Seems like he should have invaded right away.

And then he would withhold all supplemental aid to Ukraine (and assassinate all the Dems he wants?)

It was no secret that Trump was beholden to Putin, such that if the invasion had happened under his watch, the voters would naturally suspect that it was by mutual agreement.

And it probably would in fact have been.

While die-hard Repugs would've been unfazed (as many are still unfazed in their support for Putin even now!), this impression could 've cost Trump millions of swing votes - especially among the large Polish and Ukrainian-American communities (which tend to vote Republican - or did until now).

That's just how I imagine Putin might've seen the whole dynamic. It's well-known he views the U.S. electorate as easily-led and Pavlovian - given to sharp swings in opinion over a mere word, signal, or event.

"Better to wait until a second Trumpski term," he must've thought.

My maternal grandmother came from Poland. She had that classic photo of JFK framed and hanging in her living room. Though I remember hearing that she cast her first vote as a citizen for LBJ.

And thanks for sharing that about your lovely grandma.

One of my great-grandmothers, Sofia Glinsky, was herself Polish. She died at 86, just months after I was born (she was in hospice care by then, sadly).

Sofia had a difficult life. But then, most people do.

Thanks as always!