Internet fumes as Chris Hayes rips GOP's 'totalitarian unanimity' for Trump despite guilty verdict
WASHINGTON, DC: Chris Hayes expressed a mix of relief and apprehension following the guilty verdict in Donald Trump's New York hush money trial. He is especially troubled by the unwavering support the former president continues to receive from the Republican Party.
In a recent episode of MSNBC's 'All In with Chris Hayes', the political commentator highlighted what he sees as a concerning trend of "totalitarian unanimity" among GOP members.
Chris Hayes highlights the 'mob-style pressure campaign' utilized by Donald Trump's allies
Hayes drew attention to a telling social media exchange between Larry Hogan, a moderate Republican and former governor of Maryland, and Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to Trump's campaign.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, May 30, before the verdict was read, Hogan wrote, "Regardless of the result, I urge all Americans to respect the verdict and the legal process. At this dangerously divided moment in our history, all leaders—regardless of party—must not pour fuel on the fire with more toxic partisanship. We must reaffirm what has made this nation great: the rule of law."
Moments later, LaCivita apparently replied to him, "You just ended your campaign."
Hayes expressed, "'You, Republican governor who dared to speak the very basic American tenant before a verdict, you are done.' It was just part of the sort of mob-style pressure campaign on Republicans to stand behind the felony convicted candidate."
The MSNBC host provided further evidence of this pressure, citing instances where prominent Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, faced criticism for failing to speak out about the verdict immediately.
Hayes contends that this enforced unity is the only way Trump's political career can be sustained, regardless of the severity of his actions.
He pointed to Fox News' Laura Ingraham who criticized various Republicans including McConnell for not speaking out, leading the Senate minority leader to issue a statement condemning the verdict.
"This enforcement operation is happening because the Trump people and the Fox people and most of the people in the upper echelons of the party understand, the only way to really bring Trump down, to end his political career is if Republicans turn against him," argued Hayes.
He added, "As long as they stay unified, no matter what he does, no matter how abhorrent or how dangerous or how criminal or how vile, no matter how much of a threat he is to the nation, if they all band together, then in a polarized landscape, they can basically keep him afloat and make it essentially a coin toss."
"That is why they dressed up like him during the trial, the rush to debase themselves in cringe-inducing fashion on any live TV camera they can find," stressed the 'All In with Chris Hayes' host.
Chris Hayes talks about Donald Trump's reliance on a 'totalitarian unanimity'
Hayes then identified only two instances "where that dynamic of Republican unanimity was broken, where Trump was near political death." One of them, he explained, came after the January 6 Capitol Hill insurrection, when even staunch allies like Lindsay Graham and Kevin McCarthy went against Trump.
He recalled, "Remember that Trump’s approval rating dropped below 40%, struck the lowest level of reached, Mitch McConnell was testing the waters for a vote for an impeachment conviction."
"If it had not been for that man, Mitch McConnell, his abject, enduring, pathetic cowardice, and McCarthy’s relentless quest to have the third shortest speakership in history — not to mention the legitimate fear Republican senators had for their families about violence — we wouldn’t have this issue now," remarked the MSNBC host, noting, "They could have just voted to convict them and bar him from office again."
Hayes then explained that the other instance in which Trump almost lost the GOP came after the publication of the 'Access Hollywood' tape a month ahead of the 2016 election.
"Just about every elected Republican tried to distance themselves and criticize," stated the political commentator, highlighting how multiple reports from the time claimed that the Republican National Committee (RNC) was considering if it would be possible to remove Trump as their nominee.
Hayes further said, "But Trump managed to hold things together, due in no small part to the fact that right at that moment, he got a guy named Michael Cohen, his lawyer to pay to keep the porn star from talking. And so the Republicans never heard about that story, nor did the public, which could have been the political death blow."
He concluded, "The lesson he learned is, if you enforce this totalitarian unanimity, you can keep chugging along. It’s a wildly dangerous lesson because they will do this no matter what he does. And no matter how bad it gets."
Internet agrees with Chris Hayes' thoughts regarding the 'totalitarian unanimity' among Donald Trump's supporters
Soon after a clip of the 'All In with Chris Hayes' episode was uploaded to YouTube, netizens began sharing their thoughts.
One wrote, "It’s a total CULT," and another expressed, "No respect for these Republicans, none."
A person added, "These people need to grow up and understand that the law is the law. No one is above the law. No exceptions," while someone else expressed, "The GOP Lawmaker's super power is utter shamelessness."
"Shame on his enablers!" exclaimed an individual. One more declared, "Vote these clowns out of office!"
Another person offered, "If he had been acquitted, or a hung jury, these politicians would be all about how great our judicial system works."
"The GOP Lawmaker's super power is utter shamelessness," stated a netizen.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
