The most dangerous thing that Trump ever said. There are lot's of nominees of course
...up to and including "You have to fight like hell or you won't have a country anymore." But in my opinion the most dangerous thing Trump ever said is "The only way I can lose this election is if it was rigged." Other of his statements, like "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" may have been more likely, in the short run, to inspire violence and death, but "The only way I can lose this election is if it was rigged" struck deepest at the very essence of democracy itself, and the fundamental faith the public has in our system of self government.
Trump first made that claim in late Spring/Early Summer, long before anyone on earth could predict with any confidence how an election held in November would turn out. And he didn't make it once, it was a statement he repeated often. It was the cornerstone of "The Big Lie", and it laid the groundwork for "Stop The Steal!" and the subsequent invasion of a joint session of Congress by a rabid mob of insurrectionists intent of stopping the peaceful transition of power in America.
By asserting that "The only way I can lose this election is if it was rigged? Trump established, in the minds of his most loyal followers, that only one outcome of the then upcoming election could be legitimate, one that left him in the Presidency. A Biden presidency, by his very definition, would be illegitimate, gained only through a stolen election. Trump began making that claim without benefit of any even bogus proof, since not one vote in that race had yet been cast when Trump made that declaration.
The House Impeachment managers did draw attention to Trump's claim that he could not lose a fair election during their earlier presentation, but I hope they return to that and stress it during their closing remarks, because every U.S. Senator (except temporary appointees) got to that chamber through waging an election campaign. And every one of them know down to their bones how bold a lie Trump told America. Each of them poured blood, sweat, tears, and money into their own Senate campaigns, knowing that victory is never assured until after the votes are cast. In 2018 even a Republican Senate seat in Alabama slipped, for a time, out of the GOP's grasp.
Every member of the Senate "jury pool" knows that "The only way I can lose this election is ff it was rigged" was not only 100% false, but that it was dangerous to democracy to claim. It prefaced "Stop the Steal" and led to an attack on Congress itself. That is clear in hindsight, but it didn't require foresight at the time to know that Trump's claim was both false and toxic to our democracy. They all knew he was lying about something fundamental to self government. Very few, if any, forcefully condemned Trump for claiming that the only legitimate election would be one in which he won. They let it go at the time because it was just "Trump being Trump." Just like Trump telling an angry mob to march on the Capital to "Fight like Hell" was just Trump being Trump.
= new reply since forum marked as read
