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Why Trump’s Social Network Will Likely Fail

October 22, 2021 at 10:19 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Jack Shafer: “Trump is a moderately successful businessman when he sticks to his specialties — real estate and hotels. But all those overpriced, shoddy namesake products failed in the marketplace because Trump didn’t know how to compete with people who really understood those businesses.”

“We can expect Truth Social and the other world-beater enterprises TMTG proposes to likewise be sucked into the void because Trump 1) has no clue about how to run media or tech properties and 2) lacks sufficient appeal.”

A Few Thoughts for the End of the Week

October 22, 2021 at 9:27 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

Two years ago I had the chance to talk to Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), which I later summarized:

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Putin Slams Transgender Rights

October 22, 2021 at 8:45 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Russian President Vladimir Putin again attacked Western liberalism in a fiery address on Thursday, blasting so-called cancel culture and advances in gay and transgender rights,” the Washington Post reports.

He also said the notion that children are “taught that a boy can become a girl and vice versa” is monstrous and “on the verge of a crime against humanity.”

He also suggested that transgender rights supporters were demanding an end to “basic things such as mother, father, family or gender differences.”

Neera Tanden Gets Key White House Post

October 22, 2021 at 8:42 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Neera Tanden was named the next White House staff secretary on Friday morning, putting her in the nerve center of the building charged with overseeing the paper flow for President Biden,” the Washington Post reports.

“The staff secretary, who reports to the chief of staff, traditionally plays the role of both traffic cop and honest broker in the White House, with control over the documents that make it to the president, whether they be briefing books or decision memos laying out the arguments on major decisions.”

Virginia Will Test If Trump Still Motivates Democrats

October 22, 2021 at 7:57 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

CNN: “The level Democratic campaigns in Virginia have focused on Trump over the last few months has turned the off-year elections into the biggest test yet for whether the former President, who motivated historic Democratic turnout for the years he was either on the ballot or in power, still motivates the party’s base to vote in extraordinary numbers.”

“This lesson, determined by how the tight Virginia’s races for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general end up on November 2, will reverberate within the Democratic Party for years, as both official party committees and outside organizations try to understand how to motivate voters after four years of Trump in the White House.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

October 22, 2021 at 7:49 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“When crazy comes knocking at the door, you’ve got to slam it shut, that’s all there is to it. I don’t care what party you are from.”

— New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R), interviewed on CNN, responding to GOP lawmakers spreading wild conspiracy theories about Covid vaccines.

The Biggest Headline from Biden’s Town Hall

October 22, 2021 at 7:22 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Axios: “Biden is jettisoning the corporate tax increases that White House officials have insisted, for the past 10 months, are wildly popular across the country. He admitted he doesn’t have the votes.”

Also from the Washington Post: “Biden explained several times at the CNN-sponsored event how and why he was trimming his proposals, confirming that a paid-leave proposal was down from 12 weeks to four weeks and that he had been forced to drop his plans for free community college.”

Jonathan Bernstein: Biden returns to normalcy.

It’s Trump’s Nomination If He Wants It

October 22, 2021 at 7:19 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Former President Trump is telling most anyone who’ll listen he will run again in 2024 — and poll after poll shows the vast majority of Republicans would gladly cheer him on and vote for him,” Axios reports.

“Almost every top Republican we talk to said it would take a severe illness, death — or criminal charges sticking — to stop Trump from walking away with the race before it even begins.”

Mike Pence Already Cashing In on Potential 2024 Bid

October 22, 2021 at 7:10 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Vanity Fair: “Mike and Karen Pence are living their best lives. No, really. Almost a year after Donald Trump nearly got them murdered at the Capitol by a band of rioters trying to overturn the election, the former second couple is living in a nearly $2 million mansion in suburban Indianapolis. Mike Pence has a megawatt book deal in the bag with Simon & Schuster. And the two are traveling widely, with Mike Pence getting paid upwards of $100,000 a speech.”

“In perhaps one of the most unlikely trollings of the former president, Mike Pence also remains a top-tier candidate for the Republican nomination in 2024.”

Taliban Tells Female Employees Not to Come to Work

October 22, 2021 at 6:27 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Taliban imposed further restrictions on female city government employees in Afghanistan’s capital on Thursday, barring many from returning to work next week in a sign that the group will continue to restrict women’s rights despite two decades of freedoms under the previous government,” the Washington Post reports.

Shell Company for Trump Platform Quadruples In Price

October 22, 2021 at 6:24 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Investors on Thursday piled into shares of the special-purpose acquisition company taking former President Donald Trump’s new social-media platform public, igniting a buying frenzy reminiscent of the SPAC craze from early this year,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp. more than quadrupled to $45.50 in the first trading session following the deal announcement.”

China Vows No Concessions on Taiwan

October 22, 2021 at 6:20 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“China on Friday said there is ‘no room’ for compromise or concessions over the issue of Taiwan, following a comment by U.S. President Joe Biden that the U.S. is committed to defending the island if it is attacked,” the AP reports.

“China has recently upped its threat to bring Taiwan under its control by force if necessary by flying warplanes near the island and rehearsing beach landings.”

White House Pushing for Two Votes Next Week

October 22, 2021 at 6:09 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Punchbowl News: “Yes, you read that right. The White House really wants a vote on reconciliation and infrastructure next week. This would give President Joe Biden and Democrats two legislative wins — desperately needed wins — right before he heads to Europe. House passage of the infrastructure bill would also give Democrat Terry McAuliffe a boost in a tight gubernatorial fight in Virginia that has political repercussions far beyond the confines of the Old Dominion.“

“Is it possible? Yes, it’s been done before. Is it likely? Ahhh, count us as not only skeptical, but very skeptical. We can see an infrastructure vote because of the looming Oct. 31 highway funding deadline. But both seems very difficult.”

“We do expect a serious discussion today between Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer over this hurried timetable.”

Quote of the Day

October 22, 2021 at 6:00 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Look, when you’re in the United States Senate and you’re president of the United States and you have 50 Democrats, everyone is the president.”

— President Biden, quote by Bloomberg, at his CNN town hall meeting.

Biden Open to Eliminating Filibuster

October 21, 2021 at 11:12 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Joe Biden said Thursday he’s open to supporting the elimination of the Senate’s filibuster to pass voting-rights legislation and other bills that Republicans have blocked,” USA Today reports.

Said Biden: “We’re going to have to move to the point where we fundamentally alter the filibuster.”

CNN: “The political reality, of course, is that Biden’s support (or lack thereof) for getting rid of the legislative filibuster is not necessarily indicative of much. Both West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin and Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema have said they oppose getting rid of the filibuster — and Democrats can’t change the Senate rules with all 50 of their side’s votes.”

President Biden’s Town Hall Event

October 21, 2021 at 8:05 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Biden is holding a live town hall event in Baltimore and broadcast on CNN and livestream at 8 p.m. ET.

Leave your reactions in the comments.

What’s Next for Steve Bannon

October 21, 2021 at 8:00 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Washington Post: “The matter now goes to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to pursue the contempt referral. Contempt of Congress is a misdemeanor criminal offense that can result in up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.”

“Asked at a House Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday how the Justice Department would handle such a referral, Attorney General Merrick Garland said it ‘will do what it always does in such circumstances—it will apply the facts and the law.'”

Murphy’s Lead Narrows In New Jersey

October 21, 2021 at 7:57 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new PIX 11/Emerson College poll in New Jersey finds Gov. Phil Murphy (D) leading challenger Jack Ciattarelli (R), 50% to 44%.