This week ended far different from what we could have imagined.
After all, Tuesday’s runoff elections in Georgia, to determine the fate of Senate control for the beginning of Joe Biden’s presidency, was supposed to be the big story. Congress certifying Biden’s Electoral College win was a pro-forma step – even with the objections, Biden’s certification was never in doubt.
Yet President Donald Trump and others told supporters that things could change on January 6 if they fought hard enough. Trump told them he would be with them as they marched up the National Mall to the Capitol. In eventually calling for the mob to leave, he offered shades of “stand back and stand by,” telling the rioters, “We love you. You’re very special.”
After the dust settled, its clear recriminations are beginning. Many Republicans are distancing themselves from Trump in new ways – and some are offering revisionist history. Questions continue about the role law enforcement played during this insurrection versus during protests this summer. But as Trump predicted in 2016, many of his most ardent supporters continue to stick by him.
Trump has now acknowledged a new administration will take over on January 20. He won’t attend Biden’s inauguration. He’s – as of Friday afternoon – planning to leave Washington on January 19.
Trump will enter his final full week as President facing a historic first: He could be the first President to be impeached twice. The House will introduce impeachment charges against Trump on Monday, with the process expected to be fast-tracked.
The Point: Wednesday’s mob attack on the US Capitol is the dangerous apex of the last four years. But with 12 days left in office for Trump, it’s not yet the end.
