DIARY OF A WIMPY PRESIDENT
https://claytoonz.com/2019/01/26/diary-of-a-wimpy-president/
Donald Trump had a bad day.
The day started with his buddy Roger Stone being arrested and indicted, and visuals of long delays at airports because of his shutdown (LaGuardia alone had over 1,100 delays). Facing a 34% approval rating, 46% approval for impeachment, and receiving more blame for the shutdown than Democrats because he initially took credit for it (and did it before Pelosi even took power as Speaker) Trump caved. Before the working day was over, Trump got owned by Nancy Pelosi (for the second time this week) and was being called a “wimp” by Ann Coulter. After over a month of a government shutdown, the longest in history, Trump got nothing. He didn’t get his wall.
Trump announced the end of the shutdown in the Rose Garden and immediately claimed he could have declared a national emergency to get his wall. That’s like a boxer claiming he saved his best punch after losing a fight.
Trump went into a long rant, as though he could rant his way out of eating the blame for the shutdown and losing the fight. He continued his rant about how he never asked for a wall from “sea to shining sea” (which his supporters believe they were promised) and something about Mexicans and duct tape.
Trump ended up signing the same bill that was presented to him before the shutdown (which he had initially agreed to). Since Trump got nothing for his shutdown, what was the point of putting 800,000 through financial distress and trauma? What was the point of holding them hostage? What was the point of cutting off wages to additional Americans, those contracted with the government and others whose jobs rely on business from federal workers? What was the point of damaging this nation? What was the point of risking an airline disaster? Was it all for his ego? Yes. Trump puts himself before the nation.
Nancy Pelosi said she wouldn’t negotiate the border wall until the government was reopened. She got exactly what she wanted. At this point, Trump will be lucky if she lets him give a State of the Union before Congress. There were two leaders on both sides. One kept their promise and one broke his. Trump swore he wouldn’t cave, yet he caved.
Trump claimed he made a deal with Congress, which as one commentator posted on Twitter, was like a deal between the allies and Germany in the Treaty of Versailles.
Trump tried to save face by tweeting, “I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!”
It was a concession by the self-proclaimed “world’s best negotiator.” Trump is not the adult in the room taking care of millions of people hurt by the shutdown. It was his shutdown. If he was truly taking care of millions of Americans, then he never would have created the shutdown. Trump can try, but he can’t spin his way out of this defeat.
The spending bill signed today is for three weeks. Though we can’t ever underestimate the stupidity of Donald Trump, I predict in three weeks he will sign another spending bill without a wall. Trump has less leverage now, as in none, than he had before the shutdown. There will not be another one. Why?
Because Trump learned that Nancy Pelosi isn’t playing with him. He learned Pelosi is smarter, more savvy, and tougher than he is. If Pelosi and Democrats didn’t cave to him during this shutdown, why would they during the next? We also learned that Donald Trump will cave. Democrats, Republicans, and even Trump himself learned he folds. Why should anyone back a guy who is going to hold hostages only to surrender without receiving anything? He didn’t even get a jet to Moscow.
I also predict we’re going to hear less about the wall. Trump is already downplaying the physical structure. I think he’s hoping people will forget it, like they forgot Mexico was supposed to pay for it. Trump won’t declare a national emergency because that’s another battle he doesn’t want to lose, but again, we can’t underestimate his stupidity.
An inside source in the White House referred to Pelosi as “President Pelosi” when telling a reporter that she runs the government now. That might be hyperbole, but nothing is going to be done over the next two years without her approval.
Anything Trump wants to accomplish now will be even harder, his polls have dropped, and he is now significantly politically weaker. He never should have created the shutdown crisis over a broken campaign promise. He couldn’t get funding for his useless, racist, medieval vanity project from Republicans, so he demanded it from Democrats. Trump is an idiot in most areas, but as a politician, he’s the king of idiots. But even Trump isn’t dumb enough to not see that he lost his ass on this on one. He lost it to a woman and a better human being.
Another woman is giving Trump the business over the shutdown, but she’s not with the Democrats. Ann Coulter loves everything hateful and conservative. She’s been one of the largest proponents for the racist wall, naturally because it’s racist. It was her criticism of Trump, along with Rush Limbaugh, that made him reverse course on the initial deal (which he signed Friday to end the shutdown) that started the shutdown. After he caved in to Pelosi and Democrats for nothing in return, Coulter tweeted, “Good news for George Herbert Walker Bush: As of today, he is no longer the biggest wimp ever to serve as President of the United States.”
For once, I have to agree with Ann Coulter. Lindsey Graham said during the shutdown that Trump’s presidency was basically over if he caved in to the Democrats. It’s over if his base folds on him like he folded on them.
His presidency is not over. He still has the power to pardon his goons. But the Trump agenda is dead, done, gone, bye-bye. Say hello to the new boss, Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi is not a wimp.
Donald Trump caves. Donald Trump is the wimp.