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“That’s not how we do things in the United States.” –Former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone

That’s at the core of all of this. It was an un-American conspiracy that led to an un-American insurrection, fomented by an un-American president and his cowardly un-American lackies.

Un-American and unhinged.

“He didn’t wave them off. He urged them on.”—House Select Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson

That’s not the way we roll around here.

“It was not just a call to action, but a call to arms.”

And that call was heeded. People died. Democracy almost did.

The facts are not in rational dispute. The president of the United States set the stage for his Big Lie months before the 2020 election when he repeatedly said the only way he could lose was if the election were rigged, a juvenile position that rarely works in casinos. But he walked up to the craps table, rolled the dice, and his juvenile cult eagerly gobbled up his crap.

He did this, of course, because he knew he was going to lose at the ballot box. And when that premonition at least proved true, he then literally blamed the ballot boxes, going as far as to draft an executive order to direct our military—our military—to seize voting machines. With Sydney Powell—Sydney Powell—in charge.

“That’s not how we do things in the United States.”

It was a lie that almost destroyed the country he claimed to lead. And he cared not at all.

MAGA, indeed.

But who says Trump is not a uniter? He managed to unite the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers and the Florida 3%-ers, unguided ballistic missiles who at least had previously followed separate loony trajectories.

Their collective boosted velocity then produced not only a sonic boom, but a dog whistle as well.

“Wild”

“wildprotest.com”

“Red wedding”

“Stand back and stand by.”

“All hell is going to break loose tomorrow.”

“Strap in.”

“White revolution is the solution.”

And the dogs came running.

So now he and his sycophants are claiming he was “poorly served,” and merely got bad advice from the cabal now widely known as Team Crazy.

But remember, as one staffer said, “He likes the crazies.”

The truth is that he had plenty of rational counsel telling him to drop the Big Lie and give it up. McConnell. Barr. Cipollone. Eugene Scalia. His own daughter and son-in-law.

“And still he persisted.”

Fake slates of electors. (Organized in a Power Point presentation, no less.)

Knowingly sending armed protesters to the Capitol.

And finally, a willingness to surrender the vice president to a lynch mob, which he finally dispersed by telling the seditious insurrectionists that he loved them.

“A sitting president asking for civil war.” –a text sent by former Trump senior advisor Brad Parscale

How was it anything less than that?

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Paul's Bio

I clearly have the attention span of your median fruit fly.Look! Airplane!

Sorry. I’m back.

It’s both a curse and a blessing. I’ve never bought this stuff about, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” But I do think that a wide range of life experiences helps us grow as people, and helps us better relate to other people. I’ve been fortunate. And I am beyond grateful.

I show up on time. I go like hell. I’m a good listener. I hold myself accountable. I own my mistakes. And I have a natural and an insatiable curiosity. I’m never afraid to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t. But then I try to find out.

The flip side is I’m a lousy ballroom dancer and my clothes sometimes fit me funny.

Stuff matters to me. I care. But while I take that stuff seriously, I try hard to never take myself seriously. As a result, I have sometimes been told, “Paul, it’s hard to tell when you’re serious and when you’re just having some fun. Which is it? Serious or fun?”

My answer is “yes.” But I think that is a legitimate criticism. I promise I’m going to work on that.

This has been the quickest and strangest half-century I’ve ever experienced. During that period, I’ve been afforded amazing opportunities in news and sports journalism across all platforms. I have taught wonderful students at the high school and collegiate level. Always, I learned more from them than they did from me. I’ve been a high school administrator. I spent ten seasons as a high school varsity football coach. I’ve been an advertising executive. I’ve hosted nationally syndicated television entertainment shows. In maybe the biggest honor I ever received, I was selected by NASA to be “Chet The Astronaut” for the “Land The Shuttle” simulator at Space Center Houston. (All I can say there, is “Do as I say, not as I do.” I put that thing in the Everglades more often than not.) Most recently, I just wrapped up a decade as a television news director, during which time our teams distinguished themselves in holding the powerful accountable, achieving both critical and ratings success.

What does all that mean? It means I am profoundly grateful. It also means I’m ready for “next.” So here we are. Radically Rational. It’s an idea I woke up with in 2017. I scribbled “Radically Rational” on a piece of notebook paper and used a magnet to stick it on our refrigerator. I saw it every day, and it just would not leave me alone.

I am second in charge at Radically Rational, LLC. My wife, Jo (also known as BB), is the president. Clearly, I have failed in my attempt to sleep my way to the top of this organization.

I hope you will learn that I’m loyal as a Labrador. But I will admit that this doggie can bite every now and then. My promise to you? I will show up on time. I will go like hell. I will listen to you earnestly and attentively. I will hold myself accountable. I will never be the least bit hesitant to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t.

But then I’ll try to find out. Let’s do it.