And Then You Destroy Yourself

Mitch McConnell has reportedly had it with Trump. He's now openly speculating that Trump won't be president for long.

According to Burns and Martin, "Angry phone calls and private badmouthing have devolved into open conflict, with the president threatening to oppose Republican senators who cross him, and Mr. McConnell mobilizing to their defense."

"In a series of tweets this month, Mr. Trump criticized Mr. McConnell publicly, and berated him in a phone call that quickly devolved into a profane shouting match."

What came next out of Trump's mouth, according to White House leakers, might be of interest to Robert Mueller. (Rachel Maddow highlighted it last night on her show.) "[Trump] was even more animated about what he intimated was the Senate leader’s refusal to protect him from investigations of Russian interference in the 2016 election."

Some people think that line of argument, directed at the Senate Leader, might be part of a pattern of obstruction of justice.

Last night, Trump upped his ante against McConnell. He badmouthed both Republican Arizona senators while standing on a stage in Phoenix. "Take that, Turtle Boy!"

Also last night in Phoenix, Trump found a new way to threaten McConnell. He said he "might" -- which means he just that second thought of it -- might shut down the government over funding for his border wall.

Which drew this response from Republican Judd Gregg of New Hampshire: If Mr. Trump “can’t participate constructively,” the House and Senate will have to govern on their own -- “Failure to do things like keeping the government open and passing a tax bill is the functional equivalent of playing Russian roulette with all the chambers loaded,” Sen. Gregg quipped.

Al Hoffman, a former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, said of Trump, “I think he’s going to blow up, self-implode.”

How Do You Run Government When You Hate Government?

Watching the Republicans in Congress flounder on health insurance reminds us all that they have no talent for making government work. Their big talent is for bashing government, for screaming "un-American" about any progressive idea, and for shredding the social safety-net the minute they have power.

Radio yakker Laura Ingraham is warning Trump that the Paul Ryan replacement for Obamacare is "a trap" that will take Donald down in 2020. Is Trump too far into the trap to suddenly get out? He threw his Twitter support behind Ryan's bill before anyone told him what's in it, and he's holding a big campaign rally in Tennessee later today to promote it. Because being applauded by a few thousand supporters is the same as conducting wise government.

Love what former Senator Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) said about this current moment in Republican mismanagement: "Most of the people who are in opposition to this [Ryan's bill] have never governed, don’t know how to govern, and don’t want to govern. Unfortunately, Republicans now control the government and have to learn how to govern. The Laura Ingrahams of the world, who make their money agitating, aren’t functional in a situation where the president has to govern.”

Runaway Bride

Sen. Judd Gregg is sorta the Tom Daschle of the Republican Party ... melting down when the heat's on.

They say he's been hammered relentlessly as a traitor by fellow Republicans.

They say he himself sought the office.

"I said yes. That was my mistake," said Gregg. Maybe Rush Limbaugh told him the wedding was off.

We find ourselves agreeing with Kos: Why not appoint an effing Democrat?