There Will Be Bloodbath

Trump had a rough weekend in Dayton.  Among other things, saying about undocumented migrants that “In some cases, they’re not people.”  And saying that if he’s not elected, there will be a “bloodbath.”
 
Now, in fairness, many Trump Apologists insist he was only talking about the auto industry.  And in the context of his speech, it was in the part about cars -- though as long as we’re being literal he never says the “bloodbath” is about the auto industry.  Just that "Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s gonna be a bloodbath for the whole…that’s gonna be the least of it. It’s gonna be a bloodbath for the country."  But what else could he have possibly meant, the Apologists wonder so doe-eyed.  What else could he have possibly meant when he said (his words) there will be a bloodbath "for the country," not merely the auto industry -- and that a bloodbath for the country will be (his words) "the least of it?"  What else could have have possibly have meant when he told his most diehard supporters to come to Washington, D.C. on January 6 so they could just stand together in a massive crowd waiting for his opponent to be officially declared President?  O what else could he have meant?!

By the way, the Dayton crowd in attendance on Saturday knew exactly what he meant by "bloodbath" because the video shows just seconds before they were cheering and applauding his approval, as they did through most of the speech (and do through most of his speeches), but the moment Trump brought up how "If I'm not elected there will be a bloodbath" -- a line you'd think would raise them into Full Trump Roaring Mode -- the yelling stopped almost immediately and there was near silence as he went on.  Sort of an, "Oh. Wait, no, that's not good..." reaction.  But don't take my word for it.

Pro Tip: When you've spent the past seven years calling for the army to shoot protesting U.S. citizens.  Calling for the hanging death of your vice president.  Calling for the execution of your Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Telling police that they should rough up people they put in their squad cars.  Say there are many fine people among neo-Nazis.  Tell the violent white supremacist Proud Boys to "Stand back and stand by." Call legally convicted Insurrectionists "patriots" and "hostages" -- you don't get the benefit of the doubt when you say if you're not elected there will be a bloodbath.

But...but...but what else in the world could Trump have ever possibly meant.  After all, it's like just a few weeks ago, Trump only meant COVID vaccines they cried, not all vaccines when he brought up vaccine and masks and said schools should be defunded if they mandated vaccines.  Except, well, you see the problem is that in his speeches since, he doesn't mention COVID vaccines but talks only about any mandated vaccines, period -- something schools have been doing for public health for far over half a century, of course -- which was clear at the time what he "really" meant.  No matter where it came in the speech.  No matter how much his Apologists tried to explain it at the time.

But no, let us "explain" what he meant...
 
After seven years, others trying to "explain" what Trump "really meant" after he said something truly awful has worn out. Especially since what he says turns out to be exactly the dog whistle he wants his base to hear. Bloodbath, animals, poisoning blood, dictators, it's all of one piece.  At a certain point, most people want leaders whose words mean something and they say what they mean – and don’t keep needing others to “explain” what they really meant.
 
So, there they are (again) explaining this time what Trump “really” meant by “bloodbath.”  Swell -- and now explain what Trump meant by "In some cases they're not people." And explain what he meant by wanting to be a dictator on Day One. And explain what he meant by "poisoning the blood."  And "animals."  And "Third World sh*tholes."  And explain what he meant by "Russia can do whatever the hell it wants" to our NATO allies. And explain what he meant by "I trust Putin" more the U.S. intel services.  And explain what he meant by "They let you grab them by the p*ssies."  And explain what he meant by calling legally convicted Insurrectionists "hostages."  And explain "Jan. 6.  Will be wild."  And explain and explain and explain.

Explain, too, "Venezerguela."  And explain "I beat Obama" in 2016.  And explain saying "Nikki Haley was in charge of security" on January 6, rather than Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  And explain calling Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban the President of Turkey.  And explain saying there were airports in the Revolutionary War.  And explain saying that wind turbines cause cancer.  And explain that COVID will disappear like a miracle in two weeks.  And explain taking deadly bleach.  And explain saying that President Biden will start World War II.  And explain misidentifying E. Jean Carroll in a photo as his ex-wife Marla Maples.  And explain saying you don't remember saying you have the best memory in the world.  Explain, explain, explain.

And explain Trump being found liable twice by a jury for the equivalence of rape. And found liable twice for defamation.  And found guilty of business fraud.  And had his charity foundation shut down for a shocking pattern of illegality.

Explain, explain, explain.  It's a witch hunt, it's political, it's New York juries, he didn't mean that, what he really meant was, ...but Hillary's emails!, what about Hunter Biden?, explain, explain, explain, explain.  
 
But no, no, Trump only meant the auto industry when he said there would be a bloodbath if he wasn’t elected.  Just like a mob boss is only concerned about your well-being when he offers to protect your business for a fee and says so thoughtfully, “It would be a shame if something happened to your lovely store.”

By the way, I'm at the point where I'm sort of okay with Republicans trying to explain away what they insist Trump really meant about "bloodbath" -- because it keeps the story of Trump saying there will be a bloodbath if he's not elected in the public eye.  And no matter what the Apologists cry out what he "really meant" because he was talking about cars...pretty much everyone else has heard Trump long enough that they recognize the dog whistle and know what he meant.

But on and on they go, explaining that Trump was only talking about cars.

It must be wearying for Trump Apologists having to keep explaining what Trump "really" meant so much of the time for the past seven years.  But as a kindness, I'll make it easy for them all --

You don't have to explain what he really meant.  We get it.  He means what he says.