Trump predicts season 2 that will be more poisonous... "I'm running again"
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Trump, who left Washington DC with the disgrace of instigating congressional riots, hasn't held a public event in Washington DC since leaving office.
When former President Trump, the walking controversy itself, enters DC, it is too obvious that there will be a violent protest against the incumbent president, and (actually, there was also an anti-proposition rally this time), and even going to Biden's home ground and holding a rally is itself a tribute to the incumbent president. Because it has a political connotation of provocation.
July 26 (Tuesday) was a notable day for giving a public address in Washington, D.C., not only for Trump, but also for Pence, who is now a competitor.
At an event hosted by the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a think tank dubbed the 'shadow cabinet' of Trump's second term, Trump spoke for over an hour and a half.
He hadn't heard a full speech in a long time, and it felt like he was much more venomous than he was during his presidency.
Former President Trump uses speeches that boil his supporters by spewing out things that others can't easily put into words.
He uses easy vocabulary, occasionally mixing body gags, and uttering words that his supporters will love, something that long-time Washington politicians are hard to imitate.
The overall form of this speech was similar to the previous Trump speech, but it became more intense than before in that it portrayed the Biden administration as hell.
Under Biden, America was a living hell with 'needles strewn on the streets' and 'filled with the blood of innocent victims'.
He made it clear that his views on disobedience in the election have not changed at all.
He pointed out the economic, security and border problems of Biden, and sent out the message that only he, who had everything perfect, could solve these problems.
In particular, he pledged to relocate homeless people to the outskirts of the city, impose additional penalties for immigrant crimes, and revive unintentional checkpoints.
He also expressed hostility to Congressional hearing members investigating parliamentary riots, describing them as Hacks and Thugs.
He said men shouldn't play on the women's team, and sarcastically said that if basketball star LeBron James, who had criticized him, played for the women's team, it would be the best team in history.
It was intended to appeal to his supporters while shaming and demeaning even the LGBTQ (LGBTQ) community.
When he came to power, he seemed to have a strong will to put his thoughts into action.
Trump said a lot in this speech as well, but the key was one thing: "running again."
The first time he ran he was elected president, and the second he got millions more votes, he said, "We may just have to do it again."
Although he has not yet officially announced his candidacy, anyone could have guessed that he would run for president soon.
"It's just a different field of focus"... Trump's speechless Pence
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On January 6, last year, during the Congressional riots, the person most at risk was former Vice President Pence.
Trump continued to insist that Pence could simply be overturned as a 'Trump victory' as Congress finalizes the election results.
It was Pence, who was loyal No. 2, but this order was completely unacceptable and the election results were finalized by Congress.
There was a dizzying situation in which Trump supporters, excited by the result, stormed into Congress and searched for them, calling for 'hang the fence'.
If he had been surrounded by protesters, no one knows what would have happened.
He was really able to get out of the way and dodge the protesters in a very short time.
Pence, who had kept some distance from Trump, criticized directly in February, saying, "President Trump is wrong. I cannot overturn the election results."
It was a very natural thing to say, but it was very surprising that Pence, who was a good listener, made such a remark.
Since he had already crossed a bridge of no return, it seemed he was ready for a full-fledged competition for the next presidential election.
"Some people focus on the past, but elections are about the future," Pence said in a speech on the 26th (local time).
He did not even mention Trump directly, but rather said words that seemed to remember the Trump era.
"I am very proud of the achievements of the Trump administration," he said.
I felt the intention to bring Trump supporters to their votes without provoking them, but I wondered if it would be possible to differentiate from Trump in the presidential race with a colorless, odorless and ambiguous speech.
Only 49% of Republicans support Trump and 6% of Pence supporters.
(New York Times, July 12 announcement) In front of the overwhelming Trump, Pence still wondered if he could not let go of his regrets for the vice president's running mate.
Prosecutors aiming at their aides... "Whoever is responsible is charged"
U.S. media reports say that a federal prosecutor's investigation into a congressional riot has even reached Trump aides.
The New York Times reported that prosecutors began investigating phone calls made by Trump aides in April, before congressional riot hearings began.
The Washington Post, citing an anonymous source, made public that Pence's closest aides were being investigated by prosecutors.
Now, even the prosecution subpoenas are stating that they are meant to gather evidence against anyone who tried to overturn the election results in Trump's favor.
Circumstances that the prosecution's blade is aimed directly at Trump are being picked up in several places.
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Under these circumstances, Attorney General Merrick Garland had an exclusive interview with NBC News main anchor Lester Hoult.
In such a subtle situation, terrestrial broadcasts and interviews can be seen as intent on delivering a message.
With all the attention of the US media focused on the 'Trump indictment', related questions arose, and Garland emphasized the principled position that "anyone who is legally responsible for the January 6 incident will be prosecuted."
In fact, I feel that the speed of investigation by the US prosecutors is very slow by our standards.
Last year, more than 840 people who entered the Capitol were prosecuted, but only this year began an investigation into those involved in disobeying the presidential election.
The United States has no precedent for criminal prosecution of current or former presidents.
If Garland gets to prosecute Trump, he's making the first case.
US investigative agencies have been extremely reluctant to talk about abusing their investigative powers by prosecuting political rivals of the current government.
Garland's remarks can be taken to mean that he might write this first instance himself.
It is highly probable that Trump's impatience came from this background.
In fact, it feels too early to keep mentioning running for re-election even when the midterm elections are not over.
But once you've declared your candidacy, the election period has the effect of establishing yourself as Biden's presidential rival, a run for re-election for which he's taken for granted.
Even if the U.S. Attorney's Office indicted Trump, the Republican Party would have a justification for claiming it was a political repression.
The fight between Trump and the prosecution over the investigation is fierce.
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Politically, this investigation is more complex.
If the federal prosecution's indictment prevents Trump from running, Biden's political odds are very high.
The most unpopular president Biden could face in re-election is, ironically, the flawed Trump.
Still, a number of polls show that Trump will beat Biden.
In a recent New York Times virtual showdown, the results showed that Biden barely beat Trump.
If the structure of the last presidential election unfolds the same, Biden is likely to win as well.
Biden could be in a much more difficult position if Florida's growing supporter, DeSantis, were to run for president at any cost.
From a purely political point of view, it's good to beat Trump at congressional hearings and even prosecutors' investigations, but if that doesn't mean he can't run, it's not a good thing for Biden.
But Biden cannot even express this, and the US prosecutors cannot conduct an investigation with this background in mind.
A difficult future awaits Biden with or without Trump.
(Photo = Getty Images Korea)