Not that CNN has ever had the best political reporting, but this article is hot garbage. Almost entirely focusing on the tone and kayfabe of Trump’s rhetoric without really touching upon the ways in which he has openly plotted to warp our system into something quite unrecognizable.

That said, this middle section really stands alone:

Trump’s authoritarianism may make the 2024 election a profound choice

may

The former president’s increasing demagoguery also puts the spotlight on key unknowns of the 2024 election:

– Does the GOP risk nominating a candidate whose untamed behavior will alienate voters in many suburban swing districts who turned against him in the 2020 election, especially given the possibility that he could be a convicted felon by the time voters make their choice?

– And if Trump wins the nomination, will his liabilities and the prospect of four more years of chaos and recriminations mitigate concerns about Biden’s physical and mental competence and concerns about the economy, as revealed in a CNN poll last week that captured a broadly negative view of his presidency?

There are plenty of polls that already address this issue. They show that the answers to both of these look to be a resounding yes. This isn’t one of those questions that can never be answered, like the square root of a million or something.

The numbers of people who affirmatively believe that Biden was involved in Hunter’s business dealings is dispiriting, though. That, mixed with the constant media drumbeat over Biden’s age, is most likely what’s keeping things so close at this point.