Take it as a given that Captain Thinskin has, in less than three weeks, already lived down to my worst expectations.
In every dimension I can think of — policy, personality, politics, manners, intelligence, competence, vision, humanity, composure, leadership, management, governance (you get the idea) — his administration is a total, and totally terrifying, disaster.
Yesterday’s sideshow, with his attack on Nordstrom’s for dropping his daughter’s clothing line, perfectly encapsulates the insanity that surrounds us.
Sure, it’s hilarious and sad and stupid in a point-and-laugh kind of way. At the same time, it’s a serious-as-a-heart-attack leap beyond plain old conflict of interest that demonstrates just how willing — eager — he is to use the weight of his office to further his own and his family’s business interests: “Spicer’s message was clear — businesses that make decisions cutting against the financial interests of the president and his family will be subject to retribution.”
As Josh Marshall put it, “He recognizes no conflict. Indeed, there isn't one. President Trump is openly using his office to become the billionaire he always wanted to be.” (And don’t worry, his wife is trying to get in on the action as well.)
Just one more of the forays into uncharted territory that have already come to define this surreal era.
Now consider this less-amusing outburst from a couple of days ago, responding to District Judge James Robart putting the brakes on the Muslim ban:
Which was preceded by:
And don’t forget the “so-called judge” zinger.
It seems obvious to me that he is simply lashing out like the petulant child that he is — shifting blame as usual, as quickly and small-handedly as possible.
And yet.
It seems equally obvious that, whether there is intentional method to his madness or not, that in addition to the reprehensible attempt to cow an — the — independent branch of government, these tweets serve to lay down a very chilling marker.
What he’s doing is pre-washing his hands of any accountability or blame if and when a terrorist attack occurs on US soil. And we all know what we mean by “terrorist,” right? After all, there’s only one kind.
Which means, using the only metric that matters to him, he’ll have “won.” (Which also explains another alarming belief inside the White House walls: Criticism is treason.) And he’ll then have every reason and right, using the logic of a bad high school student, to finally slough off the petty shackles of rules and laws that constantly get in his way, and use his common sense to institute the kind of swaggering, reality-show-ready-fire-aim, punitive retaliatory measures that will make his original Muslim ban seem like gentlest and most reasonable tap on the wrist. Who’s going to stop him?
Ok, worst-case scenario. Deep breaths.
Knowing that he’s going to use any excuse to extend and expand his White Nationalist rule — whether in fits and starts, or in barely discernable steps, or in one fell swoop — it pays to be prepared. We have to get out in front of the train before it picks up too much steam.
So what’s my One True Idea Which Is The Only Logical Thing To Do And All Right-Thinking People Should Agree?
First, as I said, be prepared. The spontaneous protests immediately following the Muslim ban order were very effective. A terror-related shock to the system will require an even larger display of true patriotism.
Beyond that, we need a story. (Yes, another one.) A simple message, repeated over and over and over again. Not about a specific policy or action, but about him. Something that would, if embedded in popular culture, turn a lot of what he’s trying to spin into straw. Something along the lines of: He’s a crybaby who refuses to take responsibility for his own actions.
No brilliant insight there. Saturday Night Live, for one, has been all over this. The goal is (as many private citizens, foreign leaders and actual terrorists have discovered) to push his buttons. To make any response reinforce the main story. To make him a laughingstock and take away his power to instill fear. And it’s just one part of a concerted, comprehensive, messy, not-fully-in-lockstep-and-that’s-ok resistance. It really does take all kinds.
Note for the record that I’m under no delusion that it’s possible to tell this story to his rotten core. And while there may be a few small cracks showing, Congressional Republicans are nowhere close to deserting their ill-tempered leader. But as we saw from the Women’s March and ongoing protests, there are a lot of us ready to fight the good fight. And as we saw with the Muslim ban, and with Betty DeVos, pressure from the people can actually harden the spines of Democratic Party leaders — and help sway public opinion.
Foolproof? Of course not. During the campaign, making it all about him didn’t work. But I think at the time, a lot of people believed it really could never happen here. Now that it has, and now that the stakes are so high, more people are paying attention, and not liking what they see.
In fact, what we need to do is turn him back into the joke that he once was.
We know that words matter, and stories matter. We know that people are afraid, and events are likely to ratchet that up. So before worst comes to worst, let’s all get out there and point and laugh.