“A Republic, if you can keep it.”
* According to Mitch McConnell, impeachment hurt the coronavirus response, because it was an untimely distraction. What a revisionist, perverted perspective. Had the Republican Senate agreed to a trial with witnesses–what a concept–the impeachment process would have started and ended a helluva lot sooner. But even more to the point, if we didn’t have a manifestly impeachable president, this would all be moot.
* American foreign policy: Why not call off sanctions–however odious and adversarial the impacted governments–because citizens not responsible for the geopolitical animus will die.
* There’s no doubting that Trump can multi-task. Latest example: The high-profile, pathological mismanaging of a national emergency while acting vengefully to fire Michael Atkinson, the inspector general of the intelligence community, for disloyalty. Atkinson’s charge was to be an independent watchdog. Alas, that meant that he would inform Congress about the disturbing whistleblower complaint of Trump pressuring Ukraine for Biden dirt. Not exactly a misplaced loyalty for a country-first, independent watchdog with a reputation for integrity.
* Now Jared Kushner is on the COVID case. Creating that flawless Middle East peace plan will be a tough act to follow. But if this must be a family affair, at least it’s not Eric Trump.
* Not that we need reminding, but Trump is on his fifth secretary of homeland security, his fourth national security adviser, his fourth chief of staff and his fourth press secretary. Not that we needed reminding–because it’s obvious.
* “Did you know I was number one on Facebook? I just found out I was number one on Facebook. I thought that was very nice for whatever it means.” Whatever, indeed. You never know what a presidential press briefing will pivot to.