Some consider the Nation’s Capital as “Fantasyland on the Potomac”. Other outsiders are “Fed Up” with the Federal City. It's better to consider D.C. as “the District of Calamity” (sic).
Less than a day after the Parkland Florida School Massacre, in which at least 17 people were killed, MSNBC Anchor Mika Brezinski was insistent about having constructive talk about solutions. Considering the midtown Manhattan mores of the mainstream media, this mean venting about gun control. Brzezinski threatened to unbook any guests on the Morning Joe who wanted to defer this constructive talk to either wait for confirmed details or out of respect for the victims' families. It is natural as members of the media cover this travesty live, they will opine supposed "answers" to make sense of the mire.On Fox News, conservative Sean Hannity got on his hobby horse for his entire hour in prime time to push for all schools to hire armed veterans for school security. For cash strapped districts, a guest suggested having federalized security, like the TSA. The morning after the Parkland School Shooting, Salem Radio's centrist Republican Hugh Hewitt wondered why there was not a "No Buy List" for mentally troubled individuals. While that touches on the mental health aspect, it raises issues about an over expansive no-buy list, as Obamacare barred many Veterans diagnosed with PTSD from exercising their Second Amendment rights. Although there are many indications that the shooter had a troubled teen with many mental illness markers, inevitably the knee jerk reaction for this so called "constructive talk" will be a gun grab or advocating measures like a better background check (which have already been instituted). Just as reality shows are somewhat scripted, Morning Joe is positioned to proffer reliable perspectives. Mika's booking benchmark shows how progressive will not let a good crisis to go to waste to grab guns.
This endorsement of Trump foreign policy is significant as there was talk that Senator Cotton may be considered as a potential CIA chief if there is a cabinet reshuffling.
One week before the Alabama Senate election to replace Jeff Sessions (R-AL), who left the comforts of the Senate to be President Trump's Attorney General, there are still Republicans who are trying to manipulate the race.
The appointed replacement Senator Luther Strange (R-AL), who had the backing of Beltway Establishment and President Trump, was defeated in the primaries by former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore (R-AL).
Since then, the Washington Post has been printing bombshell reports that Moore had indecent relations with minors and had a penchant for dating teenagers when he was a 34 year old Assistant District Attorney. Even though Moore had been in the spotlight for nearly forty years and never had such allegations come to light, partisans on both sides agitated over these accusations.
Democrats saw the Moore allegations as a way to make trouble and pick up an unexpected Senate seat. They will paint Moore's continued presence in the race with Republicans being creepy child molesters and pair him with Donald Trump. Alabama Law does not allow for substitute candidates, so if Moore dropped out at this point (or there was a write in effort), it creates trouble and still gives Democrats a chance to have virtual control of the 115th Congress (with a united 49 seat Democrat minority).
Republican Party partisans fear that they might lose an otherwise dependable seat, so they sought to either have Moore drop out or have a credible Republican write in option. The latter strategy would have party bosses choose the candidate thereby mooting the voice of the voters in Alabama. There are few instances in successful Senate write in candidates, and the exception to the rule was Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in 2010, an incumbent who had plenty of time to run as a write-in. Even so, there were problems with misspelling and discerning voter intent. Centrist Republican media personality Hugh Hewitt suggested that if Senator Strange resigned, it would preclude the 12/12 special election and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) could appoint another substitute Senator until November 2018. That did not happen.
The Republican National Committee and the Republican National Senate Committee had withdrawn support from Roy Moore to disassociate themselves with the candidate and possibly nudge him to step aside. But the Alabama GOP and Governor Ivey stuck by Moore, even with the unsavory allegations. At first, President Trump just did negative campaigning against Democrat Senate candidate Doug Jones (D-AL). One week before the special election, Trump gave full support. Senator McConnell relented as did the RNC.
