McConnell tried to break from Trumpism. The monster he helped create is now too big.
Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell made a brave stand to separate his beloved Republican Party from the tentacles of Donald Trump until he didn’t: He finally recognized Biden’s win, blamed the U.S. Capitol attack on Trump’s incitement, and opened the door to an impeachment trial. Then he voted with Kentucky’s other Senator, Rand Paul, to declare that trial unconstitutional.
McConnell so rarely acts on principle that his brief but bold stand against Trump was confusing for everyone, himself included. It’s clear he thinks the Republican Party must separate itself from the QAnon-white supremacist-insurrectionist wing of the GOP that Trump so tenderly nurtured, only .... so many people still support Trump that it’s putting McConnell and his ilk in a big ole bind of their own making. (Confusing is when hardliner Liz Cheney loses her clout because she voted to impeach Trump while QAnon nut and Parkland truther Marjorie Taylor Greene, who in 2019 advocated killing Nancy Pelosi, gets a seat on the House Education Committee.)
Political observers love using metaphors to describe McConnell with his five dimensional chess game, his needle threading, his Machiavellian scheming, etc. I prefer McConnell as Dr. Frankenstein, creating his perfect monster to help usher in judges and Supreme Court nominees, but ending up with a creature that’s too strong to control. That monster not only convinced his followers to attack the U.S. Capitol, apparently with the goal of punishing the vice-president and other lawmakers, but has also got enough political might to convince lawmakers that he should not be punished for it. What’s Dr. Frankenstein to do now?
Emily Bacchus is a UK political scientist who studies protest and elections in small countries that we used to feel superior to because of the strength of our democratic systems. She is not optimistic.
“Party extremists have the most influence, so that leaves McConnell in a dicey position where he can appreciate Trump is a danger, and still recognize his supporters are the most powerful actors that the Republican Party has right now. White supremacy is deeply ingrained. This insurrection is their bread and butter.”
The New York Times had a fascinating story yesterday pointing out that Trump’s Homeland Security department made a point of downplaying the threat of domestic terrorism from heavily armed white supremacists, but now we’re getting the true information about just how dangerous it is. More violence is coming.
But even though that violence attacked McConnell’s beloved Senate, it’s clear that the Senate will not vote to convict Trump and keep him from running again. Republicans are downplaying the Capitol attack. It’s also clear that McConnell is in one of the shakiest political spots of his career. He still holds sway in Kentucky, where he beat back one challenge from the hardliners in the Kentucky GOP. He just got re-elected; it’s not clear he’ll run again in six years. He’s certainly not going to get any help from his colleague and noted clown Rand Paul, who is up for re-election next year and believes in nothing but his own superior immune system.
(It’s not irony, exactly, but interesting that the last time McConnell lost his iron grip on the GOP to a fringe radical group was way back in 2010 when Tea Party favorite Rand Paul beat McConnell’s pick, Trey Grayson in the U.S. Senate primary.)
On the one hand, it’s fascinating political theater that we can watch as the Biden administration goes about the more grubby business of helping Americans navigate hunger, poverty and illness. McConnell may have some final tricks up his sleeve for Trump’s trial, and as a master political manipulator, he should never be ruled out.
On the other hand, it’s real life and one of our two political parties is under the sway of a fringe, radical wing that is a danger to our democratic institutions. If McConnell really wanted the legacy of a statesman he’d use his superior political skills to wrangle the GOP away from Trumpublicans. But this monster may be too big even for him.
This story was originally published January 28, 2021 at 11:27 AM.
