- Joined
- Jun 18, 2018
- Messages
- 41,908
- Reaction score
- 35,356
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Progressive
"House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy spent the weekend phoning Republicans to do damage control, Punchbowl News reports, after we learned that he seriously considered calling on Donald Trump to resign the presidency after the mob assault on the Capitol. What offense has the California Republican atoned for in these calls? McCarthy apparently wants Republicans to know Trump has forgiven him for merely entertaining the passing thought that inciting a violent, deadly coup attempt might — might — be an offense that merits resignation.
As Punchbowl puts it, in these calls, McCarthy has been “making sure” Republicans know “he’s good with Trump.” This comes after Trump clarified that their relationship has not been damaged by the leaked audio showing McCarthy discussing Trump’s potential resignation, a possibility that had surely given McCarthy night sweats. ...Fittingly enough, it has fallen to Trump himself to demonstrate how bonkers this situation has become. Trump has forgiven McCarthy because he never acted on his heretical first impulse, thus showing that support for Trump ultimately triumphed over it. “I think it’s all a big compliment, frankly,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal, noting that Republicans such as McCarthy who criticized him just after Jan. 6 quickly realized the error of their ways: “They realized they were wrong and supported me.”
What has plainly pleased Trump is that Republicans such as McCarthy fully understood the gravity of what he had done but then proved willing to go to great lengths to propagandize away — and help cover up — his extraordinary corruption and even his potential crimes. This is a “big compliment” to Trump just as the loyalty of mob henchmen is a “big compliment” to an organized crime boss. It is not a stretch to suggest this might be how Trump himself conceives of this.
...much press discussion of this situation is drained of its implications for our democracy and instead analyzes it through the prism of the power politics McCarthy must navigate to satisfy his ambitions."
Link
Greg Sargent is a pretty smart guy and a very good writer. He raises two important points:
1. The focus of the story, by the MSM, no less, isn't that McCarthy has abandoned democratic principles, its that he's survived, for now, this political firestorm involving Trump.
2. I'm am always fascinated by how much Trump loves to see his sycophants degrade themselves for him, and McCarthy has certainty done that. He's still "My Kevin."
As Punchbowl puts it, in these calls, McCarthy has been “making sure” Republicans know “he’s good with Trump.” This comes after Trump clarified that their relationship has not been damaged by the leaked audio showing McCarthy discussing Trump’s potential resignation, a possibility that had surely given McCarthy night sweats. ...Fittingly enough, it has fallen to Trump himself to demonstrate how bonkers this situation has become. Trump has forgiven McCarthy because he never acted on his heretical first impulse, thus showing that support for Trump ultimately triumphed over it. “I think it’s all a big compliment, frankly,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal, noting that Republicans such as McCarthy who criticized him just after Jan. 6 quickly realized the error of their ways: “They realized they were wrong and supported me.”
What has plainly pleased Trump is that Republicans such as McCarthy fully understood the gravity of what he had done but then proved willing to go to great lengths to propagandize away — and help cover up — his extraordinary corruption and even his potential crimes. This is a “big compliment” to Trump just as the loyalty of mob henchmen is a “big compliment” to an organized crime boss. It is not a stretch to suggest this might be how Trump himself conceives of this.
...much press discussion of this situation is drained of its implications for our democracy and instead analyzes it through the prism of the power politics McCarthy must navigate to satisfy his ambitions."
Link
Greg Sargent is a pretty smart guy and a very good writer. He raises two important points:
1. The focus of the story, by the MSM, no less, isn't that McCarthy has abandoned democratic principles, its that he's survived, for now, this political firestorm involving Trump.
2. I'm am always fascinated by how much Trump loves to see his sycophants degrade themselves for him, and McCarthy has certainty done that. He's still "My Kevin."
)
