This is an adapted excerpt from the Sept. 5 episode of “Morning Joe.”
On Wednesday, former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president. During an appearance at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, Cheney told the crowd, “Because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.”
Cheney’s endorsement doesn’t mean she’s abandoned her conservative beliefs. We’re not talking about the ideology of either of these candidates — in large part because Trump has no ideology. There’s also the fact both Trump and Harris are racing to the center, so the lines are getting blurred.
Someone in the Republican Party may attack Cheney for this endorsement and say, “Oh my gosh, so you’re going to abandon your pro-life beliefs?”
Like Trump has? Are you talking about how Trump abandoned his pro-life position right in front of our eyes?
Those same Republicans may say, “What about the southern border? Are you going to abandon that issue?”
Oh, like Trump, who killed the toughest border bill ever?
So again, this is not about ideology. Trump is not a conservative — a point I’ve been making since 2015. He doesn’t talk like a conservative and he’s continually abandoned conservatives on the issues that matter to them the most.
So at this point, if you’re a Republican voting for Trump, are you just voting for a personality cult? You should ask yourself: Do you want to be in a personality cult, or do you want the republic to endure with Madisonian democracy and checks and balances? That’s what it comes down to this November.
Cheney chose Madisonian democracy, and it shouldn’t be a shock.
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