>>> IN SOME WAYS THE MOST REVEALING MOMENT AMID ALL THE REACTION TO DONALD TRUMP'S CONVICTION YESTERDAY WHICH FLEW UNDER THE RADAR WAS AN EXCHANGE ONLINE BETWEEN ONE MODERATE REPUBLICAN AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN WORKER. IT STARTED WITH FORMER MARYLAND REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN, WHO IS NOW RUNNING FOR SENATE IN THAT STATE. HE LEFT OFFICE VERY POPULAR IN MARYLAND, A VERY BLUE STATE, AND HIS PRESENCE IN THE RACE AS A REPUBLICAN NOMINEE CREATES A REAL ISSUE WITH THE DEMOCRATS. IT EXPANDS THE MAT FOR REPUBLICANS. DEMOCRATS NOT TO SPEND MONEY ON THAT RACE. OBVIOUSLY A GUY LIKE THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM TRUMP WHO IS RARELY UNPOPULAR IN MARYLAND. SO HE SENT OUT A VERY CAREFULLY WORDED POST SAYING, QUOTE, REGARDLESS OF THE RESULT I URGE ALL AMERICANS TO RESPECT THE VERDICT AND THE LEGAL PROCESS. AND YOU SEE HOW ADEPT THIS WAS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TIMESTAMP. 4:52 P.M. RIGHT IN THE SWEET SPOT, MINUTES AFTER IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT A VERDICT HAD BEEN REACHED, BUT SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE THE VERDICT WAS READ. THIS WAS A RESPONSE LARRY HOGAN RECEIVED FROM A TOP TRUMP CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL. YOU JUST ENDED YOUR CAMPAIGN. YOU, REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR WHO DARED TO SPEAK THE VERY BASIC AMERICAN TENANT BEFORE AVERTED, WE SHOULD RESPECT THE LEGAL PROCESS, YOU ARE DONE. THIS WAS JUST PART OF THE SORT OF MOB STYLE PRESSURE CAMPAIGN ON REPUBLICANS TO STAND BEHIND THE FELONY CONVICTED CANDIDATE. HERE IS LAURA INGRAM ON TRUMP TV. >> I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE, AND MAYBE IT HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST FEW MINUTES, OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T COME OUT TO CONDEMN WHAT HAPPENED IN LOWER MANHATTAN . HAVEN'T HEARD FROM MITCH McCONNELL AGAIN, AND LESS IT WAS IN THE LAST 20 MINUTES. MITCH McCONNELL STANDS UP WITH THE RULE OF LAW AND ALL THESE GREAT TRADITIONAL PICS, AND SILENCE. >> LO AND BEHOLD, ALMOST AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER, MITCH McCONNELL DUTIFULLY PUT OUT HIS STATEMENT. THESE CHARGES NEVER SHOULD'VE BEEN BROUGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE. I EXPECT THE CONVICTION TO BE OVERTURNED ON APPEAL. THIS ENFORCEMENT OPERATION IS HAPPENING BECAUSE THE TRUMP PEOPLE AND THE FOX PEOPLE AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE UPPER ECHELONS OF THE PARTY UNDERSTAND THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY BRING TRUMP DOWN, TO END HIS POLITICAL CAREER IS IF REPUBLICANS TURN AGAINST HIM. AS LONG AS THEY STAY UNIFIED, NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES, NO MATTER HOW IMPORTANT OR HOW DANGEROUS OR HOW CRIMINAL OR HOW VILE, NO MATTER HOW MUCH OF A THREAT HE IS TO THE NATION, IF THEY ALL BAND TOGETHER, THEN IN A POLARIZED LANDSCAPE THEY COULD BASICALLY KEEP THEM AFLOAT AND MAKE IT ESSENTIALLY A COIN TOSS. THAT IS WHY THEY DRESSED UP LIKE HIM