Normally, when a politician is out of office, their popularity decreases in terms of political viability. Not only do the people see someone losing to their opponent as proof that they’re no longer capable of putting up a good enough fight, but being out of the office keeps him or her out of people’s minds just by nature of being out of the public eye.
Former President Donald Trump is not one of those people. He’s one of the few politicians that actually experienced intense popularity after his loss, and while Democrats can’t seem to understand why, comedian Chris Rock seems to have figured it out.
According to Fox News, Rock was at an event in Washington, D.C., honoring his friend Adam Sandler, when he began going in on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Biden Administration over the arrest of Donald Trump:
“Are you guys really going to arrest Trump?” Rock asked.
“Do you know this is only going to make him more popular. It’s like arresting Tupac. He’s just gonna sell more records. Are you stupid?” he said as the room laughed.
Rock went on to riff on the circumstances of Trump’s potential indictment, which arose from his relationship with adult film star Stormy Daniels.
“[Trump] f—ing a porn star and paid off someone so his wife couldn’t find out. That’s romantic,” Rock said.
“We’ve all been cheated on. Don’t you wish that the person that cheated on you paid off somebody so you wouldn’t find out?” he added.
Rock understands why Trump’s popularity has had such longevity, and a lot of it comes from the Democrats’ constant attacks on him. After what many see as an illegitimate election in the first place, the constant attacks on Trump only affirm people’s belief that they see him as one of their largest threats, and as such, they see him as an option to defeat them.
Arresting Trump will only confirm their beliefs even further. His arrest will only scratch the itch of leftists who hate them. Everyone else will see this move as a reason to like Trump more. It will only add to his credentials as a man who could defeat the Democrats in the next election.
Moreover, this will increase his status as a D.C. outsider which, after all the corruption of the Biden era, will seem even more appealing to voters who are sick of the status quo.
Rock is correct. The Democrats will only strengthen Trump’s position among the GOP and Independent voters if they arrest him. He will become a living martyr much like many people before him who were arrested by the powers that be for stepping out of their established lines.
When he achieves that kind of status, the Democrats will have a much harder time dealing with him in future elections as any attack on him will only be further confirmation that he’s the guy for them.
While this won’t work on all Republicans, and many will split to vote for their own candidates, should Trump get the Republican nomination, Trump will be all the more difficult to overcome due to their revealing their fears of him.