President Trump torches his own party and its leaders on their way out of power – and throws gas on the fire with a public call for mass protests next week and a vote to reverse its defeat.
Why it matters: Trump demands that Republicans embrace him fully and unequivocally – or face his anger. It is self-inflicted, self-directed – and dangerous for a Republican Party clinging to the declining Washington power.
Look at Trump just this week:
- He’s trying to burn down the party’s chance in Tuesday’s run from Georgia, which raises doubts for Republican voters tweet yesterday that the state’s elections are “illegal and invalid, and that would include the two current senatorial elections.”
- He’s trying to burn down Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp – who won because of Trump’s primary approval – because Kemp would not interfere in the state’s presidential results. Trump told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo that he was’ ashamed ‘that he endorsed Kemp, and tweeted that Kemp should resign because he is an obstruction who refuses to admit that we, Georgia, won BIG. ‘
- He’s trying to burn down the party’s credibility by stopping protest rallies during Wednesday’s congressional election of President Biden’s Electoral College. Trump tweeted details of ‘#StopTheSteal’ demonstrations, inclusive one with the web address “WILD PROTEST.” He tweeted “See you in DC” – and “Be there, will be wild!”
- He’s trying to burn down Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who congratulates President-elect Biden on his victory. Trump falsely demanded credit for McConnell’s re-election.
- He throws other Republicans in the fire with the futile efforts to hamper Biden’s certification. At a conference with fellow Republicans in the Senate, McConnell called the upcoming vote “the most important I’ve ever made,” Jonathan Swan reported.
- He’s trying to burn down Senator John Thune (RS.D.), tweet on New Year’s Day that he wants the government of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, to elect him.
- He lights the match on the last attempt to raise stimulus checks to $ 2000, which threatened to split the party before McConnell killed it.
The whole picture: A United Republican Party could have achieved the victory because it fared better than expected in the House and Senate race, by setting up the Spanish Americans and delivering incentives. Instead, the IDP discusses an unlikely statement of a presidential election.