Spanish philosopher Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936) was a brilliant man. He was a deep thinker and very religious. He once philosophized: “Let us be crazy but not stupid.” This is the perfect advice for the 2024 presidential election.
Some voters may find the major party presidential candidates, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, depressing. Both men have likely been called the uncomplimentary adjectives mentioned by Unamuno.
Former New Jersey governor and twice-failed GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie, a former Trump supporter, recently called Biden “pretty stupid” for not calling him for an endorsement. Christie said he wouldn’t vote for Trump.
Christie doesn’t like Biden, either. “President Biden, in my view, is past the sell-by date. Seriously, look at him,” Christie said. Is Christie suggesting Biden is crazy? Christie sounds a bit like Trump, doesn’t he?
With the election approaching, Christie, like other voters, is faced with “crazy” choices for president. What to do? The 1950 film “Harvey” might offer a clue.
In the movie, James Stewart plays middle-age, likeable, friendly and eccentric Elwood P. Dowd. Dowd’s constant companion is an invisible 6-foot white rabbit named Harvey. Dowd is open to his friends and relatives about his friend Harvey. His family is, at times, embarrassed by Dowd’s crazy behavior.
When physicians tell Dowd’s family that they can cure him so he will be normal, they decide they like Elwood and Harvey just as they are. They decided it would be stupid to change Elwood’s crazy behavior. They let Elwood be Elwood.
In 2024, voters may be ready to let Trump be Trump Again!
Donald Trump has issues: Mean Tweets, quick temper, Hillary Clinton, among them. Joe Biden has issues: age, forgetfulness, falls, incoherence, among them.
What is a voter to do? Some people say Trump is a crook. Others say Biden is a crook. Trump says they are all crooks. Not to be outdone, Hillary thinks Russia’s Vladimir Putin is helping Trump again! Sounds crazy?
In 2024, Trump may be the Elwood P. Dowd candidate. After four years of Biden’s policies, voters may now see Trump’s craziness as preferable to Biden’s lunacy.
While Biden calls people “lying dog-faced pony soldiers,” talks about cannibals eating his uncle, and mumbles incoherently, some voters might search for another presidential candidate. Perhaps the best thing that can be said about Biden is that he does not tweet mean things after midnight.
America needs a sound-minded president. No voter wants a choice between crazy candidates, but this is America. It is too late in the lives of Donald Trump and Joe Biden to wish for sound minds. They have the minds they have.
Foreign leaders also want a sound-minded U.S. president. Biden once thought Mexico was Egypt. Or was it that he thought Egypt was Mexico? Regardless, sound-mindedness is a good quality in a leader. Americans generally have confidence in a sound-minded leader when they can find one.
During his administration, Trump has gotten along swimmingly with most foreign heads of state. He did have a few strongly worded policy differences with German Chancellor Angela Merkle, who wanted an oil pipeline from Russia to Germany. Trump wanted Merkle to buy U.S. oil.
Biden seems healthy for his age. When he falls at campaign events, he gets up, stumbles to the microphone and asks: “What am I doing here?” The audience replies: “Four more years.”
At the political conventions this summer, Democrats are expected to nominate Biden, and Republicans are expected to nominate Trump. Unless something crazy happens, the presidential election will be between two mild and crazy guys: Biden and Trump.
The best we can hope for is the wisdom of Unamuno: “Let us be crazy but not stupid.” The world expects nothing less of us.
