Deja vu for a Trump-obsessed nation. One man will dominate our attention again
By: Mitch Albom (Daily Freeman)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Everybody loses. We are heading into hell. We are no longer the United States of America. We are the Divided States of Trump.
Ask yourself, when word came down on Thursday that Donald Trump would be indicted — the first president in American history to be charged with a crime — what was your first and strongest emotion?
Was it "Yes, finally, let's get the creep!"
Was it, "No, damn it, they can't do this!"
Or was it, as it was for me, "there goes the next 18 months." No matter what the ultimate outcome of this single Manhattan district attorney taking on a 7-year-old case that was passed on by federal prosecutors, our country will now inevitably spiral into endless arguments, family divisions and partisan flame-throwing.
The media will spend immeasurable broadcast hours, radio waves, print paragraphs and digital space on this one case.
Talking heads will be everywhere doing everything all at once, spouting their opinions on this development or that development until they make themselves dizzy.
And while our banks teeter on crisis, our most dangerous international rivals collude, our schools are not safe from bullets, our economy can't cool its inflation, and our culture wars within itself over racial and gender identities, we are now going to make who actually paid off a porn star to not blab about sex THE most important issue in the most powerful country in the world.
That's what happens when this one, inexplicably combustible man is at the center of things.
The Divided States of Trump.
Comparing it to what?
In less than six hours after the indictment was announced, I witnessed the armies massing on each side. I watched guests on Fox News pull on MAGA hats and declare that this was a war for the soul of America. I watched guests on MSNBC counter that it was a war for democracy, and immediately warn of potential violence towards jurors — Jurors? They haven't even booked him yet! — because that's what Trump followers do.
I actually heard a guest on Tucker Carlson's show say, "Democrats are launching nukes at us, we better decide we're launching nukes back at them."
So this is what a nuclear war looks like? People debating if Trump will be put in handcuffs? Or if he will have a mug shot taken? That's a nuclear war?
Shouldn't we be more worried about an actual nuclear war, like the kind Vladimir Putin has been threatening, or the kind China can now engage in, according to Navy Adm. Charles Richard, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, who recently warned that our biggest threat is "putting capability in the field faster than we are."
Isn't that what nuclear war is about? You wouldn't know it in America. We have become addicted to Trump like a drug that clouds all reason. Both sides can't stop talking about him. All media channels can't resist leading with him.
Am I the only person who asks, "Since when was this country ever — ever? — about one man?"
No one man should have all that power
The precedents that this action sets are beyond frightening. Now that Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan DA, has actually filed suit, he has broken with a 230-year-old tradition. And there is no closing that box.
In such an explosively divided country, what is to stop the next city or state prosecutor from going after a president? Especially a Republican prosecutor who might look at it as fair play? The fact that Trump is running for the White House again, and Bragg is a member of the opposite party, also sets a dangerous template for tackling your political enemies. It is, as critics have pointed out, the tactics of volatile or totalitarian nations. Take out your rivals at the knees.
Again. What is this about? Jan. 6? No. Private deals with Russia or China? No. It's about who actually paid hush money to a porn actress. That's the hill we wanted a 230-year-old tradition to die on?
Or is it not really about this case? Is it just about the man? Is he so loathsome, so detestable, that it doesn't matter to his enemies what takes him out, just as long as he is gone? And does he deserve such vitriol? Is he so dangerous that taking him down on anything is worth it to save the nation?
Say this about Donald John Trump. No single individual has ever been so divisive in the history of American politics. And after dividing us for a year of candidacy, four years of his presidency, and two years of scorched earth after his defeat, he is back again, center stage, to divide us all once again.
The Wall Street Journal wrote, "The last thing a politically polarized America needs is a case in which partisans line up on either side like a political O.J. Simpson trial."
But that is exactly what we will get, because that's who Trump can be compared to. One man. Enraging us to craziness. Provoking us to violence. Distracting us from everything else that matters. One man.
