‘Most of My Predictions for 2020 Have Come True’

By Colleen O’Connor

Exactly one year ago on January 2nd, 2020, I wrote a column with 10 predictions to cover the next 18 months.  Checking now, almost all have come to fruition 6 months early.

In order of rank:  Wins and Losses.

Best Prediction: “There will be a woman on the Democratic 2020 presidential ticket. Why? Because Nancy Pelosi will insist and California will deliver. That candidate will be Kamala Harris (whether as President or Vice-President).”

Next Up: Mitt Romney will rise to be the “conscience” of the Republican Senate.  Indeed, the only GOP member to vote for impeachment; the earliest to confront the “election fraud” allegations; same with the separation of families on the border. And now his quote of the day,” “The egregious ploy to reject electors may enhance the political ambition of some, but dangerously threatens our Democratic Republic.”

Just last Friday, Romney damned Trump’s vaccine rollout, as “incomprehensible as it is inexcusable” and “urged the U.S. government to immediately enlist veterinarians, combat medics and others in an all-out national campaign to administer coronavirus vaccinations.”

No. 3 in rank.  Look for more Russia-linked indictments.  Check and more to come.

No. 4 in rank.  “Trump will either resign or threaten a strong man escalation;” i.e., close the border, declare a national emergency, impose martial law.  Done, redone, and still unfolding.

No. 5 in real time.  “Mitch McConnell, the GOP donor class, and perhaps even Rupert Murdoch will intervene.” Murdoch’s New York Post screaming headline “Stop the Insanity” with a scathing editorial inside.  And McConnell has actually called Biden “President-Elect;” turned on Trump with override of Pentagon budget; and counseled his caucus avoid the Electoral College debacle.

No. 6   No need to explain.  “Mother Nature will deliver more ominous disasters…causing irreversible damage to our planet.”  One word: Fires.  However, the prediction also suggested “non-believers” would come around.  Didn’t happen.

No. 7 A debacle.

“Special Counsel Robert Mueller will deliver a detailed, devastating, and damning report on the 2016 Presidential Election.” Yes, but due to “policy” no indictment of Trump.

No. 8 “Look for more Russia-linked indictments, and examples of the Trump family fortunes brought low.”  Never ending.  Taxes, allegations of fraud, money laundering, inaugural contributions, etc., all jammed up in court, “memos,” and pardons. Waiting on New York.

No. 9 “The Democrats will get better and tweeting and messaging.”  Still in its infancy, the Georgia U.S. Senate candidate, Jon Ossoff got it right, when he put down the GOP candidate, Kelly Loeffler, who “has been campaigning with a Klansman.”

The Marquess of Queensberry Rules no longer apply.  Democrats still speaking and writing in long paragraphs lacking punch.  All this in the era of Tweets!

No. 10.  The worst prediction, but still partially in play.   Feinstein will retire and Jerry Brown will be named a placeholder.  Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer has tried repeatedly to get Feinstein to step aside.  Twice, according to reports, but she forgot the first attempt.  Even her husband has been approached to make it happen.  And the Judiciary hearings for Supreme Court nominee, Barrett, exposed Feinstein’s decline.

There are still six more months to run on the aforementioned predictions, yet most have already happened.

My favorite prediction, however, was published even earlier, in August of 2017.  “Speaker Nancy Pelosi would still be standing after Trump is gone.”

“The President still has the thunder, the power, and the ability to change course, right the ship and sink the Democrats into oblivion. However, if he persists in throwing small fits, tweeting “stink bombs” (brilliant and diabolical) to detract from unfriendly fire, and encouraging spiteful in-house warfare, then the damaging “leaks” will continue.

“And the Republicans will be returned to minority party status.”

Guess what.  It has happened.

As I also predicted, the 2020 election was not about Biden v. Trump; but COVID-19 v. Trump.  Trump lost to an invisible enemy; but leaves the U.S. with unfathomable lasting damage.

Next week’s column.  Predictions for 2021.