Yes, the conviction of former President Donald J. Trump on 34 criminal counts, the first time a U.S. President was ever convicted of criminal charges in American history, is a great day for the American system of justice and for democracy.

But these convictions will not prevent Trump from running for president. He will obviously appeal these convictions, possibly all the way up to the Supreme Court, where three of the justices are Trump appointees and two, Alito and Thomas, are far-right conservatives. Further, if Trump wins in November, he could, as POTUS, pardon himself for his convictions.

Republican politicians are unified behind Trump, calling today’s convictions “a shameful day in American history,” “purely political,” “a disgrace to the judicial system,” “a rigged and disgraceful trial,” and “a defeat for Americans who believe in the critical legal tenet that justice is blind.”

It’s unlikely that the guilty verdict will reveal anything new about Trump to Americans. The case details were widely reported before the trial started. In today’s highly polarized political climate, there are very few undecided voters, and most polls indicate that Americans see the hush money case as less significant compared to Trump’s other legal issues.

If anything, the verdict has galvanized Trump’s MAGA maniacs and his supporters who view him as something akin to the second coming of Jesus.

So by all means, let those of us who have maintained a sense of reality, reason, and common sense celebrate today’s verdicts. Rejoice in the small political victories, which are few and far between. But do not be lulled into complacency. The battle to save Democracy continues to be an uphill one.