Good Morning in Cleveland, with Republicans hostile to Donald Trump
Audio 04:56
Former assistant attorney general in Ohio, Michael Ann Johnson is the same age as Donald Trump.
She believes the president has undermined American democracy.
RFI / ANNE CORPET
By: Anne Corpet Follow
12 mins
In Ohio, a rural state that voted Donald Trump in 2016, a group of Republicans have launched a campaign for Joe Biden.
The initiative is not isolated: more and more conservatives openly denounce the record of the American president.
Publicity
From our special correspondent in Cleveland,
Anne Corpet
They named their campaign
“Operation Grant”
, after the northern general who reconciled the country after the Civil War.
On their website, voters explain how Donald Trump showered the hopes they had placed in him in 2016. Leaving the party they were affiliated with was not an easy process: Linda Bauer sobs in her voice when 'she says'
This will be the first time that I will vote for a Democrat.
It makes me uncomfortable because I have always voted Republican, but I just can't do it anymore…
”Linda has been struck by the coronavirus, has lost loved ones to the pandemic, and attributes these deaths to the chaotic management of the White House.
“
Trump is responsible for the deaths of more than 210,000 Americans in the United States to date and there will be many more by the end of the year.
It's his fault.
He should have done better,
”she asserts.
"
The Antithesis of What a Christian Should Be
"
Butch Roger was a pastor for twenty years before becoming a chartered accountant.
He continues to attend his church, and tries to convince his community to vote against Donald Trump.
The task is difficult: almost 80% of evangelicals supported the president in 2016 and continue to do so.
To dissuade them from renewing the president's term, Butch evokes the personality of the White House host.
“
Listen to what Trump says!
Look at the life he led!
He does not live according to Christian values.
The way he treats women, people of different races, his opponents!
Read his tweets!
I don't think there is a Christian mother of a family who would tolerate her ten year old son or daughter making fun, giving each of their class mates nicknames and laughing at them saying it's just for joking .. Trump is the antithesis of what a Christian should be!
He's a crook!
»He exclaims.
But Butch admits it: he has so far failed to convince many people within his church.
“
Evangelicals are voters who care about only one subject: abortion.
And they are ready to forgive everything to the president as long as he appoints judges in favor of abolishing voluntary termination of pregnancy.
"
Former pastor and Republican, Butch Roger is trying to convince his community to vote against Donald Trump.
RFI / ANNE CORPET
"
If my testimony rocks a single Republican in this city ...
"
Michael Ann Johnson made her decision after reading the
Mueller report
on Russian interference in the campaign.
Former assistant to the attorney general in Ohio, this lawyer - who is the same age as Donald Trump - believes that the president has undermined American democracy.
"
I will not vote for Trump because he has no ethics,
" she says.
I watched what he did during his tenure, and read the Mueller report in its entirety.
I found that he was conclusively establishing collusion with Russia.
And this collusion continues.
I am very disturbed by the way Putin's Russia is trying to influence our government.
Trump destroyed the executive, and also parliament.
There is no longer any independent thought.
"
Michael Ann Johnson's family has always been Republican, and they have given up on dissuading them from voting for the president a second time.
"
The discussion with my relatives has become impossible, they do not want to hear the truth, are content to listen to Fox News, a television subservient to the White House
", she admits before adding: "
But if my testimony switches only one Republican from this town, then he will have been useful.
"
Against their culture
The Republicans' movement against Donald Trump is gaining momentum to the highest levels of state.
At least three conservative governors, former members of the Bush administrations father and son, have called for votes for Joe Biden.
Dozens of former national security officials have also publicly called for blocking the president.
This is the case of retired General Mark Arnold, who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Retired general Mark Arnold calls for voting against Donald Trump because he has endangered the relationship with America's traditional allies, thus threatening national security.
RFI / ANNE CORPET
“
The majority of retired military officials who like me have publicly said they will not support Donald Trump have acted against their culture.
This means a lot because the generals and the admirals, when they retire, are very reluctant to talk about politics,
”he says before explaining his decision to break with his party:“
Reason The main part of my rallying to the Republican movement against Trump is that it has endangered America's relationship with its most staunch allies, allies we have had for decades.
This threatens America's security very directly
.
"
And the retired general sighs: “
Even if Joe Biden is elected, it will take time to convince our partners that our signing at the foot of a treaty still has value.
"
At the national level, several groups unite the conservatives determined to vote for Joe Biden.
The best known of these, the
Lincoln Project
regularly posts high impact videos on social media.
According to the organizers of the
Operation Grant
campaign
in Ohio, it would be enough for 150,000 Republicans to vote Joe Biden to tip the state into the hands of the Democrats.
►
To listen: Good Morning from the Midwest: two Americas that have become irreconcilable?
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
United States
Donald trump
Joe biden
On the same subject
Good morning
Good Morning from the Midwest: two Americas that have become irreconcilable?
Washington from here
[Original podcast] Trump-Biden: A battle on several fronts