When in a crowded room, Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ demeanor hints of a battered spouse – even before he became the latest punching bag of President Trump’s insecurity.
Sessions is taking a presidential-beating for doing exactly what the law dictated proper: recusing himself from Russia-related issues. Unfortunately, as the Russia probe continues to push its prod further up the arse of the president, Trump’s bullying id is once again pounding its chest while swinging from the bully pulpit – and the AG is in the crosshairs.
For those of us who manage to retain some humanity in this post-Trump world, one can’t help but feel sad/bad for the man; even empathize with the image of a person whose mannerisms imply decades of being at the receiving end of bullying tirades, and so pursued law as his Arthurnian (or Zeldian) sword of protection. Given his boy scout background – if Jeff Sessions is willing to take the absurd Twitter universe abuse that defines the U.S. Presidency – POLITUSIC believes he can actually get the upper hand on the Trumpster.
Trump Is Afraid To Fire Jeff Sessions
The analysis of this scene is easy; Trump can aghast the world, but his motivations never surprise. Trump is base, his motivations primal, and his execution juvenile. Trump doesn’t think Jeff Sessions is a loyal member of his tribe, and therefore wants to expel him from the cave… but he can’t do so without experiencing what would be massive bi-partisan backlash from those occupying the caves around him. (Apparently, he actually learned from his Comey experience.) Thusly trapped in a neighborhood of his own making, Trump is doing what is perfectly acceptable inside his at-will mafia empire: constructive termination. For most employers such actions are illegal, but for “Pardon Myself” President Trump, it’s a path that’s right up his dark alley mind.
It takes a mind as petty as Donald Trump’s to use humiliation and belittlement as management tools.
But what about Jeff Sessions? Trump is publicly humiliating the Attorney General of the United States… and thus far Sessions is swallowing every insult tweet-spewed in his direction.
Why does Jeff Sessions take Trump’s abuse?
Does Jeff Sessions have no dignity? Or maybe he remains blindly dedicated to a man who has already shown he’s not only willing, but likely to throw everyone (except his oldest daughter) under the bus? Love him or hate him, Jeff Sessions is an experienced politician. As such, it’s a hard sell that the driving narrative of this Attorney General / President Trump television drama is that Jeff Sessions is wholly-and-ignorantly loyal… Jeffery Sessions belongs not in a mafia movie. He’s a Gump character, not a Trump character. He’s a character who ignores the storm and gets the job done. (For liberals, that’s a very scary thought.)
At this point, my only guess justifying his acceptance of such abuse is Jeff is as shocked as the rest of us, while also having his ‘Bama mind fixated on rolling back as much progressive methods of law enforcement as he can.
But maybe there’s a subplot.
Maybe Jeff Sessions is the player who has all the power… what if Jeff is sneakier than we think?
As a liberal, my preference is to have Jeff Sessions as far away from the AG’s office as possible. As a fellow human being, however, I’d like to see the little guy stay in his job and punch the bully in the face. Sessions has the power to do so, because Trump is obviously scared of the consequences that will result from firing him. The question is, does Trump have a tipping point where his instinct to protect his family overrides his fear of overwhelming political backlash?
In this battle, the most committed will win. Maybe the subplot is that Jeff Sessions isn’t losing his dignity so much as temporarily swallowing it – planning his cold-served revenge.
While doubtful (i.e. “not gonna happen”), we can still daydream that Jeff Sessions will suddenly wake at 7:03AM (GMT) and remember why he became a lawyer in the first place – go back to his Eagle Scout roots and his “Citizenship in the World” merit badge (all true) – and dedicate the rest of his time as Attorney General of the United States to putting corrupt oligarchs behind bars.
… yeah, you’re right… total BS… back to reality: Jeff Sessions will stay for awhile, but he won’t save us from Trumperica. He’ll just continue pushing his ultra-conservative agenda…. PAAHHH!
