* “Appeal of one personality.” That, in the words of former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, is what the GOP cannot rely on if the conservative cause is to be preserved. But Ryan still couldn’t bring himself to actually name that “one personality.” Have to draw the line someplace.
* More than half (55 percent) of Republicans recently told Ipsos/Reuters that they strongly or somewhat agree that the Capitol assault was led by “violent left-wing protesters trying to make Trump look bad.” Would that it were shocking.
* “It is well recognized that rousing and controversial speeches are a key function of the presidency.”–That was Trump’s lawyers disingenuous response to the lawsuit filed by California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell that accused the then-president of inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection.
* “I know a lot of the cops really liked Trump because they feel he stands up for them against a lot of progressives. I personally believe that he was encouraging that insurrection that day.”–Bill Bratton, former police commissioner of New York and Los Angeles.
* Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser made news again—this time while speaking at a, yes, QAnon conference. Flynn’s response to a question asking if what happened in Myanmar (a military coup) could happen here: “No reason. I mean it should happen here.”