed, but that those traits often seen as undesirable by many Republicans and conservatives are the very things that have made him a success in business and politics, and yes, as president.

Let him make a concession to Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment: speak not unkindly of other Republicans.  Saying some nice things about some in his party who don’t like, or even despise him, could also do no harm.  No one is averse to hearing good things about himself.  But let him continue to speak very unkindly of the Democrat-Progressive–Deep State enemy.

Trump is a master of many arts and deals.  The art of this deal is to convince those in his party who are unwilling to vote for him that it is by far in their best interest to do so.  They already know that this is the case on an intellectual level.  His superior record as president compared to Joe Biden’s is irrefutable.  He needs to take it upon himself to become more likable to his doubters by turning his perceived shortcomings into “Inside joke” strengths.  Will it be easy for him?  Hardly.  Can he do it?  There is no doubt.  Will he do it?  He will if he wants to reoccupy the Oval Office.  He needs to make it a top priority and work with advisers to make it happen.

As in the case of the house with the plumbing problem, it’s better to deal with a bit of butt crack if it means clean water flowing from the pipes.  And for our nation, it’s better to deal with and laugh along with Donald Trump’s foibles if it means getting him back in the White House.  The alternative is unacceptable.  Confucius might not have said it, but I will.  It is better to see some unpleasant backside display than to lie face-down in a house filled with raw sewage.

Bill Hansmann is a dentist and dental educator with over fifty years in the profession.  He continues to teach and write political blogs and semi-mediocre novels while living with his wife and cats in Georgia.

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