On August 16th, 2023, KTRH hosted an interview with political strategist Raven Harrison, discussing the recent indictment faced by former President Donald Trump and its potential impact. The interview shed light on the dynamics surrounding public opinion, the justice system, and the motives behind the ongoing indictments. Let's delve into the highlights of this thought-provoking conversation.
KTRH August 16th, 2023 with Raven Harrison
Houston's Morning News with Jimmy Barrett and Shara Fryer
Throughout the interview, Raven Harrison expressed her perspective on the potential consequences of the indictment on both the Trump family and voters' perception. She argued that while it might have financial and campaign-related implications, Trump's supporters perceive the indictment as yet another tactic of a so-called "witch hunt." Harrison highlighted that past experiences have shown an inverse relationship between attacks on Trump and his rising popularity, suggesting that this current situation will be no different.
The conversation also touched upon the public's response to scandals and the role of hard-held positions in shaping opinions. Harrison attributed the increasing indifference towards scandals to a lack of follow-through in the justice system, which was intended as a check and balance mechanism for prosecuting crimes and maintaining integrity. She emphasized the absence of significant repercussions for corruption within the government, noting that fatigue and a diminished trust in the justice system have become prevalent among Americans.
Transcript
- Jimmy Barrett: Well, this seemed to be hurting the Trump family much. I mean, it hurts financially. It hurts as far as being able to campaign. But, as far as the voters are concerned, it doesn't seem to be making much of a dent now at this point. And I think that's pretty easy to explain among Trump supporters. They realize that this is all a great big, to quote the former president, "Witch Hunt."
- Raven Harrison joins us, political strategist. I never really did expect to see a big drop in the polls for Donald Trump based on all these indictments. Did you?
- Raven Harrison: No, because the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. So, since he came down the golden escalators, every time they've attacked him, his popularity has gone up every time. So, this will be no different. And this one is just different because they actually sent out the indictment before they had it approved and secured, which means it's basically like if they go ahead and handcuff you before you commit a crime just in case.
- Shara Fryer: You know, the fact that we're talking about Americans becoming numb to scandals, is that because everybody has hard positions now? I mean, is there anybody left in the country who can be swayed?
- Raven: Well, it's because we don't have the follow-through on our justice system. It was supposed to be a check and balance. The government and the justice system was not supposed to be used like this. It was used, it was supposed to be used to prosecute crimes and criminals. And the threat of that used to keep things in check. And we don't have the balance now. There's nobody going to jail. We're seeing rampant corruption in our government. And we are, nobody's going to jail. What we're seeing is literally on our timeline, every time Biden does something, Trump gets indicted.
- He's been indicted for what Democrats across the platform. I mean, he's disinformation for saying that he didn't like the election. And he lost Stacey Abrams and Hillary Clinton did the same thing. Hillary wrote a book. And it said, "What happened?" No indictment. Classified documents. What about Obama? Bush? Pence? Clinton, who have all admitted to being in possession. And most of them were not authorized to declassify those, as the president is. And no indictment. So what the American people have is fatigue of any kind of credibility, if anything, it comes out of the justice system.
- Jimmy: Well, you know, Raven Harrison, I have to wonder too. We've had a lot of conjecture that the reason why the Democrats are doing all these indictments is just to keep him and his attorneys busy, so he doesn't have time to campaign. He can't make appearances. He can't go about his normal campaigning. I have to wonder if part of the motivation, too, is to try to make the Biden family look more normal.
- Raven: Well, that too. I think what you've got is you've got deflection because Biden is—it's not a personal observation. It is a statement—he is in decline, physical, mental decline. And they are desperate because they've all rallied around him. He's the guy. He's going to do it. He's tripping over air at this point. So they are desperate to protect him. And what I feel like you're seeing is really desperation.
- They are throwing everything, hoping that from in the PR war, the war of public opinion, that people just see indictment, indictment. And they think he's unelectable, but the numbers and the polls do not support this. You're saying, "Well, he's unelectable." The voters are saying he's our guy.
- Jimmy: Okay, Raven Harrison, always good to talk to you. Thanks.
Another Indictment Wrap-up
The discussion further explored the motives behind the series of indictments faced by Trump and its potential impact on his ability to campaign effectively. Harrison suggested that the indictments could serve as a distraction tactic to keep Trump and his legal team occupied, limiting his campaign activities and appearances. Additionally, she proposed that part of the motivation might be to present the Biden family as more normal and deflect attention from challenges faced by President Joe Biden, whom she alleged to be in physical and mental decline.
Harrison concluded by acknowledging the desperation apparent in the ongoing indictments, driven by a desire to protect Biden and shape public opinion. Despite the efforts to paint Trump as unelectable, she noted that the polls and public sentiment do not align with this narrative. The interview concluded with the host expressing gratitude for Harrison's insights.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, it is crucial for citizens to stay informed and critically analyze the dynamics at play. Dialogues like this interview shed light on the intricacies of political maneuvering, repercussions on public opinion, and the state of justice within our government. By engaging in constructive discussions and seeking multiple perspectives, we can enhance our understanding and actively participate in shaping the future of our nation.
