I read this comment on the internets, made by a wise, trusted politico at TPM.
I knew Mitch was floundering. But I hadn’t put it all together exactly how MUCH he’s floundering.
I loath Mitch McConnell. And like most henchmen, they eventually get their comeuppance. Usually in the third act.
“Comeuppance” My new favorite word………….
The biggest news in the GOP is the weakness of Mitch McConnell. No one in the GOP is turning to him as the leader of the GOP. They’re turning to Trump, the disgraced, twice impeached former POTUS who is likely facing multiple legal problems.
Since the Electoral College vote on 12/14/20, McConnell got owned on the stimulus bill by Trump and the Dems. His side lost the 2 GA Senate races. He got owned by Hawley and Cruz who were clearly conspiring with the Trump campaign and right wing white nationalists to disrupt the 1/6 certification of the electors by Congress. He then made a brazen power grab vs Schumer and lost that fight. Now, he’s getting owned by Rand Paul on the impeachment trial. McCarthy, the guy who should be bestowing legitimacy on McConnell as the leader and North Star of the party, is instead heading to the swamp at Mar a Lago. I can’t think of anything more humiliating for McConnell.
He’s going to fold like a cheap suit, but if he was truly gangsta’, he’d work to convict Trump.
I actually had some hope that McConnell was whipping some impeachment-conviction votes (and perhaps he had), but his party has made its choice.
They’ve chosen to go with a shadow-president.
They’re apparently doing everything they can to prop Trump up during the impeachment trial, and then they’re going to eschew Mitch, and take their orders from Donny.
While Donny goes golfing.
R’s are doing everything they can to impede, dissuade, delegitimize and ridicule the impeachment trial.
Because they know that:
- The trial will get supreme media coverage for days.
- The entire nation will be forced to relive the trauma of Jan. 6th.
- New evidence and facts will come out, making the GOP look awful.
And even though they all know that they will eventually vote to acquit.
Because they are craven cowards.
They know it will be the end of their party, however they vote.
But if they vote to acquit, they at least get the life-threatening Trumpists off their backs.
For a while……………..
Mitch McConnell is having serial cows over all of this. He’s petrified.
So, the trick is, not having to go on record with their votes.
Expect more chicanery during and after the trial, to find some excuse not to have a vote. But the Constitution requires an on-the-record vote by all 100 senators.
Things they might try:
- not showing up for the vote
- abstaining from voting
- filibustering the vote?
- ????
They know that the next 6 months to a year, a LOT more info is going to come out, IN COURT, UNDER OATH, showing that Trump conspired to insurrection, with Oath Keepers. With Proud Boys. With people in the DOJ. With people in the DOD.
And also with lawmakers in the House.
And a lot this will come out AFTER they vote to acquit.
This was a poorly-planned, but PLANNED, conspiracy to insurrection, with Trump at the head of it.