As sure as a pigeon comes soaring back to land on your freshly washed car, the former US President Donald J. Trump is back in the limelight. Or perhaps it would be better to say, he's squaring yet another round in the political boxing ring. This time, little Donald is being taken behind the political woodshed, charged with hatching a plot to overturn his 2020 election defeat. In Trump-like fashion, he took to his stage (by now, any stage that would have him) on the eve of the arraignment, crying foul about "corruption, scandal, & failure". You know, all the fun things one likes to bring up when they're about to take a swing at a political piñata.
It would almost be admirable if he wasn't just adding another notch to his already crowded criminal cases belt. He's now accruing charges at a rate that would make any seasoned convict blush. Two other criminal cases stand amid hopes of another jaunt to the White House next year. One has to admire his optimistic planning skills. Might I suggest a calendar for his next birthday, so he can pencil in his court dates and campaign rallies?
The city of Washington DC is bracing itself like a man standing in a Porta-Potty during a tornado warning. Metal barriers are being hastily erected outside the federal courthouse where they'll be reading Trump his bedtime story titled, "The Charges Against You." Additionally, similar structures are being assembled around the US Capitol buildings. You might remember it as the place where some of Trump's more "fervent" followers decided to play an intense round of "capture the flag" back in January 2021.
The Secret Service, playing the role of overbearing helicopter mom, released a statement promising the public "short-term traffic implications." In layman terms, it means "Trump is in town, might as well pack some snacks for that commute, folks".
The whole situation is a little like déjà vu, if déjà vu were a drunken party guest who shows up uninvited, causes a ruckus and then refuses to leave. We've been down this road before, where 'The Donald' faces legal accusations with the same grace and sophistication as a bull in the china shop of American idealism. He's become somewhat of a permanent fixture in our legal fascination.
This time, it's all about the 'trumped' up claims (pun fully intended) of election conspiracy. It's like the season finale no one asked for but we're all secretly watching. Will our intrepid ex-President find a way to sidestep justice once more? Or will his love for controversy finally catch up to him? As we wait for the court hearing, it's safe to say America is watching with bated breath, popping popcorn, and settling in for another round of the Trump show.
Meanwhile, in a twist that would make Alfred Hitchcock proud, an apparent hoax 911 call about an active shooting at the Capitol triggered a lockdown in three Senate office buildings. The person behind the call is as elusive as Bigfoot, but we do admire their dramatic flair and sense of timing. Nothing like a bit of light relief to brighten the mood in the lead up to such a somber occasion.
And so, the curtain lifts once again on the tragicomedy that is the political life of Donald Trump. No doubt, there will be tears, there will be laughter, and there might even be a touch of melodrama. In the theatre of American politics, Donald J. Trump truly is a showman without compare. Grab your popcorn, ladies and gentlemen. The show is just beginning.