What Happened?

Let’s take a step back for a second. We are so engulfed with all of the daily details of the legal morass that surrounds the Orange Menace that it is useful to, as the saying goes, “see the forest for the trees.” 

Forget for a moment whether the New York State Indictment should have been brought sooner, or whether the documents stored at Mar-A-Lago were in a bathroom or a closet, or what crimes are included in the Special Prosecutor’s target letter, or when the Georgia election interference indictment is going to be returned, or even keeping track of the animal’s six millionth lie. No, those are not the issues. The issue is that the leading candidate of a major party for President of the United States is the subject of all of that.

What happened?

There was a time when Nelson Rockefeller’s candidacy for President was out of the question because he was divorced. That was going too far, but now the leading Republican candidate has been found by a court to be a rapist. And, oh yeah, he’s also under multiple indictments. And none of that matters.

What happened?

There was a time when Edmund Muskie ruined his chances by appearing to tear up in anger during a speech against a right-wing newspaper editor. Now the leading Republican candidate makes half of the country tear up in anger every time he speaks, and he calls the media “the enemy of the people.” And, oh yeah, he’s also under multiple indictments. And none of that matters.

What happened?

There was a time when Ted Kennedy (a Kennedy for God’s sake) hurt his chances when, in an interview on national TV, he couldn’t adequately answer the question, “Why do you want to be President?” Now the leading Republican candidate can’t adequately answer any question, at least without lying. And, oh yeah, he’s also under multiple indictments. And none of that matters.

What happened?

There was a time when Gary Hart had to end his campaign because he was caught having an affair. Scandalous! Now the leading Republican candidate brags about his affairs in sexually offensive language. And, oh yeah, he’s also under multiple indictments. And none of that matters.

The leading Republican candidate bombards us with a barrage of disqualifying conduct and instead of hurting him, it is helping. Maybe that’s because it is a barrage. Maybe that’s because the barrage is so repeatedly and so microscopically analyzed in detail that we have lost the perspective of the entire picture. It’s time to look at the whole picture. It is a portrait of a venal, corrupt, amoral, narcissistic, sociopath – and those are his good qualities. 

Let’s try that. If we do, what might happen?