No two ways about it. The kickoff rally to President Trump’s reelection campaign was a smashing success. It was all there. The arena was filled to capacity and electricity was in the air. Some supporters even arrived 40 hours ahead of time just to secure a seat. The atmosphere was charged, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the days of Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign.

Symbolically, a big red “Keep America Great” balloon floats proudly over Washington.

What better time to accuse the President of the United States of rape?

Columnist E. Jean Carroll enters the stage. She accuses the President of sexual assault. Offering not a shred of evidence, she provides a first-hand account of an attack which allegedly occurred in the mid-90s. She estimates it was likely the fall of 1995 or the spring of 1996 based on the overcoat Trump was wearing and the Donna Karan coat dress she had on. (My colleague, Jennifer Van Laar, reported the details of Carroll’s accusation here.)

That’s better now. The air begins to seep out of the Trump balloon.

Forgive me, but Democrats do have a tendency to trot out sexual assault victims at politically expedient moments.

By using accusations of sexual assault as a weapon, Democrats exploit the very group of women the Party claims to support the most.

The Washington Examiner’s Kaylee McGhee wrote a piece entitled,”From Kavanaugh to Carroll, a straight line of incredulity.” She writes:

Ford’s story, however, was used by Democrats to assassinate the character of a man against whom they had no corroborative evidence. She became the Democrats’ tool for derailing another Supreme Court nomination. For those who disagree, take a look at the other women who came forward after Ford. Each one of their stories was proven false. They lied to promote a narrative, and the whole nation suffered as a result.

Ford’s assault — which I do believe happened, but probably not at Kavanaugh’s hands — became the weapon…Ford is not to blame; the Democrats are, the ones who made her story public against her will and then used her, only to toss her aside afterward. As a result of their actions, even a more apparently credible accusation like Carroll’s is harder to believe.

The political cheapening of sexual assault is a disservice to survivors. Something that should serve as a unifying cry of condemnation has been turned into the cause of division; the pain of hundreds of thousands of women is now just a weapon.

Somewhere along the way, between Harvey Weinstein’s downfall and Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony, sexual assault became just another political commodity.

Oh, by the way, Carroll has written a soon to be released book entitled “What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal.”

What better way to boost sales than to accuse the President of rape?

Carroll now has two very compelling reasons to reveal such a story at this particular time.

The timing of Carroll’s announcement, wedged in between Trump’s extraordinarily triumphant 2020 kickoff rally and the release of her new book, makes her accusation, well…less credible.

Being a Trump supporter, I am naturally inclined to greet unsubstantiated charges against him with skepticism even though clearly, I have no idea what did or did not happen between them. But this woman is a doozy. My colleague, Bonchie, compiled a list of Carroll’s “greatest hits” from her weekend media tour which can be read here.

There are other parts of Carroll’s story that give one pause as well.

Carroll claims in her book that five or six men sexually assaulted her in the 1990s. Carroll is now 75 years old. In 1995, she would have been 51. How could a mature woman, a sophisticated New Yorker and savvy professional, allow herself to be sexually assaulted five or six times? Wouldn’t she smarten up after the first time, or at least the second time, and stay away from situations that could set her up for an attack?

Trump allegedly asks her to try on a “lacy see-through bodysuit of lilac gray.” She says he should try it on. They banter back and forth about who should try it on. She describes the situation in an excerpt from her new book.

“Come on,” he says, taking my arm. “Let’s put this on.”

This is gonna be hilarious, I’m saying to myself — and as I write this, I am staggered by my stupidity. As we head to the dressing rooms, I’m laughing aloud and saying in my mind: I’m gonna make him put this thing on over his pants!

I’m staggered by her stupidity too.

At any rate, rather than taking place in an isolated location, she was in the dressing room of a major department store. Why did she not scream for help? It couldn’t have been too far away.

Carroll’s account of alleged sexual assault almost makes Christine Blasey Ford’s story seem believable…not really.

All that aside, I keep returning to the timing.

I can burst the big red balloon or I can sell a lot of books.

Or, if I time it just right, I can do both.