DURING THE TRIAL AND RUSHED TO DEBASE THEMSELVES IN CRINGE INDUCING FASHION ON ANY LIVE TV CAMERA THEY CAN FIND. >> THIS IS THE SOVIET STYLE THING. SHOW ME THE PERSON AND I WILL SHOW YOU THE CRIME. >> THIS IS A POLITICAL SMEAR JOB, THIS WAS AN ATTACK JOB. THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE THEM BANANA REPUBLICS. >> THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE IN COMMUNIST COUNTRIES. THIS IS THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS TRAVESTY I HAVE EVER SEEN, AND THE PROBLEM HERE IS DEMOCRATS HAVE CROSSED THIS LINE. >> THIS IS A JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT HUNTS REPUBLICANS WHILE PROTECTING DEMOCRATS. THIS WAS CERTAINLY A HOAX, A SHAM IT. >> YESTERDAY WAS A SAD DAY FOR AMERICA. YOU HAD A PARTISAN WITCH HUNT IN NEW YORK. >> THIS IS A TOTAL TRAVESTY. WE SHOULD NOT MINCE ANY WORDS HERE. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DAY FOR OUR COUNTRY. >> DO WE WANT TO BECOME A COUNTRY WHERE WE TRY TO JAIL ARE POLITICAL OPPONENTS? >> JUSTICE IS ON THE COURT, I KNOW MANY OF THEM PERSONALLY. I THINK THEY ARE AS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AS WE ARE. SO I THINK THEY WILL SET THIS STRAIGHT. >> THERE'VE ONLY BEEN TWO TIMES IN TRUMP'S POLITICAL CAREER WHERE THAT DYNAMIC OF REPUBLICAN UNANIMITY WAS BROKEN. WHERE TRUMP WAS NEAR POLITICAL DEATH. ONE WAS IN THE AFTERMATH OF JANUARY 6, THE VIOLENT ASSAULT ON THE CAPITAL THAT HE STIRRED UP. WHEN EVERYONE WAS CRITICIZING HIM. WHEN THE BLOOD WAS STILL ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAPITAL, INCLUDING LINDSEY GRAHAM AND KEVIN McCARTHY, REMEMBER THAT? TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING DROP BELOW 40%, THE LOWEST LEVEL IN HIS REACH. MITCH McCONNELL WAS TESTING THE WATERS FOR A VOTE FOR AN IMPEACHMENT CONVICTION. IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THAT MAN, MITCH McCONNELL'S ABJECT, ENDURINGLY PATHETIC COWARDICE, AND McCARTHY'S RELENTLESS QUEST TO HAVE THE THIRD SHORTEST SPEAKERSHIP IN HISTORY, NOT TO MENTION THE LEGITIMATE FEAR THAT REPUBLICAN SENATORS HAD FOR THEIR FAMILIES ABOUT VIOLENCE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE NOW. THEY COULD'VE JUST VOTED TO CONVICT HIM AND BAR HIM FROM FUTURE OFFICE. DONE. IRONICALLY ENOUGH, THE OTHER TIME, THE OTHER NEAR POLITICAL DEATH EXPERIENCE WAS IN THE WAKE OF THE ACCESS HOLLYWOOD TAPE. JUST ABOUT EVERY ELECTED REPUBLICAN TRIED TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES AND CRITICIZE IT. REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE SHARES ACTUALLY CONSIDERING HOW TO GET HIM OFF THE TICKET. BUT TRUMP MANAGED TO HOLD THINGS TOGETHER, DUE IN NO SMALL PART TO THE FACT THAT RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT HE GOT A GUY NAMED MICHAEL CULLEN, HIS LAWYER, TO PAY TO KEEP THE PORN START FROM TALKING. SO THE REPUBLICANS NEVER HEARD ABOUT THAT STORY, NOR DID THE THE PUBLIC, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN THE POLITICAL DEATHBLOW. THE LESSON HE LEARNED WAS IF YOU ENFORCE THIS TOTALITARIAN UNANIMITY YOU CAN KEEP CHUGGING ALONG.
