I used to wonder how politicians like Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham became such sycophants for Trump after he repeatedly humiliated and abused them. My best guess was that, lacking ordinary human dignity, initially they decided wantonly sucking up was just good politics. But now...

…I think that having publicly abased themselves so thoroughly they can’t now abandon Trump without being forced to acknowledge, to the world and to themselves, the monumental cravenness and shame of their ongoing grotesque submissiveness. By sticking with him to the bitter end…

…they’re trying to convince themselves that their self-degradation was principled, not political. What I wonder now is why I thought this phenomenon was peculiar to Cruz and Graham, and why I didn’t realize it was applicable to the entirety of the GOP.

Because if you think about it, the GOP doesn’t need Trump anymore. He appointed three Justices but lost the election by nearly 6 million votes. They could ease him out & try to put a new face on the party. Establishment media would probably even help. And yet. Stockholm Syndrome?