Never vote too early. Hold onto your ballot until all the evidence is in.
That’s especially true for Super Tuesday voting.
Candidates drop out. Sometimes, right before, and often, soon after.
As a Colorado unaffiliated voter, I favored 2020 Democratic presidential primary candidate Pete Buttigieg, who dropped out two days prior to Super Tuesday. Because I’d held on to my blank ballot, I was able to switch my vote, and my endorsement, to Joe Biden.
Two weeks ago, Biden gave a powerful speech with the theme, “history is watching,” urging aid for Ukraine and Israel. The president told the U.S. House that history’s watching them. Urging the House to stand up to MAGA and Vladimir Putin, Biden’s words were powerful but ignored. House Speaker Mike Johnson capitulated to Donald Trump, and declared a two-week vacation.
In February, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley started to throw hard punches at Trump and his sociopathic pal, Putin. She ripped Trump for blocking funding for Ukraine and Israel, and also, the U.S.-Mexico border fix. Truth telling is rare for a modern Republican.
My ears perked up. Back in 2017, when AIPAC still had sway, I witnessed Ambassador Haley greeted rapturously at a packed Washington Convention Center. She ripped radical Islam, and opposed Barack Obama’s Iran nuke deal. I was among those applauding seven years ago.
Haley was terrific at her defiant State of the Race speech in Greenville, South Carolina. Referencing Trump’s pledged retribution, Haley said she was unafraid. She spoke of standing up to bullies.
Watching Haley in-person on Tuesday at her Colorado event, she looked to be in her prime. No politicians, other than out-of-office Wayne Williams were there. Colorado’s former Secretary of State told me he’d declined to run in the 5th Congressional District to avoid splitting the anti-MAGA vote.
I spotted Dick Wadhams. We go back to the 1990s when Republicans, with Wadham’s guidance, won statewide elections in Colorado. Wadhams guested last year on my pro-democracy podcast, letting loose on MAGA in a way few Republicans do.
I told Wadhams I was thinking of voting for Haley on Super Tuesday, and for him to give me his best pitch.
Wadhams replied without hesitation. “We need to show Donald Trump and his people that there is more to the Republican Party than him.” When I responded that I was not a Republican, so I felt no such obligation, Wadhams laughed, and said, “You don’t need to be.”
Sadly, the GOP appears beyond redemption with its embrace of MAGA. The threat of Biden is tiny compared to Trump. Outside Colorado, Haley said electing Trump is suicidal — yet she told 9News’ Marshall Zelinger that Biden would be more concerning. What is worse than suicide?
Haley has been MAGA-branded as a “birdbrain.” She’s been slandered and subject to multiple future indictments for unspecified crimes. Haley’s military-deployed husband’s absence has been personally mocked by Trump. But in Colorado, despite Trump’s despicable personal attacks, Haley kept pulling punches.
Haley meekly told Zelinger, “This is not personal with me and Donald Trump. I have serious concerns about Donald Trump. I have more concerns about Joe Biden.”
Come on Nikki! That’s horrible judgment. I fear Haley will be endorsing Trump soon, and maybe even licking his boots like former GOP hard-swinging rivals Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham.
After her Colorado rally, a visibly tired Haley told CNN she was taking it “one state, one day at a time.” As she spoke, the scrolling text showed Trump slaughtering her by over 40 points in Michigan’s open primary.
“Biden crime family” accuser Alexander Smirnov has been outed as a tool of Putin/Trump, but the GOP and its media echo chamber won’t take a backwards step. We need Sen. Mitt Romney, Haley and any remaining responsible Republicans (Sen. Mitch McConnell) speaking out for Biden’s re-election.
Suddenly retiring Senate Minority Leader McConnell assured us the courts could dish out justice, as one of his excuses to not remove President Trump for his January 6 atrocities. Sadly, our U.S. Supreme Court says, not so fast. Only voters can save us now.
Biden-Harris stands for democracy. Both unequivocally stand by Ukraine and NATO. Joe and Kamala also stand for freedom and civil rights.
If Trump wins, expect Ukraine to be abandoned, and history re-written with MAGA propaganda. Belief in Trump’s Big Lie will become mandatory. The “J6 hostages” anthem will be saluted. Once we lose the truth, we are finished.
Of course Biden’s age is a liability. But if he becomes incapable, I have far more confidence in Kamala Harris and the Constitution than I do in any Republican. Trump permanently wrecked the Republican Party, and something else should form in its place.
It was important for me to see and hear Nikki Haley in person this week. I got the sad feeling that most of the Republicans in the room would be voting for Trump when Haley was finished. Not me.
I plan to cast my Super Tuesday vote for Joe Biden, just as I did four years ago. He’s earned my vote of confidence, and respect. The Republican Party has lost my respect to the point I don’t want any part of their primary.
Craig Silverman is a former Denver chief deputy DA. Craig is columnist at large for The Colorado Sun and an active Colorado trial lawyer with Craig Silverman Law, LLC.
The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy. Learn how to submit a column. Reach the opinion editor at opinion@coloradosun.com.
Follow Colorado Sun Opinion on Facebook.