My Campaign Advice to President Trump

Dear Mr. President:

It is my fervent hope and prayer that, on November 3rd, you will be elected to a second term as President of the United States. For that very reason, on the eve of the Republican National Convention, I am offering some unsolicited advice that I think would greatly enhance your chances of winning. You are welcome to “take it or leave it” but, in either case, please know that you have my support, my prayers, and my vote.

1. Don’t sing your own praises. Allow others to do that. Unleash an army of surrogates to crisscross the country and have them appear on every TV news channel and every radio call-in program. Yes, your accomplishments are many and yes, you have every right to be proud of them. But Americans prefer humility to boasting, so bite your tongue every time you have the urge to say something self-congratulatory and sit on your hands when you are tempted to pat yourself on the back. At the very least, you will confound the mainstream media… and we both know that you would get a real kick out of that.

2. Don’t personally attack your opponent. Joe Biden’s policies, which have taken a sharp left-hand turn over the past 12 years, are fair game. So is his lackluster record in the U.S. Senate, where he spent 36 long years. Focus on his mean-spirited attacks on Robert Bork and his “high-tech lynching” of Clarence Thomas. Be sure to mention his ever-changing positions, especially on issues like criminal justice, busing and integration. Don’t forget about his questionable ties to Communist China. But one of Joe’s supposed strong suits is his likeability – and the last thing you want voters to do is feel sorry for him.

3. Paint with broad strokes and bright colors. You don’t have to counter every Democratic argument, just the main ones. Portray Joe Biden and the Democrats as supporting anarchy and lawlessness – because they are. Contrast their “defund the police” nonsense with a pro-law enforcement message. Hit this one hard, Mr. President. When John Q. Public steps into the voting booth and draws the curtain behind him, you want one question on his mind: which candidate will better protect my family and me? A strong Law and Order platform translates into votes… lots of them.

4. Be upbeat and optimistic. Candidates who look to the future and see brighter days ahead – such as Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton – win elections. Those who peddle doom and gloom, like Jimmy Carter and Michael Dukakis, lose. You are a boundless optimist, so use that personality trait to your advantage.

5. Be unapologetically patriotic. More people love this country than hate it. More people are proud of America than are ashamed of it. Contrast your patriotism with the self-loathing and anti-Americanism of the progressive movement. Forget about Confederate monuments and instead, defend George Washington and our other Founding Fathers.

6. Leave Kamala Harris alone. You are not running against her; you are running against Joe Biden. I am completely confident that Vice President Mike Pence can – and will – dismantle her piece by piece in their debate and over the course of this campaign. Don’t let the media or the Liberal Left portray you as a misogynist bully.

7. Continue to Drain the Swamp. Joe Biden has been a “swamp creature” and a member of the Washington establishment for 47 years. Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi has been in Congress for 33 years and Chuck Schumer for 39. You, on the other hand, have been in office for less than four years and are still considered an outsider. Play that “Trump” card… over and over.

8. Outwork the competition. You are a very young 74. Joe Biden is a very old 77. Run circles around him. While he hunkers down in his basement, rack up as many frequent flyer miles as you can.

9. You are a peacetime president. Americans are pretty simple people. They want to feel safe and they want to feel secure. You have defeated ISIS and the Islamic caliphate. You are ending the war in Afghanistan. Peace and prosperity is a winning combination.

10. “It’s the Economy, Stupid!” No one knows this political truth better than you. James Carville may have said it, but you have lived it. Keep promoting policies that will jump-start the economy. If the market is up on November 3rd and unemployment is down, you will win.

Good luck and Godspeed, Mr. President!