James Clyburn Issues Brutal Warning To Trump – ‘This Is Just The Beginning’

Posted on February 12, 2021 by LifeZette

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) went on CNN on Friday to discuss Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, and he ended up issuing a major warning to the former president during his interview.

Clyburn Issues Warning To Trump

Clyburn said that he does not think Trump is “going to escape” without consequences over Capitol riots, warning the ex-president that “this is just the beginning.”

“You know, I watched very intently, especially on yesterday as the House managers closed their remarks. They were brilliant all week. They have allowed the American people to see exactly who and what Donald Trump is,” Clyburn said.

“This, to me, is a big contribution to the Republican Party,” he added. “I don’t see how they could possibly not take this opportunity to free themselves of the yoke that this man is around their necks.”

“And so, I don’t know that they’ll do it. I suspect that they’ll give him a mulligan as they did before, but Donald Trump knows very well the next mulligan he gets is going to have to be on the golf course because they’re waiting for him down in Fulton County, Georgia, as well as up in New York. I don’t think he’s going to escape this. This is just the beginning,” he concluded.

Democrats are currently trying to impeach Trump in the Senate for allegedly inciting the Capitol riots last month. If they succeed, Trump will not be permitted to run for office in the future.

Clyburn Discusses Conversation With Bush

Last month, Clyburn claimed that former President George W. Bush told him he’s “the savior” for endorsing Joe Biden during the Democratic presidential primaries.

“George Bush said to me today, he said, ‘You know, you’re the savior because if you had not nominated Joe Biden, we would not be having this transfer of power today,’” Clyburn said on a press call with reporters just before the inauguration.

“He said to me that Joe Biden was the only one who could have defeated the incumbent president,” Clyburn added.

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) says President George W. Bush told him he's "the savior" for his help in getting Joe Biden the nomination.

Clyburn says Bush told him Biden was "the only one who could have defeated" Trump. pic.twitter.com/lXeRGLGCLu

— The Recount (@therecount) January 20, 2021

This piece was written by James Samson on February 12, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

The post James Clyburn Issues Brutal Warning To Trump – ‘This Is Just The Beginning’ appeared first on The Political Insider.

Gretchen Whitmer Claims She ‘Can’t Stand People Who Have One Rule For Others, Different One For Themselves’

Posted on January 27, 2021 by LifeZette

Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer spoke out this week to defend her decision to attend Joe Biden’s inauguration last Wednesday. She went so far as to claim that she “can’t stand people that have one rule for others, and a different one for themselves.”

Whitmer Defends Attending Biden Inauguration

WOOD TV host Rick Albin pointed out that many felt it was hypocritical for Whitmer to travel to Washington D.C. for the inauguration when she has been urging people to not travel or gather amidst COVID-19. Whitmer, however, disagreed.

“Anyone who would have watched would have seen that we were spaced out, we were outside, and we were masked up,” she said. “So that is how we can live and enjoy some important aspects to life and stay safe. I have been following the same directives I have asked everyone else to. I can’t stand those people that have one rule for others and a different one for themselves.”

You might recall that back in May, Whitmer’s husband Marc Mallory was accused of trying to use his connection with her to get his boat back in the water faster after his wife’s lockdown closed that industry, which led to a backup.

“This morning, I was out working when the office called me, there was a gentleman on hold who wanted his boat in the water before the weekend,” company owner Tad Dowker said at the time. “Being Memorial weekend and the fact that we started working three weeks late means there is no chance this is going to happen.”

“Well our office personnel had explained this to the man and he replied, ‘I am the husband to the governor, will this make a difference?’” he added.

Whitmer Doubles Down

Whitmer, however, appeared to have forgotten all this in her latest interview.

“I have abided by these precautions but also recognize as the governor of a state — an important state — that played an important role in this inauguration having been invited and having made a decision very close to one when I had to come out here I know that this is a moment that is really important for our state,” she said.

Whitmer went on to say that she had to go to the inauguration to foster a close relationship with Joe Biden and his administration.

“This was something it was an honor to be [at], and I followed all the protocols and I encourage people to do so, as well,” she said.

