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On the Clinton campaign press bus in 1992, then-Associated Press reporter John King would often say, “The first three letters of “news” are “n,” “e,” “w.”
So let’s take our snapshot of the current cycle and present today’s “olds.”
* Republican officeholders are still not willing to call out extreme and extremely irresponsible statements from Donald Trump (Rick Scott on “Face the Nation” was farcical, a/k/a shocking but not surprising.), while Paul Gigot is willing, explained in part by the reality that tens of millions of Americans still pine for a Trump return to power.
* While the New York Post writes regularly and scathingly about the state of Joe Biden’s acuity, any Dominant Media columnist who puts a toe in the water gets serious pushback (read the comments here, all focusing on how bad Donald Trump is); what the DM largely misses (or pretends to miss….) is the way real Americans get the score (including regarding 2024), as illustrated by not one but two references to President Biden’s search for Rep. Jackie Walorski on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” segment (which the DM cleverly continues to call a “gaffe,” when that is not what a gaffe is….). Also, the notion that Mr. Biden will be on the road twice a week campaigning for Democratic candidates is not true this week so far:
* Herschel Walker and Dr. Oz are still very risky propositions (as Trump-backed first-time celebrity candidates in Purple-ish states), who both might win, as illustrated by
-- SNL’s must-see sendup of Walker (and Mitch McConnell)
-- This WWoN reader email:
I'm a lifelong Pennsylvanian. Last election (2020), when Biden won the state, most non Pennsylvanians don't know we elected two Republicans to state wide office (Treasurer and Aud General), one turning out a popular Democratic incumbent. We ticket split. I'm a Republican that came home to Oz the last few weeks and will vote for him, but I will also vote for Shapiro -- first time I ever voted for a Democrat (as opposed to write in or just not casting a ballot). Mastriano won't get out of the 30s; his voters won't vote for Shapiro, so Oz has 'em.... But most Republicans and Independents will ticket split back to Oz/Shapiro.... It'll be close, but we'll split....
* Political reporters are still writing the same pieces about the prospects that House Republicans will take the majority (history, inflation, crime, immigration, education on the one hand; abortion, Trump, candidate quality on the other hand), even as liberals masquerading as analysts continue to look for ways to retain Speaker Pelosi, even as the abortion variable makes it impossible to know what will happen; oh, and the absence of real public polling in these contested House races makes it all an unreliable crapshoot of prediction.
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* Ron Klain continues to do the job he was born to have, getting stuff like FEMA done largely behind the scenes.
* PM Truss continues to do the to-ing and fro-ing that marks her as a short-timer for many, as in the Wall Street Journal:
The U.K. government Monday said it won’t proceed with the removal of a 45% top rate of income tax, scrapping a key element of a plan announced late last month that triggered turmoil in the country’s financial markets and an intervention by the Bank of England.
* I am still making a lot of typos without an editor.
* Half the country continues to think the Dominant Media is fully corrupt, as in more from that same WWoNer:
We all know how media outlets prepare obit packages for the noteworthy far in advance so they can drop it on a moment's notice.... well, rest assured that CNN/NBC/Wash Post etc are already hard at work creating the stories/packages saying how the state of Florida and DeSantis are screwing up the rescue/recovery efforts from Ian.... With the helpful anonymous leaks from the Biden WH/FEMA.... It will be 180 degrees opposite of how the media played the rescue response to Katrina (i.e. local efforts vs federal efforts).... Sure as night follows day... Only question is when do they begin to drop -- my over/under is Wednesday...