Cillizza writes:
"I can't believe that they do. And if they don't, then something far worse is at play here. They are willing to suspend their principles and beliefs and acquiesce to Trump's wild claims solely because it is good for their own personal politics. That taking a stand against Trump's absolute smashing of presidential norms isn't worth the political pain it might cause them.
That was the worst part of watching Trump on Thursday. That every single person in that room smiled and laughed and, uh, celebrated, as though what Trump was saying was even close to normal behavior. It wasn't. None of it."
I do believe that they believe everything they say publicly. Sure, we've seen reports from Democratic senators who tell us that they believed Trump was guilty but that, blah blah blah, they wouldn't vote to convict.
Well, folks, they believe every word they are selling. The believe Pelosi doesn't pray. They believe Adam Schiff is a corrupt pencil-neck. They believe Romney used his religion as a crutch. They believe Democrats hate America and want to destroy it. They laughed and applauded because they believe him and support him. Why? I suppose it's probably important to understand why, partly as a means to confront it and partly to put it in some historical context. But in the end it doesn't really matter why, only that they are true believers. They will do or say anything to support their Dear Leader. And for those who attempt to leave the fold, there are always caveats. Romney didn't vote to convict on both counts, just one. Almost every Never Trumper is still a Republican and believes in the principles of a party that has brought us to where we are today.
Cult deprogramers and campaign strategists have all sorts of ideas on how to confront this danger. Remember, though, that all plots to remove a certain 20th century dictator failed. It took a war where millions died to end fascism in Europe - well, as least for 50 or so years. There have effectively been no attempts to overthrown any of the Kim family in North Korea, because the risks are simply too great. Institutions are being destroyed. The environment is being savaged. Our cultural history - Native Americans, African-Americans, immigrants, and more - is being eradicated. The are virtually no protections for employees. And the social safety net is well beyond frayed. I know we are not quite in the same situation as Germany in the 1930s and 1940s or North Korea since the 1950s. We still have the semblance, and maybe even the reality, of free(ish) and fair(ish) elections, and we may well regain the WH and the majority in the House and Senate. And maybe we can take steps to restore the damage. But there are still powerful politicians and wealthy businesspeople, and 60 million Americans, for whom Trump is indeed the chosen one, and somehow undoing the brainwashing they have undergone is, for me, a black hole. Talk about a Bizarro world. The Fox legal commentator tells the cult that trump was guilty as hell. It will have no effect. The reported internal guidance regarding the propaganda machine at fox will have no effect. Because these voices are outnumbered, outspent, and outgunned.
So, Chris Cillizza is right, and there is something far worse at play.
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