Political Wire

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Citizen Musk

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Time: “The Republican ticket had two names at the top: Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. But parts of this delirious November created the impression that someone else has taken hold of our collective destiny…”

“All of a sudden, Elon Musk had moved into the realm of politics, headlining rallies, steering government appointments, shaping the agenda for the next President of the United States. For more than three years he’s been one of the world’s richest and most powerful men… But it was only in the spotlight of these elections that the full extent of his influence came into view”

“Standing beside him, even Trump can seem almost in awe, less of a boss than a companion to the man for whom this planet and its challenges are not big enough.”

Pro-Harris PAC Takes Flak for Spending Decisions

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Wall Street Journal: “For weeks, the groups had been complaining that Future Forward, the top Democratic outside group, had declined to share its resources throughout the spring and summer. The Harris campaign, meanwhile, was airing frustration that the super PAC had spent little of its hundreds of millions of dollars on negative advertising attempting to define Donald Trump.”

“In the weeks after Trump’s decisive victory over Harris, complaints over those decisions have spilled out into the public. Some Democrats say Future Forward, which spent roughly three-fourths of its massive ad funding after Labor Day, failed to provide much air cover in the first part of the year or make early investments in other groups, especially those that target Black and Latino voters. They also assert that the super PAC did little to coordinate with Democratic allies.”

Trump’s Win Forces Fed to Reevaluate Rate Cuts

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ABC News: “Several surprisingly strong economic reports, combined with President-elect Donald Trump’s policy proposals, have led to a decidedly more cautious tone from the Fed that could mean fewer cuts and higher interest rates than had been expected.”

“Fewer rate cuts would likely mean continued high mortgage rates and other borrowing costs for consumers and businesses. Auto loans would remain expensive. Small businesses would still face high loan rates.”


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U.S. Proposes Breakup of Google to Fix Search Monopoly

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“The Justice Department and a group of states asked a federal court late Wednesday to force Google to sell Chrome, its popular web browser, a move that could fundamentally alter the $2 trillion company’s business and reshape competition on the internet,” the New York Times reports.

“Beyond the sale of Chrome, the government asked Judge Mehta to give Google a choice: either sell Android, its smartphone operating system, or bar Google from making its services mandatory on phones that use Android to operate.”

Police Report on Pete Hegseth Sexual Assault Released

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A police report on the allegation of sexual assault against Pete Hegseth, the Fox News star nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as secretary of defense, was obtained by Mediaite and contains graphic details of the 2017 encounter.

New York Times: “According to the report, the woman, whose name was withheld, told the police that she ended up in Mr. Hegseth’s hotel room after he spoke at the conference in October 2017 hosted by the California Federation of Republican Women at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa.”

“The woman, referred to throughout the report as Jane Doe, said Mr. Hegseth took her phone, blocked his hotel room door when she tried to leave, and sexually assaulted her, ejaculating on her stomach. She said that her memory was hazy, and that she had drunk far more alcohol than usual throughout the day.”

Anthony Weiner Prepares for a Possible Comeback

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New York Times: “Mr. Weiner, a former Democratic congressman, is in search of a public reset. His career and personal life imploded after he admitted to sending sexually explicit photos of himself to women, and was eventually convicted after he repeated the behavior with a 15-year-old girl.”

“Now, after a year and a half in prison, and much longer in public exile, Mr. Weiner is weighing a political comeback. He has been talking to constituents and says he may try to run in a Democratic primary for the New York City Council, where he served in the 1990s before being elected to Congress in 1998.”

3 Undecided Races to Determine Size of House Majority

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CNN: “Republicans have won 219 House seats to Democrats’ 213, according to CNN’s projections. The undecided races are California’s 13th and 45th districts, where ballots are still being counted, and Iowa’s 1st District, where GOP Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks leads by about 800 votes ahead of a recount.”

“However, Trump is poaching the Republicans who hold — or until recently held — three of those seats, to join his still-forming administration. The president-elect could select more GOP House members as he fills out the remainder of his Cabinet and other administration positions.”

‘Right Out of Central Casting’

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“President-elect Donald Trump, whose rise was fueled by reality TV stardom, is once again turning to television to recruit the key cast members of his new administration,” the New York Times reports.

“One difference this time around is the sheer size and responsibility of the positions Mr. Trump is filling with figures who are better known for on-air punditry than managerial skill.”

RFK Jr. Called Trump Supporters ‘Belligerent Idiots’

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has a long history of scathing critiques against Donald Trump, labeling him a “threat to democracy,” a “bully,” and, as recently as July, a “terrible president,” CNN reports.

But Kennedy’s harshest attacks date back to Trump’s rise in 2016, when Kennedy applauded descriptions of Trump’s base as “belligerent idiots” and suggestions that some were “outright Nazis” and “spineless fellow travelers.”

Where Things Stand with Matt Gaetz

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Former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) nomination for Attorney General is in serious trouble. That doesn’t mean he won’t ultimately get the job, but it’s looking increasingly unlikely.

Here’s the latest:

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Gaetz Meetings Fail to Move the Needle in the Senate

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“There’s a growing sentiment among President-elect Donald Trump’s allies in the Senate that they’re wasting time and valuable political capital on former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) nomination for attorney general,” Punchbowl News reports.

“While their ultimate goal is to keep the number of GOP defections below four, far more than that number of GOP senators have indicated their opposition to Gaetz’s nomination privately. And according to sources familiar with the confirmation process, the Trump transition team has not articulated a plan, even privately, to get to 50-plus-one.”

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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