The Simple Reason Donald Trump Endorsed Roy Moore
CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 12/5/2017, 7:09 a.m.
Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore spoke on November 16, 2017. He continued to deny the allegations against him as more women continue to come forward.
Analysis by Chris Cillizza, CNN Editor-at-large
(CNN) -- On Monday morning, President Donald Trump removed any doubt: He's 100% behind Roy Moore's Senate campaign.
Trump tweeted: "Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama. We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!"
Trump followed that tweet up with a call to the embattled Alabama Republican that reportedly ended with the President urging, "Go get 'em, Roy!"
If you are shocked by the President of the United States endorsing the candidacy of a man who stands accused of pursuing sexual relationships with a number of women between the ages of 14 and 19 when he was in his 30s, you don't know much about Trump.
Trump, as he edged toward a Moore endorsement last week, made clear that despite the allegations, Moore had denied all of them. Sort of like how Trump denied the accusations of sexual harassment leveled by more than a dozen women during the course of the 2016 campaign.
That's far from the only similarity between the two. Moore has repeatedly bested the political establishment in Alabama, just like Trump did nationally. Moore positions himself as a warrior against political correctness. Same for Trump. Moore is at war with the liberal media. Ditto Trump. And so on.
In Moore, Trump sees a kindred soul. And now, with Moore bouncing back in polls and seemingly with the momentum in his race against Democrat Doug Jones, Trump wants to be in on the Alabama race so he can claim credit if Moore wins.
Given all of that, it would have been far more surprising if Trump hadn't endorsed Moore.
The Point: Trump sees the world through one lens: "How does this affect me?" And he believes a Moore win is good for the sort of anti-establishment politics they both practice. That, plus the prospect of being associated with a winner, drives Trump's logic in this decision. And all his decisions.
