Republican civil war as Trump attacks the surrender caucus

A Republican Civil War is in full swing following a leaked phone call and a Tweet storm by Trump attacking Senator Cotton.

The “Surrender Caucus” within the Republican Party will go down in infamy as weak and ineffective “guardians” of our Nation, who were willing to accept the certification of fraudulent presidential numbers!

— Donald J. Trump (realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2021

Never Forget

How can you certify an election when the numbers being certified are verifiably WRONG. You will see the real numbers tonight during my speech, but especially on JANUARY 6th. SenTomCotton Republicans have pluses & minuses, but one thing is sure, THEY NEVER FORGET!

— Donald J. Trump (realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2021

In that Tweet Trump went after Senator Tom Cotton, one of his staunchest allies. Even Cotton has had enough. 

Senator Ted Cruz on Trump's  Sinking Ship

“We’ve seen in the last few months, unprecedented amounts of Voter Fraud.” SenTedCruz True!

— Donald J. Trump (realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2021

Senator Ron Johnson on Trump's Sinking Ship

“We are not acting to thwart the Democratic process, we are acting to protect it.” SenRonJohnson

— Donald J. Trump (realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2021

Civil War Lines

The Wall Street Journal accurately comments the Lines Are Drawn for a Republican Civil War

Mr. Trump is setting up this week as a dramatic test of loyalty to him in the form of his last-ditch effort to overturn the victory of President-elect Joe Biden, and his core supporters will be rallying in Washington to underscore the point. Sens. Josh Hawley of Missouri and Ted Cruz of Texas, who aspire to lead the Trump army whenever Mr. Trump isn’t there to do so himself, have engineered a scenario in which each of their colleagues will have to go on record either favoring or opposing the president’s effort to reverse the election.

Meantime, the party’s broader splits are coming to the surface. The president rang in the New Year by tweeting that his party’s second-ranking senator, Mr. Thune, who has an 85% lifetime congressional-vote approval rating from the American Conservative Union, should be unseated by one of the president’s personal favorites, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.

Mr. Trump essentially ran for president in 2016 as an independent populist, with no use for a Republican establishment that largely opposed him. Upon prevailing, he turned the party away from traditional conservative principles of free trade, lower government spending and limited executive authority and toward more of a working-class agenda.

Now, with the Trump presidency near its end, the inevitable struggle over which path the party takes from here is under way.

Trump Attacks Senator Thune

Republicans in the Senate so quickly forget. Right now they would be down 8 seats without my backing them in the last Election. RINO John Thune, “Mitch’s boy”, should just let it play out. South Dakota doesn’t like weakness. He will be primaried in 2022, political career over!!!

— Donald J. Trump (realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2020

Rule Number One

One is never allowed to disagree with Trump on literally anything.

Understanding Ted Cruz

Trump's core followers include Senator Ted Cruz who without a doubt understands the actions Trump has taken are unwise, unconstitutional, and will split the party.

Why?

Ted Cruz must believe this is his chance to lead the Republican party. Tom Cotton was in the battle until he could take it no more.

Meanwhile, in Georgia

Here are some interesting comments from Georgia Republicans as reported by CNN.

• “That phone call did absolutely nothing to help, you know, drive turnout for Republicans here in Georgia, for Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue,” Georgia Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan told CNN.
• “I was disappointed and quite honestly, I can't imagine anyone on that staff encouraging that call or not giving him the advice to hang up and move on to the next subject.”
• “No one has any rational reason to believe it will go well,” said one Georgia Republican. “The likelihood of a total, complete, absolute shit show is off the charts. If disaster is avoided, it will be sheer dumb luck.”

In Georgia, the recording of a conversation is legal is one party to the conversation consents. And it is admissible at trial. Raffensperger is completely in the right.

There should be disciplinary action against Trump's lawyers for filing the lawsuit.

Question of the Day

Do you want a pussy grabber, narcissist, and someone willing to lie cheat, steal and commit election fraud to remain president?

I voted for Jorgensen4POTUS.

My conscious is clear, what about yours? https://t.co/2O2F6eM4p8

— Mike "Mish" Shedlock (MishGEA) January 4, 2021