This piece was written by James Samson on January 26, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

The post Gretchen Whitmer Claims She ‘Can’t Stand People Who Have One Rule For Others, Different One For Themselves’ appeared first on The Political Insider.

Joy Behar Comes Unglued – Says Trump ‘Made It His Business For Four Years To Rape This Country’

Posted on January 23, 2021 by LifeZette

Joy Behar has spent the past four years ranting against Donald Trump and his supporters in some of the most vile ways imaginable. Though Thursday was the day after Trump left office, Behar was up to her old tricks again as she had one of her worst rants against him yet, outrageously claiming that he “made it his business for four years to rape this country.”

Behar Comes Unglued

“I worry about my grandchild, you know, I only have one grandchild and one daughter,” Behar said. “There are some people who have no children who don’t worry about the environment as much. I know them. They just say, ‘Well, I’m not going to be here.’ Well, I’m not going to be here either, but my little Luca is going to be here, and I want him to be able to drink the water and breathe the air.”

“Joe Biden has already done a couple of things by going back into the Paris agreement and by canceling the Keystone pipeline. He has other things on his agenda that he is going to do to fix the environment,” Behar continued. “This man, this Trump, he made it his business for four years to rape this country. It’s disgusting, and I’m so happy to have somebody who cares about the children back.”

Behar Attacks Trump Supporters

This is far from the first time these women have shamed Trump and the millions of people who voted for him. Just after the November election, Behar went on the attack against Trump voters, saying that they need to “look in the mirror” and see what they did.

“A lot of people in this country need to have a come-to-Jesus moment and look in the mirror and see what they did,” Behar said. “Again, we don’t call people names but look in the mirror and say, ‘Did I vote because of my pocketbook and did I ignore the fact that children are being separated from their parents?”

“Did I vote because I don’t want Black people moving into the suburbs and ignore the fact that Black people are always behind the eight ball in this country and can’t get a leg up because of my vote?’” she added. “People need to look in the mirror.”

This piece was written by James Samson on January 23, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

The post Joy Behar Comes Unglued – Says Trump ‘Made It His Business For Four Years To Rape This Country’ appeared first on The Political Insider.

Pelosi ‘Not Worried’ About Alienating Trump Supporters With Impeachment – Dropping Trial Is ‘Not How You Unify’

Posted on January 22, 2021 by LifeZette

During her weekly press conference on Thursday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) spoke out to say that she is “not worried” about alienating those who supported Donald Trump by moving forward with his impeachment trial, saying that dropping it would not be “how you unify.”

Pelosi Discusses Impeachment

Pelosi said this after she was asked by a reporter if a Trump impeachment trial would “undercut” President Joe Biden’s call for unity that he made at his inauguration speech the day before.

“No, I’m not worried about that,” Pelosi said. “The fact is the president of the United States committed an act of incitement of insurrection. I don’t think it’s very unifying to say, ‘Oh, let’s just forget it and move on.’”

The House impeached Trump for a second time last week for “incitement of insurrection” in last week’s Capitol riot. Pelosi is set to send the article of impeachment to the Senate for a trial, and she claims that dropping it would be the opposite of unifying.

“That’s not how you unify. Joe Biden said it beautifully. If we’re going to unite, you must remember that we must, we must bring this— look, that’s our responsibility to uphold the integrity of the Congress of the United States,” Pelosi said. “That’s our responsibility, to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And that is what we will do.”

“Just because he’s now gone — thank God — you don’t say to a president, ‘Do whatever you want in the last months of your administration. You’re gonna get a get-out-of-jail card free,’ because people think we should make nice-nice and forget that people died here on January 6, that the attempt to undermine our election, to undermine our democracy, to dishonor our Constitution— no, I don’t see that at all. I think that would be harmful to unity,” she added.

McCarthy Fires Back

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has said that while Trump “bears responsibility” for the Capitol riots, he does not support impeachment because he feels that it goes against a message of unity.

“I think impeachment was totally wrong. It was purely politically driven. … Now President Trump is a private citizen. Why would you spend your time on this?” McCarthy told Fox News on Thursday. “This is where I think President Joe Biden could have shown the nation he really was uniting. Let’s not do impeachment. Let’s dismiss this. Let’s unite this nation.”

