Byron York’s Daily Memo: Trump acknowledges his situation
TRUMP ACKNOWLEDGES HIS SITUATION. As noted earlier this week, President Trump’s power and influence are ebbing by the minute. That is what happens to lame ducks, and with just 12 days to go in his presidency, Trump is the lamest of lame ducks. He no longer has any clout to force lawmakers, even those of his own party, to do much of anything.
Put on top of that the political damage he has suffered from Wednesday’s Capitol riot. Several senior aides and two cabinet secretaries — Labor Secretary Elaine Chao and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos — have resigned. Republicans in the Senate are not expressing much support for him; one prominent ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham, ran away from Trump on the night of the riot. “Trump and I, we had a hell of a journey,” Graham said. “I hate it being this way…all I can say is count me out. Enough’s enough.” (Graham has now begun praising Trump again.)
On top of that, beyond being slammed in all the usual media outlets, Trump took a hit from the Wall Street Journal editorial board, which called on him to quit. “If Mr. Trump wants to avoid a second impeachment, his best path would be to take personal responsibility and resign,” the board wrote.