Anyone faced with attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris for never having met Donald Trump in advance of next week’s debate should keep in mind Tim Miller’s fiery retort. It was even more enjoyable for also destroying the ever-obnoxious Piers Morgan on his own show.
Miller is a former Republican operative turned never-Trumper. On Morgan’s show, he was en fuego as he responded to an effort to paint Harris as ineffective for not having met Trump. “Do you know why Trump and Kamala Harris have never met, Pierce? Did you think? Have you thought about it for a second? Do you know why they really haven't met?” Miller began.
“Tell me,” Morgan replied.
“Because he is a toddler and he threw a temper tantrum after he lost a fair election, and for the first time in America since the Civil War, we did not have a peaceful transfer of power,” Miller said. “We did not have a ceremonial transfer of power with a former president, like a man goes and stands on the stage and greets the next incoming president, where he helps the incoming team with the transition, where the vice president's team meets with the - that didn't happen last time, because Donald Trump attempted a coup and he had a temper tantrum and he flew home to Mar-a-Lago just to go golfing.”
Morgan tried to interrupt. “To be clear, at the time, I heavily criticized him for all the things you’ve just said, but that doesn’t explain why…” he began.
Miller’s answer got to the heart of what I hope all Democrats will highlight in their own criticism of Trump: His “great dealmaker” claim is as full of BS as his election denying and his business valuations.
“Donald Trump was supposed to be a deal maker. Didn't meet with any of the Democratic senators,” Miller continued. “He said he was going to be the ‘Art of the Deal man,’ but he didn't try to actually do any deals. All he did was insult people on Twitter, and then after he lost to Kamala Harris, fair and square, and Joe Biden, he didn't have the dignity to try to have a transfer of power for the first time in American history. It’s shameful. It’s embarrassing.”
Before continuing, Miller blasted Morgan for not having challenged Trumper Corey Lewandowski, a previous guest, on the same subject. “It was a very chummy interview. I know you want to get Trump on the show,” Miller said, pointedly.
Miller returned to exploding the “Trump dealmaker” myth. Miller pointed out that Trump didn’t even write his famous “Art of the Deal” book, a ghostwriter did. “It was this fake persona. It was this Hollywood persona that he conned the American people into believing that he was some deal maker. Then he gets in the White House, and he doesn't even try to work with the Democrats on a deal. All he does is insult them. … He didn’t cut any deals."
Then Miller landed the coup de grâce. “Joe Biden ended up being the dealmaker,” Miller added. He cited Biden’s bipartisan deals on gay marriage and infrastructure.
Morgan wisely dropped the subject. He moved on to ask Miller why he left the Republican party.
It’s worth sticking around to hear Miller’s answer.
