It is really pretty simple, but it took a while to figure it out. Why is Trump nattering at Sessions? The reason is he definitely wants him out. Why does he want him out? That is the real question. He wants him out because he recused himself.
What does this tell us? More than we realized at the time.
Trump wants an AG who can fire Mueller
It tells us why Trump was livid back when Sessions did recuse himself. The reason is that Sessions, a rubber stamp is there ever was one, would have had the power to control any Russia matters that might rise up to hound the president.
In other words, with Mueller now breathing down his neck, the rubber stamp is impotent.
Trump wants to have a brand new AG who will be just like Jeff would have been if Jeff had not had several incriminating meetings with Russians that he did not tell anyone about. This has to suggest that with all the current and past smoke and mirrors and the present preoccupations, Trump is on thinner ice than is being noted. As he says of firing Sessions, I say of Trump's own fate. Time will tell.
Sleaze politics
Also, Deputy Rod Rosenstein signals that he would be no help. So Trump wants a clean mark in the AG's chair, say Rudy 911, a rubber stamp with a loose cannon attached. Giuliani was last heard of making nice to Iran in a Federal court gig.
Rudy Giuliani’s newest gig is almost too sleazy to be true https://t.co/9LJF0vzl6m
— Stephen C. Rose (@stephencrose) July 26, 2017
You can infer from the tweet alone that Rudy is more than flexible. That Trump wants him to replace Sessions, among the Trump-initiated rumors, is neither here nor there. The question is whether Sessions will be goaded into leaving.
Trump is about appearances, despite his dismal self-revelations. He is continually figuring how far he can go to wiggle out of this or that.
Jerk histrionics
You can scan the NYT Wednesday summary below and see that Trump is still riding high in his selected world. That world contains what the Times calls an adoring crowd in Ohio and continued Sessions-nattering.
It is disgusting to people like myself. It is like watching jerks in movies who are courting disaster but avoiding it pending a comeuppance.
Sessions may be tougher than Trump bargained
There are conservative voices that are critical of Trump for his shenanigans. Virtually no one I am able to find is saying what I am saying save a post five days ago in HuffPo which is spot on. Today there are rumbles that Sessions is so wonderful on immigration that it would be a tragedy for Trump to dump him.
Republican Party, Jeff Sessions, North Korea: Your Wednesday Briefing https://t.co/ezkE2SIkgG
— Stephen C. Rose (@stephencrose) July 26, 2017
With health care about to dominate the news, Trump wants to keep the pressure on Sessions. This tells us that the agenda is nothing compared to Trump's saving himself from Mueller.