Pew Research: “The partisan divide in Middle East sympathies, for Israel or the Palestinians, is now wider than at any point since 1978. Currently, 79% of Republicans say they sympathize more with Israel than the Palestinians, compared with just 27% of Democrats.”
Archives for January 2018
Become a member to get many great benefits -- exclusive analysis, trending news, a private podcast, no ads and more!
A Disconnect Between Trump and the Good Economy
Join now to continue reading.
Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more.
Russia Accuses U.S. of Meddling In Election
“The Kremlin said that a new U.S. sanctions report expected to be released imminently was an attempt to influence Russia’s presidential election in March, but predicted it would fail to impact the vote,” Reuters reports.
“The United States could release reports as early as Monday detailing the possibilities for expanding sanctions against Russia, including a list of oligarchs and potential restrictions on the holding of Russian government debt.”
GOP Outside Groups Raise Record Amount
“The leading outside groups working to retain the Republican Party’s grip on the Senate in November’s midterm elections raised $31.6 million last year — a record amount for the organizations in a non-election year,” according to figures provided first to USA Tody.
Bonus Quote of the Day
“I think there was a lot of false equivalence in the 2016 campaign. That every time we said something, pointed out something about Donald Trump — whether it was his business interests, or grab ’em by the pussy, we felt like, ‘Oh, we gotta, like, talk about — we gotta say something bad about Hillary.’ And I think it led to a sense of false equivalence that was misleading, and I regret my role in doing that.”
— CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, quoted by the Washington Post.
Deputy FBI Director Will Step Down
FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe has told FBI staff he is stepping down effective Monday, CNN reports.
“President Donald Trump, who had publicly criticized McCabe in recent months, learned about the departure Monday morning.
Frelinghuysen Won’t Run Again
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), the chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, announced that he will not seek reelection, The Hill reports.
President Trump won the district in 2016 by just one percentage point, 49% to 48%.
Cook Political Report: “The burden of proof will be on Republicans to unite around a new nominee and catch up with Democrats in a very challenging political environment. For now, we’re keeping this open seat in the Toss Up column, but Democrats may now be ever-so-slight favorites.”
Millennials Say Country Is On the Wrong Track
A new NBC News/GenForward survey finds that 63% of millennials think things in this country are off on the wrong track. Only 18% think the country is generally headed in the right direction, and another 18% aren’t sure.
Sixty-three percent of millennials also disapprove of the way President Trump is handling his job, with 46% saying they strongly disapprove. Only 19% approve of Trump.
Even among those millennials who said they voted for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, 22% disapprove of him now.
How This Is Different Than Watergate
Greg Sargent points out “an important way that the current moment is different from Watergate — a difference that may point to the possibility of a more alarming endgame. The Nunes memo shows there is a massive propaganda apparatus out there — one that reaches deep into right wing media and into the Congress that has been pushing the alt-narrative and would back up Trump if he does take drastic steps — that didn’t really exist in Nixon’s time.”
He quotes journalist Tim Weiner: “You certainly had very influential columnists who were diehard Nixon men. But you did not have a Devin Nunes. You did not have a Sean Hannity. And you did not have an alternate universe of conspiracy theories, in which the FBI was painted as the equivalent of the Weather Underground.”
Meehan Ignored Advice Against Interviews
Rep. Patrick Meehan’s (R-PA) “decision to do wrenching interviews with nine news outlets Tuesday bucked the advice of congressional and campaign aides who argued against it,” the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
“Usually cautious in his public comments and often clumsy in his syntax, the Delaware County Republican also declined offers to help prepare for the high-pressure interviews… By the end of it, Meehan’s own words — especially his use of the phrase soul mate to describe the younger aide who had accused him of harassment — turned the story from another Washington scandal into a viral moment ridiculed on cable news and late-night talk shows.”
Trump Likes Controversy, But Not Conflict
Gerald Seib: “That might seem like a contradiction, but it actually isn’t. The distinction is important, and is woven through Mr. Trump’s operating style during his first year in office.”
“He relishes stirring up controversy, and, in fact, believes stirring the pot advances his reputation as an outside agitator and improves his position by keeping adversaries off balance. But he usually keeps controversy at arm’s length, using his Twitter feed or offhand comments to attack and posture.”
“By contrast, when he finally comes face-to-face with both friends and foes, his actual positions are often less contentious and rigid than his public posturing suggests. His Twitter bark is worse than his personal bite.”
Quote of the Day
“The evangelical base is about as solid as I’ve seen for any sitting president. By and large, they’re focused on results, and they’re willing to overlook any perceived imperfections in the president.”
— Republican consultant Marc Rotterman, quoted by the Washington Post.
Omarosa Heads Back to Reality TV
“Omarosa Manigault, who left the White House under dramatic circumstances at the tail end of last year, is set to enter the Celebrity Big Brother house,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.
‘Halfway Across the World’
Emails like this make my day:
I am delighted to renew my subscription to Political Wire. This is by far one of the best websites I visit, and I visit multiple times a day. It helps me sort out the grain from the chaff, and gives me context that is lacking almost everywhere else I look. I particularly want to express my gratitude for the incredible hours you have put in over this last year. We are living in epic times and your chronicling of it has been, well, epic. I live halfway across the world from you — 12 time zones to be precise — and therefore can see exactly when you start posting and when you end. Your dedication is truly inspirational. Thank you! Please keep it up.
And this one:
I have renewed and please don’t change a freaking thing about Political Wire. Love what you cover, love the layout, and thoroughly enjoy the member’s only analysis.
Thanks to everyone who supports Political Wire. I really appreciate it.
If you’re not yet a member, join for just $5 a month or $50 a year.
An Article of Impeachment Against Donald Trump
David Leonhardt: “There are good reasons to be wary of impeachment talk. Congressional Republicans show zero interest, and they’re the ones in charge. Democrats, for their part, need to focus on retaking Congress, and railing about impeachment probably won’t help them win votes.”
“But let’s set aside realpolitik for a few minutes and ask a different question: Is serious consideration of impeachment fair? I think the answer is yes. The evidence is now quite strong that Donald Trump committed obstruction of justice. Many legal scholars believe a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime. So the proper remedy for a president credibly accused of obstructing justice is impeachment.”
The Real State of the Union
Join now to continue reading.
Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more.
O’Rourke Outraises Cruz Again
Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) raised $2.4 million last quarter in his effort to oust Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), the Dallas Morning News reports.
“It’s the second time O’Rourke has out-raised the Republican favorite in a single fundraising quarter. Following O’Rourke’s news, the Cruz campaign announced it brought in $1.9 million in the final quarter of 2017.”
Also interesting: “O’Rourke has sworn off the help of political action committees. According to the campaign, more than 70 percent of the last quarter’s donations came from Texas, and none of the funds came from loans.”
All Signs Point to Big Democratic Wins in 2018
“An analysis by Bloomberg Government of historical data, election maps and public polling points to sweeping Democratic gains in the November election, when all 435 House seats and one-third of the Senate are on the ballot.”
“Since the end of World War II, the party in control of the White House has, on average, had a net loss of 26 House seats in midterm elections. Democrats can win control of the House with a net gain of 24 seats in November. They’d need to win two seats to gain a majority in the Senate.”
“Adding to that, Trump’s approval rating at this stage of his presidency, 36 percent, is lower than any of his predecessors going back to Harry Truman, according to Gallup polling data. The less popular the president, the more seats his party tends to lose.”
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- …
- 48
- Next Page »
