This was a remarkably challenging week for President Donald Trump's ever-fearful, fawning, but increasingly fed-up Republican congressional claque. An eruption of stunning Trump Team admissions and disasters has just propelled them toward inevitable impeachment decisions they'd hoped to duck.
Now they know that's where this week is taking them.
On Thursday, Trump's permanently-acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney made news he was trying not to make. He admitted a truth Team Trump had repeatedly denied. Mulvaney said Trump's representatives "absolutely" demanded Ukraine agree to accept what we all call a quid pro quo to get U.S. military aid and a meeting between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate a long-discredited U.S. right-wing conspiracy theory Rudy Giuliani loves � that a Ukraine connection exists to the 2016 campaign scandal about missing Democratic National Committee emails.
"And that's why we held up the money," Mulvaney told reporters. " ... We do that all the time. ... Get over it. There's going to be political influence in foreign policy." Mulvaney denied it was about gathering dirt on former vice president Joe Biden (just Biden's party). No matter; it is illegal for officials to seek anything of political value in exchange for U.S. aid. (Mulvaney must have caught hell from Trump; by nightfall, he'd denied saying what he said.)
Meanwhile, Trump's campaign contributor and European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland was telling Congress how Trump's personal attorney-and-whisperer, Rudy Giuliani, became a back channel de facto secretary of state.
For three years, Republican congressional leaders, fearing Trump's fury, kept silent about their leader's mega-misconduct, pretending not to see even Trump's admitted wrongdoing. When Ukraine's president said he wanted to buy U.S. weapons, Trump said he wanted a favor � a Ukraine probe. Trump also mentioned Biden and his son, Hunter.
But the times they are a-changin'. This week, many long-silent Republicans cured their political laryngitis � and voiced real anger after seeing how easily Trump was manipulated by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Without consulting advisers, Trump agreed to abandon the Kurdish militia that was America's ground combat surrogate in the war against ISIS in Syria. Trump removed U.S. forces in Syria, permitted Turkey to invade and begin killing Kurds.
On Wednesday, most House Republicans celebrated the 1,000th day of Trump's presidency by voting with House Democrats to enact a resolution condemning Trump's move in Syria. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised an even tougher resolution of condemnation.
Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence rushed to Turkey. He and Erdogan announced what Pence called a "pause" that could lead to a "permanent ceasefire" in exchange for an end to new tepid U.S. sanctions. But that will happen only if the Kurds let the U.S. lead them out of their land. It's a U.S.-negotiated surrender; Turkey gets all it wants, the Kurds get to live, just somewhere else.
In Washington, Trump invited congressional leaders to a White House meeting so he could explain everything. But he was in no shape to explain, let alone forge a bipartisan anything.
Trump erupted when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer quoted Trump's resigned defense secretary, Gen. James Mattis, saying Trump's decision will lead to ISIS revival. Trump called Mattis "the world's most overrated general ...not tough enough" and bragged: "I captured ISIS. Mattis said it would take two years. I captured them in one month."
Trump was on a tear. He called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a "third-grade politician" (or "third-rate politician," depending on whose ears you believe). Pelosi, stood and led Democratic leaders in a walkout.
Trump's payback was to tweet a photo: We see Pelosi standing, speaking and pointing across the table at Trump. But Pelosi looks confident, forceful. The photo's real insight comes when we check out the man at Trump's right. He is sitting ramrod straight, hands clasped on the table, stone-faced, staring down and looking angry. He is Trump's new Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Gen. Mike Milley. On the job just two weeks, he now has an impression of his commander-in-chief that will last a lifetime.
And the photo's potential news may be down at the end of Trump's side of the table. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., is sitting with a posture and expression identical to the general's. And he may be feeling even greater disgrace at Trump's shameful meltdown.
Soon, Congress's patriotic Republicans may well have a chance to save their country from further shame � and save their party from future disgrace, defeat and maybe demise. By Thanksgiving (in the House) and Christmas (in the Senate), courageous Republicans may be able to give their former base of supporters a real present � a positive, forward-looking reason to support their Grand-again Old Party, now under new leadership.