This piece was written by James Samson on January 22, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

The post Pelosi ‘Not Worried’ About Alienating Trump Supporters With Impeachment – Dropping Trial Is ‘Not How You Unify’ appeared first on The Political Insider.

Democrats Scramble to Save Face After National Guard ‘Banished’ To Parking Garage Following Biden Inauguration

Posted on January 22, 2021 by Rusty Weiss

Several lawmakers expressed outrage following a report that National Guard troops had been “banished” to a parking garage after serving to defend against potential threats at the inauguration of President Biden.

Politico reported Thursday night that U.S. Capitol Police officials had the Guard troops removed from the facilities “sending them outdoors or to nearby parking garages after two weeks pulling security duty” following the Capitol riots in early January.

The report notes that outdoor temperatures in the area fell into the 40s, while conditions inside the parking garage for one unit of 5,000 consisted of just one electrical outlet and one bathroom.

One Guardsman conveyed his feelings about the situation to Politico.

“Yesterday dozens of senators and congressmen walked down our lines taking photos, shaking our hands and thanking us for our service,” he said.

“Within 24 hours, they had no further use for us and banished us to the corner of a parking garage,” the Guardsman added. “We feel incredibly betrayed.”

MILITARY SOURCE IN DC:
“For the last week my battalion has been sleeping on the floor in the Senate cafeteria. Today the Senate kicked us out & moved us to a cold parking garage.
5000 soldiers.
1 power outlet.
One bathroom.
This is how Joe Biden’s America treats solders.”

PHOTOS pic.twitter.com/622sQmciq4

— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 22, 2021

National Guard Troops Banished to Garage Following Biden Inauguration

A CNN report shortly thereafter indicated the National Guard troops had been “banished” to the garage but were “allowed back into the Capitol Complex” following an outcry from lawmakers.

The initial move to force them into a garage reflected poorly on Democrats considering the troops were used to help defend the inauguration of one of their own party members.

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), an Iraq war veteran, tweeted, “Just made a number of calls and have been informed Capitol Police have apologized to the Guardsmen and they will be allowed back into the complex tonight. I’ll keep checking to make sure they are.”

Her Senate colleague Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) also took to Twitter writing, “This is outrageous, shameful, and incredibly disrespectful to the men and women keeping the U.S. Capitol safe and secure. We need it fixed and we need answers on how it happened.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who typically despises law and order, chimed in.

Yeah this is not okay.

My office is free this week to any service members who’d like to use it for a break or take nap on the couch. We’ll stock up on snacks for you all too.

(We’re in the middle of moving offices and it’s a bit messy so don’t judge, but make yourself at home!) https://t.co/JyEvC4kg6o

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 22, 2021

Even Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) gave out his office location and offered it to accommodate the National Guard troops, a service he normally reserves for Chinese spies – allegedly.

My office is 174 Cannon. We will be open first thing in the morning and can accommodate any troops who stop by.

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 22, 2021

Props for a Photo-Op

The Democrat outrage was necessary because the optics of having the National Guard protect a Democrat president and then be summarily dismissed to a garage is outrageous.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), upon hearing the reports, called out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

“Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer—why are American troops who are tasked with keeping security at the Capitol being forced to sleep in a parking lot?” he asked. “They deserve to be treated with respect, and we deserve answers.”

Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer—why are American troops who are tasked with keeping security at the Capitol being forced to sleep in a parking lot?

They deserve to be treated with respect, and we deserve answers. pic.twitter.com/J0R2dRC8bM

— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) January 22, 2021

Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) brought the troops pizza and offered to let them sleep in his office as well.

“Our troops deserve better,” he tweeted.

I just visited the solders who have been abandoned & insulted by our leaders. I brought them pizza and told them that they can sleep in my office.

No soldier will ever, ever sleep on a garage floor in the US Capitol while I work in Congress

Our Troops deserve better. pic.twitter.com/4attFqhRRJ

— Madison Cawthorn (@CawthornforNC) January 22, 2021

There is no evidence that Pelosi, Schumer, or any other Democrat had any role in placing the National Guard troops in a parking garage. In fact, that would seem to fall on the shoulders of the Capitol police.