Senator Thune's (R-SD) cri-de-coeur on Cavuto epitomizes the Establishment's animus against Roy Moore. Even before he is elected, the GOP leaders threaten an ethics probe. Does the Republican Senate leadership just want to maintain a whiter than snow aura to them? Could Roy Moore's social conservative politics have anything to do with last minute appeals discouraging voting for the firebrand. Perhaps Moore's vow not to continue support for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have something to do with the cable TV hit?
Roy Moore may be a lightning rod in the District of Calamity in 2018. Democrats will want to run on character assassination and majority ineptitude. Establishment Republicans want to keep power but not rock the boat, thus it is to the GOP Senate leadership's advantage to keep a firebrand out of office, even if it means having a virtually divided Senate.
Alabama was one of the states which rocketed candidate Donald Trump to the Republican Presidential nomination. This conservative state filled with old time religion embraced the flawed character of Mr. Trump. Pollster George Barna postulated that SAGE-Cons (Spiritually Aware Governmentally Active Conservatives) looked beyond the human flaws of Trump to see someone who now embraces their core beliefs and one who is willing to shake up the system of get things done.
On December 12th, Alabamans will make their choice.
The revelation of sexual misconduct by Hollywood's Harvey Weinstein has transitioned to the District of Calamity. Accusations of sexual impropriety threatens to swing two Senate seats and effect the balance of power on Capitol Hill. Much has been made about allegations of skivvy conduct by Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore (R-AL). These accusations stem from conduct nearly four decades ago that were unreported to authorities, but came to light in the closing days of a special election to fill the seat vacated by now Trump Administration Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The alluvia of allegations sound bad, but are past the statute of limitations, based she-said-he-said allegations with little to no corroborating evidence and relies upon the court of public opinion.
From a political standpoint, Democrats are anxious to make Roy Moore a poster child for Republicans in 2018 and use the hermaneutic that Republicans condone sexual harassment as a cudgel to impeach President Donald Trump if Democrats regain the House of Representatives. In the near term, the muck about Moore put the White House in a box. On the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, establishment Republicans did not like a loose cannon like Judge Moore to be in the Senate chambers, when it endangers the clubby atmosphere of the Upper Chamber and he could help shake up the leadership. So many GOP party loyalists were quick to condemn Moore for the alleged but unproven misconduct. There are concerns that Republicans might lose this previously considered "safe" seat, as Moore is polling with a double digit deficit after these allegations have been publicized. Since candidate Moore refuses to step aside due to this scandal, the DC GOP suggested writing in another Republican. Apparently, this did not test well and was dropped. After a careful reading of the Alabama state statutes, centrist Republican Hugh Hewitt claims that the problem could go away if Senator Luke Strange (R-AL) resigned, creating a new vacancy which would cancel the shaky December 12th election, and Governor Kay Ivey (R-AL) could appoint another caretaker Senator until the next general election (in November 2018). Considering the shaky ground Jeff Sessions is in at the Department of Justice, it is possible that Sessions be appointed back to his own seat.
[L] Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) attending [R] Senator Luther Strange (R-AL) swearing in
Recently, after a pleasant Sunday brunch, we chatted about the troubling news about Roy Moore. As the topic expanded to include sexual harassment by elected officials, two ardent feminists insisted that Congress needed to do something about it and make offenders on Capitol Hill as accountable as the rest of us. I asked who were their bosses. The obvious answer was the people. I maintained that voters get to fire their elected officials periodically and they should decide rather than an insider committee. That viewpoint was not well received. Well, it seems that when Congress pushed to make the same rules apply to them as their constituents, there were a few quirks. Regarding charges of sexual harassment with members of staffers, there is 30 day waiting period before pressing charges. In addition, the victim making the accusation must undergo mandatory counseling. That sounds munificent, except the counseling comes from the employer whom someone is accusing. It would seem that it could be made clear to accusers that going public would not be in anyone's best interests. If I recall correctly, John Batchelor's news-maker interview indicated that this system has paid out $15 million since its advent in the 105th Congress with nary a word making the press.
