 Fight back? This was more than two weeks after the election. It's becoming harder to identify Trump's endgame, since legal pursuits never really had any chance, and the odds of him actually holding on to the White House are beyond remote. Ninety minutes later:
"The silent Fake News media is truly the Enemy of the People!" The email from Team Trump 2020 asks recipients to confirm their email address in order to "Stand with President Trump."
Why a new email list now? Is this for fundraising after January? For what? Trump TV? Trump merchandise? Trump in 2024? Three hours later, an email from Trump himself:
"This is sheer MADNESS! The Fake News is trying to keep these unprecedented stories of VOTER FRAUD quiet, but it's important for the American People to know the TRUTH." It asks for a $5 donation "to defend the Election." Less than two hours later, from Mike Pence:
"I have great news. With the President's WIN in North Carolina, we've proved to the Left that, no matter what the media says, this Election is not over." It requests $5 for the Election Defense Fund.
Great news? The election is most certainly over. Is Pence angling for his own presidential run in four years?
Ninety minutes later, from Eric Trump: "The Radical Left's plan to steal the Election is starting to crumble." The president's son asks for a $5 contribution to the Official Georgia Recount Fund.
Ninety minutes later, from President Trump: "If we don't stand up and fight right now, we will lose our county to the Liberal Mob forever." Besides asking for $5 to "Defend the Election from the Radical Left," is Trump so petty that he gains satisfaction by simply delaying things for Joe Biden's transition team?
Two hours later, a joint email from Trump and Pence: "We need you to step up" by contributing to the "Official Election Defense Fund."
Even for an epic sore loser, this is a remarkable volume of emails in a ridiculously short period of time. I thought getting an email almost every day from L.L. Bean was obnoxious. Trump's outreach is pathetic.
I signed up many years ago for emails from both Democrats and Republicans as a journalistic pursuit. I never contribute money, nor do I respond to surveys and petitions. Often I've laughed at the sophomoric pleas and the basement-level marketing approach. But this is different, and it seems to be growing with each day, rather than fading.
Trump's latest emails ask $30 in return for a tee-shirt on which is printed: "Count All Legal Votes." Even as recounts confirmed his loss, and courts rejected his pleas, Trump emailed the other day: "I concede NOTHING."
Trump missives still include links to the Trump 2020 App, as well as to Trump's Twitter feed and Facebook page. They all end with: "We appreciate your support and with your help, we'll secure FOUR MORE YEARS!"
For all the blather there is one thing recipients can only find with a magnifying glass—something even those who voted for Trump would probably seek at this point: For Trump and his emails, an easy way to "unsubscribe."
(c) Peter Funt. This column originally appeared in USA Today.
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