It’s 2024. The trial has been going on for weeks. Smith’s team has put on a lengthy parade of witnesses to discuss what Trump did and what he said about the supposedly rigged election. Now it’s time for the defense to respond.
Trump testifies. How can he not, under the circumstances? He not only insists that he genuinely believed the election was rigged at the time; he goes on to argue that, in retrospect, the allegation was true. In other words, he makes his standard stump speech in the courtroom. Why wouldn’t he? What better evidence can he provide of his mental state at the time the alleged crimes took place? Why not kill two birds with one stone?
But now Smith’s team gets to cross-examine him. The weight of the world is on their shoulders. How do they perform under pressure? How does Trump respond in a forum that he cannot control?
We’ll know in about a year. Unfortunately, it won’t be on TV, so the base won’t believe it if he makes a fool of himself and is convicted. They will just assume he was railroaded by an Obama judge and a liberal D.C. jury.