The Age Thing

The Washington media is all wrong on this Biden age “issue.” Did you catch him at the White House Correspondents Dinner? He’s still got game. Will the media put the age scope on 76-year-old Trump? Have you watched him haul his butt out of a golf cart? Or struggle to construct a coherent thought? Ageism…

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An Ironic Twist

Last week there were two new polls, one by the Wall Street Journal, the other by NBC News. Trump’s thrashing DeSantis in the primary in both; Biden’s beating Trump in the general election in both; And DeSantis is beating Biden in the general election in both. It’s an odd twist: Republicans want Trump. Biden wants…

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Cleta Mitchell is Worried

Two people from my political past are battling over college students voting. Cleta Mitchell wants to make it harder for them to vote. Daniel Gilligan wants to make it easier. Daniel was a student in a politics class I taught at NC State 20 years ago as an adjunct lecturer. (I think “adjunct” is Latin…

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Family Feud

Our dysfunctional American family is picking a leader again, and we’re all tore up. My side of the family thinks Grandpa Joe has done a grand job. He fixed up the house nicely. He handles the dangerous neighbors on the next block with a firm, steady hand. We worry he’s a bit shaky at 80,…

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Eve and the Apple

A long time ago a boisterous politician told a mean lie in the middle of a campaign; sitting in a lawyer’s office I learned politicians have a 1st Amendment right to lie – suing him would fail. So I was surprised Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox for repeating Trump’s lie that voting machines stole votes…

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Ron and Donald

Politics is funny: Trump picked candidates, Trumpsters lost last election, Trump dropped in polls, DeSantis surged up, led Trump. Trump branded DeSantis ‘Ron DeSanctimonious,’ a ‘RINO,’ said ‘Romney lost. Ron reminds me of Mitt’ – DeSantis sat silent. Watching two boxers in a ring, one punching, one not, voters studied DeSantis surprised – he didn’t…

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Straight Talk

It’s odd. Trump’s facing a lawsuit and two investigations that could end in lawsuits but when he was indicted for paying a porn star hush money and covering it up the Republicans running against him like DeSantis and Pence didn’t murmur a critical word about Trump – they defended him. I guess that was politically…

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“Democratic,” not “Democrat”

We Democrats expect it from Republicans. But not journalists. A recent news story referred to “Democrat leaders” (emphasis added). Media folks, please note: Democrats take offense at the use of “Democrat” as an adjective. It should be “Democratic.” Donald Trump said in 2021, “You know I always say Democrat. You know why? Because it sounds…

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Biden’s Happy

Headlines paint pictures: Trump Indicted Jordan Subpoenas Former Prosecutor in Trump Hush Money Case House GOP Probes Trump Indictment Trump: Defund the FBI Trump Indictment Sparks Rating Boom for Cable News Networks DeSantis’ Long Haul Strategy Turn on the TV, open a newspaper – there’s Trump, dominating headlines. No one matches him. No one can…

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A Hung Jury

A Playboy centerfold had an affair with Trump; porn star Stormy Daniels had a one-night fling with Trump at a Lake Tahoe resort. Ten years later Trump ran against Hillary – the centerfold tried to sell her story to a tabloid. Trump told David Pecker, the tabloid owner, Buy it, kill it. I’ll repay you.…

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