More hell awaits. And we go marching straight toward it. The Divided States of Trump. It's a terrible nickname. And we've earned it.
Mitch Albom's column is distributed by Tribune Content Agency.
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Lol. Unless you are a Democratic President who perjures himself and obstructs justice. Or the son of a Democratic President who commits a gun crime. Or just about anyone in New York or any other city with a Soros funded DA, then you are, in fact, above the law (if its not good politics for said Soros DA to indict you).
Is there anything funnier than a Democrat bandying about that aphorism?
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Can anyone tell us what is wrong with the point of view of these two articles?
As has been established previously, what America needs is what it's famous for, a nice little war to unify the nation.
Not a bad conclusion.
I think both of them advocate a "live and let live" attitude towards Trump. We can't get rid of him, so why go through the effort, an effort which makes the country more divided? This seems to me like a cousin to the "both sides" arguments that we have seen so much over the past 8 years.
The idea that Trump wont be much a factor if we all would just stop thinking about him has been shown time and again to be wishful thinking.
BS. The nation is already at odds with 40% favoring autocracy and 60% favoring democracy.
he precedents that this action sets are beyond frightening. Now that Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan DA, has actually filed suit, he has broken with a 230-year-old tradition. And there is no closing that box.
Unfortunately, most Democrats are like two year olds who only want immediate gratification, and have no understanding of consequences. "Let's get rid of the judicial filibuster; that'll never come back and bite us in the ass" they said as they celebrated adding a couple judges to the DC circuit.
Now every local prosecutor in the country will be looking to indict a President.
hysterical much ?
As I said, most Democrats are like two year olds who only want immediate gratification, and have no understanding of consequences.
But I guess you trust hundreds of right wing elected prosecutors to be less partisan than Bragg. I can understand your refusal to believe anyone else can be such a partisan hack as Bragg, but I don't.
Think about it John - hysterical???? No - just getting started to be afraid for the U.S. in a very big way.
What a totally disingenuous comment. There isn't the slightest evidence that Biden has anything to do with Trump's prosecution, and you know it.
However, the right wing god Trump, during his second debate with Hillary Clinton, said that if he was elected President he would seek the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate her (i e., weaponize the Department of Justice), and if he was in charge she "would be in jail". We're very lucky Trump's desire to assert dictatorial power didn't fully come to fruition.
If Trump ever does become President again, you should be very afraid for the U.S. in a huge way.
Lol, really? I will never understand the unending loyalty some people have for a fucking politician.
Why? Please be specific......Thanks in advance.
And if the president hasn’t done anything wrong there is nothing to worry about. Frankly it is long past time politicians. ESPECIALLY presidents, are held to account for their actions.
I’m not worried about it, other democracies hold their leaders accountable and are carrying on just fine, unless of course the belief is that Americans are inferior to the citizens of other nations.
Wouldn't worry about it. Americans only know the Trump they are permitted to see. The gossamer veils, the hype and the savaging of truth is all they've seen.
But now, Americans and the World will see Trump not in control and sitting for hours on end in a witness chair as evidence is produced against him. Will he scream, cry and create a spectacle? Will he ultimately show himself to be the 'Real Donald Trump' who is a classless, vulgarian short on intellect and shorter with manners?
Eh, it’s not that hard to ignore all this for the most part. I’ll keep track of what’s going on, but I sure as hell am not going to be paying attention to it every hour of every day. We will see what’s in the indictment, and then just see what happens from there.
If he is found guilty then so be it, and the other way around as well. I really don’t see why people are losing their shit over this. Other democracies have arrested and imprisoned their former leaders for a wide variety of crimes and have carried on just fine.
What seems to be missing in many comments, it was a grand jury that indicted Trump, based on evidenced presented. I know the saying "you can indict a ham sandwich", but jury did what they thought correct based on evidence presented. Yes, it is only DA that presents, but jury thought there was enough evidence to indict. Let's see what evidence defense presents during trial.