Here at Rain-Man of Politics we like to think toward the future with a mind to the past. Firstly any good analysis keeps this in mind and it also helps contextualize any topic. With that in mind a simple question popped up…
Can Donald Trump concede defeat and congratulate Hillary Clinton?
This is an interesting question. As he lays the groundwork for a ‘rigged’ election against Hillary Clinton one needs to consider the implications of the inability to concede defeat and congratulate your opponent in a republic. If you are reading this article, and a US citizen, then you have never experienced a candidate who cannot concede defeat. McCain congratulated Obama, George H.W Bush congratulated Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter congratulated Ronald Reagan. For anyone alive in the United States today this has been the norm and it helps move the republic forward after tumultuous elections.
The ability to concede defeat is at the heart of any republic. There are winners and losers, and if the republic is to survive, dare I say thrive, the grace of the losing party in any given scenario does as much to move the ball forward as the goals of the victor. Before you jump the gun and say “What about Hillary Clinton?” I already know the answer- if she loses she will congratulate Donald Trump and, most likely, talk about working toward a better America. It’s the standard playbook for any politician; she is a standard politician, the unwritten rule of the republic. Looking back to her legislative history there are loses, and she always works with the other side so her congratulating Donald Trump and conceding electoral defeat makes perfect sense.
Donald Trump is not a politician. Donald Trump is a businessman and congratulating your opponent in business usually does not happen. There are winners and losers just like in politics but the goal of a business is for the business (singular) to succeed, damn your competitor. In politics, specifically American politics, the goal is always to move the republic forward. Donald Trump has business failures, every large business does, I cannot remember him thanking anyone for outfoxing him on a construction deal or having a casino that performs better than his business.
However, there is some evidence that Donald Trump can at least congratulate political opponents. This occurred in the Republican primary. His unconventional campaign of media dominance through controlling the news cycle worked- he bested 16 lifelong politicians. This is no easy feat and will go down in the history books as something to study. The power of political media, something like that; whatever it’s called Donald Trump mastered the realm. He congratulated Marco Rubio, who could forget “the hands” comment. He congratulated Governor Christie on a spirited campaign, even saying the same for Ted Cruz after lobbing political grenades toward his camp at the end of the primary season. So the ability is there to congratulate, but what of concession? Donald Trump won the Republican primary, remade the party the Lincoln into the party of Trump. There was no need for a concession.