Looking back at 2024, it felt just like any other year – packed with predictable events, including an interminable election period, Taylor Swift ruling the roost with her brand of music, and the escalating climatic disturbances. However, the plot one could never script included President Joe Biden making a sudden retreat after a humiliating debate debacle, repeated attempts to take out former President Donald Trump in swift succession, and the bewildering nosedive of Red Lobster owing to the infinite shrimp debacle. Biden’s decision to contest for the presidential post once more was a laughable gaffe. Proving right my predictions.
As 2024 dawned, the optimism surged for the Republicans poised for a comeback bid minus Trump, potentially led by a fresher face with grounded conservative ideologies. Someone like Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, or even perhaps Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, was seen as a fitting candidate. But lo and behold, there was no twist in the tale – the former President sailed through the primaries much to our disbelief.
Pundits, including myself, dismissed Trump’s chances, saying, ‘He can’t possibly win.’ Then, Kamala Harris threw her hat in the ring. With Trump bulldozing his way through the Republican field, the common refrain was, ‘There’s no way he’s winning in November. This is heading towards a Republican massacre, and would mean enduring another four years of progressive incompetence at the helm of the country.’ However, the unexpected happened – Trump bagged 31 states along with the popular votes.
In a surprising turn of events, Republicans not only took control of the Senate and the House but also dominated elected positions in most states. Trump’s triumph was not limited to the election but also extended to all swing states. Conservative states like Texas and Florida demonstrated even stronger support for conservative candidates than predicted. This victory sealed the vindication for the Republican party, overcoming a few skeptics in the process.
However, I was not immune to misjudgments myself. When Trump declared JD Vance as his running mate, I initially thought it was a weak decision. Yet now in hindsight, I must admit my mistake: I believed in conservative values, but I doubted if Trump could convince the nation to follow suit. In hindsight, my doubts were unfounded and a far cry from the reality.
What if I claimed to have a perfect prediction record? Some might question my foresight, accusing me of prior false predictions, failing to foresee Trump’s refusal to debate and considering JD Vance’s departure before the election. I would suggest they reserve their judgment and take it up with my legal counsel.
Among the numerous columns I penned for USA TODAY in 2024, one stands out. In July, I prognosticated that U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon would face backlash for her irrational move to dismiss all charges against the then President-elect Donald Trump in Florida. These charges related to him taking classified documents post office and refusal to return them until a FBI search warrant was served at Mar-a-Lago.
Harris’s campaign, filled with memes and Gen Z-backed trends, initially appeared promising. But it was a gross overestimation of her outreach. As Trump ripped through the Republican primary like wildfire, despite my constant doubts over his chances of victory, he proved me wrong. His victory was not limited to the election but extended to acquiring the presidency itself.
The one place I faltered was assessing Trump’s campaign impact on the young voters. I terribly underestimated it, paying the ultimate price. The election revealed a critical lesson – a campaign carried on the back of internet virality doesn’t necessarily convert into votes. And more importantly, any campaign overlooking a particular demographic mass, like young men in the case of Harris, could meet its downfall.
On a poignant note, my assertions about the burdens shouldered by American teachers turned out to be true. Marking the beginning of the school year in August, I voicing my concerns that our educators were working under severe pressure and with little appreciation. The disastrous school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin underscored the horrifying reality: our educators are expected not just to shape the future but also to serve as shields amidst unthinkable violence; a plea for tighter gun laws becomes deafening.
With the year coming to an end, looking back at the events that unfolded, the element of surprise keeps us on our toes. One of the standout moments was Biden’s unceremonious exit from the Presidential race due to a crushing debate loss. Additionally, the back-to-back attempts on former President Donald Trump’s life left the nation on edge.
The unfolding saga of Red Lobster’s status crash, due to their ill-planned all-you-can-eat shrimp promotion, also took everyone by surprise. Stark reminders of Biden’s erroneous decision to seek a second term, confirmed my previously stated reservations.
As many might recall, the year started with me voicing hopes for the Republican Party moving past the Trump era and embracing innovative leadership with a conservative bend. Ideally, this torchbearer could have been someone like former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Governor. But navigating the political currents, Trump stood his ground.
Harboring doubts about Trump’s capability to win, I was taken aback as he not only trounced his Republican contenders but also led Republicans to dominate elected offices in most states. The reality check this gave me and other naysayers came with Trump’s unexpected win in the election, which resulted in the Republicans control of the Senate and the House. Yet, the course of 2024 rewrote many predictions, underscoring the idiom that in politics, nothing is permanent.