In a sane world, Donald J. Trump, defeated at re-election, impeached twice and involved in multiple investigations, would slowly retire from politics. That the former president is seeking re-election — and “retribution” — not only reflects his narcissism and the misguided devotion of his supporters, but also the failure of prominent Republicans to oust him.
Exhibit A is House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s seesaw. During the post-Jan. 6 debate on Trump’s impeachment — which he opposed — McCarthy rightly said Trump “takes responsibility” for the attack on Congress when he began to affirm Joe Biden’s victory. McCarthy also called the attack “undemocratic, un-American and criminal”. Earlier, speaking to colleagues, he said he would recommend Trump’s resignation, though he accused the New York Times of reporting “inaccurately and incorrectly” when the fact was revealed. (The reporters later released a recording of the conversation.)
But despite McCarthy’s criticism of Trump, the Bakersfield Republican soon made a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago, where he and Trump discussed regaining control of the House of Representatives in what Trump’s political action committee called “cordial.” . More recently, McCarthy provided Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson with 41,000 hours of January 6 security video, which Carlson used to portray the January 6 riots as a mostly peaceful event. The vast majority of participants, Carlson said, “were not insurgents. They were tourists.”
Trump, as expected, thanked Carlson and McCarthy and called for the release of those convicted or pleaded guilty to the attack. (He has suggested in the past that, if reelected, he could pardon some of the Jan. 6 indictees.) Whatever Carlson thinks of Trump privately, his laundering of the day’s events plays a role in the Trump’s attempt to rewrite a traumatic moment in American history. to rewrite his politics. Benefit.
To her credit, some Republicans in Congress treated Carlson’s presentation with the contempt it deserved. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell echoed a statement by Capitol Police Commissioner J. Thomas Manger complaining that Carlson’s presentation was “easily singled out among the quieter moments of our 41,000 hours of video.”
Sen. Mike Rounds (RS.D.) was more succinct in his comment: “I’ve been here. I saw what happened. I saw the violence. And you know, at the time I thought it was a riot. I still think it was a riot today.” Sen. Thom Tillis (RN.C.) called Carlson’s Jan. 6 version “bullshit.”
Still, it’s not enough for prominent Republicans to criticize a TV show that downplays what happened on January 6, 2021. All leaders in the party must continue to work in the coming months to weed out the president who is promoting false accusations of fraud. Wahl — urging his supporters to come to a “wild” protest in Washington on Jan. 6 — will never return to the White House.
An admission of what really happened on January 6 inevitably entails harsh judgment on the man whose untruths inspired the uprising. As former Representative Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the Vice Chair of the January 6 Committee, aptly put it, “No one who would act in this way today could ever hold a position of authority in our country again. He is not fit for any office.”
Republicans are naturally concerned about alienating Trump supporters. Cheney lost her leadership position and then her seat in Congress after she voted to impeach Trump and continued to criticize him. But as the 2024 campaign approaches, it may not only be responsible, it may be prudent for Republicans to admit that Trump is a fatally flawed candidate. Despite what his supporters may believe, Trump lost the 2020 election, lied to millions about it and tried to undermine the constitutional election process. What future would the party have if it continued to accept him as its standard bearer?
Source: LA Times