Palmer Report: Trump just made it easier for Republicans to dump him

[Hermit-The-Prog]

Donald Trump just made it easier for Senate Republicans to dump him

[ ... ]

When it comes to the GOP we’re talking about a bunch of corrupt wishy-washy cowards, of course. But they’ve spent the past week voting against Trump in increasing numbers, because they’re getting the sense that his criminal scandals are going to take him down, and they don’t want to go down with him.

[ ... ]

It was four last week, and now it’s twelve, so it could be even higher by the time this comes back for a veto override vote. If and when it does reach twenty, it’s time for Trump to panic. If twenty Senate Republicans are willing to vote to kill Trump’s wall fantasy, then they’re probably willing to vote to remove him from office if they conclude that it’s what’s selfishly best for their own Senate reelection chances.

In other words, with these weakling Senate Republicans now holding Donald Trump’s fate in their quivering hands, it would be really smart of Trump to try to make nice with them, and to throw them a bone. After all, they’re more likely to keep him around longer if they think they can get a bit more usefulness out of him.

So what did Donald Trump do in furtherance of this goal? He launched a vicious Twitter attack today on the late John McCain. Someone mentioned McCain on Fox News, and Trump was watching, and he just couldn’t help himself. Trump has attacked McCain before and gotten away with it, but that was back when he still had leverage over the Republican Party. These days it’s the opposite. Trump needs the GOP Senate’s help to survive, and now he’s attacking the patron saint of the GOP Senate.

[ ... ]

[patricia92243]

1. I've got a feeling Mitt is a leader behind the scenes and will get a lot followers from fellow

senators.

[shanny]

2. Sorry but this is codswollop.

Rs don't have "leverage" over rump, it's the other way around. Rump has leverage over elected Rs because the base luvs him. A few have a smidgen of a conscience over the very unpopular wall but that's it.

Want leverage? Paint him in public as a LOSER and a buffoon. Only then will any fragment of his base peel away....allowing terminally craven Rs to follow.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

3. that is what is happening

As the walls close in, the Rats are looking for excuses to run. Puppetrump gives them cover as he lashes out in all directions.

[Eyeball_Kid]

4. Trumpy rubbed Graham's face in the mud with his denigration of McCain.

Trumpy wants to triumph over Graham and the traditional Republicans. He wants to humiliate Graham and leave him no choice but to be loyal to Trumpy. As is well known, Graham was attached to McCain when McCain was alive. Trumpy's denigration was meant to strip Graham of any notion of loyalty to his late friend and to surrender to Trumpy. In a more general sense, Trumpy was also attempting to humiliate traditional Republicans. That, IMO, is what's happening.

The Senatorial GOP had better listen to their inner voices. They are allowing a bully and a dictator to walk all over them. They are implicitly being intimidated into making a loyalty pledge to Trumpy. THAT IS WHAT TRUMPY WANTS. GOPers can decide that Trumpy is going too far by denigrating a dead political icon. If that's what they decide, then they'll have to act and turn on Trumpy.

This is Trumpy's gamble: will the GOP make a last stand for decency, or will they become Trumpians?

There's a LESS than even chance that they'll do the right thing, IMO.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

6. it's not a last stand for decency

The GOPers in the Senate are looking out for themselves. There is no "last stand for decency"; that passed long ago. They are witnessing the forces coming for Trump, and looking for when it becomes more politically profitable for them to turn on him. It's a completely self-serving calculation.

Those who most fear kompromat gathered from the RNC servers are either gone or complete ass-kissers to Trump. Those who think they can weather such Russia scandals as may become publicized are watching for the tipping point in their constituents while they save up reasons to denounce Trump when that point arrives.

[True Blue American]

7. I think you are right.

[wishstar]

5. Wish that were true, but most of his rightwing base has turned totally against McCain

Majority of Senators fear Trump's base more than they revere McCain. Trumpers who supported and voted for McCain switched to attacking McCain over the past couple of years in lockstep with Trump. Even before the Obamacare vote McCain was seen as too bipartisan and a traitor to rightwing causes who let Obama win the WH. Trumper veterans who once admired McCain now speak worse of his military service than they do Kerry's. No surprise that Trump and rightwing now attack McCain over his role with the Steele dossier since dossier is central to rightwing conspiracy theory that the Russia probe is a partisan FBI "deep state" and pro-Clinton conspiracy against Trump.

[True Blue American]

8. Trump's Base

Is growing smaller as they realize he is not for them at all.

[Whiskeytide]

12. I don't think his base cares...

... about that. At all. As long as he hurts and denigrates people they hate or fear, they will stick with him forever.

[riversedge]

9. I think many in Congress have already thrown McCain overboard and do not care.

Just my sense of this issue at this time.

[sakabatou]

10. I don't see Republicans dumping Trump.

Not yet anyway.

[UpInArms]

11. Lindsey Graham will prolly not care that the dotard

Once again, trashed John McCain....