It seems to me that 44 GOP Senators are laying the groundwork for Trump 2024

[MillenialDemLXXXIII]

One of the networks, either CNN or MSNBC, just played the emotional comments where Lead House Impeachment Manager Raskin cried when discussing the prospect that a Trump acquittal could lead to the monstrosity returning. He's bang on.

The only reason I can come up with in my mind for why 44 GOP senators are rushing to acquittal is that they have decided that they need the support of the militants and the extremists to remain viable and that regardless of their own potential personal distaste for him, that Trump 2024 is their best shot at winning the presidency again. They're probably looking at Romney and Pence as potential nominees, and have decided that their only shot at having an energized turnout to make 2024 even remotely competitive is to have Trump back at the top of the ticket.

Watch for them to try to roll out a fake "sane" Trump as he campaigns for them in the 2022 midterms to try to rehabilitate him ahead of his 2024 bid as well. We really need the media not to fall for that next year! Lindsey Graham is already musing about rehabilitating Trump, using that exact word!

Dave Wasserman tweeted on January 9 or January 10 that the 2024 nomination is Trump's if he wants it.

That is the only justification I can come up with in my mind for why they are excusing his insurrection and his manslaughter, sadly.

I was counting on conviction to rid us of him but looks like we'll have to do it the hard way and defeat him at the polls AGAIN, for a 3rd time, in 2024.

[SoonerPride]

1. He will be dead by then.

As will the GQP

[Peacetrain]

12. GQP love it!

so on point

[Generic Brad]

36. Cheeseburgers in his arteries will will see to that

[TwilightZone]

2. Nope.

Trump's political career ended on January 6th. His approval ratings are tanking and he'll never win another primary, much less a general election.

The reason the 44 are "rushing toward acquittal" is because they have never had any intention other than to vote for acquittal. Pretty simple, really.

[MillenialDemLXXXIII]

6. But if they don't want him as the head of their sad sack of a party

Why aren't they taking the opportunity to rid themselves of him and why have they always refused to do so?

[PSPS]

10. Because they think they can't win their next primary without his dwindling number of fans.

[leftieNanner]

11. Mary Trump has said

that he will not run for office again. His fragile little ego couldn't handle the possibility of losing again.

But that doesn't mean he won't tease another run, have lots of masturbatory rallies, and rake in the cash.

I agree with you.

[TwilightZone]

14. He'll definitely threaten to run, just like he's threatening a third party.

He won't do the latter, either. He knows that he can't win anything without the GOP.

As you noted, it's all about the cash. Quarter of a billion since election day from the rubes.

[mzmolly]

24. That, and try

to wield some control over the GQP lemmings in office. I think he wants the threat of another run, in addition to his ego stroke for money game.

[sfstaxprep]

16. You're Joking, Right?

He absolutely would win another primary. And another.....and another.....

He still has his base, and he still has the support of most of the party. Who else is there that could challenge him?

Personally, I don't think he'll run again. He just wants to dangle it out there, and raise money, like the GRIFTER that he is.

[TwilightZone]

18. No, he wouldn't.

The only reason he won in 2016 was because the GOP left too many candidates in for too long. Had they rallied behind one candidate, no Trump. They won't make the same mistake twice.

His ratings are also tanking, including with Republicans. 23% of GOP voters think he should barred from future office. That's more than doubled since January 6th and is only likely to increase.

He's done.

[sfstaxprep]

22. 23% of QOP Voters Think He Should Be Barred From Future Office?

What about the other 77%?

Primaries bring out all the crazies, and all the crazies are fully behind him.

[newdayneeded]

34. 74 million

I've said this before. he got 74 million votes, but half of those held their noses and voted for the asshole. his true base is 30 million, maybe less.

[Thekaspervote]

26. Yup! His approval ratings are down 20 pts since December...he can't recover from that!

[uponit7771]

41. No, they WILL get primaried by a Trumper if they don't vote for aquital

[samnsara]

3. i WILL leave America then because it will be AmeriKa

[getagrip_already]

4. Next stop, the 14th amendment....51/50. Problem solved.

I think that's the one. Where anyone found to have participated in an insurrection is prohibited from any role in gov't.....

Sounds good to me.

[leftieNanner]

9. Senators Kaine and Collins have discussed this

If the Impeachment Trial fails, they might go for censure and 14th Amendment.

[OAITW r.2.0]

5. Here are their problems....

1) Democratic policies will be having a huge, positive impact on the health crisis and economy.
2) The Insurrection doesn't get better over time. Just the opposite.

[leftieNanner]

7. They are between a Rock and a Hard Place

They detest him and they know he is bad for the country, but they all fear being primaried and losing their cushy and powerful jobs. So they pretend to support him.

