Thread by @DougKass

"The No Apologies Tour" @realDonaldTrump
Both should resign. Indeed, everyone working for Esper should resign in protest, as did James N. Miller, a member of the Defense Science Board. See WaPo, “A letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper.” (“I resign from the Defense Science

Board, effective immediately. I must now ask: If last night’s blatant violations do not cross the line for you, what will?”)
The most disturbing detail to emerge in Tuesday’s reporting is that Bill Barr personally ordered federal troops to clear peaceful protestors from

Lafayette Square. See NYTimes, “Bill Barr gave the order.” It is difficult to comprehend how ordering the use of force against peaceful protestors is not a criminal offense for which someone should be prosecuted. Using force against citizens lawfully assembled to exercise rights

guaranteed by the Constitution is an offense against the laws of the United States—regardless of who orders the use of force. Holding a cabinet position or wearing a military uniform does not insulate those who order attacks without justification. Let’s hope that the Department

of Justice has already opened an investigation into the illegal use of force by federal troops.
The lawlessness of the Trump administration is becoming too much for many former supporters. George Will published an op-ed in WaPo, “Trump must be removed. So must his congressional

enablers.” Will writes,
"Presidents seeking reelection bask in chants of “Four more years!” This year, however, most Americans — perhaps because they are, as the president predicted, weary from all the winning — might flinch: Four more years of this? The taste of ashes,

metaphorical and now literal, dampens enthusiasm."
A group called “Republican Voters Against Trump” has begun to organize efforts of Republicans to defeat Trump. In the words of one member, “I’d vote for a tuna fish sandwich before I’d vote for Donald Trump again.” The website

(linked above) features videos of Republicans explaining why they can no longer support Trump. It’s very well done and quite effective. If you have a minute, check it out. It will help dispel the mistaken belief that Trump’s base “will never abandon him, no matter what.”

To the contrary, they are abandoning him every day.
All of this brings us to the existential question about Trump’s presidency: Can it survive this moment? Probably. But for the first time since his election, I had the fleeting thought that Trump might be forced to resign—

literally or effectively (by retreating permanently to Mar-a-Lago). See Thomas Wright’s essay in The Atlantic, “We’ve Now Entered the Final Phase of the Trump Era.” Wright explains that Trump is caught in three crises he cannot escape—coronavirus, protests over George Floyd’s

death, and the international crisis provoked by China’s takeover of Hong Kong. Wright posits that, as Trump flails helplessly,
the question facing responsible senior administration officials (there are several at the principal and deputy level), Republicans in Congress, and

allied governments is not how to persuade Trump to do the right thing, but how to limit the damage so the government can be repaired after he is gone.
Wright is asserting that insiders will resist and limit Trump as they seek to distance themselves from his excesses—

as Esper and Milley tried to do on Tuesday.
Into this uncertain moment stepped Joe Biden with an address to the nation from Philadelphia’s City Hall. See WaPo, “Biden, in speech to the nation, denounces President Trump’s actions against protesters and vows to heal racial

wounds.” For those of you who doubt Joe or who need a balm from the insanity of Trump, listen to Biden’s speech, start to finish. Was it perfect? No. But was it presidential? Yes. It was also empathetic, specific, and healing. Biden said the following:
I ask every American:

Is this who we are? Is this who we want to be? Is this the nation we want to pass on to our children? This job is not about me; it’s about you; it’s about us. Our duty includes remembering who we should be . . . the America of FDR, Rosa Parks, Neil Armstrong, and Jonas Salk.

We are exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us.
In many ways, Biden has begun to act as a surrogate president—as evidenced by the fact that Biden will attend George Floyd’s funeral as a leader whose healing presence will be welcomed. Donald Trump could

attend George Floyd’s funeral only if he first cleared the church with flashbang grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets. @cnbcfastmoney @SquawkCNBC @andrewrsorkin @Jimcramer @tomkeene @ScottWapnerCNBC @riskreversal @threadreaderapp unroll