Michael Avenatti on Being a Democrat Fighter

Considering Michael Avenatti's 13th hour unsubstantiated claims against Trump Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, it's no wonder that Fox New's Tucker Carlson calls this self proclaimed Democrat fighter a Creepy Porn Lawyer. Yet Avenatti thinks that he can be a viable Democrat Presidential candidate in 2020.

Democrat Demagogue and Double Standards on Immunity

At the height of Russian Collusion delusion, Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA 15th) was almost an omnipresent figure on cable television.  When rumors that immunity would be given to those alleged to be involved in Russiagate, Swalwell repeatedly demagogued: "Innocent people do not ask for immunity!"

Just before the DOJ Inspector General  David Horowitz publicly releases a report about the Clinton Email coverups, fired Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe has reportedly asked for immunity in order to testify before Congress.

Wonder if Swalwell will invoke the diurnal Democrat double standard about innocence and immunity?  

On Celebrity Candidates and Whether Stephen King is It for Maine’s Governor

Recently, former Governor John Baldacci (D-ME) has revived an effort to draft home state author extraordinaire Stephen King to run for the top post in Maine.  Aside from King’s celebrity status, the best-selling author has running grudge with the incumbent Governor Paul LePage concerning a quip that the writer left the state to avoid income taxes.  Even though King issued a Shermanesque denial of candidacy in March 2017, Democrat partisans still are seeking to draft him for Governor in 2018..

There have been some successes in celebrities turned into politicians. Obviously, President Donald Trump (R-NY) gained fame by parlaying his realty mogul status into a starring role in The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice before successfully running for the White House in 2016.  

President Ronald Reagan (R-CA) was a “B” movie star in the 1950s and corporate spokesman in the 1960s and was elected President for two terms in 1980. 

While both Reagan and Trump got a leg up from their celebrity status both in name recognition and fundraising potential, they were outsider candidates who rallied on reformist political platforms. Reagan espoused a Western brand of conservatism, which sought to cut the size and scope of government and live up to constitutional principles.  Trump identifies more with nationalist populism and an impetus to “drain the swamp” between the beltways to “Make America Great Again”.  Reagan was more committed to a conservative philosophy than Trump seems to adhere to a strict ideology, but both challenged their party to go in different directions.  

There have been some other recent cases of celebrity candidates.  Senator Al Franken (D-MN) was a contributor on Saturday Night Live along with having a minor movie and radio career until he won an extremel close three way Senate race in 2008.  Despite his self publicity, it is dubious if Al Franken is a Giant of the Senate (2017), even tongue in cheek.



Minnesota has a knack for electing celebrity politicians as Gov. Jesse Ventura (Reform-MN) was a professional wrestler before winning a three way election in 1998.  But Ventura was an outsider candidate who had several years experience being mayor of a Minneapolis suburb. 

In the recall special election to replace Governor Gray Davis (D-CA), Arnold Schwartznegger (R-CA) won the Governorship of California in 2003 against 134 other candidates. So clearly celebrity status helped in that special election, but star status did not boost all celebrities as Gary Coleman's and porn star Mary Carey's campaigns were for naught.   Schwartznegger served two terms as the "Gubernator".

Music sensation Kid Rock seems to be seriously flirting with running for Senate in Michigan in 2018.  Partisans are taking a Kid Rock candidacy so seriously that the Rev. Al Sharpton sought to have Kid Rock’s concerts inaugurating Little Caesar’s Arena to be cancelled as Sharpton's group vituperatively charged that the singer was dog whistle white supremicist. 

Although they have name advantage, celebrity candidates do not always pan out well. Consider the case of Ashley Judd, who took a leap into partisan politics skewering Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) over abortion during the 2012 Presidential campaign. Judd seriously flirted with running for Senate against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in 2014. But Judd opted against the run after the Democrat establishment made it clear to her that  combination of being inexperienced as well as being too liberal and anti-coal doomed her candidacy.

There have been some sports stars who have parlayed their celebrity status into electoral success, such as Congressman Jack Kemp (R-NY 31st, 38th, 39th), Rep. J.C. Watts (R-OK 4th) and Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY).  But all of the aforementioned officials got their start in the House.  