Congressional Sexual Misconduct payout ledger
What took party hacks off their sexual harassment game plan was the revelation by a Los Angeles radio personality of Al Franken's inappropriate conduct during a USO mission to the Middle East in 2006, before he was elected as Senator from Minnesota. The woman reported that she was supposed to do a skit written by Franken that involved a kiss and wanted to rehearse-- she demurred but eventually consented. During the practice, she alleged that Franken put his tongue halfway down her throat and grabbed her head. She immediately insisted "Don't do that again!", and she deflected his approach during the skit.
The problem with sexual conduct and Al Franken is about the contemporaneous photographic evidence. The woman in question wanted to grab some rack time during the 36 hour military flight. When she was asleep, Franken was seen with a coprophagic grin cupping at her breasts. No doubt, Franken thought this was funny at the time (and probably a great way to get back at her). Franken has been known to take outrageous photos for laughs (but the infamous Franken diaper photo was a fake).
Citizen Al Franken takes a picture with a sleeping beauty during a 2016 USO tour.
But this Al Franken moment was captured on camera. Oops. And the accuser is Leeane Tweeden, a KABC-AM radio personality. Tweeden initially posted #MeToo, but she decided to come forth after hearing Congresswoman Speier's (D-CA 14th) allegations that members on both side of the aisle have thrust sexual advances while in Congress. Now this puts a kink into progressive partisans' plans. One of their prominent members stands accused. The public has been primed to always accept the word of victims. In addition, there is photographic proof. This takes away from the rip the GOP as blanket sexual predator smear. Rush Limbaugh points out that in this environment, Democrats will have to proverbially throw Senator Franken (D-MN) under the bus to not to seem hypocritical and prospectively use it against their ideological opponents. Franken publicly apologized to his victim, claiming that he thought that it was funny. In addition, Franken submitted himself to scrutiny from his peers. Maybe this gets it out of the headlines and it gets buried by the press. If push comes to shove, Minnesota has a Democrat Governor Mark Dayton (D-MN), so Franken would undoubtedly be replaced by another Democrat. While justice is a noble pursuit, in this charged environment, the court of public opinion may well condemn non-guilty people just based on innuendo or unproven accusations which are promptly swept under the rug out of convenience. The reform from the 105th Congress seems to allow members to slide, in a process intended to apply the peoples' law to Congress. Although there are Ethics Committees to punish members egregious actions, I suspect that the ballot box is still the most efficacious way to punish when swamp rats act like dirty rats.
NBC News is reporting about a July 20th meeting between President Trump and Pentagon officials in which he expressed an interest in greatly increasing America's nuclear stockpile. This exhortation was prompted by a slide which showed that America's nuclear arsenal was at its peak in the late 1960s, which Mr. Trump approved. Rather than interpret this approval as a desire for a ten fold increase from today's nuclear levels, military officials appreciated it as the Commander-in-Chief wanting to increase America's military strength. This is consistent with Mr. Trump's pre-inaugural predilection to increase and expand America's nuclear capabilities. But the episode revived questions about President Trump's familiarity with America's nuclear triad.
At one of the early Republican primary debates in late 2015, Hugh Hewitt questioned Mr. Trump's knowledge about the nuclear triad. Candidate Trump fumbled through the answer but insisted that while it is key to be careful about nukes, he would be well informed once in office and would concentrate on American strength not climate change and global warming. This impetus to increase America's nuclear arsenal comes in the midst of a prospective conflict with a nascent rogue nuclear North Korea as well as the prospect of finding Iran being declared out of compliance with the Obama Iran Nuclear Deal. Several concerns come from this National Security leak. Allegedly, after this July meeting, Secretary of State Tillerson was heard to call President Trump a "moron". Aside from the insult, this episode illustrates how far Rex Tillerson is out of step with the West Wing. It is reasonable to believe that once the crisis with North Korea cools down, Tillerson will no longer be at Foggy Bottom. There has been serious talk of a Trump Cabinet shuffle which CIA Director Mike Pompeo would move over to the State Department. Some arms control experts vex that increasing America's nuclear stockpile would spur an arms race with the Russia Federation as well as the Peoples' Republic of China. Moreover, increases would challenge America's international treaty obligations. As news about President Trump gunning to increase America's nuclear stockpile leaked out, Trump National Security Adviser Lt. General H.R. McMaster stated:
"But in recent years, in particular, the problem with leaks has become a real challenge to national security and so I think what is very important is that everyone who is involved in these sort of policy discussions understand the sacred trust that is placed in them, and they realize that speaking to the media about government deliberations is treasonous when it involves national security."
