Mr. Trump, 'Do the right thing' and step aside: Ex-Reagan official

Tune in to " Power Lunch " at 1:30 pm ET on Friday, Aug. 19. Al Angrisani will be a guest.

There are times in all of our lives when we have to "do the right thing" and sacrifice our own personal interests for the good of others. This is extremely hard to do for anyone, but is the ultimate test of our character. I believe Donald Trump is at this crossroads today, and I am sure he knows in his heart that what I am about to say is the truth.

Short of a miracle, Trump does not have a viable path to winning the presidential election. He also knows that the consequences of a loss will change the nation in a way that perhaps a majority of Americans do not want to see it changed. Therefore, he needs to step aside before Labor Day so that this election can still be won by a right of center, more mainstream Republican ticket.

If you are reading this, Mr., Trump, you are likely recoiling and saying something unprintable, pretending that you can still win. You know as well as I do - or any successful businessman does - that a sale can be lost in the first impression. Clearly you had the right message for this "change" election, and you were in the right place at the right time to make the sale to the American public.

But you made a really bad first impression to America's undecided voters during the Republican Convention. To compound the problem, over the last month you soured things further with a steady stream of new mistakes, that are leading voters to the conclusion that you simply cannot be trusted with their futures.

In short, you are now a flawed messenger of change in the minds of the independents, blue collar Democrats, and swing voters you need to win the election. These critical groups are not going to be inclined to believe the product in front of them will change, and in turn will vote for Hillary Clinton - or four more years of Obama policies. Your window to make the sale is closed and gone forever.

All the advertising in the world and staff changes can't recapture the powerful intangibles of trust: that you will be a fair minded leader who will not put our children and grandchildren's future at greater risk than it already is with the left leaning drift of our nation.

If you don't step aside, the voters you need to win will decide to punt on this election and fight another day when the inevitable reset from the progressive policies that President Obama and Hillary Clinton will have pursued for 12 years comes.

Commentary by Al Angrisani, former United States Assistant Secretary of Labor for President Ronald Reagan, founder and CEO of Angrisani Turnarounds, LLC and TurnVest Investment Partners.

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