Trump is sooo into the heads of
Ryan and McConnell. He owns them now. They are his tools, along with most
of their seasoned colleagues. Democrats, too. Wishing for a kill
shot, Schumer bellied up to the bar like a drunken sailor and offered Trump a
deal on fiscal borrowing and spending through December, 2017 that he meant to be used
as ammunition in the mid-terms, assuming Trump would never accept it ... much
like Republicans who for seven years passed one Obamacare repeal after another,
knowing each would be voted down or vetoed. Political partisanship is that
cynical and maddening. Then Trump flashed that grin of his and accepted Schumer’s
offer. And it was like, Huh? Wait. Seriously? Like the
old Abbott and Costello routine, no one could figure out who was on first.
Trump walked into the room and handed them a script that was off cue. None of
them expected it. The politicos then went into ad lib mode.
The Republican version went something like this: Um ... er ... well,
let's see ... geez, I don't know, so.... Worse yet, the Democrats
smiled, thinking they held the better hand, especially after Trump
applauded Chuck and Nancy by their first
names for offering such good ideas. That's when they all knew he owned
them. If only Hemmingway was around for another go at The Old Man
and The Sea, this time with sharks as the protagonist. Talk
about a good read.
I don't know what will happen next. That's the joy of it.
Trump is doing exactly what he was elected to do. A shark attack is
not pleasant. Neither is a colonoscopy, which is now being administered
to Congress. Both are intrusive. Shark attacks can be vicious.
Trump, at least, uses a glove and a middle finger.
