Trump sees other humans only in terms of what they can do for him. He will ask for favor after favor after favor, no matter how humiliating or burdensome, but the moment someone says “no,” will viciously attack him. Ask Jeff Sessions.

Thus, Trump came up with the manifestly insane idea that his vice president, Mike Pence, should refuse to certify the electoral votes. “All Vice President Pence has to do,” Trump said at the rally, “is send it back to the states to recertify, and we become president, and you are the happiest people.” It’s even good for me, too!

On and on he went: “So I hope Mike has the courage to do what he has to do, and I hope he doesn’t listen to the RINOs and the stupid people that he’s listening to.”

The vice president, not being a lunatic, had already declined Trump’s very special offer — limited time only! — earlier that morning. Trump was setting up his supporters to be furious with Pence when they got to the Capitol and realized he had not awarded the election to Trump.