The longtime executive editor of the National Enquirer, Barry Levine, is penning a book for Hachette about the president, Page Six reports.
“A source says that the book will look into ‘Trump and his women,’ although other insiders tell us that it could be more wide-ranging, even looking at the formerly cozy relationship between the Enquirer’s owner, David Pecker, and Trump. That said, it’s unclear exactly what Levine’s contract with the Enquirer would allow him to reveal about Pecker.”
Politico: “While it’s true that most presidents who see their party suffer major losses in their first midterm election get reelected anyway, Trump isn’t most presidents — and there are lots of blaring-red warning lights in this month’s election results for his bid for a second term.”
“Unlike most of his predecessors, he’s been persistently unpopular, with approval ratings mired in the 40-percent range — so far, he’s the only president in the modern era whose job approval ratings have never been over 50 percent, according to Gallup.”
“Some of Democrats’ biggest gains came in the states that powered Trump’s Electoral College victory in 2016: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. And while a president’s base has stayed home in previous midterm elections, leading to losses, the record turnout in this year’s races suggests 2018 was more like a 2016 re-run than Trump voters standing on the sidelines.”
NPR: “The midterm elections illuminated a gap in Republican fundraising. While wealthy conservatives continued to fund party committees and superPACs, Democrats beat Republicans in the contest for small-donor contributions.”
“In 73 hot House races, Democrats raised more than $62 million from donors of $200 or less. Republicans raised barely $27 million.”
“The gusher shocked Republicans.”
You're reading the free version of Political Wire
Upgrade to a paid membership to unlock full access. The process is quick and easy. You can even use Apple Pay.
Concord Monitor: “It may not be outwardly visible, but behind the scenes, the 2020 race for the White House is definitely underway in New Hampshire, the state that for a century has held the first presidential primary.”
“Potential Democratic presidential contenders are busy putting plans in place to launch likely White House campaigns. They’re also quietly courting Granite State Democratic lawmakers and rainmakers.”
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) “just won reelection resoundingly in a Trump state running on Trump’s issues — taking a hard line on trade and helping blue-collar workers,” Politico reports.
“Now the Ohio senator is talking increasingly like he’s prepared to take on the president himself.”
“In an expansive interview that began in his Senate office, Brown sketched the outlines of a potential presidential campaign that connects with the working-class, particularly Rust Belt voters who’ve fled the Democratic Party for Trump — but with a less divisive message.”
When asked by reporters on Thanksgiving what he’s thankful for, President Trump said that he is thankful “for having made a tremendous difference in this country,” The Hill reports.
Said Trump: “I’ve made a tremendous difference in the country. This country’s so much stronger than it was when I took office and you wouldn’t believe it.”
President Trump on Thursday threatened to close off the southern border, saying he would “close entry into the country” if immigration gets “uncontrollable,” The Hill reports.
Said Trump: “If we find that it gets to a level where we’re going to lose control or people are going to start getting hurt, we will close entry into the country for a period of time until we can get it under control.”
“President Trump warned on Thursday there could be a government shutdown next month over security on the border with Mexico, suggesting he could hold up negotiations if no more money is provided for a wall between the two countries,” Reuters reports.
Said Trump: “Could there be a shut down? There certainly could and it will be about border security, of which the wall is a part.”
“As of Thursday morning, President Trump was still ruminating on a rare upbraiding from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, continuing attacks against the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and calling it ‘a complete & total disaster,'” NPR reports.
Tweeted Trump: “It is out of control, has a horrible reputation.”
He insisted judges “know nothing” about security and safety issues along the border and alleged they are “making our Country unsafe.”
President Trump said that the CIA did not come to a conclusion that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman directed the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Axios reports.
Washington Post: “Trump brushed aside the intelligence community’s assessment that the crown prince had ordered the killing and reiterated that Saudi Arabia was too valuable an ally to lose over the incident.”
Said Trump: “I hate the crime… I hate the coverup. I will tell you this: The crown prince hates it more than I do.”
Of course, the CIA did come to a conclusion, saying they believe with “high confidence” that MBS was behind the killing.
It’s been a wild last few years in politics and I’m grateful that you choose to spend part of your day here.
I’m especially thankful to those who support the site as members.
Thanks for making Political Wire possible!
“Attorney Michael Avenatti will not face felony charges based on allegations of domestic violence lodged against him by a 24-year-old actress,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
“Avenatti has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, lashed out at media outlets and insinuated in a series of tweets that his arrest was a setup by a conservative activist.”
Washington Post: “Pelosi’s relentless honey-over-vinegar approach to dealing with political headaches — which she learned at the foot of her father, former Baltimore mayor Thomas D’Alesandro — has been critical to sustaining her grip on power since Democrats won the House majority this month.”
“She has personally courted disgruntled members in meetings and by phone while deploying her sprawling network to bolster her bid among both liberals and moderates, all but overwhelming her critics with her ability to outmaneuver them.”
“According to several aides involved in their discussions, Pelosi’s tenacity has rattled and weakened the ragtag group of rebel Democrats, mostly men, who have struggled to recruit a challenger.”
“President Trump this week presided over an explosive meeting on a new Cabinet order granting the troops deployed at the southern border the right to use lethal force to defend border patrol agents,” Politico reports.
“Several White House aides and external advisers who have supported the president’s hawkish immigration agenda attended the Monday meeting, which devolved into a melee pitting two of Trump’s embattled aides, White House chief of staff John Kelly and Department of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, against other attendees.”
President Trump “will begin his Thanksgiving holiday, as he did last year, with a teleconference with members of the military from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida,” ABC News reports.
“But as Trump approaches the two-year mark as president and commander in chief, he has yet to visit U.S. troops stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan in person.”
People: “They are longtime friends who have been bridesmaids in each other’s weddings, worked for and with each other for years, and supported one another with daily text chains and phone calls. And on Nov. 6, these five Democratic women candidates each won their state Senate races by double digits in Colorado, with their wins flipping the Senate from red to blue for the first time since 2013.”
“Anger over President Trump’s steel tariffs is pushing Europe and China to rip up one of the most sacrosanct unwritten rules in international trade policy: Don’t question national security,” Politico reports.
“Brussels and Beijing on Wednesday launched explosive cases at the World Trade Organization, in which they will argue that Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum, imposed in May, cannot be justified on grounds of national security, as the White House claims. The EU and China were joined in their protest by Mexico, Norway, Russia and Canada.”
“The six-fold attack on Trump is a landmark departure from the orthodoxy of trade diplomacy as countries have traditionally shied away from challenging restrictions justified by national security concerns, for fear that such a case could blow up the entire global trading system.”
“Central Americans who arrive at U.S. border crossings seeking asylum in the United States will have to wait in Mexico while their claims are processed under sweeping new measures the Trump administration is preparing to implement,” the Washington Post reports.
“According to DHS memos obtained by The Washington Post on Wednesday, Central American asylum seekers who cannot establish a “reasonable fear” of persecution in Mexico will not be allowed to enter the United States and would be turned around at the border.”
Taegan 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.
“There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them.”
— Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press”
“Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”
— Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report
“Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”
— Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report
“The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… What political junkie could ask for more?”
— Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia
“Political Wire is a great, great site.”
— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”
“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”
— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post
“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”
— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit
“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”
— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.