Those are bold words, meant to quell an alluvia of embarrassing leaks meant to damage the Trump Administration. But Lt. Gen. McMaster upped the ante by intimating treason. The question is whether the Trump Justice Department will be all talk and no action. Attorney General Sessions has allegedly demurred from seeking prosecutions of Democrats concerning Hillary Clinton's repeated mishandling of classified emails. Treason is a much more serious charge and more challenging to prosecute.
During an interview with Hugh Hewitt on MSNBC, former Southern Command and Supreme Allied Commander in Europe former Admiral James Stavridis used a couple of pop cultural references to illustrate the conundrum vis-a-vis North Korea. Admiral Stavridis likened the existential threats of the miniaturization of nuclear warheads and ICBMs which can reach the continental United States to the danger of crossing the streams in Ghostbusters (1983). To illustrate the advancing threat, Stavridis analogized the North Korea situation to the punch line from Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry (1971): "Do you feel lucky punk? "
As sagacious of a strategist Committee for Justice President Curt Levey may be, it seems that Democrats in the District of Calamity have taken a different tact.
Under normal circumstances, a newly elected President has little opposition to his first Supreme Court nominee, especially early in his first term. But these are not ordinary times. Democrats are wont to hyperventilate about anything that the Trump Administration does, and seem happy to escalate any altercation to the extreme. Democrats have sought to slow walk Trump Administration confirmation hearings, going so far as to not show up at Senate Committee Hearing votes.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been chary to confirm that Republicans will invoke what was once called "the nuclear option", but he has been steadfast in assuring the public that Trump Administration will be confirmed. The same is true regarding President Trump's pick for the Supreme Court.
The dangera that Democrats have in protesting so vehemently to everything in the early Trump Administration and calling supporters out to the ramparts is three fold.
First, they risk over-exhausting their partisans. You can only cry "the sky is falling" only so often before it loses its desired effect.
Secondly, Democrats are not picking their battles wisely. It is not only the incoherence of opposing everything, but in going to the mat for losing causes. Because of the Reid Rule, President Trump will get his Cabinet appointments and most likely the first Supreme Court pick. By fighting so hard on the nominations, it may serve to demoralize their partisans.
Thirdly, the hyperventilating opposition may play well for the progressive base of the Democrat Party but it may serve to alienate white, working class Democrats who voted for Trump in 2016 on positions and personnel with which they agree.
Historically, Democrats do not turn out in mid-term elections. In the 2018 election cycle, Democrats have 23 seats up in the Senate, including in states which voted for Trump. Such strident opposition, epitomized by an obstructionist approach to Trump's first Supreme Court pick (even before he is announced) may solidify a one time "what have you got to lose" vote to a realigning "my party has left me" metanoia, thereby making Blue Dogs and DC Democrats politically endangered species.
A legacy of former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) was the effective elimination of the confirmation filibuster.
Under the Constitution, it is the Senate's duty to confirm Executive and Judicial Branch appointments. Senate rules allowed for confirmations with mere majorities, but needed to obtain 60 votes to cut off debate (Cloture) and preclude a filibuster. The Cloture vote was intended to prevent endless obstructionism while still giving the minority some say in the proceedings of the Upper Chamber of Congress.
Needing to get enough votes for cloture was an incentive for Republicans to select more moderate appointees which required Senate consent. But such Senate niceties stopped political steamrolling by Majorities who wished to exercise their unadulterated will.
