I made a critical mistake yesterday.
I wandered back into Trump territory.
It's been awhile since I've gone there. I should have known better.
What sparked my interest was not the fact that President Trump had just become the third president in American history to be impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives.
No, I was taken aback by something he said at a rally that same night before a raucous crowd of loyalists in Michigan.
It was at this moment that the president - the president mind you - once again decided to mock and denigrate a great American citizen.
Rep. John Dingell represented this state for decades in Washington with honor. He passed away earlier this year after serving for 59 years. He was succeeded in office by his widow, Debbie, who continues to mourn him and is facing the prospect of her first holiday season without her husband.
Trump relayed how the widow reached out to him after her husband's death and everything he did for her in honoring him in Washington. Then he proceeded to mock his memory - suggesting maybe he was "looking up" at things - because she had the temerity to vote for impeachment.
This is what I wrote on social media yesterday:
I'm just now catching up - unfortunately - with the comments Trump made last night about longtime Rep. John Dingell of Michigan. This is not about red or blue, Dem or GOP, liberal or conservative. There is something fundamentally wrong here. I've asked any number of times for the president to simply do one thing - act presidential. It's not going to happen. But what he said about Dingell last night, on the congressman's home turf, as another crowd cheered him on? There. Are. No. Words.
The post sparked a day-long avalanche of mostly negative comments attacking me and defending the president.
I don't know why I continue to be surprised by the depths to which this president can reach.
He is what he is. He's not going to change.
What I do know is this.
I am not looking forward to the next 11 months, leading up to the November election.
There will now forever be an asterisk next to the name of President Donald Trump. That reference of the "third president ever to be impeached" will be included in the lead of every story ever written about him.
Trump has one avenue of salvation, one way to prove to all how wrong they are.
That would be to win re-election.
And I'm not sure there's anything he will not do to accomplish it.
You've been warned.
Buckle your seat belts. Forget bumpy. This is going to be an ugly ride.
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