On Planet Earth, Obama Can’t Be Indicted. But We Live on Planet Trump.

A normal prosecutor would think of things like: But who will have testimony against him? Who will say they saw him do X thing? Fair questions to be asked, in a democratic society. But these are not normal prosecutors, and whether this is still a democratic society is increasingly open to question. A conviction isn’t the point. The public humiliation, the besmirching of the reputation, the evening up of the historical score—these are the points. They can be accomplished even absent a conviction, as Obama is bloodied up in the right-wing press for as long as the trial process takes.

Put nothing—I mean nothing—past these people. If Trump wants it, they will go out and execute it. This Department of Justice exists to execute Trump’s directives and vendettas. We’ve known for years that this is how Trump sees the world, but if there was any remaining doubt, have a gander at this terrifying propaganda poster, put out by the White House just last week, that reads: “I was the hunted—NOW I’M THE HUNTER.”

I think it’s still kind of a long shot. I think. But I’d sure like to be more confident of that than I am. And if Bondi really does try this? Everything that’s happened so far, horrendous as it is, we could have imagined—the wanton detentions, the retribution against universities and media companies. But the directly political indictment of a former president was not on my bingo card, or anyone’s I know. And while Obama’s statement last week was of course right—that this is the biggest anti–Jeffrey Epstein, “nothing to see here” dodge—I hope Obamaworld is ready for this.