HE IS THE CANDIDATE OF LIVES OF DESPERATION:

When Trump says Attorney General Bill Barr had better come across on the Biden business or be cast aside as "just another guy" it leaves Barr to tell reporters that he and his team will "use our prudent judgment to decide what's appropriate before the election and what should wait until after the election." 

After all of Trump's pressuring and wheedling of the Justice Department, just imagine how "prudent" it would appear for the federal prosecutors to do anything to criminally implicate the opposition candidate. It would be steroidal Comeyism. 

Or how about Ron Johnson, the Wisconsin Republican who is chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee? He's been on a media blitz this week trying to reassure Trump supporters that he is doing everything he can to use his position to get the hits in on Biden in time to sway the election. 

"The more that we expose of the corruption of the transition process between Obama and Trump, the more we expose of the corruption within those agencies," Johnson said on a talk radio show. "I would think it would certainly help Donald Trump win reelection and certainly be pretty good, I would say, evidence about not voting for Vice President Biden." 

Talk about getting too close to the bison, senator! That one makes Kevin McCarthy's Benghazi boner look like smooth statesmanship. 

The president's supporters may be glad that he is doing what he accused his predecessor of: Trying to use government authority to try to maintain power. He and they may believe that such conduct would be justifiable and even morally right given their view that the Obama administration did it first. 

But what they cannot say is that it is politically wise to be seen doing so. 

Voters do not like desperation for power. What they like even less is desperation to maintain it. As Trump fumes and rages and threatens he does not much seem like a man with the light touch on the reins that voters prefer. 

Biden, who has devoted himself for decades to the goal of acquiring the ultimate political power in our system, manages to seem almost apologetic about it. His posture of reluctant aspirant may not gibe with his real record, but he knows it is one that voters want to see. Biden may be carrying it too far for the sake of avoiding typically terrible live interactions with reporters, but he certainly seems convincing as a reluctant candidate. 

The more desperate Trump seems to maintain power, the more likely he is to end up with a bison horn where he won't like it.

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