The thing is, Mary Trump has said that he will not ever run for President again because his ego couldn't stand losing again. But that doesn't mean he won't threaten to do so. He could hold lots of rallies and bring in lots of cash (which he would take for himself).

I think it's like pulling off a bandaid. It's much less painful if you do it quickly and right now! If they convicted him and made it so he couldn't run for any federal office again, they would be able to put him behind them. He would become a loser has-been like Sarah Palin. But they won't.

[Thekaspervote]

28. If they all stood together he would be gone as in yesterday!! His base would move on

[leftieNanner]

29. Precisely!

He can't go after every single one of them at once. Especially since the Twitter machine has been turned OFF.

[uponit7771]

43. +1, the kGOP would take a one cycle hit if they did that today but they won't

.... Do the right thing they're true believers.

There won't be 17 senators voting along with dems

[Politicub]

8. It is Trump's party. But he will never win again. The

wounds from January 6 run too deep. The scars are etched into the American collective unconscious.

While republican politicians are craven and unmoved at the reality of the attempted coup, the general public -- the majority of Americans -- will never forget the agony that they felt that day. The images and symbols will be deployed in campaign ads in every race for the mid-terms and next presidential term.

The GOP is Trump. Trump has a sizable following, but not enough to win.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

13. Go for it!

How many times can you lose the popular vote? He can join William Jennings Bryan as a three time loser. Trump's bullshit has a lot in common with Bryan's "Cross of Gold" tripe.

[BlueTsunami2018]

15. Don't think he can't win if he skates on everything.

And don’t think he can’t win even if he’s convicted of crimes.

The Republicans are not dropping off from him any time soon. The MAGAts own the party now.

We have to continue coming out in droves no matter how “disappointed” people on our side are about not getting everything they want instantly.

The midterms are everything, every election is everything. We need them out of power for at least a decade.

[MillenialDemLXXXIII]

17. I agree wholeheartedly with all of your points

To completely restore American greatness, we need the Presidency at least until 2032. I'm hoping for Dem control from 2020-2032 just like Reagan/Bush had 1980-1992, 12 years!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

19. Agree. But best shot given the crazies doesn't equal winning.

Basically trump has destroyed their party for many years. Because he lost by a decent margin and that was before he pulled the J 6 shit. What could he possibly do to make up that difference??

Good for us!

[milestogo]

20. By then he will either be dead or have severe dementia.

Life isn't going to get better for him.

[bdamomma]

33. I agree

He's going to try to find more lawyers, for more of his crimes.

[Ilsa]

40. If he has dementia, they'll elect him anyway.

Dude has to be dead for Republicans not to vote for him.

[spanone]

21. they're all preening for pence's job

[bdamomma]

23. who says

he will run again??? anything can happen between now and then. And why embrace this cretin????

[Lucinda]

25. I think they are just covering their fannys with their voters for now

They got the votes to move forward and the GOPers who want to vote against Trumpy now can let the evidence come out and square them with their voters

[malaise]

27. Trump will croak way before 2024

Take that to the bank

[leftieNanner]

30. Shall we pool our resources

And send him a Super Sized Bucket of Extra Crispy?

Every Day??

[malaise]

31. and chocolate cake with two scoops of icecream

and loads of fudge

[leftieNanner]

32. And Peanut Brittle!

The cheap store-bought kind. He doesn't deserve the homemade stuff.

[malaise]

37. I'm going to try your recipe

for sure

[leftieNanner]

38. Have you posted the rum fudge yet?

[malaise]

42. Yes

Both of the recipes

[leftieNanner]

45. Found them! Yum!

Thank you.

[ProfessorGAC]

35. Doubtful

They're protecting the brand.
More than half of them want him gone, they just can't summon the courage to say it publicly.
But, having him formally convicted tarnishes their party even more. They are the party with a crook for a leader.
So, they use pretzel logic to vote to acquit.
But, it's very unlikely it's about wanting him back.
He got beat by a large margin, and won by the arcana if the EC. Worked once. Failed badly the 2nd time.
There's no reasonable assurance that the 2024 outcome would be a trouncing. That further damages the brand.
They're stuck between a rock & a hard place and too cowardly to make the right play.

[malaise]

39. The secret Cheney vote was proof

You're right

[Mr.Bill]

44. How about this possibility.

I read this a few weeks ago, maybe here, I think. When McCarthy went down to Florida recently to kiss Trump's ass, one of the things they were discussing was taking the House back in '22 and making Trump Speaker of The House. That's right, you don't have to be a member of Congress to be elected Speaker of The House. Besides what a clown show that would be, If he was third in line for President, Biden and Harris would have to live in a vault and travel by armored car.

Think about that scenario.