This tweet from @LincolnsBible had me wondering something.....

How easy was it for Trump to get played by Mitch McConnell?

So I began to do some research
#TrumpsBeenPlayed
THREAD
1/ https://twitter.com/lincolnsbible/status/1337778780778086401
The first thing that’s important to note is that Mitch McConnell has never authored a single piece of legislation that became law, nor has he successfully shepherded a single major bill to passage as Leader of the Senate.
2/
He punished us during Obama in many ways, however, he had difficulty getting bills passed, even with strong bipartisan support even while he had 250 days of R control, had a GOP majority for 2 years (15-16) in the Senate AND in the House.
So, where am I going with this?
3/
#MythOfMcConnell
Only Mitch is calculating.
Only he can solve multiple problems at the same time while holding a hand in poker no one can ever see.
Only Mitch can read/solve Masonic secrets
Only Mitch can master the Senate and gain eternal enlightenment at the same time.
4/
Only Mitch conjures grand achievements out of last-minute, crisis-driven exercises in can-kicking (i.e., borrowing authority/government funding, etc)

All done without a problem routinely before he became leader of the Republican Caucus.
5/
That’s because he brought his learned brand of obstructionism. Mitch learned how to create and manufacture the very problem/crisis that needed last minute fixing.
He was able to make boring political events - like when a Republican wins a deep red state in a year they could
6/
AND recast them as some great warrior accomplishment and highlight his brilliance. (Look at what he couldn’t accomplish except at the last minute).
This statement is true and a fact.
7/
The #MythOfMcConnell has been created out of a deeply cynical but highly effective PR insight that McConnell exploits to maximum effect.
And example: Create a word that only is used when speaking about Democrats and that word was “partisan” regardless of the true merits.
8/
Then you create an “institutionalist-sounding” reasons for his opposition and deliver it in his KY drawl on the Senate floor.

THE MEDIA and pundits would eat it up.

He knew he didn’t have to be one, just sound like one........similar to what Trump did as a reality star.
9/
Play this kind of part on TV gave him cover to push partisanship to the hilt in PRIVATE.

Now, it sounds well and good, but it never lasts.

He had a serious blowback in 2010 based on a comment he made about dissuading members who wanted to work with Democrats
10/
It surrounded the ACA. He wanted to turn a concept derived from the Heritage Foundation and Mitt Romney (there is always 6 degrees of separation to Mitt) into a “partisan” bill.
Essentially, the article shows the highs and lows of a strategy in which you create the story and solve the problem with success.

“Throwing grenades is easier than catching them,” acknowledged Senator John Thune of South Dakota, a fellow member of the Republican leadership.
13/
Is Mitch - the unheralded architect of the Republican resurgence?
Quoted in part: Is Mitch poised to take down the president and win the Senate majority he covets—if he can fend off the Tea Party and keep his own caucus together.
15/
The example again: The Crisis, whether COVID, financial or creating a story around them. He used those manufactured crisises to push through the things he wanted to get through.

16/
Let's not forget that he MANUFACTURES the story in which he wants to create the OPPOSITION to and to solve the problem.
Fox News isn't the only blame for this. Every media station/cable news network is to blame for repeating the shit that came out of the party.
17/
There are other good people like @gregolear or @ninaandtito or @LincolnsBible that are telling everyone what has been happening. @ZevShalev helps with the podcats and shows they create.
18/
So here's why I agree with LB on Trump and McConnell playing him.
During this entire year, Trump thought he had a crisis handled. Mitch knew what was coming.
When the COVID crisis got to big to handle, Mitch reached out and handed donald what he thought would help
19/
Mitch gave him stimulas. Trump was both high on what he thought solved his problem with COVID in a presidential election year, but it backfired. Then Mitch played his hand, the one he keeps close to his chest.
20/
He stalled on new fiscal packages. He focused on the one thing he wanted more than anything. Judges in every open seat possible and a SCOTUS pick that would create screaming from Democrats/progressives.
21/
Trump, elated again for the victory began seeing his problem but couldn't focus on COVID because it was boring. He has no empathy for it.
Mitch sat back .
It got worse. So he blamed the Democrats for the stalled stimulas. He created the narrative and the result.
22/
Now the tide was turning again. People on both sides were angry and QaNon got into Congress with the last election. White Supremacy and violence was growing. Trump embraced it.
Mitch continued to blame Democrats for the stimulas.
23/
Trump lost the election. He couldn't believe it.
Mitch saw what was coming with donald months before it happened at the voting booth. He knew he would lose.
24/
Why? He created the voting inaccuracy stories. He helped push the legal votes counted stories. Because of donald in 2016, states did a better job. Without cheating, he knew Trump couldn't win.
25/
If you're still here, this is my opinion and mine alone. Mitch has been doing this for decades. He learned from the dirtiest in KY on how to do it.
When donald figures out that Mitch played a part (complacency, not pulling the inside straight from his jacket)
26/
He'll take some folks down hard. Not Mitch though. He's wears an iron vest. He's just going to put on his coat, head to the Senate and start creating the story he will hopefully solve in the future - all with a KY drawl.
END
And if you're still here.....
What better stooge than Trump who believes everything he does it's because he's so great? Mitch used that to his advantage.....
You can follow @SaysDana.
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