Throughout President Donald Trump's first term, a number of Republicans have been so disgusted by his behavior that they either publicly denounced and worked against Trump or abandoned the GOP all together.
As recently as Wednesday, former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina endorsed Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Her fellow 2016 Republican presidential candidate, John Kasich, spoke at the Democratic National Convention earlier this summer.
But perhaps more than any other Republican dissidents, the members behind anti-Trump Republican PAC The Lincoln Project have been more than vocal in their disdain for Trump.
Such was the case when Trump returned from Walter Reed Medical Center four days after testing positive for the virus that's killed over 200 thousand Americans. At Walter Reed, Trump needed supplemental oxygen and a cocktail of powerful steroids.
Trump made a dramatic return to the White House despite still being infected. In what would become a cinematic campaign ad posted to his Twitter that night, Trump ascended the White House balcony, removed his mask, and walked back into the residence. Again: still infected.
The Lincoln Project was one of many to compare Trump's antics to Eva "Evita" Peron—the late Argentine First Lady famous for delivering speeches to crowds from her balcony—but the group took it one step further.
They posted a musical parody of the song "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway musical Evita.
Don't cry for my White House staffer. pic.twitter.com/AvF1pZleOE
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) October 7, 2020
Meanwhile, Trump's Republican allies showered him with praise, including Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).
Blackburn bizarrely claimed Trump had once again "defeated China" by defeating the virus—a continuation of racist rhetoric that's increased attacks against Asian Americans.
President Trump has once again defeated China. Welcome home, @realDonaldTrump. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/vPnijhWi88
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) October 6, 2020
Former campaign manager for John McCain's 2008 bid and one of the most visible faces of The Lincoln Project, Steve Schmidt, decried Blackburn's comments.
Howard Baker was once a United States Senator from Tennessee. This woman is a five star fool. What an embarrassment https://t.co/GuBjQaxtJ1
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) October 6, 2020
This prompted former Fox News host Greta Van Susteren to admonish Schmidt for his tone in condemning Blackburn.
Why are you so rude? It is one thing to to disagree w/ someone but you get so personal w/ name calling and you seem to have a particular willingness to insult women. https://t.co/sDzp03hJmk
— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) October 6, 2020
Interestingly enough, after Van Susteren tweeted the words "rude", "name calling," and "particular willingness to insult women," Trump inserted himself into the argument.
Because I've beaten him and his very few remaining clients so much, and so badly, that he has become a blathering idiot. He failed with John McCain and will fail again with all others. He is a total loser. @MarshaBlackburn is a Tennessee Star, a highly respected WINNER! https://t.co/SxUzvwIHxT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2020
That's when Schmidt unleashed on the President he's been working against, mocking him with allusions to the Lincoln Project's Evita parody.
You've never beaten me at anything. This is our first dance. @realDonaldTrump. Did you like #covita. @ProjectLincoln. @TheRickWilson @stuartpstevens @reedgalen. We are so much better at this than your team of crooks, wife beaters, degenerates,weirdos and losers. You are losing 1 https://t.co/w1E9ZvRaYc
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) October 7, 2020
.@realDonaldTrump We heard you loved Evita. You saw it so many times. Where will you live out your years in disgrace? Will you buy Epstein's island? One last extra special deal from him? Or will you be drooling on yourself in a suite at Walter Reed? Maybe you will be in prison?2
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) October 7, 2020
I bet you fear that. @ManhattanDA may not be around to cover for you or your crooked kids anymore. @elizaorlins doesn't believe in different sets of rules for the Trump's. What about the State AG? You know what you've done. Oh Donald. @realDonaldTrump who do you owe 3/
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) October 7, 2020
I bet you fear that. @ManhattanDA may not be around to cover for you or your crooked kids anymore. @elizaorlins doesn't believe in different sets of rules for the Trump's. What about the State AG? You know what you've done. Oh Donald. @realDonaldTrump who do you owe 3/
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) October 7, 2020
Weren't smart. You started to melt down. That's the place that hurts the most. Right? Fred SR knew it. You've spent your whole life proving it. You aren't very smart. You couldn't take the SAT's on your own. What was the real score? 970? We both know you know. Are the steroids 5
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) October 7, 2020
Wearing off? Is the Euphoria fading? Do you feel foggy? Tired? Do you ache? How is the breathing? Hmmm. Are you watching TV today @realDonaldTrump. We will have some nice surprises for you. Everyone is laughing at you. You are a joke. A splendid moron turned deadly 🤡 clown.
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) October 7, 2020
People were floored by Schmidt's takedown.
“A splendid moron turned deadly clown."
Slam dunk.
To my fellow Resistance: https://t.co/hYJPbmkyAZ pic.twitter.com/XB4WN8qOA3
— A.J. Delgado (@AJDelgado13) October 7, 2020
Going IN. ❤️ https://t.co/NpiqKIpuNz
— tim lefebvre (@timlefebvre) October 7, 2020
@SteveSchmidtSES & his pineapples had all the time today!!! 😂😂 #TrumpIsANationalDisgrace https://t.co/zF7fUCuIBX pic.twitter.com/inU9Xa2ycd
— D (@divadi825) October 7, 2020
Oh. My. God. This thread is incredible! https://t.co/9BPA4hUKzB
— Lisa Joseph (@Lisa_Joseph13) October 7, 2020
This to me is poetry. https://t.co/SK7eLAhsp6
— M.E.P. (@MattPulle) October 7, 2020
Others rebutted Trump's inciting comment as well.
I'd advise Trump stand a few zip codes away from the words "blathering idiot" https://t.co/0SaVcz9blL
— Jeff Timmer (@jefftimmer) October 7, 2020
In her #RepublicanNationalConvention speech this year, @MarshaBlackburn bragged about her father being a "voluntary sheriff" in Mississippi in the 1950s and 1960s.
Do the math. https://t.co/Z7rCYW15NL
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) October 7, 2020
he's a literal bully and some people still out here saying he's the Christian candidate https://t.co/heUPcaKouD
— hope herrera (BLM) (@ShesFullOfHope) October 7, 2020
The presidential election is on November 3rd—less than a month away.
