National Republicans
Gerrymander-go-round
Donald Trump’s Big Lie is the father of today’s Republican gerrymandering in North Carolina. It’s the same authoritarian, democracy-denying DNA. Duke professor Jonathan Mattingly, who analyzed the Republicans’ new redistricting plan here, concluded, “The maps the legislature have proposed essentially negate the need to have elections for the U.S. House of Representatives.” Trump and MAGA…
Read MoreIronic
Attacking a court clerk in his New York trial, Trump put a post on Truth Social and on his campaign website. The judge, angry, ordered him to take it down. Trump nodded. But left the post on his campaign website. The judge slapped him with a $5000 fine. It’s ironic. Trump likes to say eighty-year-old…
Read MoreLooking Stronger
Starting out Ron DeSantis was Trump’s strongest opponent – Trump punched him, punched him again, DeSantis tumbled in polls. DeSantis’ Super PAC did an ad saying: Trump’s mean. But who doesn’t know Trump’s got a mean streak? Telling people what they already knew didn’t work. Then the unexpected happened: Hamas slaughtered Israelis; Trump, fuming over…
Read MoreThe Media Just Can’t Get It Right
The New York Times ran a story saying Trump got indicted for saying ‘the election was stolen – going on and on the Times spelled out Trump’s ‘false statements’ like claiming ‘In Detroit, turnout was 139 percent of registered voters’ when turnout in Detroit was really 51%. But if spinning tales was a crime jails…
Read MoreBirdbrain
Nikki Haley moved up to second place in New Hampshire and South Carolina, passing Ron DeSanctis, and Trump’s antennae twitched – Trump called Haley a ‘birdbrain,’ sent her an empty birdcage. Haley moved up, Trump gave her a nickname.
Read MorePoliticizing Tragedy
North Carolina Republicans see this awful time in Israel and Gaza as a wonderful time for politics. Lt. Governor Mark Robinson proclaimed himself “Acting Governor” and proclaimed a Day of Prayer for Israel. Pesky reporters promptly hounded him on his history of anti-Semitic, Holocaust-denying statements. State Rep. Erin Paré of Wake County attacked 12 House…
Read MoreCharming and Bland
Years ago sitting in a restaurant in Raleigh at dinner listening to a young Congressman talking I thought, Charming and bland. Charming and bland worked in Congress until he ran head-on into a wild-eyed Matt Gaetz: It took 15 votes to elect Kevin McCarthy Speaker – then one vote sent charming and bland packing.
Read MoreHedging
“I think they’re all going to like me – I think both sides are going to like me.” Trump took a breath, said he’d make a deal with liberals and conservatives on abortion both like. Meet the Press’ Kristen Welker, facing Trump, asked whether he’d abolish abortion after 6 weeks, like DeSantis did in Florida.…
Read MoreTrump’s Trap
If Republicans nominate Donald Trump next year, they’ll make the fatal mistake of making the election about Trump, not the American people. Their best chance to win is to attack Biden on the economy. But if Trump’s the candidate, he’ll make it all about him: his trials, grievances and threats of retribution. A majority of…
Read MoreThe Disconnect
Strolling onto stage, speaking to a Christian group, Trump stopped, grinned, blonde hair awhirl enjoying the applause, stepped to the podium, told a story, purred to the audience, “I love you. And I hope you love me.” Two miles away DeSantis, speaking to another Christian group, strode to the microphone, voice clipped said: “When you…
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