Euphoria is spreading across the country. Like that old Rodgers & Hammerstein song about the month of June from the musical Carousel—“it’s popping out all over” now that Donald Trump has finally been indicted on federal charges including a of violation of the Espionage Act, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and making false statements. Finally.
What took authorities so long? And what’s holding up Georgia officials from filing their indictment on election interference?
Perhaps—stay with me on this—the happiest fella on the block is The Donald himself. Oh, how he will milk this opportunity to fleece his faithful suckers for more money ostensibly for his defense fund or for his presidential run.
In the warped world Trump has created for himself snd his followers he is immune from regulations, free to do as he pleases, unencumbered by laws mere mortals must conform to.
Even if he is convicted, even if he is sentenced to prison, Trump would be eligible to run and become president.
Sound far-fetched? Sure, but the Constitution does not bar felons from seeking office, even if they were still serving out their prison sentence.
His whole political career has upended norms. Normal candidates would find it near impossible to mount a campaign from prison. But Trump’s millions of devoted fans would not be deterred as they already believe he is the victim of prosecutorial excess.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” has become a classic of the civil rights movement. Trump lacks King’s poetic flair but his venomous, vengeful passion no doubt would jolt his faithful and, even perhaps, disenchanted Independents and some Never Trumpers into repudiating the Biden Justice Department’s legitimate but unprecedented prosecution of a former president.
The Republican Party is stuck with Trump. The primary system, not backroom politicos, pick the presidential nominee.
So strap your seat belt tightly around your waist. We have not yet emerged from the terrifying roller coaster ride of another Trump candidacy for the highest office of our land. It is way to early to channel President Gerald Ford’s comment after succeeding Richard M. Nixon, “Our long national nightmare is over.”
No, it isn’t.
