Babbylonian
Penultimate Amazing
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2007
- Messages
- 14,103
It's not perplexing at all. He and the other high-level Republican suddenly-Trumpers made a pretty simple calculation: If we treat Trump like the vicious, stupid narcissist that he actually is, we'll be admitting that our party is under the control of insane morons and is responsible for bringing the very nature and legitimacy of US democracy into question. On the other hand, if we treat Trump like he's a true Republican standard-bearer, as any president of one's party should be treated, then we'll be able to cram through appointments and policies that we like.What's perplexing about Graham is that he had a reputation as an intelligent, responsible conservative pre-Trump. He was even one of Trump's harshest critics during the primaries. Then after the election he drops to his knees. He could have worked with Trump while still maintaining some distance, like his good friend John Mccain. If he's not being blackmailed, he sure behaves like he is.
When it comes to retaining the support of their own party, up until now, they've made the right choice from a tactical point of view, if not a moral or ethical one. Even if the Republicans end up folding as a going concern in the next 10 years (I consider this a real possibility given how they've let straight-up crazies take over the policies of their party), they'll still have put enough conservative nuts into lifetime judgeships that it'll be another 10 years after that before we fully recover from this 4-year waking nightmare.