When a former Trump official comes out with a story demonstrating Trump's unfitness for office, nihilistic Trump defenders leap into action, questioning the motives, context, or credibility of the individual making the claim. They're doing this right now with General Kelly.
They want you to forget the cumulative weight of the accusations against Trump coming from a raft of his own former employees. Kelly is far from alone in warning the American people that Trump is a threat to the country. Let's start with Trump's former Vice President:
"The American people deserve to know that President Trump asked me to put him over my oath to the Constitution. ... Anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States." - Mike Pence
"His use of the Presidency to destroy trust in our election and to poison our respect for fellow citizens has been enabled by pseudo political leaders whose names will live in infamy as profiles in cowardice." - Gen. Mattis
"I think he's unfit for office. ... He puts himself before country. His actions are all about him and not about the country. And then, of course, I believe he has integrity and character issues as well." -Mark Esper
Donald Trump is "fascist to the core" and "The most dangerous person to this country." - General Mark Milley
"This will be a retribution presidency. And it will not be just against extreme left wingers, it will be against people who are Republicans and conservatives who stood against Trump. And it will be against people in the military, like Mark Milley." -John Bolton
"Someone who engaged in that kind of bullying about a process that is fundamental to our system and to our self-government shouldn't be anywhere near the Oval Office." -Bill Barr
"The President undermined American democracy baselessly for months. As a result, he's culpable for this siege, and an utter disgrace." -Tom Bossert, Homeland Security Adviser
"He has never cared about America, its citizens, its future or anything but himself. In fact, as history well shows from his divisive lies, as well as from his unrestrained contempt for the rule of law and his related crimes, his conduct and mere existence have hastened the demise of democracy and of the nation." -Trump's White House Lawyer Ty Cobb
I could keep going but you get the point. Let me ask you: Are they all lying? You know how we know they're telling the truth? Because we see the unfitness with our own eyes!
Are we supposed to be skeptical that Trump called soldiers "suckers" and "losers" when he said as much out loud about John McCain?
Are we supposed to be skeptical that Trump praised Hitlers generals when he dined with white supremacist Nick Fuentes and calls people "vermin" and talks about immigrants "poisoning the blood" of America?
Trump is dangerous and unfit and all the responsible people who served in his last term have told us as much. The dead-eyed Trump sycophants like @LindseyGrahamSC or @ScottJenningsKY who gaslight Americans about Trump in the face of a mountain of evidence should be dismissed with prejudice.
The Trump defenders are going to circle the wagons. They're going to say these stories are unsourced rumors, despite Kelly being on the record and on tape. They'll try to dismiss him as disgruntled or lying. But why would he lie? What does he gain?
And his voice is just one among many all telling us the same damning story. Despite all this evidence, I'm still begging all these former officials to call a press conference and say it straight to the American people. Do it together. I promise, it will make all the difference.