When the Obama Administration sought to pack the Court of Appeals for DC (aka the DC Circuit), which is the court of authority for regulatory bodies, it ran into trouble when its candidates might not have received the requisite support for a Cloture Vote. So then Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, exercised "The Nuclear Option". Exercising the Nuclear Option had been hotly debated in the preceding decade, but then Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) opted not to circumvent tradition.
Through Parliamentary legerdemain, Reid established a precedent in which he said that all judicial nominees, save Justices of the Supreme Court, would be considered on majority votes and did not have to pass the Cloture Vote threshold.
The Reid Rule was great when one's party is in control of the Senate and the White House. But in 2017, President Donald Trump will occupy the White House and Republicans have a two seat majority in the Senate. Incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer thinks that he can stymie the Trump Administration through the advice and consent clause as well as any Supreme Court nominations which do not represent progressive Democrat values. However, Schumer may well rue the Reid rule legacy from Dirty Harry Reid.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Salem Radio host Hugh Hewitt had an informative colloquy on the Reid Rule.
Republicans may not moderate their choices for positions which need to be confirmed by the Senate. Despite Harry Reid's contention that the "Reid Rule" excludes Supreme Court nominees, it is contented that avoiding Cloture for a Supreme Court nomination would simply be a second application of the Reid Rule precedent.
[L] Salem Radio's Hugh Hewitt [R] Republican preumptive nominee Donald Trump
Recently, I was chatting with a convicted Trump-eteer who was incredulous at the assertion that the Trump campaign welcomes thug tactics to keep WINNING in their minds. The Trump Campaign's Social Media Director Dan Scavino just exemplified the point with his threats of barring Hugh Hewitt from the July Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Hugh Hewitt is a center-right radio host with Salem Media. Hewitt was so trusted to be tough but fair by the RNC that Hewitt was picked as being the Republican panelist at several CNN hosted GOP debates.
Because of his role asking questions to the candidates, Hewitt declared his show to be "Switzerland" until after the California primaries.
Well, the Golden State primaries have come and gone. Instead of coalescing the Republican party and focusing fire on Hillary Clinton's foibles, Donald Trump himself brought up a racial rant against Judge Gonzalo Curiel in the Trump University fraud civil case in Federal district court this November. Compounding the problem, surrogates implied that Muslim and women judges might not be fair to the Donald. Thus, prominent Republicans, such as House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) distanced themselves from the inappropriate remarks.
Hewitt was critical that Trump failed to address the Curiel kerfluffle. But as a former Presidential ghostwriter, Hewitt thought the Last Primaries Victory speech sounded pedestrian and flat. Moreover, the radio pundit found it cringeworthy when Trump incorrectly echoed a shout out from his audience: "What about TPP? (the Trans-Pacific Partnership) by noting that the "PPP" was bad, like pee-pee.
Thus, Hewitt vexed that the GOP will get crushed unless the delegates do something.
Hewitt did not suggest voting for Hillary. Nor did Hewitt vow not to vote for the eventual Republican nominee. But the radio host observed that it seemed that the plane was speeding towards the mountain on a collision course, which could well cost the Republicans the House, the Senate the Judiciary as well as the White House.
True to Trump form, Scavino threatened via Twitter that "hater" Hugh Hewitt should be banned from the Republican gathering in Cleveland.
Thin skinned, pugnacious and vengeful towards a media type who has been a loyal Republican since the days of Nixon. In addition, Hewitt has a politically oriented national morning radio show sympathetic to Republicans and makes many media appearances on NBC, CNN and MSNBC. Smart--not.
Reacting to the hostile Scavino suggestion, Hewitt noted that he will be broadcasting during the RNC Convention in Cleveland and appearing on NBC.
Considering how Trump may still sting from blowing Hewitt's nuclear triad debate question in December as well as the predicted Trump Train Wreck, Trump would not be expected to be BFFs. But to have a campaign surrogate suggest barring a reliable Republican from attending is Alpha-male insanity.
