Guilty Verdicts Will Just Help Him Even More

GOP 'quietly panicking' over 'devastating' poll numbers on Trump crimes: Morning Joehttps://t.co/6r7jUM5K8G

— Raw Story (@RawStory) August 17, 2023

This is what Republicans have quietly been panicking about," Scarborough said. "You look at these numbers -- 64 percent in the [Associated Press] poll, 64 percent say they're not going to support Trump next year. I actually saw people connected with Mitch McConnell and other Republicans tweeting that out, that this is devastating. That's who the Republicans are moving towards putting up. He has a 33-percent approval rating, a favorable rating in that poll. The majority believe what he did was illegal, and there are so many other polls that came out yesterday that are showing the same thing. Independents breaking dramatically away from Donald Trump. Independents saying he should have been indicted, independents saying overwhelmingly that what he did was illegal."

Or, you know, not.

"Only 15 percent of Americans, let's underline this, agree with Donald Trump that he did nothing wrong," Scarborough said. "Only 15 percent of Americans agree with Donald Trump that he did nothing wrong in the classified documents case. Only 14 percent of Americans say he did nothing wrong in the hush-money case. Of course, that is by far, for good reason, the weakest case, but these numbers, it sure seems like they're moving in one direction and the bad news for him is, the more people find out about these cases, the worse news it is for Donald Trump."

I agree that Trump threatens democracy; but at 15% support, is he really a threat to democracy? I think George Wallace had that much support for his run for POTUS in’68, where he hoped to force a 12th Amendment decision in the House. He’s not remembered for threatening democracy.

Anyway, it looks like Trump’s chances of being elected are greatly exaggerated. It’s good to keep in mind the GOP is a distinctly minority party.

2/ ...the profound power they yield over the GOP means whether Trump is the nominee and kills their majorities or whether he goes and kills their majorities is all of a piece.

There. Is. No. Escape.#ETTD is eternal and unerring.

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 17, 2023

4/ After eight years, how's that working out? Not well, at any level. The captain of the ship is tied to the wheel, and steering it for the storm. The cynics, the climbers, the consultant class all keep looking for a way to put a Youngkin in the race.

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 17, 2023

6/ The cadre of chickens on the stage next week will mumble some variations of "Trump is bad and I'm better" but not one will say "If he is the nominee, I will vote for either Joe Biden."

That's the real test, and even the "good" ones -- Asa, Christie, Hurd -- will fail it.

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 17, 2023

8/ The GOP base *does not accept reality* and they have a 24/7/365 media machine that never, ever, ever, ever interrupts the constant IV drip of agitprop, fear porn, and conspiracy.

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 17, 2023

10/ No one wants him to be the nominee, but not one of these candidates has a plan to legitimately stop him. "Exogenous event X will make me the nominee" is political fanfic, not reality.

Jeff Roe is *incinerating* $80 million of the donor $ DeSantis raised.

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 17, 2023

12/ The primary is a Kabuki dance of fools, fakes, and frauds.

The GOP cannot reckon with Trump because it knows pain is coming for them, either way. They can't look the Trump or the base in the eye and say, "No more."

And so, their pain continues.

End.

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) August 17, 2023

TL;dr: the fire in the coal seam that started in the GOP when Goldwater lost, and burst above ground with Gingrich in the House, has finally fully consumed the GOP and is leaving nothing standing, not one brick upon another.

And I’m fine with that. 😎