The Lincoln Project: Holding politicians accountable

It is easy to become cynical when looking at our politics and the state of our political system. Lying politicians, attacks on our Constitution, and constant fighting are now the norm. Politicians seem more concerned with their re-election than solving the nation’s problems. We are now suffering through the corona virus pandemic, a deep recession, and protests against racism. There seems no end to the nightmare. But then along comes the Lincoln Project. Suddenly there is a flicker of light amid the darkness. Maybe we can start to believe in this system again.

The Lincoln Project is a political action committee formed in late 2019 by a group of prominent Republicans and former Republicans. Their goal is to defeat Donald Trump and his supporters in the US Senate. Founders include some you may know, and others you may not. George Conway is the husband of Kellyanne Conway, Advisor to President Trump. Steve Schmitt was the campaign manager for John McCain’s 2008 Presidential campaign. John Weaver oversaw McCain’s 2000 campaign, and Rick Wilson is a media consultant. On their website they describe the Project as “Protecting democracy and defeating candidates who have abandoned constitutional oaths”.

The group has produced a number of anti-Trump, pro-Biden media advertisements. They are produced at lightening speed, catching the public debate as it is happening. They hammer President Trump using his own words and actions. This is powerful media designed to upend President Trump and his campaign.

On May 4, 2020, the group released a video called, “Mourning in America”. Styled after Ronald Reagan’s “Morning in America” ad in his 1984 campaign, it focused on President Trump’s handling of the Covid-19 crisis. It asserted that the country is “weaker, sicker, and poorer” under Trump’s leadership. The images are powerful and shocking.

In early June, they released “Mattis”, detailing retired General Mattis’s criticism of President Trump for his attacks on protesters on Lafayette Square and his photo op at St. John’s church. The video asks, “Who do you trust: the coward or the commander?” It criticized the President for “dodging the draft” and “hiding in a bunker firing off tweets”. Needless to say, this is hard hitting stuff.

These ads are designed to get under the President’s skin, and they seem to have done just that. He called the founders “losers” and “Republicans in name only”. Others like Jeet Heer have come to the President’s defense writing in The Nation that the ads are “hard line military aggression”.

So why should a few ads against the President give us hope for our democracy? Whether you agree with them or not, these Lincoln Project individuals have chosen country over the Republican party and democratic principles over demagoguery. They seemingly have nothing to gain from this choice. They will receive no material gains nor any plum political appointments. They will be shunned for their disloyalty to the Republican party – the very party that they have spent their whole careers building. Their future with the Party is grim, and retaliation is quite possible whether President Trump wins or loses in November.

The Lincoln Project should give us hope. These individuals have decided to put the country and democracy ahead of their own political fortunes. They show us that there are still people who will stand for their principles and fight for them. You may disagree with their goals, but it is rare to see this kind of courage in our politics today.

So I say, “Thank you Lincoln Project”. You have shown us that there are still people who honor our Constitution and our democracy and are willing to fight for it. Maybe there is still hope for our Constitution and political system even in these dark times.