Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, was just indicted … again, this time for attempting to overthrow the government and remain in office against the clear will of the people. That’s bad, but what's really going to bake your noodle is the pathetic response from the so-called “candidates” running against him in the Republican primary.
According to a recent New York Times poll, Trump has a decisive lead “across almost every demographic group, geographic region and ideological wing of the party. He leads by wide margins among men and women, younger and older voters, moderates and conservatives, those who went to college and those who didn’t.”
Usually, if the candidate beating the stuffing out of you is indicted for the third time in a single year, you would throw up your hands and shout “Yippee! Yippee!” You can choose to keep your celebrations discreet, but what you shouldn’t do is publicly defend him like you’re one of his attorneys who hasn’t yet been named a co-conspirator.
Here’s Ron DeSantis, fresh from his daily Kamala Harris-administered wedgie, vowing that in the imaginary reality where he’s president, “I will end the weaponization of government, replace the FBI Director, and ensure a single standard of justice for all Americans.”
This only matters to MAGA cultists who will never vote for DeSantis. He’s letting Trump divert him from actually attacking potential weak areas for Biden and Democrats, but I’m never one to interrupt an enemy when they’ve pulled down their pants and are sliding on the ice.
He went on:
While I’ve seen reports, I have not read the indictment. I do, though, believe we need to enact reforms so that Americans have the right to remove cases from Washington, DC to their home districts. Washington, DC is a “swamp” and it is unfair to have to stand trial before a jury that is reflective of the swamp mentality. One of the reasons our country is in decline is the politicization of the rule of law. No more excuses—I will end the weaponization of the federal government.
A wannabe despot president firing the FBI director on zero grounds is in fact “weaponization of the federal government.” Again, these proposed “reforms” won’t address the opioid epidemic, homelessness, or the climate crisis. Protecting a single, diseased pustule of a man from accountability for his obvious crimes is not a viable presidential platform. It’s even less sensible when that man is creaming you by 37 points in the polls.
Sen. Tim Scott, who was on the other side of Trump’s mob on January 6, echoed the MAGA’s “weaponization of the DOJ” talking points.
“I remain concerned about the weaponization of Biden’s DOJ and its immense power used against political opponents,” he tweeted Tuesday night. “What we see today are two different tracks of justice. One for political opponents and another for the son of the current president. We're watching Biden's DOJ continue to hunt Republicans, while protecting Democrats.”
As a Black man who is alive and presumably conscious, Scott should understand what “two different tracks of justice” are actually like. Hunter Biden is not and was never the president, and he never tried to overthrow the government. Republicans seem to think we’re overly attached to Hunter Biden, when I would gladly lock him up, as well, if it meant Trump died in prison.
Nikki Haley didn’t comment on Trump’s indictment Tuesday, so we were spared her inevitably disappointing remarks. However, what kind of Rip Van Winkle campaign isn’t ready with a prepared statement when her political opponent is freaking indicted? This is the same woman who insists that her America is “strong and proud not weak and woke.” You don’t need take a critical race theory course to know Haley’s a coward.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson reiterated his position that Trump isn’t fit to serve and should withdraw this candidacy. Of course, Hutchinson is polling at literally nothing percent.
Chris Christie tweeted, “The events around the White House from election night forward are a stain on our country’s history & a disgrace to the people who participated. This disgrace falls the most on Donald Trump. He swore an oath to the Constitution, violated his oath & brought shame to his presidency.”
Christie’s been off the Trump train for a while, so this was not unexpected. However, it was genuinely surprising to see Mike Pence almost assert something resembling a spine.
Today's indictment serves as an important reminder: anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be President of the United States.
I will have more to say about the government’s case after reviewing the indictment. The former president is entitled to the presumption of innocence but with this indictment, his candidacy means more talk about January 6th and more distractions.
As Americans, his candidacy means less attention paid to Joe Biden's disastrous economic policies afflicting millions across the United States and to the pattern of corruption with Hunter.
Our country is more important than one man. Our constitution is more important than any one man’s career. On January 6th, Former President Trump demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution. I chose the Constitution and I always will.
As your president, I will not yield an inch in defending America, our people, or our values, and I promise you: I will do so in a way consistent with my oath to the Constitution and the character and decency of the American people. We will restore a threshold of integrity and civility in public life so we can bring real solutions to the challenges plaguing our nation.
This is obviously self-serving and somewhat delusional — Pence hasn’t even qualified for the first primary debate — but it’s the lowest possible bar that the supposed “serious candidates” can’t even reach.
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John Dickerson: "ask everyone on the debate stage if they think what Mike Pence did was heroic. Record their answers, and then ask if they would have done the same thing."
Ron DeSantis: "Mike Pence is too woke for America."
Nikki Haley: "I'm a woman, and I'm from the South. Bless his heart."
Tim Scott: "I'm a black guy, and I'm here to make you comfortable with your own racism."
Vivek: "Argle Bargle, I'm rich, woke is bad, angry words!"
Asa Hutchinson: "Look, the GQP just needs to get back to robbing the middle class."
Chris Christie: "Trump's a POS, and I just figured that out in the last 6 months, so vote for me."
They can't win without his cult, and they can't beat him while his cult exists.
Sorry about your absolutely self-inflicted no-win scenario, GQP. Get fucked.