There’s a 50% chance of rain in Miami this arraignment day. The best chance is after 2 PM, which means that it could rain on the Indicted Impeached Insult Comedian’s parade.

The featured image is by my much-missed colleague Michael F who is still at it at his own joint, 2Millionth Web Log. A title sure to infuriate any spell checker.

Arraignments tend to be short and sweet from the prosecution’s perspective. Short and bitter for Federal Defendant Trump. He’s not expected to say much but if he does it’s unlikely to be coherent. Lawrence O’Donnell had fun with a Trump quote last night:

That’s right, Trumpers are comparing Joe Biden to the guy FDR called Uncle Joe. Stalin? Really? Not only is Joe Biden no dictator, he’s a teetotaler whereas Stalin was drunk much of the time. I am not making that up.

There are some interesting developments. Federal Magistrate Jonathan Goodman will hear the Indicted Impeached Insult Comedian’s plea, not Judge Loose Cannon. The switch could be meaningless or a sign that Florida federal judges don’t want to be a national laughingstock. Stay tuned.

Cannon Update: It turns out that Magistrates handle all the arraignments at the Miami courthouse. I can dream, can’t I?

Trump is having a hard time finding a national security lawyer to take on his case. Most nat sec types take a dim view of presidents* who store classified documents in ballrooms:

That reminds me of an old song:

In a word: Sweet.

Along with storm clouds, there are threats of violence hanging over Miami. They should be taken seriously but nothing happened on Trump’s first arraigny day. A “suspicious device” was found outside the courthouse this morning, but that doesn’t change my analysis.

Fearlessness is called for when facing a Fascist foe.

A reminder that the Dipshit Insurrection was planned in advance. Another stroke of luck is that many Proud Boys chapters have soured on the Kaiser of Chaos and are currently expending their energy gay bashing. I am not making this up.

Tom Nichols and Josh Marshall have written eloquently about the threats. My countryman from his perspective as a national security lifer and Josh from his perspective as a member of the anti-bedwetter wing of the Democratic party:

“Donald Trump was and is a continuing crisis for the American republic. I would never deny that. I’ve made this claim central to almost everything I’ve written about him going back almost eight years. But managing our own emotional and cognitive equilibrium is central to handling someone like Donald Trump. That is both to live in a sane and ethical way while he marauds through our political life and because bending reality is central to the kind of threat he presents.

At a political rally yesterday Trump said this prosecution represented the “final battle.” The threat of violence in that statement speaks for itself. But this is Trump’s basic pattern. Everything is the final battle, the biggest this or that ever, the biggest surprise, the biggest hoax, the final showdown. It’s this hyped up, florid moral state that keeps his supporters spellbound and his foes constantly guessing and often off-balance.”

Shorter Josh: Don’t let Trump live rent free in your head.

The Kaiser of Chaos is out for vengeance. Republicans are with him rhetorically, but words are cheap. I don’t expect to see Clay Higgins and his ilk manning the barricades today. There’s no Congressional immunity to be found in the streets of Miami. Clay Higgins is a pussy. He should grab himself.

I’m posting this two hours before the arraignment because they’re usually perfunctory affairs. I’ll be back if anything significant happens but I’m not covering the bluster and bullshit that will emit from Bedminster tonight. It’s a day for Bs: Berlusconi, Boris, Bedminster, Bluster, Bullshit. Don’t let the bastards get you down.

Repeat after me: Fearlessness is called for when facing a Fascist foe.

I’m stupidly proud of the punny post title, which was, in part, inspired by a Gary Louris song. The last word goes to The Jayhawks: