The Lincoln Project

It appears the Lincoln Project is constructing a database of Trump staff and officials so that they can’t claim they weren’t involved in the future:

https://twitter.com/stuartpstevens/status/1347984342715301888

The Wall Street Journal apparently doesn’t like this

Seems to indicate that the Lincoln Project is pretty sincere in their views that Trumpism is a scourge that needs to be cleansed.

I’m not saying I have a better idea, but the problem is: trying to present facts to people who act as though facts are no better than opinions; you point out that Trump has made a bungled mess of XYZ; they show you a tweet where Trump claims that not only was his handling of XYZ the best that anyone ever did, but that everyone else saw how he handled XYZ and agreed he was the best they ever saw.

Moreover, any reliable source which might be presented as a rebuttal to Trump’s claims are immediately suspect. They would be called out as fake news, deep state actors, and/or political hack jobs. Nothing, and I mean literally nothing that can be presented to a dyed-in-the-wool Trump supporter will convince them; their minds will not be swayed.

This is great. DeTrumpification is necessary and will be much smoother if conservatives are the ones leading the charge.

If nothing else, every Trump admin official should be identified with the kicker “former Trump administration official” in every mention by the media or in social media for the next two decades. Never forget. Never let them even hope that we’ll forget.

Moving Day

They’re coming to take him away, ha ha.
They’re coming to take him away, ho ho hee hee ha ha.

“The Lincoln Project is condemning co-founder John Weaver in the wake of allegations that the longtime GOP strategist made unsolicited sexual overtures to several young men, including one who was 14 years old at the time he received sexual messages from Weaver.” (paywall)

There’s no heroes in politics, folks.

Rudy Giuliani openly claimed that the Lincoln Project was responsible for the January 6 Capitol attack, winning himself yet another defamation suit.

The LP legal response is an entertaining read.

that is quite the letter! wow!

That is an impressive nastygram.

My two favourite lines:

“Mr Bannon — yes, Steve Bannon — expressed doubt about your intial claim, but nevertheless you persisted…”

“You will never again be America’s Mayor, but there still may be time to save some of the cash you pawned your credibility for, should Dominion Voting Systems ultimately leave you with any.”

Yowch!

“Eye-popping media appearances” is a nice dual-duty dig.

I dunno, I think the clarity and forthrightness with which the Lincoln Project condemned his behavior is, if not heroic, at least admirable. In recent years the Republicans have been weak-willed about criticizing their own even in the face of clear evidence of wrong-doing. (For some reason I find Susan Collins especially loathsome in the regard, but she’s only one of dozens of examples.) Look at how listless the GOP has been about denouncing Marjorie Taylor Greene, for example.

The LP’s reaction is refreshing.

The LP is no more. My, how fortunes change! I think the only person left is Rick Wilson and he’s been silent for a day or so.

It truly is remarkable. In addition to the allegations against Weaver – and that senior LP officials were aware of the allegations well before the broke in the press – the organization apparently directed more than half of the funds they raised to consulting firms owned by LP officials.

Political consultants truly are a unique class of charlatans. The entire industry is designed to hoover up as much money as possible from politicians and their donors with no standards of ethics or accountability.

Are you telling me that these Republicans were a bunch of grifters, who got money from the public and lined their own pockets?

I’m shocked, shocked!

(Narrator: He’s not shocked)

And, so? Did those consulting firms do the jobs they were paid to do? If I needed a good job, I’d hire someone I knew well and trusted.

Look, the ads were produced. They went out over the airways. They hurt trump.

It sez right there in the article:
Lincoln Project had been spending on ads against GOP senators, including in critical races in South Carolina and Maine.

Is there any indication that the LP officials were getting rich over this?

There is no evidence of this at all.

There is no evidence of this at all.

But they did hurt his widdle feelings.