National Republicans
There’s something about Cruz
Carter made an interesting comment about Ted Cruz the other day while we were taping an interview for D.G. Martin’s radio show on WCHL. Carter said he often agrees with Cruz, but finds himself wishing Cruz would stop talking. He said, “There’s just something about Cruz that I can’t put my finger on….” Here’s what…
Read MoreRepublicans: storming the castle
Just like the Democrats, New Hampshire Republicans armed with torches and pitchforks stormed the Establishment castle. Now the GOP Establishment has to decide whether to unite behind Jeb Bush, John Kasich or Marco Rubio – or cut a deal with The Art of the Deal himself, Donald Trump. Anything to stop Ted Cruz. The party…
Read MoreA Ray of Hope
For years I’ve thought of the people who vote in Republican Primaries as the salt of the earth – as old-fashioned, common sense patriots who might get bamboozled by a politician now and then but who in the end, blessed with a kind of inerrant compass, spot the varmints. But when this year’s Republican Primaries…
Read MoreKhomeini Smiling
Back in 1979 when Ayatollah Khomeini took over our embassy in Tehran we “froze” $400 million in Iranian cash. The cash sat there, frozen, until last week when two things happened: Iran released four American hostages. And the President announced we were giving Iran back the $400 million plus $1.3 billion in interest. The Republicans…
Read MoreTempting Trump
The Washington Republicans, trapped between a rock and a hard place, asked themselves, Who can we make the best deal with –Trump or Cruz? And that was all it took. The ole Master Dealmaker couldn’t resist. Flinging all his anti-Washington rhetoric out the window he got up at a rally in Las Vegas and announced,…
Read MoreThe Great White Hope
As we get to the real voting, it gets real clear that Donald Trump’s candidacy comes down to the lowest common denominator of American politics: race. Like any great scam artist, Trump has come up with a way of putting the best face on the ugliest impulses. He first seized the stage as an anti-Obama…
Read MoreThe Great Debate
Last night at the Republican debate all seven candidates might have taken aim at Donald Trump and blasted away and Trump’s decision not to attend might have backfired. Instead, they stood up there in a row sounding (expect, perhaps, Chris Christie) like seven Washington politicians – attacking each other. And handed Trump a gift.
Read MoreThe Dealmaker?
Let’s agree (as he says about himself in his book) Donald Trump is the master of The Art of the Deal. He’s not just a billionaire with a penchant for checking out his reflection whenever he walks past a mirror or sees himself on TV – he’s a cunning (and brilliant) maker of deals. And,…
Read MoreTrump and the art of the put-down
Ted Cruz thought he zinged Donald Trump good when he accused him of “New York values.” But one New York value that Trump has mastered is the put-down. Carter noted how Trump’s spot-on zingers buried Jeb Bush (“low energy”) and burned Cruz (“he’s a nasty guy”). Now The New York Times reports that Trump’s jibes…
Read MoreA Sign of Weakness
I wish just once when we do one of these prisoner exchanges the math would work out. We traded five terrorists to the Taliban for one American (Bowe Bergdhal). And traded seven Iranians for four Americans. It’s irrational but, just once, I’d like the math to be five to four in our favor. Or even…
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