In a recent episode of Tucker Carlson's show, renowned journalist and author Mark Halperin painted a grim picture of America's post-election future, should Donald Trump triumph over Kamala Harris.
Halperin, who has authored numerous books on American elections and currently hosts a show on Newsmax, warned of a potential psychological crisis sweeping the nation.
According to the Daily Mail, Halperin expressed his concerns to Carlson, stating, "I think it will be the cause of the greatest mental health crisis in the history of the country." He further elaborated that liberals might question their 'connection to the nation' and experience 'trauma in the workplace.'
A visibly taken aback Carlson asked, "Are you being serious?" to which Halperin confirmed he was '100% serious.' He then proceeded to make even more alarming predictions about the consequences of a second Trump term, including a rise in alcoholism and broken marriages. "They think hes the worst person possible to be president," Halperin added.
Halperin, a former reporter for ABC, NBC, and MSNBC, suggested that Democrats could tolerate Trump's victory in 2016 as a 'fluke.' However, a fair and square win for Trump would shatter their psyches. Halperin, who has been hosting his own show 'Focus Groups' since 2020, is known for his political neutrality during his regular appearances on various political podcasts.
The journalist also predicted widespread violence, from protests to everyday interactions between Americans, should Trump secure a win. "I think therell be workplace fights, fights at kids' birthday parties, I think there will be protests that will turn violent. I hope they dont, but I think there will be some," Halperin warned.
The conversation then shifted to the potential impact of a Harris victory over Trump. Halperin suggested that while the psychological impact on the 'losers' might not be as severe, it would not be insignificant. He speculated about various scenarios, including 'lawfare,' replacing Biden with Harris after Trump had spent millions trying to defeat Biden, and the media's potential bias.
Halperin believes that the reaction of Trump's MAGA base to a hypothetical Harris victory would largely depend on Trump's attitude and the Democrats' transparency. "If all that happens, and Kamala Harris decides to be gracious in the transition, in her inaugural address, and in her legislative agenda, I think we could be in a decent place," he said.
The discussion then veered towards another plausible scenario: a Harris victory coupled with a Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and a Republican Senate. Halperin theorized that MAGA supporters and those unhappy with Harris's win would look to the Senate to prevent the country from veering too far left.
Halperin, however, dismissed the idea of a civil war ensuing from the election results. He expressed hope that governors would have robust bipartisan plans to manage peaceful protests and prevent them from escalating, without infringing on First Amendment rights. "I think we could have violence regardless of who wins. I think both sides are capable of that," he cautioned.
Halperin is not alone in his concerns about post-election violence. Earlier this month, President Joe Biden, when asked about the potential for violence in the aftermath of the election, responded, "Im confident it will be free and fair. I don't know whether it'll be peaceful."
The notion of internal threats to democracy is not new. Senator Joseph McCarthy, during the red scare, warned that the destruction of a great democracy would not come from external enemies but from within. Similarly, Abraham Lincoln, in his 1838 Lyceum speech, spoke about internal threats to the republic during a period of escalating mob violence. He warned, "If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide."
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