Being in the media also has launched some political careers, such as Congressman J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ 5th) and Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC).  Radio hosts tend to form a bond with their listeners but those on television tend to have more exposure.  The challenge for celebrity candidates is to connect with voters by compelling keeping on message and guarding against exploitable unscripted moments.  Thus it is easy for Ashley Judd to appear in anti-pro-life ads against Santorum but how does she react when her life is an open book and there is not someone off-stage feeding her lines.  Or in King’s case, he is adept at taking pot shots against his bete-noire LePage but how does he sound on the stump if that is his predominant schtick? King is a good public speaker with a friendly audience but he might sound prickly with unfriendly audiences.

It is uncertain if the 69 year old King will back away from his Shermanesque refusal to run. However, Democrats are concerned about the 2018 cycle. In the Senate, Democrats have 24 of 33 seats up in 2018 with 10 vulnerable incumbents.  In the states, Republican have 34 of 50 governors’ mansions.  

It seems that Democrats see an opportunity to gain another statehouse against a weak incumbent Governor. Gov. LePage has a 47% favorable to 48% unfavorable rating so party insiders might think they could pick up a win with King.  And having a high profile governor, even of a small state, would be useful as the national Democrat leadership fights it out as to who will lead them in the 2020 election.  Along with being cajoled from Maine Democrat movers and shakers to run, King might also be swayed by that old typing exercise: “Now is the time for all good men to come to aid of their party.” 

Senator Joe Manchin on Politics

Newt Gingrich on Progressive Politics

Patrick Leahy on the Proposed Gorsuch Filibuster

Even though Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has reiterated his intent to invoke a filibuster on the cloture vote for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, not all of his colleagues are on board.  Veteran Senator Patrick Leahy, who offered vigorous invigilation during Gorsuch's Senate Judiciary Committee appearance, indicated that he is not inclined to filibuster the nominee.

Schumer's intransigence is no surprise, as he requires President Trump to abandon his Republican colleagues to gain his support. But perhaps Leahy recognizes that Senate Democrats lack the ability to ultimately block Gorsuch's eventual ascent to the High Court.  Or maybe the long time member of the world's oldest deliberative body frets that blocking the cloture vote would inspire Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to "go nuclear" and extend the Reid Rule's application to Advice and Consent for Supreme Court nominees.  

Ex Senator Jim Webb Laments the Democrats' Loss of Flyover Country

Former  Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) has long exulted his Scots/Irish heritage from the Appalachians. Webb's political pedigree is a Republican who served as President Reagan's Navy Secretary but who shifted to be a moderate Democrat who was elected Senator in 2006.  Webb was briefly a candidate for the Democrat Party's nomination in 2016 but received utterly no traction in the primaries.

Webb is the epitome of a Blue Dog Democrat, which has become an endangered species in the District of Calamity (sic). Considering the progressive push in Democrat ranks, Webb's woes are unlikely to be abated anytime in the foreseeable future. 

Chelsea Handler on Divisiveness

Obama Claims to Be Father of the Tea Party

Chris Coons on Filibusters

Senator Coons may pine for the past -- alas "Dirty Harry" Reid change the Senate rules in 2013 and now confirmations can pass on just 51 votes. 

Senate Majority Leader Minimizes Democrat Delays on Trump Nominees

Chuck Schumer on Working with Trump

Tim Kaine on the Democrat Senate Minority

Jake Tapper on Political Infighting

James Carville on Democrats

Tim Kaine on Identity Politics

Recently, Democrat Vice Presidential nominee Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) made history during a campaign stop in Arizona, in which he addressed the audience of Latinos entirely in Spanish.

Personally, it is not a problem to address a crowd in Spanish.  It is lamentable, however, that the message was pandering  and embracing identity politics. 

Nancy Pelosi on an Impeachment of "President" Hillary Clinton

Tom Cotton on Clinton Corruption

Hillary Clinton on Everyday Americans

During one of Democrat Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's (R-NY) reintroduction to America (after her quarter century in the spotlight) tried to employ the conceit of identifying with Everyday Americans.



This political tact evolved in the General Election campaign to be Stronger Together.

But the Wikileaks release of Clinton confidant John Podesta's emails to the Clinton campaign tells quite a different story.

It is curious how Hillary Clinton has amassed a $250 million fortune since she and her husband former President B.J. Clinton left the White House are identified with everyday Americans yet foster such cynical contempt of the people that they supposedly champion.

HRC-- Post Debate Plane Partier?

After an extremely contentious Second Presidential Debate, Democrat Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton (D-NY) gave a plucky presser on the plane.




Was Hillary's urgency in wanting to take off to serve drinks an example of Hillary's lighter side, a revelation of self medication after a Hard Day's Night or an allusion to a larger personal problem?