Ok, I admit it, I’m pretty much a nerd. And I actually think that title is an honorable one, rather than a put down. When I worked temporary military assignments at the National Security Council at the White House in the late 1990s, I had the epiphany that the world is, in fact, run by nerds, and that is a good thing. 

I’m also a science junkie, especially regarding the space program (not a huge surprise given that I started my Air Force career as an ICBM launch officer), and I remain an amateur astronomer to this day, with not one, but two big telescopes. Yup, a big nerd.

That may explain why I am such a huge fan of Dr. Anthony Fauci and his remarkable team, a team that broke all speed records in creating a vaccine to the deadly pandemic sweeping, not just the United States, but the world. I love the fact that he got his own action figure. I was so thrilled to get my two doses of the Moderna vaccine last March and April, and I so looked forward to a time when my fellow Americans would be mostly vaccinated and life could get back to, if not normal, at least a much better new-normal.

So, nerds rule, and we in Colorado are better off having (sorry Jared) a true nerd as our very effective governor. Polis has shepherded our state to more than 70% of our population with at least one shot, which is just great. A recent Colorado Politics story noted that one of his ideas, the million dollar vaccine bonus, had worked well, with the final prize awarded recently. Yup, nerds rule, and that’s great, at least here in Colorado. Thanks Jared.

But, sadly, for big chunks of the country, the vaccination rate has fallen well short of the national goal of 70% by July 4. But there is something strange and troubling in the numbers for the nation. If you look at a map of those states that did well with the vaccine, you’ll see that the top 22 states in terms of vaccination rates all voted for Biden. Some of the least vaccinated states were strong Trump states. Now, that is not to say that there are not pockets of traditional Democratic voters who have been vaccine resistant, including younger Americans and Black Americans. For the most part, though, there seems to be a pretty good correlation between being a Trumper and feeling suspicious about the vaccine, even as the Delta variant is sickening and killing increasing numbers of Americans, over 99% of whom were not vaccinated.

Democrats can’t fix that.

And that is why I’m calling on two critically important Republicans to step up and to lead a vigorous and massive “get the vax” drive. Former President George W. Bush is widely respected, even by those who differ with him politically (like me), as a good guy and a good American. He has made some small efforts to encourage vaccinations, but he needs to do much more. But Bush is not the key. 

No, that vital person is, tragically, Donald Trump.

Trump is, frankly, the key. He himself (and his family) got quietly vaccinated, after he had suffered through a COVID case that turns out to have been far more serious than his White House let on, but then his administration was not known for its honesty. Trump got vaccinated but didn’t talk about it much.

And that, therefore, is why Trump – and only Trump – can spearhead a national “get the darn shot” campaign. He is the guy who created the fear of the shot in the first place. He is the guy who muddled the science of COVID almost beyond recognition (remember his injecting bleach idea?). If he would put some of the effort he is putting into his bogus “I really won” campaign toward getting his followers to get the shots, he would, quite literally, save tens of thousands of lives, mostly from his own base.

If Trump was capable of thinking beyond his own self-interest, he would see that he is uniquely positioned to get those vaccine numbers well north of, heck, 90%, where herd immunity could kick in. If Trump would mount a public relations campaign shouting to his followers that the vaccine is safe and effective, he would save those countless followers of his that are doomed to otherwise get sick with the Delta Variant, many of whom will spend weeks on a ventilator and, well, many will die. Such a campaign would also pay massive political benefits for him, as he would be seen as someone who, after the most bitter campaign since perhaps 1800 (don’t get me started on Jefferson vs Adams), put the interests of real Americans first. Wait, maybe that’s the motto he could use: Put Americans First! 

Sadly, as he has demonstrated on countless occasions, Trump lacks the moral compass to put his own big lie aside to save the lives of many of his own supporters. And that is a tragedy for so many who will get so sick because they deny science. 

Now, should it turn out that Trump does, in fact, read obscure columns posted on regional news sites, I promise not to claim any credit should Trump decide to steal my ideal. I will happily applaud him should he see the light and take to the public square to promote vaccinations. He would dramatically and positively change the way the history books will remember him. He could do so much good!

I am not, however, holding my breath, and that’s a pity.