Three Measures for 2024
A reference guide for assessing levels of abnormality in the upcoming election
In 2016, Donald Trump was an unconventional and unlikely presidential nominee known largely for his reality TV show. He was a curiosity, an oddity, and in many respects a blank slate.
In 2024, he is a former president with an established political history facing prosecution for attempting to overturn the last election. And he is running on a platform of seeking vengeance against those who stopped him.
So as we approach the voting stage of the political cycle, with Iowa and New Hampshire starting to loom a bit larger on the calendar, we are confronting a political environment that differs dramatically from the last time Trump was on the outside trying to attain power.
This time, we have a former president running openly on an authoritarian platform.
This time, we have a former president who is running to keep himself out of prison.
This time, we have a former president who incites violence as a political tool.
It’s going to be unique. It’s going to be strange. It’s going to be unique in its level of strangeness.
How strange will it get? Here are three measures to keep in mind as you assess how the campaign unfolds next year.
