Ah, the “wisdom” of the swamp! That repository of dated, derivative, “inside the box” political thought that turns into a campaign’s coffin. Fortunately, for the swamp’s denizens, there’s a sucker—er, campaign—born every cycle, ensuring riches remain to be made.

Pundits earn a handsome living providing free political advice. Rarely does a candidate or their campaign heed it and if they do, it is invariably to their detriment. The reason is simple: it is rarely realistic or right. The only thing rarer is the pundit being held accountable for spewing their inanities to the masses and the consequences that follow. But, hey, that’s entertainment.

Yet, unless one is a talking head in the punditry, in the swamp, free political advice is rare. It is not only because free advice is as good as what you pay for it—nada. It is because political consultants build mansions for providing incrementally better advice to well-heeled candidates and causes. The good news for the pros? The same as it is for pundits: the absence of accountability and the biennial cycle of well-heeled campaigns and candidates, often possessed of more ambition than brains.

This is a major reason why the swamp’s insular political class despises Donald J. Trump. He is his own political consultant, and he has proven adept at identifying an issue, defining an opponent, and messaging with a unique resonance among the electorate—sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

In the 2024 election, it seems Mr. Trump’s political instincts and skills have been matched by an exceedingly competent campaign team that complements the candidate’s strengths rather than trying to mute them.

In brutal honesty, the political consultants working on Mr. Trump’s campaign are acutely aware of the derision and worse they can expect from their professional peer group that loathes their candidate. Yet, this is a key reason why they understand their candidate and, more importantly, his supporters—namely, because they can relate to the swamp being their opponent. Armed with this experience and the insights it brings, by working with—not against—their candidate, the Trump team has helped position Mr. Trump on the precipice of victory.

Thus, given the 2024 electoral track record to date, one is chary about offering Mr. Trump and his capable campaign team political advice—especially free advice. But in my defense, I am a recovering politician; I am not a consultant, pundit, or—eek!—a lobbyist. (I believe in an afterlife with divine punishment for earthly transgressions, and, having served in Congress, I’ve already accrued enough debits on my ledger.)

More importantly, it is not my free advice I am offering. It is the free advice of two individuals who, like the Trump campaign team, are those rarest of creatures: professional consultants who support Mr. Trump. To protect their anonymity and saddle me with the blame if they are misguided, let’s call them “Frank” and “Ernest.”

So, what free, constructive suggestions do they offer the Trump team in the chaotic closing days of the campaign? Both agree that Mr. Trump needs to “close the deal” with a positive message.

As most past campaigns have closed with an “October Surprise” to torpedo an opponent at the last possible moment, this sounds like awful advice. And, as admitted, it is free. But this is a unique election and Mr. Trump is a unique candidate. In fact, this election is setting the political paradigm for future presidential—indeed, all elections—for the foreseeable future. One obvious change is how voting is occurring earlier and campaign messaging is necessarily following suit. Thus, the idea of an “October Surprise” is antiquated. Better to shovel the dirt on your opponent sooner, not later. If you don’t, you’ll lose mail-in votes.

Equally, 2024 has its own unique characteristic: it is a referendum on Mr. Trump. It is he who is driving the bases of both major parties to the polls. Over the years, most MAGA and populist Republicans have lionized him. The Democrats have demonized him, spending tens of millions of private and taxpayer dollars, wearing out media cameras and keyboards, and injecting partisanship into our justice system to destroy Mr. Trump and, yes, his supporters. Having been a last-minute replacement for the deeply unpopular President Biden, Vice President Harris is irrelevant to her own campaign, being little more than a human avatar for the Administrative State.

Consequently, as Mr. Trump is the issue and, further, undecided voters are examining and factoring into their vote both his policies and his person, it stands to reason that any surprise this October will be a positive address by Mr. Trump to close his campaign.

As “Frank” stated his case to me, “No gimmicks, no nicknames, no Smash Mouth. Just sober, serious leadership.” He elaborated how Mr. Trump “should make one non-Trumpian address to the nation. Explain his hope for the future and his belief that no matter how bad things are now, no matter how divided we are, we can fix it together if we just adhere to our founding principles and the spirit of liberty that has sustained us as a unique culture and made us the greatest nation in the history of the world.”

His friend and colleague, Ernest, agreed: “The ‘close’ needs to be positive and optimistic, which [Mr. Trump] can do.” Ernest went further, suggesting some possible passages for such an address:

“Despite everything the other side has done to hinder me, to harm your futures, I still believe in America and what you and I can accomplish together.”

“We will meet our challenges. Our weak economy, our insecure borders, the threats from those who wish to see America diminished … both here at home and abroad, the division and doubts about the strength of our nation. We will meet them all and overcome them.”

There it is. Free advice submitted for your consideration and that of Mr. Trump and his team.

Ms. Harris and Democrats believe America is a systemically and fatally flawed nation that must be fundamentally transformed. They peddle paranoia and dependence to implement a radical, extreme, and dangerous leftist agenda that claims our salvation resides in socialistic government handouts and divisive identity politics. It is a call to retreat from sovereignty and self-government and return to serfdom under the rule of the Administrative State, which will offer rewards and punishments upon a person’s obedience to the arbitrary and capricious diktats of its secular religion. Bluntly, it is an insult to free people.

Mr. Trump and his supporters know this. They recognize that we Americans remain a practical, optimistic, and aspirational people. We know our rights come from God, not the government. We remain proud of our role in this free republic’s revolutionary experiment in self-government and of inspiring the world with what a free people can achieve.

Say it, Mr. Trump, and seal the deal.

***

An American Greatness contributor, the Hon. Thaddeus G. McCotter (M.C., Ret.) served Michigan’s 11th Congressional district from 2003-2012, and served as Chair of the Republican House Policy Committee. Not a lobbyist, he is a frequent public speaker and moderator for public policy seminars; and a Monday co-host of the “John Batchelor Radio Show,” among sundry media appearances.