Today, we’ll witness a watershed moment for the American legal system, both a unique historical event and a spectacle.
Barring the release of substantial charges, it will mark the beginning of a shameful, politically motivated attack on a formidable candidate gearing up for the 2024 campaign
Justice won't be delivered by a Soros-backed local DA who, at last, found a criminal deserving of prison. No, Alvin Bragg is the producer of this drama, in addition to a hero or villain, depending on your point of view..
Don’t get me wrong, the stakes are high – our faith in our justice system and, not for nothing, the liberty of a former president. But the blockbuster drama of American politics is back in its prime time slot, starring Donald Trump.
Trump isn’t fearful of this moment. He’s relishing it. If you or I were arrested on trumped-up charges (sorry, couldn’t help myself), we’d be nervous. We’d be worried about jail, our reputation, and legal fees.
For Trump, this thrusts him right in the midst of the ongoing national debate, which resembles less Lincoln-Douglas than the food fight from Animal House.
A star without a show
Trump’s time in the wilderness didn’t work particularly well for him. Being quiet through 2021 was strategic, since a good number of his supporters had grown tired of the drama and the continual post-election claims of a stolen election. The midterm elections, and his response, harmed his brand. Then things got worse with Ron DeSantis getting attention and support without even declaring for the job.
While Trump leads the polls for the GOP nomination, he certainly hasn't been dominating them. He could win a crowded field with the ~46% of support he’s seen, but that’s no guarantee, especially if the post-Trump Republicans coalesce around a single opponent.
He’s also been a persona-less-grata on Fox News and hasn’t resumed his Twitter posts, with millions of followers. There’s only so far you can go with Truth Social and NewsMax, one reason his wild swings at DeSantis have had little impact.
Similar themes
We will undoubtedly see the familiar Trump-media tango today and over the upcoming weeks.
Trump’s political genius has always been to say sometime over the top — “Mexico is sending rapists!” — then benefit from the brouhaha of the press taking it even further – “Trump says every Mexican is a rapist!” It ends with his supporters supporting him even more while his opponents oppose him like never before.
Here’s a likely example: “insurrection."
Tonight the press will be waiting to pounce if he says anything at all that reminds them of January 6, that insurrection that was worse than 9/11, Pearl Harbor and New Coke combined. Trump will say something akin to, “Americans need to fight back against this judicial coup!” … and the dance will start anew.
Trump understands how the press works, so he’ll repeat that multiple times, each with the left and press aghast, each with the approval of his supporters
One big caveat: the charges
Despite all of the ballyhooing, we still don’t really know what we’re talking about, at least as far as the charges.
The actual indictment remains hidden, so we’re all speculating on the wobbly prosecution theory that we heard Alvin Bragg has created. Perhaps those “34 felony counts” will be prosecutorial nonsense, but perhaps there’s something more serious.
To most, the charges won’t matter much insomuch as they’ve already made up their minds. It’ll be a rare liberal who says, “gee, that doesn’t look serious enough to arrest a former president”, and a rare MAGA type who says, “Wow, Trump finally went overboard.”
Time will tell, but don’t hold your breath.
— Ken
Let us not forget Hillary paid for a dossier with campaign funds then used it to get a court order to tap then President Donal Trumps phone lines. Seems worse. AND IT WAS ALL FALSE.
Rigged show
All politics
Hoping for a backfire
Need a Trump dble to play golf while other in NYC & freak out Dems & media
Fake charges
Lets have Dems sample what they dished OUT since 2016
Goes Both ways