If Donald Trump had posted his latest video yesterday it would have bought him a lot of credit, unfortunately. The fact that he released it this evening is a measure of just how tenuous his position has become. Two events from just the last couple hours demonstrate why. We now learn that a Capitol Police officer was beaten to death by his insurrectionist supporters. And now The Wall Street Journal editorial page, even in advance of that news, has called for him to resign or be impeached.
The Journal oped page is a deeply pernicious force in American civic life. But it is deeply influential. Indeed, it spans the divide between money Republicans and the crazies. Critical now for Trump’s political fate over the next 13 days is Tuesday’s elections in Georgia. Most Republicans now think he’s damaging them as a party. He’s a liability, not an advantage, something they differently even after his defeat in November. After the last forty-eight hours they don’t seem to fear him either.
There’s no point in me trying to come up with odds. The entirety of this situation is wholly unprecedented in American political history. We are now witnessing the rapid collapse of a presidency. Indeed – as we’ve discussed in other posts – it’s not entirely clear Trump is even currently functioning as President. But it’s not clear to me he will be able to remain in office even for the next 13 days.
