Yes, there is a danger of pundits equivocating, even if they're not Trump besotted fascists. Take a look at the history of appeasement before WWII - a particularly disgraceful moment in British history. A large number of the English aristocracy at that time rather liked Hitler (he was entertaining), were pretty anti-semitic anyway, and would rather have cut a deal with him.

A large number of the American commentocracy rather like Trump (he's entertaining), are pretty racist anyway, and would love to cut a deal with him.

Fascists stay the same and so do their appeasers.

It's really lucky that, unlike Hitler who was very brave - see his record in WWI - Trump is and always has been an arrant coward. Bone spurs during the Vietnam war, hiding out in the White House while the white supremacists were doing his dirty work on the 6th January.

They are rather pissed off to find themselves being identified as antifa, those leftie Boogeymen. They see themselves more as heroic defenders of the white master-race. They are now suffering from severe cognitive dissonance because Trump has pivotted from encouraging them and saying they are "loved" and "special" to saying they are bad people and antifa.

Their solution to the conundrum is to say Trump has been kidnapped and is speaking from a script.

Trump has tremendous distaste for his distinctly unstylish and uncool "base" - how long is he going to be able to keep up the pretence?

Meanwhile I totally agree that he needs to be removed from office immediately.

January 6th was a clear coup attempt. It failed because Trump is fortunately not just a coward but also extremely stupid, with no understanding of any form of power apart form the Attention economy.

If both parties don't come down on him heavily, he will try again. Worse, if they don't make an example of him, somebody else - probably brighter and possibly with a bit more courage - will try again harder.

In the fight between Democracy and the Fascists, Democracy hasn't even got her guard up and is crying because she got hit on the face.

Not good enough.