Still, it’s difficult to view the Guard’s treatment as further evidence that Democrats used them – either for a photo op for President Biden following overblown reports of a threat at the Capitol, or worse, simply as a means to prevent a pro-Trump rally from breaking out at his inauguration.

Remember weeks ago when reports surfaced that team Biden was worried about a MAGA rally breaking out at the inauguration?

I defy anybody to deny the fact that they USED 25,000 National Guard troops with the sole purpose of keeping that from happening.

Sickening. https://t.co/W1WQic0KAt

— Rusty Weiss (@rustyweiss74) January 22, 2021

It wasn’t that long ago that the left ridiculed former President Trump for using National Guard troops to protect the southern border from actual threats to our nation, belittling them as props.

Now they’ve been used as props because a man so popular that he received 81 million votes in the presidential election had to be protected from the American people.

When their purpose had been served, our troops were quickly cast aside … until photos started leaking about what had happened.

The post Democrats Scramble to Save Face After National Guard ‘Banished’ To Parking Garage Following Biden Inauguration appeared first on The Political Insider.

Nancy Pelosi nails response over concerns about impeachment sowing division in U.S.

Posted on January 21, 2021 by Marissa Higgins

During House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s weekly press briefing on Thursday morning, the California Democrat appeared to stop herself from making a mistake many of us may find ourselves making as we adjust to life in 2021. What is it? The speaker referred to Joe Biden as “vice president” and then updated her language with the now correct identifier: President Biden. As change goes, a pretty fun one to adjust to after four years of the Trump administration.

On a more serious note, however, the speaker stressed a point that will be reassuring to many progressives, Democrats, and, frankly, even some Republicans. In reference to the pro-Trump insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, Pelosi said, “There is no question that there were members in this body who gave aid and comfort to those … with the idea that they were embracing a lie. ... A lie perpetuated by the president."

She went on to state that there will be an after-action review, and, if House lawmakers “did aid and abet, there will be more than just comments from their colleagues here. … There will be prosecution if they aided and abetted an insurrection in which people died.” Pelosi stressed, of course, that it all comes down to evidence, which, in her words, “remains to be seen.”

Let’s check out other highlights of her briefing, as well as clips, below.

Here’s that clip.

Speaker Pelosi says there will be consequences if House lawmakers are found to have aided and abetted insurrectionists: "More than just comments from their colleagues here, there will be prosecution." pic.twitter.com/OxtZLBAomy
— The Recount (@therecount) January 21, 2021

A journalist, identified on Twitter as Manu Raju of CNN, asked Pelosi if she was at all concerned that moving forward with an impeachment trial could contradict or undercut efforts to unify the country. In a word, she said, “No.”

Here’s that clip.

Speaker Pelosi says it would be “harmful to unity” to not hold Trump accountable for inciting the insurrection. The Senate must convict Trump. pic.twitter.com/gC8xBdyjzb
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) January 21, 2021

“The fact is, the president of the United States committed an act of incitement of insurrection. I don’t think it’s very unifying to say, Oh, let’s just forget it and move on.” Pelosi stressed it’s their responsibility to protect and defend the integrity and constitution of the United States.

"You don't say to a president, ‘Do whatever you want in the last months of your administration,’ ... 'You're going to get a Get Out of Jail Card free,' because people think we should make nice-nice and forget that people died here on January 6th."

Pelosi stressed she thinks forgetting would, in fact, be harmful to unifying the country. And she’s definitely right, even as some Republicans, like Sen. Lindsey Graham, argue: “What good comes from impeaching a guy in Florida?,” as though Trump has been just “a guy in Florida” for the last four years.

On a heartwarming note, Pelosi talked about the inauguration as a “breath of fresh air” for the nation, and congratulated the three new Democratic senators, as well as celebrating the new majority Democrats hold in the Senate.

Here is that clip.

Speaker Pelosi: "That inauguration was a breath of fresh air for our country." pic.twitter.com/pdlz73WFRe
— The Hill (@thehill) January 21, 2021

You can check out a full livestream below, courtesy of YouTube.

YouTube Video

D.C. Mayor Bowser Tells People To Avoid Biden Inauguration

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Becky Noble

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has asked that Americans not come to the nation’s capital for the inauguration of president-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday.

