J.J. asked:
A: Trump will do anything he thinks he can get away with, which he believes will benefit him personally.
Yesterday he learned what happens when his AG-Henchman Barr orders violence against Americans protesting peacefully.
It didn’t go well for him.
Evidently it all started because Trump was feeling humiliated when we learned he was cowering in a bunker. He was mocked on Twitter, and I’m sure elsewhere. Leadership Cults are about winning and strength. Axios reported that his base was turning against him and he “needed to be seen”
So Trump had to do something. Someone in the White House (Hope Hicks apparently) got the idea for Trump to visit St. John’s Church and have his picture taken there.
A.G. Barr reportedly ordered law enforcement to clear Lafayette Square for Trump’s photo op:
The uniformed cops tear gassed and brutalized peaceful protesters to get them out of the way. They didn’t coordinate with the church. The Episcopal priests, who had no idea what was happening, were teargassed and run off the porch. They were enraged.
When the way was cleared, Trump marched to the church, evidently confident that he looked like a strongman with “guts.”
(We can pause to appreciate the humor or Scott Walker’s tweet. Let’s see. Would any other presidents have so much guts? JFK fought in World War II. George Washington participated in a few battles himself. We can stop there. You get the idea.)
Having summoned the guts to march across a square flanked by lots of armed guard, Trump had the guts to pose for this photo:
It was obviously ridiculous.
But I didn’t know what would happen.
- Would the violence escalate?
- Was it a turning point?
I think we were all tense.
Confession: Until yesterday, I was uneasy with the protests. I worried about spreading Covid-19, and people dying in large numbers. I worried about the fact that white supremacists were creating mayhem while using peaceful protesters for cover.
OK, I’m still worried. I’ve marched on Washington, but not in a pandemic.
But now I see that something changed after the violence in Lafayette Plaza. If Trump thought this would make him look like a strong man, and help him overcome the cowardly image of him in an underground bunker, afraid of the protesters, he miscalculated.
Today, in response, protesters came out in huge numbers because they wanted to show solidarity and because of a widespread sense that history was being made.
There were huge crowds in New York City.
Even Elizabeth Warrens showed up at the protests in front of the White House.
Yesterday (only yesterday? Feels like five years ago) Trump called all 50 governors “weak.”
Today there were protests in all 50 states.
We have this incredible moment when Trudeau tried to respond when asked to comment on the violence yesterday at the White House.
American diplomats are accustomed to taking a stand against civil rights violations elsewhere. Now they’re being asked to explain our own.
Polls are all going the same direction.
The Trump campaign is clearly worried about this. His campaign is demanding a retraction about the tear gas part, even though there is footage showing this and witnesses who experienced it.
Trump tweeted this (as if it would fool anyone):
And then we had amazing moments, like this one:
And this one:
What comes next?
I think it’s fair to suggest that Trump may have realized using violence against Americans isn’t such a bright idea—not because he has any morals or decency, but because he can see it will hurt him.
He is still incapable of doing what needs to be done: initiating real reform. Making sure that the government doesn’t kill any more African Americans.
He’s still cornered and dangerous and desperate, and it’s a long way until January 20, 2021, so please everyone: get your absentee ballots (if you can) and stay safe.
