National Republicans
The Subject Was Nancy Pelosi
Like a lightning bolt a ‘moment of clarity’ struck: On Meet the Press Chuck Todd was interviewing two Democrats about Nancy Pelosi’s future. Congressman Tim Ryan doffed his hat to Pelosi then said her time was past. It was time for Pelosi to go. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell didn’t like that one bit. She lavished…
Read MoreThe Gift Horse
Sometimes when you expect it least your worst enemy hands you a gift. That just happened to Donald Trump. Trump’s adroit. In the blink of an eye his days of tweeting ‘no meddling’ and ‘no collusion’ vanished. Suddenly, Trump was singing a new song on Twitter: Obama knew about the Russian meddling – but did…
Read MoreThe Queens Boy Syndrome
Chuck Schumer couldn’t believe his luck – when Trump said he was willing to testify, as fast as Schumer could he said, Come on over to the Senate and we’ll swear you in. A born showman, Donald Trump craves attention. But that need lands him in messes. Once he boasted he drew bigger crowds than…
Read MoreCreating a Myth
One can’t help feeling Ned Barnett down at the News and Observer was a little relieved when he read the Duke professor’s report. ‘Only 1 in 4 of Trump’s voters were working class people,’ Ned wrote quoting the professor. ‘The claim that working class voters elected Trump is a myth.’ Unfortunately, there was a bit…
Read MoreContradictions
A frustrated Donald Trump called Jim Comey a no-good liar but, in the next breath said Comey’s testimony proved he hadn’t colluded with the Russians. The words of a liar proved he was innocent, Trump said. Next Trump’s lawyer said he was filing a legal complaint against Comey for leaking ‘privileged information.’ But Trump, himself,…
Read MoreWaiting to Know
Each looked into a camera and each said the other was a liar. Comey said Trump, sitting in the Oval Office, asked everyone to leave the room but him then, when the door closed behind the Attorney General, turned to face him and said, I hope you’ll let go of the investigation of Mike Flynn.…
Read MoreGeorgia 6: The Debate
Karen Handel stood in front of the cameras looking grumpy and, beside her, Jon Ossoff looked pleasant but far too young to be on that stage. He said, You’ve got Super PACs. You’re a politician. She said, You’ve got Super PACs too. You’re Nancy Pelosi’s pawn. He said, I’m Independent. She said, How can you…
Read MoreSvengali or Bumbler?
Was Michael Flynn Svengali? Donald Trump’s back door conduit to the Russians? To get them to help him defeat Hillary? And if Flynn was Svengali does he now know – as David Axelrod has hinted – Trump’s worst secret? Is he whispering to Trump, Protect me or I’ll tell all? Does that explain Trump’s stubborn…
Read MoreTrump’s (non)voters and Democrats’ (non)message
Two good political reads bust up two big political “truths”: (1) white working class voters elected Trump, and (2) Trump’s negatives will be enough to elect Democrats. Trump’s non(voters) Nicholas Carnes, an assistant professor of public policy at Duke University’s Sanford School, co-authored “It’s time to bust the myth: Most Trump voters were not working…
Read MoreIt’s Not an Earthquake
It’s easy to agree with Donald Trump on trade and spending cuts but then his lips move and the same man who said, I get bigger crowds than Beyoncé, and, Trump University gets an ‘A’ rating from the Better Business Bureau, says, The FBI investigation is a witch hunt. Without honesty trust withers and without…
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