Trump loyalists love to note that Trump is not a politician and that he had plenty of success in the business world. But this is neither boardrooms or "The Apprentice" sets; this is politics and governing. In a free Republic,it is not as easy to control a message or dictate how others (legislators, bureaucrats, media) will act.
It seems that Trump can not take criticism so he and his surrogates will lash out against offenders. Trump's troll like champions love that he will counter-punch. But many times prudence is the better part of valor. So instead of reinforcing Trump's Crooked Hillary line of campaign, the body politic will still murmur about racist remarks and another case in which the Trump campaign threatens a journalist.
If that's WINNING, it is dubious about who is actually being victorious. At the very least, I feel vindicated for perceiving thuggish Trump campaign tactics.
One of the virtues which Manhattan mogul Donald Trump has capitalized upon to become the front-runner in the 2016 Republican Presidential race is a perception that the blustery billionaire "tells it like it is". Even Mark Cuban, who has had some public dust ups with the Donald, has praised Trump for giving honest answers instead of prepared answers.
Well, this straight shooting image has been impeached by a Trump Senior Aide as he wooed the RNC Rules Committee in Florida. Paul Manafort, Trump 2016's recently named Convention Manager, told the GOP party establishment that during Phase One of the campaign, Trump is projecting an image one stage to appeal to voters. But that his image will change and a softer-side will come out.
After Trump convincingly won the New York Primary, it seems that he thought that the Trump campaign tried to implement Phase Two with a revealing NBC Today Show Townhall, in which Trump vowed to raise taxes on the rich (including himself), change the RNC Pro Life platform to make exceptions (which would please his friends at Planned Parenthood) and Trump urged North Carolina to accept Transgenders Bathrooms (because it was hurting business and not a problem).
Towards the Transgender topic, there was a firestorm on social media, and Trump relented during another friendly interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, in which Trump clarified that he believed in States' Rights. Perhaps they implemented Phase Two too soon. Such much for a candidate to tells it like it is and does not pander to anyone.
Trump supporters seem imbued with anger about the establishment and politicians lying to them. This probably explains Trump's mantra against "Lyin'" Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and the new sobriquet against "Crooked" Hillary Clinton (D-NY). Trump's flip flop on transgenders in bathrooms challenges his projected anti-politically correct image as well as the perception that he stands firm. Those mesmerized in the Trump cult probably will believe whatever Trump tells them today, but it plays poorly in expanding his base, particularly for the general election.
Thoughtful primary voters have wondered about Trump's pro-life conversion. Trump took three purportedly pro-life positions in one afternoon, including the modest proposal of punishing the aborting mother, sound like a pro-life parody from Planned Parenthood. It was bad enough that Trump settled on the status quo, but the Trump Today Townhall creates a loophole so large that it threatens abortion on demand until parturition. Pro Lifers probably were not already keen on Trump but his vacillation on an issue of monumental proportion for the last 44 years does not project an image of thoughtfulness or stability.
As for Paul Manafort, his claim to fame was helping wrangle up delegates for President Ford in the quasi-contested 1976 convention in Kansas City. Manafort seems to have pushed Corey Lewandowsky back to being Trump's body man (a role he relished regarding manhandling Michelle Fields). Manafort managed to keep Trump tame on social media for a fortnight and temporarily curtail insulting opponents.
But Manafort's style may be anachronistic. Forty years ago, it would have been easy to lobby the RNC's meeting without being noticed. But when there are diffuse information platforms which reach millions at the touch of a button, this pandering would not go unnoticed. Of course, smart phones make any off-the-record chats suspect. So Manafort's revelations were not to remain secret long.
Wooing waivering delegates may be more complicated than in the '76 campaign. If Trump needs to win more than two score of delegates for a first round victory, he does not have as much leeway as President Ford to shower favors on waivering support, as nice as golfing at Mar-a-Lago may be. Hugh Hewitt has pointed out Paul Manafort's relative dearth of twitter contacts. So who cares? Well, during a contested convention in an information age when a campaign may have to immediately reach out to 2474 delegates, not being Twitter savvy is a liability.
