I detest umbrellas. They are street weapons. They can put your eye out. I walk unscathed by a single drop. I wear the most expensive item in my tiny wardrobe. It is a Goretex-lined, amply-hooded raincoat from LL Bean. I can guarantee that this lifelong investment will pay for all the cheezy umbrellas you will ever (think you) need. Nevertheless, as a literary term, umbrella is perfect.

This is the story of three umbrellas. We are in a war of umbrellas. We will assume for purposes of this only that umbrellas are truly protective. Or maybe not. Maybe umbrella is a perfect description of defective shelter from the storm.

Manafort's choice

In the umbrella war between trump and Mueller, which offers the most protection from the storm that is now being unleashed. Here is the state of the storm.

Manafort is cognizant of a boatload of things that span compromising political events and personal arrangements with all kinds of places where the c word stands for corruption. This article says Mueller may be a perfect umbrella for Manafort. If you tell us juicy things about Trump, we'll let the rain sweep all those crimes we can charge you with away.

But wait. What does Donald have to offer? Maybe more and more as time goes on.

Free rein to become a minister to every corrupt regime in the world with a chance to help Trump brand himself in every such nation? If you think this is far-fetched, sit back and take a deep breath and ask yourself, is it?

McConnell versus Trump umbrella-armed

Most of what Trump says is for its distraction value so he can claim he loves Mitch any time he likes.

I assume Mitch sees him as a snake. But in the current battle, both men have custody of their own umbrella.

Mitch has the lockstep-GOP Senators. He can split them into two factions with a word, one that will doom Trump willingly and another that will assume Donald is a dictatorial winner and damn the torpedoes. Any such split will leave McConnell in the driver's seat unless there is martial law.

Do not put that past Trump

Where is this going?

My job is to suggest where this is going. Here is a final clue. This will require multiple umbrellas. It is the storm that will hit the recessing GOP when their constituents wonder if Trump is going to get anything done. They are under Trump's capacious shadow as we speak ready to blind their enemies. But if enough of them turn their anger against their con-artist former idol -- the Wizard of Was -- the war might be over.
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