Republicans certainly worked themselves into fits of fake umbrage over the past weekend at the very idea that Donald Trump was celebrating the infamous Branch Davidian standoff of 1993, simply because he held a rally during the 30th anniversary of that event and very close to its Waco, Texas location. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proclaimed "I picked Waco!" and said it was "bullshit fake news" to suggest that Trump was dog-whistling the far right, which long ago bought into conspiracy theories depicting Branch Davidian leader David Koresh as the victim of religious persecution.
(To be clear: There are legitimate criticisms of federal law enforcement decisions made during the siege, but the reality is that Koresh abused children. He also told his followers to commit suicide, as both recorded and autopsy evidence show.)
