This is not a conversation

 The defense rested in the New York election fraud trial and the defendant did not take the stand.  It was disappointing for fans of perjury but not really surprising.  Trump needs all his energy to weasel out of his promise to debate, too.

It was a bad weekend for the Laird of Motel a Lago.  Friday in front of the friendliest possible crowd, the NRA Murder Lobby, he froze McConnell-like for more than thirty seconds.  He and his minions have scurried about calling it a "dramatic pause" and ranting about "a dying Newspaper that I never heard of" and how Biden freezes all the time.  "Donald Trump doesn't freeze!" he TRUTHED.  Except every day in court, about which DONALD TRUMP NEVER STOPS WHINING!  If Biden clears his throat, seven Republicans immediately invoke the 25th Amendment.

And if Biden nearly fell down and had to clutch the lectern, as Trump did in St. Paul, he wouldn't blame the "crappy" event workers.  "As far as the podium [sic], I actually stopped it from falling due to good reflexes and strength, two elements which Joe Biden does not possess," blah blah.  Trump has always had to hold the lectern for the same reason he can't walk down a ramp -- his gut pulls him off-balance because of the lifts in his shoes.  

Presumably the lectern at Motel a Lago Saturday night was bolted down, as Trump ranted to some deep pockets about the "Gestapo administration" and his detestation for Jack Smith.  Poor choice of words, because today he got caught posting a video of self-praise that contained the words "Strength significantly increased by the creation of a unified Reich."  The type was small enough that the creator may well have been parodying the usual Trumpian self-praise (the stuff his helper prints out for him to wave around after court), but it sure was un-posted in a hurry after someone noticed.  The phrase "Peace through strength" was also detected, surely a mistranslation of "Kraft durch Freude."  The Biden-Harris campaign ran down the highlights.

It's not going much better at the depressing, freezing courthouse, where Trump basically torpedoed his own defense yesterday by acknowledging (not under oath, of course) that he knew about the non-disclosure agreement with Stormy Daniels.  Also, his cheering section consisted of pardoned felon Bernard Kerik and once-respected attorney Alan Dershowitz.  It's not clear if Trump was awake for the royal chewing out that Judge Merchan gave defense witness Robert Costello.  "When there's a witness on the stand and you don't like my ruling, you don't say 'jeez' and you don't say 'strike it.'  I'm the only one who can strike.  You don't roll your eyes, do you understand that?"  They got a cell ready at Rikers, be a shame if nobody occupied it.

There will be no debate.  Trump mused last week about inviting Robert Kennedy, Jr.,, but that grew less likely today, as the New York Post reports the address he uses is a foreclosed property in Westchester County which he does not own or live in.  He uses it as an official address though he lives in California.  Maybe Cheryl Hines doesn't know about his candidacy.  Since he also votes from there, he could be looking at criminal charges.  Never mind, there are plenty of other potential debaters -- Marianne Williamson, Cornel West, Randall Terry, and I think Hannibal Lecter said something about dipping a toe in the water.

Describing him as "very, very talented" (which always means "a scumbag"), Trump promised to consider Texas criminal Ken Paxton as his attorney general.  Given his history, there is no possibility that Paxton would let him down with an occasional display of scruples like all the AGs he hired and fired under the impression that they were his Roy Cohns.

This is the world we live in:  The Biden administration set off the howler monkeys by conveying pro forma condolences to Iran for the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.  The State Department's spokesman had to agree that Raisi had "blood on his hands," but it's hard to think of a leader who doesn't.  Tom "I make my own foreign policy" Cotton complained, "Offering condolences for the death of this monster is a disgrace."  Peter Zeihan had an interesting take:  Iran has been under sanctions for decades, and the chopper that crashed probably had jerry-rigged parts made by less-than-qualified mechanics.  Does that make you happier, Cotton?  Maybe you have blood on your hands!  The way they foam at the mouth, you'd think Kamala Harris was going to the funeral.

Apart from red neckties and incessant lying, the new requirement for Trump Loyalists is to say you won't accept the election result unless they're "fair" (Trump wins).  Tim Scott and Marco Rubio are among the KoolAid swallowers.  It would be a good time for the appropriate Senate committee to open hearings on expelling them.  

In short, he didn't testify and he won't debate.  He'll claim he's still under a gag order from Judge Merchan or Judge Chutkan or Judge Roy Bean.  He'll complain that Crooked Joe is preventing his thousands of supporters from filling the studio.  He'll have a headache.  He'll need to wash his "hair."  He'll insist that the moderators be Laura Loomer and Margie Greene.  All bullies are cowards.