National Republicans
Swifties vs MAGA
The MAGA meltdown over Taylor Swift explains much about politics today – and for the last 70 years. It’s about old white men who are angry about being knocked off their perch by women, Blacks, Latinos, young people and LGBTQ people. It’s been going on since May 1954, when the U.S. Supreme Court declared school…
Read MoreMake Trump Lose Again
As always, Iowa and New Hampshire changed everything. President Biden is no longer running against a non-existent ideal. It’s him or Trump. America or MAGA. Democracy or dictatorship. Trump looks unbeatable in the Republican race. And unelectable in November. The New York Times, which for months harped on Biden’s liabilities, now notes: “Mr. Trump’s campaign…
Read MoreFear and Loathing 2024
I’m optimistic about the 2024 elections, as I’ve written. But I’m fearful for our nation. Because of Trump and MAGA. It’s clear he will summon his mobs to violence, as he did January 6, 2021. He has promised “bedlam” if courts hold him to account for crimes. Already, there have been “swatting” calls, bomb threats…
Read MoreA Sacred Cause
In one stroke, with one speech, President Biden transformed the 2024 election. It’s about “a sacred cause:” the defense of democracy. In his speech near Valley Forge last week – a day before the third anniversary of the Trump-MAGA mob’s violent assault on the Capitol and the Constitution – the President invoked the spirit of…
Read MorePolitics Takes Control
After Roe vs. Wade for decades Republicans said, ‘Taking an innocent life is wrong. A fetus is alive. We can’t do that.’ After the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, Republicans lost elections in 2022 and 2023 – eyes locked on the next election Republican political gurus started telling candidates: Voters don’t like banning abortions…
Read MoreCharacter
Richard Nixon beat George McGovern by a landslide in 1972, got caught in a lie – on tape – was out of office. Lyndon Johnson promised he’d never send American boys 10,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean to fight in Vietnam, beat Barry Goldwater in a landslide – after the election sent 500,000 boys to…
Read MoreA Forgotten Memory
The first speech I heard Ronald Reagan make was six weeks after Russian tanks rolled into Saigon in 1975 and we lost the Vietnam War. Voice mellow, soothing, humble, his speech wasn’t a history lesson it was a reminiscence, a man telling a story he’d watched, lived through, remembering storm troopers goose-stepping into Vienna, the…
Read MoreAbortion
Two Republican candidates Democrats were hammering on abortion asked me before the election last year: “Should I answer those attacks – the party’s telling me to ignore them, that they don’t matter?” I said abortion mattered to swing voters, answer the attacks. Neither did. Both lost. This election Republican political wizards moved from ignoring abortion…
Read MoreTime to Turn Back the Clock?
Years ago when President Richard Nixon was in the White House politicians could take unlimited contributions and take corporate contributions. Nixon raised millions. Scowling, ruling Congress, Democrats passed laws that limited campaign donations – no one could give more than $1,000 and corporations couldn’t give at all. Thirty years rolled past. The Supreme Court upended…
Read MoreAn Odd Slip
Standing on stage at a rally in New Hampshire making a speech Trump said an odd thing: “I was the first President in decades not to start a war.” Surely, Trump knew Obama didn’t start a war – that Bush did but Clinton didn’t. When Biden fumbles for words people frown. Trump just fumbled –…
Read More