Little Marco. Crooked Hillary. Crazy Bernie. Lyin' Ted. Low-energy Jeb. Goofy Elizabeth Warren. And now ... "The Witch Hunt."
Trump, forced into campaign mode by his own actions and indiscretions, has officially branded the investigation by his own Justice Department.
His pair of tweets this morning from Camp David:
"The MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN agenda is doing very well despite the distraction of the Witch Hunt. Many new jobs, high business enthusiasm, ... massive regulation cuts, 36 new legislative bills signed, great new S.C.Justice, and Infrastructure, Healthcare and Tax Cuts in works!"
"Witch Hunt" with caps is a Trump signature. He also capped it on May 31, and twice on Friday. One variation there that we're likely to see/hear again: "phony Witch Hunt."
The day before, the all-caps: "You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history - led by some very bad and conflicted people!"
Longtime Trump aides tell us that during the campaign, the lifelong branding expert workshopped his nicknames, kicking around possibilities on the plane before settling on the catchiest and most subversive.
He first tweeted "witch hunt," in lower case, on May 12, three days after firing Comey, and then again on May 18, the day after Bob Mueller was appointed special counsel: "This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!"
Be smart: Trump's brio, branding and bombast can't mask the glum reality, reflected in an increasingly fatalistic mood in Trumpworld.
"There are no good days," said a confidant to the inner circle. "They are caught in the endless cycle of the off-message tweets and leaks."
Dive deeper ... "Meet Bob Mueller's team tackling the Russia investigation" ... N.Y. Times, top of col. 1, "Flynn's Disdain For Limits Led To a Legal Mire."
