Bill Oakley, former writer and show runner for the Simpsons wrote a piece in the Washington Post pointing out that the GOP’s defense of Trump is actually taken from one of the episodes of the famous animated series that’s been on televisions for 31 seasons.  Called the “Sideshow Bob” defense, it’s about a character in the show who mounts his own grass roots campaign to get himself released from prison so he can get elected mayor of Springfield, USA and continue his crime spree.  In his campaign, he argues on a Rush Limbaugh style show that being convicted of attempted murder is the same as being convicted of “attempted chemistry”, and therefor not a crime.  He succeeds, and installs himself as mayor, claiming that any white man in a tie and speaking with authority will convince 55% of the people. Long story short, he continues his crime spree as mayor and is eventually undone by Lisa and Bart Simpson.  During his trial, when asked why he did it, Sideshow Bob erupts into a confession claiming, “Because you need me, Springfield. Your guilty conscience may force you to vote Democratic, but deep down inside you secretly long for a coldhearted Republican to lower taxes, brutalize criminals and rule you like a king. That’s why I did this: to protect you from yourselves.”

Actual history is imitating animated comedy.  Such is the state of our country today.