Following the Republican National Convention last month, former President Donald Trump was riding high, even by the standards of a real-estate-mogul-turned president. He had just survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, by turning his head at the last possible moment. His federal classified documents case, which legal observers considered the most damning among his numerous indictments, was tossed out of court. The RNC, the third straight to nominate Trump, received high marks from friends and foes alike for its displays of enthusiasm and party unity. His vice presidential selection, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), was received as a bold, if high-risk pick.  

But the glow was short-lived. In a span of days, the secular liberal establishment, composed of various cultural institutions including the legacy news media, Big Tech, and Hollywood, worked in lockstep with the Democratic Party to turn the tide of the race and bolster the nascent candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris. The extraordinary operation has left many observers in awe of the secular-liberal establishment’s ability to manipulate the cultural narrative.