A new Fox News poll finds Donald Trump leading the GOP presidential field nationally with 60%, followed by Ron DeSantis at 13%, Vivek Ramaswamy at 11%, Nikki Haley at 5%, Mike Pence at 3%, Tim Scott at 3% and Chris Christie at 2%.
Archives for September 14, 2023 at 10:57 pm EDT
The Rage of the Toddler Caucus
Susan Glasser: “If there is any lesson to take from the past few years of American politics, it is that things can always get worse.”
“This is worth remembering as Washington begins another fall of self-made and yet painfully real crises—the political prologue to a 2024 campaign season unlike any other, as the ex-President turned criminal defendant Donald Trump threatens to return to the White House after challenging core tenets of our democracy. The word ‘unprecedented’ is no longer sufficient. We’ve run out of synonyms, analogies, and time to escape the mess.”
“The questions now are of a different sort, about the exact details of what we will face and when. To wit, as Congress returned from its protracted summer recess, the Trumpified, radicalized House Republican Conference was preparing to shut down the federal government when funding runs out at the end of this month and to impeach President Biden, both for no apparent reason. Speaker Kevin McCarthy has a majority so slim that he’s effectively a prisoner of his party’s most reckless extremists.”
Double Blow Creates Tough Week for Biden
“In just over 48 hours this week, President Biden faced a double-barreled onslaught of political and personal setbacks, as his son’s business dealings and personal struggles created new turbulence at a time when his advisers wanted to focus attention on the problems of former president Donald Trump and House Republicans,” the Washington Post reports.
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Trump Says It’s ‘Unlikely’ He Would Pardon Himself
Donald Trump said Thursday that it is “very unlikely” he would pardon himself if he wins another term in 2024, NBC News reports.
Said Trump: “I think it’s very unlikely. What, what did I do wrong? I didn’t do anything wrong. You mean because I challenge an election, they want to put me in jail?”
Wisconsin GOP Moves Closer to Impeaching Justice
“Wisconsin’s Republican Assembly leader announced Wednesday that he’s created a panel to investigate the criteria for impeachment as he mulls taking that unprecedented step against a liberal state Supreme Court justice,” the AP reports.
“Republicans are targeting Justice Janet Protasiewicz over comments she made during her winning campaign about redistricting and nearly $10 million in donations she received from the state Democratic Party.”
Matt Rosendale Looks Likely to Run for Senate
Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) is planning a rematch against Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, “and while he hasn’t officially announced his campaign, he sure looks like he’s fundraising for a Senate bid,” The Messenger reports.
Planned Parenthood Resumes Abortions in Wisconsin
“Wisconsin’s largest provider of abortions announced Thursday it was resuming services in the state after a Dane County judge signaled in July she did not believe the state’s abortion law actually bans consensual procedures like those performed at Planned Parenthood,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
DeSantis Rips Trump Over Fauci Commendation
“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized Donald Trump for claiming he doesn’t know who gave Dr. Anthony Fauci a presidential commendation that the former president awarded him,” CNN reports.
Said DeSantis: “It literally says President Trump awards commendation. Is this the immaculate commendation or something like that? Did this just happen out of thin air?”
David McCormick Will Run for Senate in Pennsylvania
David McCormick (R) “is expected to announce his second bid for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, taking on Democratic Sen. Bob Casey after narrowly losing an expensive and bruising GOP primary last year to a Donald Trump-endorsed rival,” the AP reports.
“McCormick, 58, has strong support from the party establishment. With his deep pockets as a former hedge fund CEO, Republicans believe he will mount a strong challenge to the three-term Casey in a state that is critical to control of the White House and the Senate.”
Zelensky to Visit United States
“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to travel to Washington next week after a gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York,” the Washington Post reports.
“Zelensky’s visit was coordinated with the Biden administration in a joint push to reinforce the importance of Congress granting the White House’s supplemental request for more than $24 billion in additional aid to Ukraine.”
‘They Did It to Me’
Donald Trump has “no idea” whether Republicans will vote to impeach President Biden, Politico reports.
“But he does have a theory on what motivated House Republicans to launch a Biden impeachment inquiry: revenge.”
Said Trump: “They did it to me. And had they not done it to me, I think, and nobody officially said this, but I think had they not done it to me… perhaps you wouldn’t have it being done to them.”
Trump Pushing RNC to Change Third Debate Venue
“Former President Donald Trump is pushing the Republican National Committee to change the venue for the third GOP presidential debate with a tease that he may attend,” The Messenger reports.
“Trump has been negotiating directly with RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel over the terms of what it would take for him to show up on a debate stage.”
“The third debate is set to be held in Miami, three Republicans familiar with the discussions told The Messenger on Thursday – not Alabama as had been previously reported. Two Republicans familiar with the discussions said NBC is being considered to host the debate.”
McCarthy Stares Down Another Right-Wing Revolt
“Facing renewed threats to his speakership, Kevin McCarthy is making a strategic bet: his critics don’t have the votes to oust him – and if they do, he’ll grind it out on the floor again as he did back in January,” CNN reports.
“The speaker is fully prepared to ride out the coming storm and move ahead with a short-term spending bill to fund the government, despite repeated warnings from his right flank that such a move would result in a floor vote to remove him, called the motion to vacate the chair.”
Pelosi Won’t Say If Kamala Harris Is Best Running Mate
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) refused to tell CNN if she felt Vice President Kamala Harris was the best fit as Joe Biden’s running mate in his re-election bid.
Said Pelosi: “Biden thinks so, and that’s what matters.”
When Anderson Cooper followed up, she said: “She’s the vice president of the United States. People say to me, ‘Why isn’t she doing this or that?’ Because she’s the vice president. That’s the job description. You don’t do that much.”
Wisconsin Republicans Vote to Fire Elections Director
“Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate voted Thursday to fire the swing state’s top nonpartisan elections official, whose allies responded by saying the lawmakers didn’t have the power to oust her,” the Washington Post reports.
“The Democratic governor immediately called on the state’s attorney general to file a lawsuit so she can remain in her job.”
“The vote creates a dispute over who is in charge of overseeing elections in a state that is expected to play a critical role in next year’s presidential campaign and that may have to redraw its legislative districts within months.”
Andy Beshear Has Wide Lead in Fundraising
Gov. Andy Beshear (D) has seized a commanding fundraising lead over challenger Daniel Cameron (R) in their marquee matchup in Kentucky, the AP reports.
“Beshear — who is seeking a second term in a state that otherwise has become a GOP stronghold — accumulated about $15 million for the November election, while Cameron has taken in $2.8 million. Heading into the campaign’s stretch, Beshear had about three times more money in the bank.”
Tuberville Blockade Will Cause ‘Years’ of Disruption
“President Biden’s nominee to be the Navy’s top officer, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, said it could take the service years to recover from the impacts of Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s blockade of hundreds of senior military promotions,” Politico reports.
Said Franchetti: “Just at the three-star level, it would take about three to four months just to move all the people around. But it will take years to recover from the promotion delays that we would see.”
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