As Manafort joined the Trump organization, a desperate plea was sent out to allies in Washington to register to become delegates. Two problems with that missive. Firstly it was sent to Washington DC prospective delegates (which held its Caucus on March 12th) instead of Washington state. Secondly, the email was sent the day after the deadline. Oops.
While it is unclear how much input Manafort had on Trump's decision to spend $20 million between now and the California primary on June 7th, it seems like a spending strategy from yesteryear. As Jeb! learned in this cycle, dumping a ton of money with carpet bombing commercials may not nudge the needle up. Trump recently hired a California campaign point person two months before the crucial Golden State primary. Cruz has been working those fields for a year. So earned media from friendly sites (like Fox News, Breitbart and Drudge et ali) and profligate paid media may help grease the skids but it does nothing to Get Out the Vote via organization.
Not to mention Paul Manafort experience as being a Washington lobbyist, who has some uncomfortable Saudi, Pakistani and Russian mob connections. Lobbying for foreign interests may be lucrative and par for the course for established Washington insiders, but it runs counter to a Populist, anti-establishment "Throw the bums out" mantra to "Make America Great Again". Moreover, Manafort's cozying up to the GOP Establishment and claiming that Trump is just doing a schtick in Phase One of the campaign obliterates the aura of authenticity.
Manifort may be heralding Trump 2.0 but based on the recipe formulation, it may go over like New Coke, with customers yearning for "The Real Thing".
On the eve of the Nevada Caucuses, in which Republican hopeful Donald Trump is polling with a substantial lead, the Manhattan Mogul cast some doubtful aspersions on the Caucus system.
Trump told Hugh Hewitt that he does not think that the Caucus system is a good one. It seems Trump is afraid that a low information voter's mind might be changed by debate and persuasion.
It goes unsaid, but the Caucus process might require some extra time for participants to perform their civic duty, which might dissuade some new caucus participants.
In the back of Trump's mind might be the inconvenient truth that he underperformed in the Iowa Caucuses, where he came in second despite leading in pre-Caucus polling.
The polls for Nevada are sketchy, often consisting of 240 or so likely participants so a twenty point margin might evaporate when people go to Caucus.
Of course, downplaying expectations is a customary procedure for a political professional, so it is no surprise that Trump does so too. But Trump positioned himself to ignore the results if he does not come out on top but claim success if he does.
John Kasich's self assessment on the Hugh Hewitt show sounds like modern Manichaeism. But Kasich has often self righteously pushed a Christian social gospel as he has been on the Presidential hustings.
Wonder where Kasich stands on Two Corinthians (sic). In addition, wonder how the heavens consider his monicker of Prince of Light and Hope.
Santorum's honesty should be commended as it was an admission against his interests. Much of the impetus for the Santorum for President run is about traditional family values, which hardly comports with Bowie's public aura. Santorum's choice may not win many votes in conservative evangelical circles as they go to caucus on February 1st.
While Santorum may have appreciated the audio artistry of the Starman, Santorum certainly did not emulate his fashion. And David Bowie (ne David Jones) would surely never be caught in the sweater vests that Santorum made infamous in 2012.
