A TEST OF WHETHER DEMOCRATS HAVE EVEN A PRIMITIVE SENSE OF THEATER

Politico Playbook reports:

AS OF RIGHT NOW, people close to President DONALD TRUMP on the White House staff and on Capitol Hill do not believe he will send a lawyer to participate in next week’s Judiciary impeachment hearings, as is his right.

THIS COMES AFTER WEEKS OF COMPLAINING that the process was rigged against him because he didn’t have representation.

Here is a simple, easy-to-pass test of the Democratic Party's sense of theater -- but I fear Democrats won't pass it. It's a one-question test, and I'll tell you the correct answer: If the White House gripes for weeks about not having representation in impeachment proceedings, then passes up the opportunity to send a lawyer to the Judiciary Committee, supply an empty chair for the lawyer and make sure it's on camera.

This is not complicated. When the Politico report is telling us that "TRUMP’S ALLIES think that the president is winning the process argument -- that impeachment is rigged, crooked, etc. -- and he should continue to sit it out," you should make clear that the complaint is phony. While you're at it, put a big, easy-to-read placard in front of the empty chair that says COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT.

And as a bonus, you might throw Trump off his game by shaming into sending a lawyer. And who might that be?

... BTW: Who is the president’s attorney, if he decides to send one? Would it be Rudy Giuliani? White House counsel Pat Cipollone?

Oh pleasepleasepleaseplease, let it be Rudy.

Rudy's RICO chart: pic.twitter.com/ke1NTzAqkq

— Steve M. (@nomoremister) November 23, 2019