From Vixen Strangely at Strangely Blogged:
Trump laid a foundation. brick by brick, for his supporters to think “they” (the evil Democrats) were out to get Trump, and by extension, them.
Take the last impeachment as an example–Trump’s surrogates tried to assert that impeaching Trump was the same as impeaching his supporters. Even now, they are trying to claim such absurdities as Trump is being impeached not for what he did, but for who he is, or that somehow, by winning the election, the Democratic ticket has disenfranchised the 74 million Trump voters. (The latter strikes me as really rich considering my vote could have literally been thrown out as a Pennsylvanian if they had their way.)
What’s more, Trump et als, even though they frame their argument (such as the 60 plus cases that were lost/laughed at of court) in terms of “election integrity” now, the rhetoric was often more apocalyptic: “Fight or you won’t even have a country.” “Save America.” They were using a “Flight 93 election” narrative. Even if Trump didn’t have the votes (and he looked, and he asked others to look!), what he wanted, and wanted his followers to want, was that the election be overturned for him. By force if necessary.
And here’s how you know…