As a narcissist, Trump has no trouble measuring a person’s value. If that person likes Trump and can help Trump in some way, be it with a vote or tremendous public support, that is a good person, whether that person wears horns, carries a pitchfork, and has a tail, or not. We all knew that.

And, because everyone knew it, it should surprise no one that Trump truly did believe that there were “good people, on both sides” in Charlottesville (It’s entirely possible that’s a lie. Trump might not have thought any of the counter-protesting non-Nazis were good people, as almost none of them favored Trump.)

Paul Ryan, then Speaker of the House, knew that Charlottesville created a critical moment, the type of moment that loses House majorities and presidential elections. Ryan made it clear to Trump that Trump had to denounce white supremacy, Trump wasn’t entirely convinced:

Paul Ryan butted heads with Trump after he publicly defended the neo-Nazis who sparked a riot in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. “We must be clear,” Ryan tweeted after the riot. “White supremacy is repulsive. This bigotry is counter to all this country stands for. There can be no moral ambiguity.” According to “Peril,” Trump called Ryan afterward and blew up at him over the statement, shouting, “You’re not in the foxhole with me!”

“Are you finished?” Ryan reportedly yelled back. “May I have some time to speak now? You’re the president of the United States. You have a moral leadership obligation to get this right and not declare there is a moral equivalency here.” But Trump refused to back down, saying, “These people love me. These are my people. I can’t backstab the people who support me,” according to the book.

So what if they stand for hate and are a threat to American ideals, as well as lives. They love me!

This, in a nutshell, is Trumpism and though Paul Ryan is in no way a hero (He is an enabler), it is worth noting that it is nice to know that someone in the GOP once stood up to Trump. “Are you finished, may I speak” sounds vaguely familiar. It sounds like something we recall hearing in our adolescence, yes? Having a temper-tantrum while a parent wisely stood over us.

“Are you finished?” Trump was not finished at the time, it would only take some time to finish him off. We suspect that Ryan didn’t shed a tear when it happened.

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