tonight of all nights?

That sentiment applies to the Reich Wing in Congress as well. Not a pessimist. Just settlng in for a long fight. Realistic.

given up.

If they do, then we get Pence, a die hard right-winger. With Trump, we get scandals and a 35% approval rating to run against in 18 and 20.

preside over a theocracy.

They will JUMP at the opportunity to put in their own stooge: Pence.

Michelangelo Senorile of Progress radio speculated today that Comey may have orchestrated this whole mess by not releasing this info in early October when he and the other gang of eight got it by opting instead to crater Hillary's campaign with the email letter in late October so that trump would win then be impeached when the news leaked . . . er, ah . . . came out.

Thus Pence would then be president.

It's sort of wild but not implausible as everything seems wild and implausible with this whole election.

Republicans are notoriously protective of their "brand" - they will only tolerate it being tarnished for so long, and only to an extent that is won't turn voters against them. They all come up for re-election eventually, and a pissed-off electorate jeopardizes staying in office.

Right now, you know there are Repubs out there who have seen Trump's inane twitters, heard his nonsensical statements, etc., who are brushing it off with, "Well, he's not in office yet. He'll calm down and get serious once he's sworn-in and gets into the job."

When that doesn't happen - and it won't - the GOP will be in damage control mode 24/7. And with a loose cannon like Donnie-J, there's only so damage that can be controlled.

Also remember that the Republican PTB never wanted Trump in the first place - especially because he can't be controlled. They also have Pence waiting in the wings, the man they wanted in the WH in the first place - malleable, controllable, someone willing to put "the good of the Party" above all else.

The GOP has a "Trump card" to play - pressure Donnie-J into resigning (health reasons? Anything will do) or face the public humiliation of being impeached.

The Republicans don't give a shit about the country - but they do give a shit about their "brand".

They want Pence

He's the GOP's damaged goods, and the more he tarnishes the brand, the better.

Everything they tried to project on President Obama comes back.

It will be a shitshow for all, as anyone could guess after the election, but the GOP has the "leader" they deserve for all their treachery.

Trump has a cult following, and Republicans in Congress don't want their party to implode.

We can do more with Trump than Pence, imo.

eom

And, so far, Trump's been able to not only stay afloat but prosper. In a sane world, his political career would have been sunk almost as fast as it began. That's what's most frustrating.

To see him continue to get away with egregious error (to put it nicely) after egregious error makes my blood boil. Trump lies more than any person I can think of, he brags about sexually assaulting women, he indicated that nearly all Mexican immigrants are "rapists and drug dealers," he's committed massive fraud (e.g., Trump University), he never released his tax returns, he surrounds himself with and nominates overt racists, he nominates individuals to run agencies/departments that they despise, he suggested violence against his political opponent, his speeches are substanceless ("We're looking at jobs--big league jobs.&quot and virtually incoherent ("word salad" is how some have described his statements), he makes comments as outlandish as anything said by President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, he repeatedly evades questions (such as when asked for some indication as to what will replace the ACA), he mocked and denied mocking a reporter with a disability, etc., etc., etc.

And I haven't even mentioned the Russia connection.

But the Republican Party normalizes Trump. The mainstream media normalizes Trump.

It's beyond surreal. The greatest fiction writer in the world couldn't top this.