As big of a joke as the impeachment was, President Trump should get it through his head that his allies don’t particularly enjoy having to defend him around the clock, especially as it relates to his compulsive need to comment effusively on every single news item that he sees on Fox News.
Maybe Attorney General William Barr had ulterior motives when he said in an interview on Thursday that Trump’s tweeting about Justice Department cases makes it “impossible for me to do my job,” but Trump should nonetheless take it as helpful guidance that he need not scream with joy at every bit of fortune that comes his way.
All signs indicate that Trump, in fact, did not take Barr’s remarks as a hint. The next day, Trump quoted Barr from the interview, when the attorney general said that the president “has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case.” Trump could have left it at that, but why should he do himself any favors?
“This doesn’t mean that I do not have, as President, the legal right to do so, I do, but I have so far chosen not to!” he said in the rest of his dumb missive.
It’s true that Trump has the overwhelming support of Republican voters and that they, along with about half of independents, see that he’s up against not just Democrats but the national media, the permanent Washington bureaucracy, and even some weak links within his party.
His supporters are willing to forgive a lot — and I mean a lot — of his shortcomings under these circumstances. But that shouldn’t be confused for unconditional love.
Everyone has their limits, and Barr seemed to be indicating where his lie. He’s not even asking for much. Barr said Trump’s incessant need to weigh in on Justice Department business undercuts the attorney general’s authority, so, you know, maybe stop doing that.
It would be one thing if Barr had demonstrated a lack of vested interest in the success of Trump’s presidency, but the contrary is true. He guided the fallout from the special counsel’s Russia investigation in the right direction (which benefited Trump) and oversaw the inquiry of the FBI (which benefited Trump). Barr furthermore did the right thing in overruling department lawyers who were seeking excessive punishment for Trump associate Roger Stone over the most ridiculous charges (lying, without any meaningful consequence, to the FBI and Congress).
Why, exactly, does Trump need to stand on top of the table and high-five Fox News anchors about these things? Take the win, sis, and shut up.
But he can’t. Instead, he’s like one of those grotesque Maury montages where the bratty child brags about how obnoxious he or she is because “Whatever! I’ll do what I want!”
There isn’t an unlimited supply of goodwill toward Trump. There isn’t an unlimited supply of William Barrs. The well dries up at some point, and Trump is getting very close to it.
