How Dangerous is Georgia v. Trump?
Plus: the MAGA civility police
Europe may be on the brink of war, the pandemic continues to spread, markets are roiled by inflation fears and interest rate hikes, and we have more evidence about the former president’s attempted coup.
But… SQUIRREL!
By all means, let’s engage in the required pearl clutching over Joe Biden’s open mic incivility. Or, maybe let’s not, except to note the effulgent irony of the “Let’s Go Brandon” crowd’s performative indignation over a president who calls anyone a “stupid SOB.”
I know that you are expecting deep thoughts about all of this, but I bring you only snark:
GOP congressman Jim Banks:
**
Ahhhhh, memories.
All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember
The time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory
Live again
Trump brands FBI top brass ‘human scum’, calls CNN reporter ‘brainless’
Dumb son of a bitch': Trump rips McConnell at Mar-a-Lago
Donald Trump blasts NFL anthem protesters: 'Get that son of a bitch off the field'
Trump calls Chuck Todd 'sleeping son of a bitch'
Donald Trump describes Republican critics as 'human scum'
Trump calls media the “true Enemy of the People” the same day a bomb is sent to CNN
Trump’s vicious claim that Joe Scarborough might have murdered an aide
President Trump Heard Saying 'F---' in Hot Mic Moment Before His Oval Office Coronavirus Speech
Trump calls top US general a ‘f—— idiot’ during speech in Florida
Trump blasts Netanyahu for disloyalty: "F**k him"
Trump Drops the F-Bomb on Rush Limbaugh’s Live Radio Show
But, he fights! Amirite?
**
Apparently, Biden apologized, just like… oh, FFS.
Exit take: A reminder that there are no fixed standards in our politics — only cudgels.
Georgia on our minds
Meanwhile, there was some actual news: “Georgia prosecutor granted special grand jury in probe of Trump’s efforts to overturn state’s election results.”
As you know, my default setting these days is to regard any suggestion that “the walls are closing in on Trump” with skepticism. I share Max Boot’s agnosticism about all of this:
And so, as much as I would love to see Trump held legally accountable for his misconduct, I remain pessimistic that he will ever be indicted, much less convicted. Even in the unlikely event that he is ultimately found guilty of a felony, that alone won’t stop him from running for president.
But, nevertheless, it’s worth asking the question: how much real legal danger does Trump face in the Georgia case?
The answer: quite a bit, actually.