There is no other way to parse this. Try as you might, all you Republican, MAGA, disaffected sycophants with blinders on, you can’t weasel out of this one. Please stop with, “He’s only kidding.” Or “He’s just owning the libs.” Just stop.
Cries of “25th Amendment” are well-founded. Again. Because you can’t let a thin-skinned juvenile fling the verbal feces and expect no one to notice, or take offense, or be rightfully furious.
Donald Trump has run fast and loose, pissed on guard rails and taken liberties since day one, sometimes saying stunningly stupid things but often with some sly expectation or hope that someone is listening and picking up on the innuendo or the inference or the hint. “Hear that, Russia? Hear that, Iran? You can bomb Los Angeles or San Diego if you want. No skin off my teeth.”
It’s a small price to pay for… what? What does that even mean? Is he talking about oil prices or the loss of an American urban area or two?
It may all be off-handed to his thunderstruck supporters (how can he still have any?), but when you run your mouth and offer up language that infers annihilation of American cities– or a whole civilization of 90 million people– you’ve crossed a line. There have to be lines. Trump needs to understand this, and it appears he never will. Or maybe he does but just doesn’t care.
So take a deep breath, Republicans, and nip this in the bud before something happens that even you would regret. Stop lying to yourselves, forget about the midterms, recognize throw-away promises when you hear them, and do your part to salvage this nation that you hopefully love more deeply than you let on.
Haven’t you seen enough? America needs a few good nights’ sleep.
