Almost 80 percent of Republicans approve of Trump's appalling performance in Helsinki. This explains why elected Republicans are already falling in line:
As I wrote Tuesday, the main goal of Trump’s comments seemed to be to quiet friendly fire from the GOP. To do that, the president had to offer just the slightest cover to Republican leaders. Even if his denial wasn’t credible, it was at least a denial. If Trump’s would/wouldn’t excuse was cynical, it also proved effective, at least before a New York Times report Wednesday night revealed the president knew all along about Putin’s direct involvement in meddling.
“I’m glad he clarified his comments today,” Senator Rob Portman of Ohio said Tuesday afternoon on Fox News. “But I wish he had said it in front of President Putin and the world yesterday. I take him at his word. If he said he misspoke, absolutely.”
Senator Marco Rubio of Florida agreed.
“I’m just glad he clarified it,” he said. “I can’t read his intentions or what he meant to say at the time. Suffice it to say that for me as a policymaker, what really matters is what we do moving forward.”
Senator John Thune of South Dakota said, “Ahh, well, I mean I guess it’s probably the best we’re going to be able to get.” Give Thune credit for candor, or at least for a Kinsley gaffe: Intentionally or not, he made clear that the game was getting the best available walk-back and moving on.
. . . In the hours immediately after Trump’s press conference with Putin, pundits wondered whether this moment was different than the president’s previous meltdowns, and whether Republicans would truly turn on him this time.
The fact that leading Republicans signaled their willingness to accept Trump’s would/wouldn’t excuse should put that notion to rest. There will always be a few outspoken critics in the GOP—Jeff Flake, or, on occasion, Bob Corker—but this episode suggests that there may be no turning point when the president says something that’s simply too far for his allies in Congress to accept.
Yes, it's a big problem that Trump is a Russian stooge, but it's an even bigger problem that 90 percent of Republicans approve of the Russian stooge. The biggest national security threat to the United States may be Republicans.“I’m glad he clarified his comments today,” Senator Rob Portman of Ohio said Tuesday afternoon on Fox News. “But I wish he had said it in front of President Putin and the world yesterday. I take him at his word. If he said he misspoke, absolutely.”
Senator Marco Rubio of Florida agreed.
“I’m just glad he clarified it,” he said. “I can’t read his intentions or what he meant to say at the time. Suffice it to say that for me as a policymaker, what really matters is what we do moving forward.”
Senator John Thune of South Dakota said, “Ahh, well, I mean I guess it’s probably the best we’re going to be able to get.” Give Thune credit for candor, or at least for a Kinsley gaffe: Intentionally or not, he made clear that the game was getting the best available walk-back and moving on.
. . . In the hours immediately after Trump’s press conference with Putin, pundits wondered whether this moment was different than the president’s previous meltdowns, and whether Republicans would truly turn on him this time.
The fact that leading Republicans signaled their willingness to accept Trump’s would/wouldn’t excuse should put that notion to rest. There will always be a few outspoken critics in the GOP—Jeff Flake, or, on occasion, Bob Corker—but this episode suggests that there may be no turning point when the president says something that’s simply too far for his allies in Congress to accept.
