Trump’s unscheduled visit to Walter Reed for a “routine” but unscheduled medical checkup stinks to high heaven. He can get almost any routine tests done in the White House, and any examinations requiring heavy scanners, etc could be handled during scheduled visits.

He might actually be sick, of course, or trying to distract us from his other problems by fishing for sympathy from his base, but my guess is he is giving himself a medical alibi to resign for health reasons in case his impeachment and income tax cases go south on him. And even though this is purely speculation on my part, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if this hadn’t been suggested to him by the GOP leadership who wish to salvage as much of their agenda on health, taxes, the environment, voter suppression etc before the election.

Trump may have full control of the Party, but he has made no friends there acquiring it. He rules by fear and shared interest, not because he has inspired any true loyalty or respect from his minions. Will they sell him out if it means they can safely replace him with Pence? You can bet your ass they will.

He can save face, and his base will suspect it was all a Deep State plot anyway, so they will still be available to the Right as on-demand appropriately indignant troublemakers.