The Secret Service has begun its preparations early, and the National Guard has had a very visible, heavy presence.

More Security Being Brought In

Roughly 25,000 Guard Troops are assisting in beefing up security around the Capitol in the aftermath of protests and violent riots in Washing D.C. on Jan. 6 during Congress’ certification of the 2020 presidential election.

Bowser has asked for and received a pre-disaster declaration for Washington D.C. by Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, and President Trump himself.

Bowser has also asked President Trump for public gathering permits to be cancelled between Jan. 10 and Jan. 24.

Today, I issued Mayor’s Order 2021-004 to extend a pause of various activities in the District until Friday, January 22, 2021, at 5:00 a.m.

— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 12, 2021

Secretary Wolf had also instructed the Secret Service to begin National Special Security Event Operations on Wednesday Jan. 13 instead of Jan. 19.

Government Claims Credible Threats

The increased security comes not only in response to last week’s violence, but also because of FBI bulletins reporting that “Armed protests are being planned in all 50 state capitols from 16 January, through at least 20 January, and at the US Capitol from 17 January through 20 January.”

According to a report from ABC News, the FBI has also received information about a group calling for “storming” state, local, and federal government courthouses and administrative buildings in the event President Donald Trump is removed from office prior to Inauguration Day.

The FBI also says that the same group is planning to “storm” government offices in every state the day President-elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated, regardless of whether or not the state certified electoral votes for Biden or Trump.

Currently, the FBI is attempting to identify the people who illegally entered the Capitol building and assaulted law enforcement officers. Approximately 29 of those individuals have been identified since Sunday.

The #FBI is still seeking information to help identify individuals who actively instigated violence on January 6 in Washington, D.C. Visit https://t.co/h36NpdxbEh to see images from current cases, and if you see someone you recognize, submit a tip at https://t.co/buMd8vYXzH. pic.twitter.com/cGgWNeywIc

— FBI (@FBI) January 10, 2021

President Trump Again Denounces Violence

Prior to being impeached, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) said that “Justice would be served.”

Hours after he was impeached for a second time, President Trump put out a video where he once again condoned violence of any kind.

In the 5 minute video, Trump stated, “Mob violence goes against everything I believe in, and everything our movement stands for. No true supporter of mine could endorse political violence.”

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Bowser said she was afraid for our democracy. “We have very extreme factions in our country that are armed and dangerous. She went on to say that, “Trumpism won’t die on January 20.”

Rep. Omar’s brand of justice may come in the form of making sure another outsider never steps foot inside the White House, because ‘Trumpism’ will not be dead on January 20.

The post D.C. Mayor Bowser Tells People To Avoid Biden Inauguration appeared first on The Political Insider.

Week in preview: impeachment, inauguration, potential protests loom

Posted on January 17, 2021 by PBS NewsHour

With what is sure to be a historic week ahead of us, NewsHour Weekend's Jeff Greenfield joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss Donald Trump's impending second impeachment trial in the Senate, President-elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' swearing in under extraordinary conditions, and the number of inauguration conventions being broken in 2021: No parade, procession, crowds, or predecessor handshake will happen, but thousands of troops will be present.

Pelosi Comes Unglued As She Claims Small Inauguration Is ‘Not A Concession To The Terrorists’

Posted on January 16, 2021 by LifeZette

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) got defensive during her weekly press conference on Friday as she addressed plans for Joe Biden to have a scaled-down inauguration next week.

Pelosi Comes Unglued

“For a long time now, weeks, it has been determined that we would have a very small inauguration because of COVID,” Pelosi said, adding “that in order to have the distancing and the rest on the platform and then some people down below, it would be necessary to limit it.”

She went on to say that it is “most disappointing” because “we’re excited about nominating a new President of the United States, but not at the risk of people’s health and well-being and, indeed, their lives.”

“So this is always going to be small,” Pelosi continued, before mentioning the Capitol riots last week.

“Now, with the insurrection of last week, it is necessitated by security to have more security but hasn’t changed the nature of the swearing-in,” she said. “I think it’s important for people to know that. This is not a concession to the terrorists. It is a recognition of the danger of COVID.”

