Here’s the thing about Merrick Garland’s speech

Say you were on a jury. As a juror, you must keep an open mind. Then the trial begins, and the defendant is escorted into the courtroom. You, along with the rest of your fellow jurors, stand up and say this: “We find the defendant guilty.”

Of course, that could never happen. It’s an analogy but one that must be written because it is happening right now. Attorney General Merrick Garland is to give a speech. Said speech will be on Wednesday and will address the progress of the January 6 insurrection.

And all hell has broken loose about this speech — at least on Twitter, it has.

Many folks on social media who have been begging for an update have already judged Garland and found him guilty — for not giving us enough information, giving a lousy speech, and not providing enough detail.

The speech has not happened yet. I know and understand the ambivalence toward Garland. But to judge a speech before said speech has even HAPPENED is not much different than the analogy above.

One thing I have also noticed is the other side of this equation. These are the folks who are excitedly murmuring about what this speech is REALLY all about. Some seem to think — they really do — that Garland is going to announce an investigation into Trump or even an indictment. This will not happen.

People are engaging in wild black and white thinking here. It is either “this is it!!” or “this speech will suck.”

I want to tamp down expectations. I say — go into this with NO expectations. The speech will likely be reassuring in nature, but I doubt very much it will suck, nor will garland excitedly bound forward to the microphone and announce Trump is going to prison.

This is an update of competence. Garland wants to speak to the American people, most likely to say, “I got this.” But let’s please at least give him a chance to talk before any rush to judgment.