WERE GONNA BUILD A MOAT AND WERE GONNA THROW JOE BIDEN IN IT.
"WE'RE GONNA BUILD A MOAT AND WE'RE GONNA THROW JOE BIDEN IN IT." CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES

Donald Trump marked the first day of depositions in the House impeachment inquiry by doubling down on his position that it's no big deal to ask foreign governments to interfere in our elections by investigating his political opponents, which is a crime. In fact, did it again it in front of reporters.

On Wednesday, Trump was asked by a reporter what it was that he wanted Ukraine to do regarding Joe Biden, and he refused to answer the question, saying, "Are you talking to me?" On Thursday, a different reporter asked Trump the same question—what was it he wanted Ukraine to do?—and the President replied:


"They should start a major investigation into the Bidens," Trump said. "Likewise China should start an investigation into the Bidens because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine. I would say that [Ukraine] President Zelinsky—if it were me, I would start an investigation into the Bidens."

Trump did not clarify what the fuck happened in China, but when asked by a reporter if he has requested that Chinese President Xi Jinping investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter, Trump said, “I haven’t, but it’s certainly something we can start thinking about."

So, first Trump denied asking Ukraine to interfere in the U.S. presidential election, then he released a transcript of his call showing that he asked Ukraine to interfere in the U.S. presidential election, then he said it was perfectly normal and fine, and now he's expanding that request to China. Okay!

Under any under other President, of course, this kind of thing would dominate the headlines for weeks, but remember, he asked Russia to interfere in the 2016 campaign ("Russia, if you're listening...") and never got in serious trouble for that.

The rate at which Trump does something truly shocking—be it threatening people on Twitter or suggesting that the U.S./Mexico border be turned into a moat and filled with snakes or alligators (which, by the way, brings up the question: Does he know there's already a river there?)—means theses stories only last for a day or so before we've moved on to the next insane and/or illegal thing to come out of the man's mouth. Is he crazy like a fox or just crazy?

My money is on just plain nuts, but none of this seems to impact his base: According to the latest Gallup polls: his approval rate among Republicans is 87 percent.