"Working relationship" means "repeat his lies."
That's Trump's role. He signals the lies and the entire right-wing falls in line.
The latest lie is that the J6 committee is illegitimate.
Now Kevin McCarthy is repeating that lie, even though he knows it's a lie.
1/
That's Trump's role. He signals the lies and the entire right-wing falls in line.
The latest lie is that the J6 committee is illegitimate.
Now Kevin McCarthy is repeating that lie, even though he knows it's a lie.
1/
https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1481649200517423115
In his executive privilege lawsuit, made the [bogus] argument that the J6 committee is illegitimate.
It doesn't matter that the lie lost in court: Trump succeeded in signaled the lie.
Now Kevin McCarthy is repeating the lie.
2/
It doesn't matter that the lie lost in court: Trump succeeded in signaled the lie.
Now Kevin McCarthy is repeating the lie.
2/
https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1481497504164286469
Now we the argument that the committee is illegitimate repeated in all the challenges to the J6 subpoenas and other lawsuits.
In his testimony before Congress and his book, @MichaelCohen212 explained how Trump signals the lie people are supposed to tell.
3/
In his testimony before Congress and his book, @MichaelCohen212 explained how Trump signals the lie people are supposed to tell.
3/
“Mr. Trump did not directly tell me to lie to Congress,” Cohen said. “That’s not how he operates.”
politico.com/f/?id=00000169…
How does he operate?
Cohen offered an example. . .
4/
politico.com/f/?id=00000169…
How does he operate?
Cohen offered an example. . .
4/
During the campaign, while Cohen was negotiating with Russia on Trump’s behalf (to build Trump Tower Moscow), Trump often asked how the negotiations were going.
Other times Trump looked Cohen in the eye and say, “there’s no business in Russia.”
politico.com/f/?id=00000169…
5/
Other times Trump looked Cohen in the eye and say, “there’s no business in Russia.”
politico.com/f/?id=00000169…
5/
Afterwards Trump went out and told the same lie to the American people.
Cohen thus understood that “there’s no business in Russia” was the lie he was supposed to tell.”
A cherished theory is that Lindsay Graham is compromised or blackmailed.
The theory misses the point.
6/
Cohen thus understood that “there’s no business in Russia” was the lie he was supposed to tell.”
A cherished theory is that Lindsay Graham is compromised or blackmailed.
The theory misses the point.
6/
It's also a kind of projection. People who aren't of the right-wing mindset can't imagine any other reason a person would go from telling the truth and criticizing Trump to kissing his ring and repeating his lies.
They're not compromised. They fall in line. It's what they do.
7/
They're not compromised. They fall in line. It's what they do.
7/
Paxton explains.
They fall in lockstep. They even like their own "uniform" or identifying piece of clothing. MAGA hats, anyone?
Authoritarians like to line up behind an authority.
That's one of their advantages.
Non-authoritarians tend to splinter. Notice that?
8/
They fall in lockstep. They even like their own "uniform" or identifying piece of clothing. MAGA hats, anyone?
Authoritarians like to line up behind an authority.
That's one of their advantages.
Non-authoritarians tend to splinter. Notice that?
8/
Trump's lawsuits serve the purpose of signaling the lie and that's why it doesn't matter if they lose.
He lost all those election fraud lawsuits, but the lie lives on. The idea is that if you repeat the lawsuit often enough, people think it's true.
"Her emails!"
It works.
9/
He lost all those election fraud lawsuits, but the lie lives on. The idea is that if you repeat the lawsuit often enough, people think it's true.
"Her emails!"
It works.
9/
The select committee wonders if someone told Kevin McCarthy what lie to tell - but that's not how Trump operates.
He looks people in the eye and lies and they know they're supposed to repeat it.
Andy McCabe, @PreetBharara, and @Comey described this same process.
10/
He looks people in the eye and lies and they know they're supposed to repeat it.
Andy McCabe, @PreetBharara, and @Comey described this same process.
10/
In his book, Disloyal, @MichaelCohen212 explained that he was amazed by Trump’s ability to lie to a person’s face.
It's a neat trick.
You can reject science, be unable to control a virus, and unable to build anything, but if you control the narrative, people think you can.
11/
It's a neat trick.
You can reject science, be unable to control a virus, and unable to build anything, but if you control the narrative, people think you can.
11/
That's what Trump does. He can't control anything real. As a business person, he couldn't add value. He couldn't build anything. As president, he was helpless in the face of a virus he couldn't control.
But he shamelessly tells compelling lies
12
But he shamelessly tells compelling lies
https://twitter.com/KRBaldridge/status/1481663084884336648
12
You're all very sweet to overlook the errors and get my meaning anyway.
I have various theories for why this happens: My keyboard hates me. My keyboard is haunted by gremlins. Not enough morning coffee yet.
Or maybe I just type too fast?
13/
I have various theories for why this happens: My keyboard hates me. My keyboard is haunted by gremlins. Not enough morning coffee yet.
Or maybe I just type too fast?
13/
That was my favorite error in the whole thread. 🏆
I was busy thinking about how all those lawsuits repeat the same lie, and they get repeated naturally because when a new witness files a lawsuit, they look to see what the others argued yadda yadda yadda.
I was busy thinking about how all those lawsuits repeat the same lie, and they get repeated naturally because when a new witness files a lawsuit, they look to see what the others argued yadda yadda yadda.
https://twitter.com/dkearnsjr/status/1481666995145768961
The blackmail theory assumes that facts matter to these people, or that anyone in the Fox bubbles cares about crimes.
They're scared of Trump, but not because he has secrets.
They're scared he'll ruin their careers or unleash a violent mob on them.
They're scared of Trump, but not because he has secrets.
They're scared he'll ruin their careers or unleash a violent mob on them.
https://twitter.com/Bucbeard/status/1481667855473074182
I've also wondered this.
It has also occurred to me that making him a poor man would be more effective than putting him in prison (which tends to rile supporters).
I gave up on the poor-man idea because he's too good at swindling and grifting.
It has also occurred to me that making him a poor man would be more effective than putting him in prison (which tends to rile supporters).
I gave up on the poor-man idea because he's too good at swindling and grifting.
https://twitter.com/rvaux16/status/1481671113541238785
This ⤵️ is so different from being afraid of blackmail, which assumes the existence of objective facts and provable truths.
For those who reject the idea of objective facts (the idea that underlies rule of law) truth is whatever the Leader says it is.
For those who reject the idea of objective facts (the idea that underlies rule of law) truth is whatever the Leader says it is.
https://twitter.com/MockRamblings/status/1481675954141511680
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