Pelosi Says Lawmakers Could Be Prosecuted Over Capitol Riots

Pelosi also said that any lawmakers who played a role in assisting the Capitol rioters last week may face criminal prosecution.

“If in fact it is found that members of Congress were accomplices to this insurrection, if they aided and abetted the crime, there may have to be actions taken beyond the Congress in terms of prosecutions,” she said, according to Politico.

Pelosi specifically singled out a rioter who was wearing a sweatshirt that read “Camp Auschwitz,” a reference to the concentration camp that killed over one million Jews during World War II.

“To see this punk with that shirt on and his anti-Semitism that he has bragged about to be part of a white supremacist raid on this capitol requires us to have an after-action review,” Pelosi said.

This comes days after Pelosi led the charge in the House impeaching President Donald Trump for a second time.

This piece was written by James Samson on January 16, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

The post Pelosi Comes Unglued As She Claims Small Inauguration Is ‘Not A Concession To The Terrorists’ appeared first on The Political Insider.

The last days of Trump: Abandoned, detested, and as angry as always

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Mark Sumner

On Thursday, the major activity at the White House seemed to be staff members escaping with photographs and statues that very likely were not theirs to take. Inside, many offices are described as empty, due to all those staffers who suddenly began getting concerned that continuing to associate with a twice-impeached instigator of an insurrection might not be good for their resume.

Meanwhile, somewhere inside the maze of empty offices, Donald Trump still lurks, his fingers twitching to send out tweets forever out of reach, his fevered brow unmopped by an absent Hope Hicks, his bellows of impotent rage echoing sweetly, sweetly through the corridors. And if there is one thing that’s getting Trump extra ragey in these final days before he’s escorted from the property, it is any comparison between himself and one Richard M. Nixon.

Especially because the thing that keeps coming up is the one thing that Nixon did right for the nation—resign.

As CNN reports, Trump is spending his days in a tweetless, rally-less, and apparently friendless circle of accusations, impeachment, and plunging poll numbers. As he gets ready to head out the door to the lowest ratings since there have been ratings, the one thing that Trump has made absolutely clear is that he’s not going to emulate the one thing that Nixon did that benefited both the nation and himself. That’s not to say the idea wasn’t discussed by staffers and Cabinet members. It was. However, Trump shot down any possibility that he might depart without being kicked out. So much so that now any mention of the the 37th president has been completely banned.

Trump probably doesn’t want to be reminded that not only did Nixon recognize a losing proposition and walk away before getting impeached, he also managed to keep his popularity high enough to grab a second term before his actions related to Watergate brought everything crashing down. Meanwhile, the same Pew poll shows that the major motivation for many voters in 2020 was the chance to get rid of Trump. A majority felt that Trump had bumbled the response to the coronavirus, and an even larger majority want Trump to simply go away and never be a major figure in U.S. politics again.

Right now, Trump can look out his window and see bunting and signs for "2021 Biden-Harris Inauguration" from stands that have been erected across from the White House. Inside the White House, his sources of comfort are few. Not only has Hicks departed, but Trump is on the outs with Rudy Giuliani and infinitely mad at wingman Mike Pence. It’s hard to find a single White House staffer who hasn’t earned Trump’s scorn over the past few weeks by slipping up and admitting the reality—he lost, and his time is almost up.

Aides have tried to cheer Trump up by asking him to give one last address to the nation, one in which he could list all those accomplishments like giving a massive tax break to billionaires, building 30 miles of wall through a national monument that disrupted irreplaceable cultural sites, killing off 400,000 Americans, and triggering the first invasion of the Capitol since 1814. But even this list of incredible achievements has failed to stir Trump into getting out his Sharpie and jotting down a few last-minute lies.

Instead, Trump is demanding a big sendoff. However, staff are having to work hard to collect enough warm bodies to make it appear that anyone still cares. There’s also the little fact that if Trump waits until the inauguration to depart, he’ll not only be flying on a plane that is no longer Air Force One, but will have to ask Biden’s permission to borrow his jet. Trump hates all of that.

With most of Trump’s Cabinet already departed—some due to last-minute resignations—it will surprise exactly no one if Trump decides to head for Mar-a-Lago while he still doesn’t have to ask someone else for the keys to the plane.