The Republican Presidential Debate in Las Vegas hosted by CNN and Salem Media was focused on Commander-in-Chief questions. Thus foreign policy, national security and military issues were going to be in the forefront of the 5th debate in the 2016 GOP primary cycle. To dig deeper on candidates' knowledge and national security prioritization, Hugh Hewitt asked Donald Trump a question about the nuclear triad, which has been the centerpiece of American national security strategy since the 1960s. Donald Trump's answer during the Las Vegas Debate was quite revealing. First the brash billionaire engaged in some self-aggrandizement about his prescience about the 2003 Iraq War. But afterwards, there is some bluster which bluffs about how America has to be careful about not being drawn into war in Syria. Then Trump pivoted to mocking the Obama Administration's obsession with climate change and global warming instead of nuclear proliferation, which Trump deemed was the nation's top priority. Hewitt redirected his question to Trump asking about which leg of the Triad should be prioritized. Trump claimed that the devastating power of nuclear is very important to him. Trump loves to mock politicians for being stupid but res ipsa loquitur. When Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) picked up the line of questioning, he managed to school the audience on the nuclear triad without explicitly embarrassing Mr. Trump. Trump supporters have been trained to attack reporters who embarrass their Dear Leader. They also will claim that it was a gotcha' question which wonks may know the details but is not necessary for a Chief Executive like Mr. Trump to be well versed. Hewitt's question was not on specifics like how many Ohio class nuclear submarines need to be built or what make of aircraft will replace the superannuated B-52s. This was at its base an opportunity for a Presidential candidate with no national security experience to show well informed decision making skills. In a more specific sense, at a time when sequestration has decimated Pentagon procurement and there are not unlimited funds, it illuminates how a Commander-in-Chief Trump would choose to lead our nation. This is not the first time in which Hewitt has exposed areas of ignorance in Donald Trump's foreign policy knowledge. During a radio phone interview in September 2015, Hewitt asked Trump about the Quds forces (special forces of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards) and Trump rambled on about how the Kurds were poorly treated by US. When Hewitt asked Trump about players on the Islamic terrorist roster without a scorecard, Trump decried the gotcha question. Trump insists that he would find absolutely great people to handle it. Then Trump circled back to the Kurd subject on which he seemed well briefed. Trump closed with his bluster: "In that case, first day in office, or before then, right at the day after the election, I’ll know more about it than you will ever know. That I can tell you." Perhaps we should expect the same sort of after election omniscience on the nuclear triad too?
The November 13th Paris atrocities and the San Bernadino Shooting has made the 2016 Presidential Election to be a National Security election. Voters will need to discern whether they want a Commander-in-Chief who is a foreign policy tabla rasa but who presumes to become pansophical as he assumes the office of President of the United States.
It is curious how Republicans have been criticized for offering even the most benign criticism against the President while he is on foreign soil, but Mr. Obama exhibits no compunctions against insulting his enemy-- Republicans. To this end, Senator Ted Cruz issued a throw down to the lame duck Chief Executive.
During an interview with Salem Radio host Hugh Hewitt, MSNBC's Joe Scarborough opined that inchoate Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton has "a glass jaw".
This would explain why Hillary has tried to shield herself from any vigorous interaction with even a friendly press. Moreover, it necessitates intimidating other prospective Democrat candidates, in order to maintain the political Potemkin Village of "inevitability".
Typically, the Heisman refers to an award given to the outstanding college football player in the United States since 1935. The Heisman Memorial Award trophy is distinct as it is a lost wax process bronze casting design by well known sculptor Frank Eliscu that depicts a skilled and powerful football player, sidestepping and straight-arming his way to a touchdown.
Sculptor Frank Eliscu and the Heisman Trophy
Recently, when former Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL) was interviewed by Hugh Hewitt, the undeclared Republican Presidential hopeful invoked the Heisman when surveying the 2016 political playing field. Jeb Bush was asked about all of chaos in the Middle East which the Obama Administration's foreign policy precipitated (namely Libya, ISIS and an inchoate Arab nuclear arms race). Governor Bush responded that:
"I think she can’t do the Heisman on the first four years of the Obama
foreign policy. She’ll try. I mean, she’s going to, look, this is very
Clintonian, I think, to figure out a way to get out of a mess."
Bush invoked the image of the Heisman stiff arming opposition before striding into the end zone for a score. Certainly, the big bench of talented GOP Presidential candidates will seek to stop Hillary from side stepping opposition blocking her way to the South Lawn of the White House despite screens from the Lamestream Media.
It should be remembered, however, that the Heisman Award is an honor given by sportwriters (journalists) through a beauty contest vote. There is concern about the Heisman curse that designated winners often do not perform well the big game or during their careers in pro football despite the honor and the hype of the Heisman. Certainly, parallels can be made to Hillary's proto Presidential campaign and presumed coronation at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
