Recent events warranted postscripts to earlier posts:
First: In “As Mr. Trump Faces a Jury of His Peers,” I referred to a study I heard of while in law school — about which I observed that I had no idea whether it was thereafter “debunked or confirmed” — that indicated that jurors actually make up their minds about a case based upon opposing counsels’ respective opening statements. One of the most scholarly readers of these pages soon commented:
“I found a 2022 study that debunks the notion that jurors’ minds are already made up after opening statements.” She provided the following link:
https://imslegal.com/articles/do-jurors-decide-after-opening-statements
So now I know.
Second: This serves as a postscript for any of several posts I have entered in these pages over the years in which I expressed my admiration for the political athleticism of former U.S. U.N. Amb. and SC Gov. Nikki Haley. As all who care are aware, Ms. Haley, having suspended her campaign in the face of the reality that Mr. Trump had secured the nomination, recently announced that she would support Mr. Trump this November. Although a number of pundits lamented Ms. Haley’s capitulation, expressing the notion that she might have been well positioned for the 2028 Republican nomination if Mr. Trump lost this fall, I would suggest that Ms. Haley’s declaration of support for Mr. Trump constituted an acknowledgement that her relationship with a significant-enough segment of the Republican (MAGA) hierarchy is so tattered that her political career is over, so she chose to pull a (former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul) Ryan – nestle back into that part of Republican cultural cocoon where she was still welcome while she still could. (If her husband, Mr. Haley, is still in the armed services, I would recommend that if Mr. Trump wins this November, he get OUT of the service as soon thereafter as he can, lest he find himself suddenly stationed in the least secure foreign base we have.)
Finally: in “Republicans and the Lesson of Ernst and Leon” last March, I commented, “[Mr. Trump] does not consider himself a Republican; he considers himself a MAGA. The distinction is crucial. Those who have shown evident distaste for Mr. Trump but have nonetheless pledged to support him out of Republican loyalty … are fools. … [They] are choosing to ignore the glaringly obvious fact that Mr. Trump … accords no value to anyone being a loyal Republican; he’s dedicated only to himself. [Emphasis in Original]”
On May 28, Mr. Trump endorsed a Republican challenging U.S. VA Rep. Bob Good — the Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Freedom Caucus, for pity’s sake – for the Republican nomination for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District seat. Mr. Good’s transgression? Early in the Republican presidential nomination contest, he endorsed FL Gov. Ron DeSantis. Mr. Good has since striven to return to the fold, endorsing Mr. Trump and debasing himself by being one of the lickspittles that spoke on Mr. Trump’s behalf in front of the Manhattan courthouse during Mr. Trump’s felony trial.
Wasn’t enough. Let’s let Mr. Trump speak for himself, in excerpts from the Truth Social post in which he endorsed Mr. Good’s Republican challenger:
“Bob Good is BAD FOR VIRGINIA, AND BAD FOR THE USA. He turned his back on our incredible movement, and was constantly attacking and fighting me until recently, when he gave a warm and ‘loving’ Endorsement – But really, it was too late. The damage had been done! I just want to MAKEAMERICA GREAT AGAIN …. John McGuire has my Complete and Total Endorsement! MAGA2024.” [Capitalization and spacing errors Mr. Trump’s]
The contest between Messrs. Good and McGuire will be decided today by voters of Virginia’s 5th Congressional District.
Note that there was no indication in Mr. Trump’s post that Messrs. Good and McGuire are actually vying for the Republican nomination, but there were two references to the MAGA movement. I would suggest that the political futures of many of the Republicans who have shown themselves to be less than cultishly loyal to Mr. Trump will truly be brighter if President Biden is reelected. Take Mr. DeSantis. Despite the fact that the Florida Governor endorsed Mr. Trump for president – after disparaging those that “kiss the ring” before he himself kissed the ring — can Mr. DeSantis doubt that if Mr. Trump is re-elected, the then-president will endorse a challenger to Mr. DeSantis if the Florida Governor seeks reelection in 2026? Mr. Trump does not forgive or forget. Those Republicans across the country who have exhibited less than complete affinity for Mr. Trump but will nonetheless genuinely aid his reelection effort out of party loyalty are ignoring the handwriting on the wall. They lack the sense God gave a goose.
McCoy's Noise 