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Trump, Hope, and Pincer Movements

Posted on Thursday, November 14, 2024
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by AMAC, Robert B. Charles
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Where do you find hope, and how to understand why the hope you feel is real? Start with tactics, and what they tell us. The pincer movement, in military terms, is confronting an enemy on two sides at once, squeezing resources, preparedness, agility, and leadership. Trump’s victory – sliceable in many ways – involved two pincer movements, producing a major victory, real hope.

While military analogies can be overdrawn when applied to politics, Clausewitz put war and politics on one continuum. What Trump did, from a distance, is align young and old voters around core issues, namely the economy and public safety, then did the same with minority and majority voters.

The Democrats, true, were confused, disoriented, and not credible. They imagined monsters where none existed and conceived magic tricks to win the day – like waving the abortion wand and expecting all other issues to disappear for women.  The delusion was one they bought, America did not.

Back to the double pincer by Trump. As young people continue to struggle under high inflation, high interest, and high taxes, hunt good jobs, can barely afford to rent, and find their dreams of home ownership on life support, Trump spoke directly – and convincingly – to them.

Trump used old means, but also new ones, including talking with those who have the trust – a big word these days – of the young. He spent three hours with Joe Rogan. He got 56 percent of men under 30,  to 40 percent for Harris. He bumped his support of young women up by 10 percent.

At the same time, by zeroing in on the economy – high cost of living, insecurity on basics – and public safety, made worse by illegal immigration, unprecedented drug trafficking, and underreported major crimes – he also got the attention of thoughtful, sage, older Americans. Perhaps coincidentally, he racked up 56 percent of those 50 to 64, as Harris got just 43 percent.

Caught between big losses from the young and from the old, who went heavily for Trump, the others – those between 30 and 50, over 64 – which were generally a wash or even – mattered less. Trump saw an opportunity in the young and the older but still worked and nailed it.

Then, as if this attack from north and south were not enough, he pinched from east and west, and spoke directly to the interests of individuals who happen to count themselves part some minority, black, Hispanic, Asian, single, entrepreneur, military, gig economy – but also spoke to the majority directly, Christians, Jews, union members, and parents. The effect was powerful, and all-American.

Whether speaking to a restoration of fiscal responsibility, lower debt, lower costs, and free markets or to freedoms generally, speech, worship, 2nd Amendment, or rule of law without intrusions on your home, papers, and life – things he suffered – he made the case that freedom is real, it matters.

There was the second pincer, watching him blow old numbers out of the water with almost every minority group, then pull from the shadows voters who had never voted before but counted themselves patriots, freedom lovers, Christians who – finally – realized voting your values works.

In the end, this was a new way of winning a campaign, a new approach to winning – universal appeal, economy, and safety, new communications avenues, talking to young AND older, to individuals as individuals, not as groups, and in this way to minority individuals AND majority.

Clearly, this double pincer worked for Trump- Vance and likely will be a coalition that holds for some time, as long as they deliver on the promise of it all, the all-American nature of cleaning things up economically, restoring public safety, trust in government, and then national security.

Truth is, we really do have more in common with other Americans than anyone else in the world. That seems to be true of young and old, minority and majority. Trump saw it, spoke to it, and is likely to deliver on it – as he did before – again. If you are looking for grounded hope, there is it.

Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC. Robert Charles has also just released an uplifting new book, “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024).

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Max
Max
23 days ago

Well, RBC, Pres. Trump won the hearts of the people. Voters that supported VP Harris were still blindsided to reality of the false promises of the Democrats. I have faith that Pres. Trump will do his best to honor his pledges to the people and I pray that he will get the necessary support from all of the Congress and Federal agencies. He has picked a good cabinet to help drain the swamp as best as he can. Cleanup is definitely necessary.

Rob citizenship
Rob citizenship
23 days ago

Genuineness — that is what I do believe happened with and was a large part of President Trump’s campaign strategy. It was a case of not thinking in terms of winning the hearts and minds of people but connecting with the hearts and minds of people. This is admirable of President Trump considering all of the false accusations he has experienced in his political history. It indicates good character , strength in not being bitter but instead developing a wisdom from the adverse political attacks . Something else of importance — the mention of how he spoke to people as individuals ,not as groups .This article is important as it goes beyond the mechanical aspects of a campaign for the Presidency and describes the spirit of how the good qualities in people are still there Hope for this United States of America — definitely –and it has it’s roots in genuineness ; trust that proceeds from being truthful . Gratitude to God for sure. . This new outlook on the honorable place of this Nation is a great achievement.

Patti Zelenack
Patti Zelenack
23 days ago

In all honesty, how anyone could vote for Democrats after what we’ve seen over the last 4 years, shows how little their policies have affected them. Only the upper elite would vote for such nonsense for another 4 years!

Leslie
Leslie
23 days ago

IF the Republican party stays united (and I mean ALL OF THEM, RINO’s included), we are paving the way for a JD Vance presidency in 2028. Congress, again, ALL of them, need to be harshly reminded as soon as they go back to their partisan power games like Mitch McConnell is already doing) that they work FOR THE PEOPLE. Call, write, do whatever you have to do to remind your elected officials that they work for the people of America, all of us. And someone better put forward a term limit proposal asap!

Butter and guns
Butter and guns
22 days ago

It’s another dawn to a new morning in America.  We can enjoy the cleansing sunshine for a while. 
The left had been all too comfortable enforcing their godless ways.   They blatantly used their office to pervert all America’s institutions, to prosecute their political opponents and authorize agents to harass private citizens.   
Everyone knows it.  
On November 5th the majority of Americans held them responsible for their larceny.
Globalism has fallen on the ropes.  All Statism:  communists, national socialists and leftist liberals are not just inconsolable, they are scared witless and desperate. 
Little wonder their trolls can do due nothing but attack in a self-absorbed blob of lies and insults. 
The great shift to rebelliousness and immorality will still be accepted by some in society.  
The jury is still out when that evil reaches its ultimate and certain verdict.  Because evil always collapses upon itself. 
The left has lost everything they held: Gone for a least a generation!  
Lost because their compliant media monopoly has NO credibility and it’s clear the majority of the new generations have dumped the woke evil and are awakening as conservative traditionalists.

uncleferd
uncleferd
23 days ago

Very informative article by Mr. Charles… that also shows the discipline of the Trump team.

Sean Rickman
Sean Rickman
23 days ago

Many AMERICANS feel that the 2020 election was corrupt,but then with the last election with many eyes on the democrats cheating,PRESIDENT TRUMP and the COSERVATIVES still won.There was still cheating on the obama,soros side but not enough to destroy AMERICA.

uncleferd
uncleferd
23 days ago

“….. I was raised in a middle-class family……”

Max
Max
23 days ago

Oh well, the Demo trolls are out again.

A row of supercomputers running simulations of quantum cryptography algorithms to test their efficiency and effectiveness
President Joe Biden, son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden walk across the South Lawn of The White House on July 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Biden is returning from a weekend trip to Camp David. (Photo by Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images)
President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Dana White during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City.

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