Trump mansplains how he is a supposed champion of women’s rights | The Homestretch

Donald Trump has long disrespected women and treated them like sex objects. But now he is promising to magically cure all that, in his view, ails them.

In a deranged social media post on late Friday night, Trump claimed — in all caps and with no supporting facts — that women are poorer, less healthy, less safe, and more depressed than they were four years ago. But the almighty Trump wizard will make all their troubles go away provided they vote for him — and not the woman running for president.

“I WILL FIX ALL OF THAT, AND FAST, AND AT LONG LAST THIS NATIONAL NIGHTMARE WILL BE OVER. WOMEN WILL BE HAPPY, HEALTHY, CONFIDENT AND FREE!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump didn’t explain how that would happen. The Great Weaver went on to mansplain to women how worries about abortion access — which he created — will go away.

“YOU WILL NO LONGER BE THINKING ABOUT ABORTION, BECAUSE IT IS NOW WHERE IT ALWAYS HAD TO BE, WITH THE STATES, AND A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE — AND WITH POWERFUL EXCEPTIONS, LIKE THOSE THAT RONALD REAGAN INSISTED ON, FOR RAPE, INCEST, AND THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER — BUT NOT ALLOWING FOR DEMOCRAT DEMANDED LATE TERM ABORTION IN THE 7TH, 8TH, OR 9TH MONTH, OR EVEN EXECUTION OF A BABY AFTER BIRTH. I WILL PROTECT WOMEN AT A LEVEL NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THEY WILL FINALLY BE HEALTHY, HOPEFUL, SAFE, AND SECURE. THEIR LIVES WILL BE HAPPY, BEAUTIFUL, AND GREAT AGAIN!” Trump wrote.

There you have it, ladies. The twice-divorced guy, who a jury found sexually assaulted a woman in a department store and was convicted of paying off a porn star to influence the outcome of the 2016 election, will somehow keep you safe and happy. Of course, this is also the same guy who bragged that he could grab women by their genitals whenever he wanted.

Let that guide the voting decisions of women everywhere.

The respective vice-presidential running mates underscored the stark difference between the Harris and Trump campaigns during campaign stops in Pennsylvania over the weekend.

JD Vance, Donald Trump’s choice for vice president, apparently plans to go down swinging on his bogus claims of pet-eating Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio.

Vance devoted much of his speech in Berks County on Saturday railing against illegal immigration, while ignoring that Trump sabotaged a border bill that Vice President Kamala Harris supports.

Vance, a dilettante who got famous for writing a memoir about his family’s economic struggles, continues to use lies and hate to stoke anger at immigrants. Vance’s decision to double down on an ugly lie about Haitians in Springfield stealing and eating pets — even after being told the story was baseless — prompted an editorial in the Dayton Daily News that said, Vance “has become an embarrassment not only to himself, but to Ohio.”

Meanwhile, Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president, traveled to Bethlehem where he marked the start of Hispanic American Heritage month by celebrating the positive contributions immigrants have made to the country.

» READ MORE: On immigration, Donald Trump offers only division and disaster | Editorial

“You chose to come here, and the reason is simple. You love this country,” Walz said. “Hard work can be good work. Democracy is … a precious privilege and gift that we need to protect. And you can do it with joy, optimism, grace, and happiness.”

The opposing views are a preview of the debate next week between Vance and Walz. Vice presidents don’t normally sway election outcomes, but Vance and Walz do reflect the character of the respective presidential nominees.

Trump’s campaign is built around hate and dividing Americans. Harris’ wants to build an economy that works for everyone regardless of their race, religion, or income level. Vance and Walz reminded voters of those differences during their respective appearances in Pennsylvania.

Harris and Walz envision a country where a rising tide lifts all boats. Trump and Vance envision a country where those who don’t look like them get thrown overboard.

How could a person, who was born on third base and presided over the failure of casinos and six bankruptcies, land a reality TV show that portrayed him as a successful self-made businessman, and go on to bamboozle Americans to elect him president, not once, but maybe twice?

All the dots of Trump’s life story as the best bluffer since Cool Hand Luke get connected in a new book titled, Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success.

» READ MORE: The Trump Threat | An occasional series by The Inquirer Editorial Board about the risk posed by a second Donald Trump presidency.

The book is written by Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig, the New York Times reporters who detailed Trump’s decades-long tax dodging schemes. It provides the context for voters to understand how Trump has gone through life by passing the buck, evading the truth, and avoiding any consequences of his actions.

Indeed, Election Day may be the last chance to hold Trump accountable.

The Homestretch is an occasional column by members of The Inquirer Editorial Board exploring the stakes in the 2024 presidential race.