The aftermath

Backfire, boomerang, ricochet

“The president is acting against his own best interests. There is no shortage of prosecuting attorneys who’d like to make names for themselves by taking on high-profile targets. So why make yourself one? This protest/riot/upheaval in the last few days of his presidency not only looks bad, but might give Donald Trump’s enemies the excuse they need to go after him on Jan. 21.”

—our editorial, Thursday

SO, IF one were to look at it from a certain point of view, what good came of Wednesday’s assault on the nation’s Capitol building? Not since the British burned it during the War of 1812 has a mob overrun its security and stormed the place. So, if you were one of the stormers, what did you accomplish?

After the police, the Secret Service, the FBI & company cleared the building, late into the night, Congress certified the presidential election—the very thing the mob was trying to prevent. In fact, according to our paper: “[I]n the aftermath of the violence, several Republicans announced that they would drop their initial objections to the elections . . . .” It turns out, Washington insiders are capable of shame.

The president issued a statement in the dead of night Wednesday/Thursday, promising an “orderly transition” to the incoming Biden administration.

Four people are dead. One shot by Capitol Police, the others from “medical emergencies” during the melee.

The maskless people who broke into the Capitol, most of whom were videotaped and photographed, will certainly face prosecutions. Some gave their names to the papers. Some gave their names to this paper. Federal sentences, it should be noted, generally don’t have parole options.

The president’s desk has resignations on it this morning, from his own people.

The Washington Post’s editorial board came out after the riots, calling for President Trump to be removed from office—with two weeks left in his term. Other media outlets are reporting that there is serious consideration, including among Republican lawmakers, to use the 25th Amendment to remove the president.

Leaders in Argentina, Nigeria, Turkey and Venezuela are tut-tutting. A newspaper in Red China mocked the world’s leading democracy, calling pictures of the riots in Washington “a beautiful sight.” Iran’s state media (is there another kind in Iran?) called the United States “a fragmented democracy.” Russia said our electoral process is broken.

So, if one tries to see things from the far-far-right point of view, what came of the rampage at the Capitol building Wednesday afternoon? Answer: A lot.

None of it good.