This time, the mall is in fact packed.   The President-elect had ordered that in no event must the crowd be smaller than the record 1.8 million who appeared to celebrate Barrack Obama’s first inauguration.   Instead of the normal joyous optimism, the vibe was both angry and triumphant.  The mall had become a sea of flags, few of them the American flag.  TV commentators explained the various symbols:  the Kek flag (modeled on the Nazi war flag), the Q-Anon flag, the Deus Vult flag (meaning “God wills it”), thousands of confederate flags, the VDARE flag (for a group named after the first white child supposedly born in the New World), the Day of the Rope Flag (featuring a noose to symbolize the lynchings meted out to “race traitors” in The Turner Diaries), and many others.  Many DC businesses had boarded their windows and residents who could afford it arranged to be out of town.

The scene on the inaugural stage was like no other in American history.   As usual, former Presidents and Vice Presidents, members of Congress, senior military officers, Justices of the Supreme Court, the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries sat solemnly.   But scattered among them were the Presidential-elect’s invited guests:  Proud Boy leaders wearing their customary helmets, Oath Keepers with their t-shirts worn outside their coats, a group of a dozen raucus white men wearing leather jackets with the large Q-anon symbol, a group of Three Percenters, and representatives of dozens of other far right, militia and white supremacy groups.   Scores of clergymen and suited GOP donors looked around nervously. 

When Joe and Jill Biden were introduced and entered the stage from the rear, the mall crowd exploded in a cacophony of shouts and boos.   This didn’t seem to perturb the President, but as they descended the stairs, he realized that hundreds of guests on the stage around him had risen to their feet and begun shouting abuse.   He turned to the right as a Proud Boy, only feet way, his face twisted in rage, gave him the finger and shouted “Fuck you, Biden, Fuck you.”  Biden turned to look at Trump, who was casually observing the scene over his shoulder.  Trump smirked and looked away.   The secret service surrounded the President and first lady and escorted them to their seats.  

After his swearing in by a pale Chief Justice, Trump walked to the podium to deliver his inaugural remarks, which Steve Bannon had promised would be “the most remembered in American history.”  When asked why, Bannon had just smiled and said, “Well, because this time the President gets to say what he wants, without interference.”

Trump began speaking.

“Four years ago the American people elected Donald J. Trump as their President, but that election was rigged and fraudulent and stolen.  You know it, I know it, everyone knows it.  The biggest hoax in history.  My friends – those of you out there on the mall and up here with me did your best to stop the steal – and so what did they do?  They came after you.  Many patriotic Americans who would be here today can’t be, ‘cause they’re in jail.  That ends now.   You are pardoned.  All of you who tried to stop the steal.”

Trump needed to pause for almost two minutes as the crowd went wild.

“Ok, so that’s done.  But you know, to get to you – and make no mistake, they were coming after you, all of you, all the Christians, all the conservatives, the God-fearing parents, all the good law-abiding patriotic Americans who they hate – they were coming after you.  But to do that, they had to go through me.  Donald J. Trump is your shield, your defense.   I’m the only one fighting for you.   So they needed to take Trump out to get to you.  So, what did we have – 91 criminal charges – they just kept making stuff up.  It was a farce.  The biggest farce ever.  But that’s over now too.  Donald J. Trump is pardoned.”

Again the crowd celebrated.

“But you know friends, that’s not the way this country is supposed to work under our beloved constitution.  Those who did those terrible things to Trump and to you, absolutely terrible things  . . . well, there have to be consequences.   So to all of them – everyone who conspired to steal the election, those who should have been loyal to Trump but then betrayed him, Biden and his corrupt family and everyone who ordered them to come after Trump, all those Deep State traitors in the Justice Department and FBI, the corrupt and biased judges, the nasty wacko left wing prosecutors – I tell you today, you’re all going to jail for what you did.  When I arrive back in the Oval Office, I’m signing the paper work, and if that doesn’t work, we’ll find another way to shut you down.  Either way, your reign of terror is over.”

A chant of “lock them up” occupied the crowd for a couple of minutes.   The cameras focused in on the former President, who attempted to look stoic but shifted uneasily in his seat.  Jill had grabbed his arm.  To leave now, he thought, would look cowardly; but to stay would be to normalize or legitimize what was happening. Trump continued.

“You know what this is, friends, this is a house cleaning.   Why doesn’t our government work?  Because it’s filthy, filled with Marxists, Communists, woke intellectuals, Deep State traitors, biased and nasty judges, and other vermin.  Well that ends today too.  What does Trump say?   You know what  . . .  ‘You’re fired!’”  

This time, hundreds on the stage rose from their chairs, their hands in the air showing the white power salute (a kind of OK sign which makes a “w” and “p”), and joined the mall crowd’s chant of “You’re fired.”    When the GOP members of the House, sitting together in a group a few rows in front of the other guests, had failed to rise from their seats and join the chant, three Proud Boys left their seats, stood in front of the group, made the gesture of pointing a rifle (everyone on stage had been screened for actual weapons), and screamed “Stand the fuck up.”   One by one, most of the Republican Congressmen stood.

Figuring it was one last act of leadership, Joe Biden also stood, turned his back on the President, took Jill’s hand, and left the platform.    After a few beats, former Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama, together with the former Vice Presidents, joined them.   Moments later all Congressional Democrats also left the stage. 

Trump turned around, his hands on his hips, daring with his eyes others to join them.  Moments later, four justices of the Supreme Court rose and departed.   The Joint Chiefs sat stoically, while the diplomats squirmed.

The crowd had gone silent, awaiting instructions.  Trump turned back to the mall with a big smile on his face.  

“You see how easy this is going to be?  They’re cowards.  Trump says “You’re fired” and they’re gone, just like on TV.”

The speech went on for the same rambling hour, and with the same content, as a normal stadium rally during the campaign.   There was nothing new, nothing he hadn’t said before.

When it was over, one GOP mega-donor put his head in his hands and whispered to himself, “God help me, what have I done?”