I agree with this but I disagree.

I agree because those politicians attempting to remain in this bizarre "near-non-friend" zone of Trump likely ARE hoping he strokes out or FINALLY says or does something SO beyond the pale that a quorum of remaining "Republicans" (whatever that means nowadays) finally exit the circus and his viability collapses. These people have calculated that avoiding outright alienation of Trump and his fanatics positions them as the heir (or "error") apparent to replace him.

I disagree with this interpretation that such a strategy might have been or is now the only alternative these "Republicans" had to take Trump out of the game and allow others to vie for the top spot. There were numerous points in the 2016 primary season or the 2016 general election where Trump's behavior and communications were enough for Republicans to cede one Presidential election, abandon him and ensure he would never be heard from again. Then there was impeachment #1. Crickets. Then there was the post January 6 mayhem and impeachment #2. Crickets. Then a rape-related civil lawsuit and loss. Crickets. Then four criminal indictments related to actions PRIOR to becoming President, actions WHILE President and actions AFTER exiting the Presidency. Crickets.

And now Trump is retweeting content making explict references to "reichs" while becoming more unhinged towards immigrants (legal or otherwise) and continuing to push election fraud fantasies that have already resulted in guilty pleas in criminal cases and professional sanctions against multiple lawyers who aided the scheme. And to top it off, his physical and mental demeanor even in tightly scripted situations in front of rapt followers seems very disconcerting. Mini-strokes? TIAs (transient ischemic attacks)? Not just crickets... Two plagues of overlapping broods of cicadas.

Republicans had plenty of chances to remove Trump from their party and national influence. Their failure to do so has less to do with faulty short-term strategy. Now it can only be attributed to a complete lack of any moral or ethical foundation remaining among any identifying themselves as "Republican." If it was power they were after, they could have squashed Trump like a bug in 2016, lost the White House for one term, then returned to compete in the cleverly disguised status quo for potentially decades to come. Instead, they ceded control of the party to the craziest wing in the party and now are afraid to dance with the monster that brung 'em to the dance.


WTH