This past Wednesday marked one year since President @realDonaldTrump's massive electoral college victory, and Americans had plenty to celebrate.
First off, Trump was on the other side of the world—palling around with thugs and despots—which is always nice.
More importantly, just one day earlier, Democrats won a slew of hotly contested state and local elections nationwide that left Republicans reeling.
And then, as if to add insult to injury, the GOP was rocked by allegations that their candidate in Alabama's upcoming Senate election engaged in "romantic" relationships with teenage girls.
Meanwhile, Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his team of investigators continued to close in on Trump and his inner circle.
So, like I said, Americans had a lot to celebrate this week.
Morning lineup:
Meet the Press: White House Legislative Director Marc Short; Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA); Roundtable: TBA.
Face The Nation: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin; Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT); Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC); Roundtable: Jeffrey Goldberg (The Atlantic), Ed O'Keefe (Washington Post) & Amy Walter (Cook Political Report).
This Week: Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway; Ohio Gov. John Kasich; DNC Chair Tom Perez; Roundtable: Republican Strategist Alex Castellanos, "Independent" Strategist Matthew Dowd, Historin Mark Updegrove & Mary Bruce (ABC News).
Fox News Sunday: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD); Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX); Roundtable: Michael Needham (Heritage Action for America), Julie Pace (Associated Press), Former National Security Council Member Gillian Turner & Charles Lane (Washington Post).
State of the Union: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin; Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL); Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R); Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper; Former CIA Director John Brennan; Roundtable: Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D), Mary Katharine Ham (The Federalist) & Van Jones (CNN).
Evening lineup:
60 Minutes will feature: an interview with Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman regarding alleged sexual abuse by a US National Team doctor (preview); and, a on the Afghanistan war's deadliest "friendly fire" incident for US soldiers (preview).
Late night shows:
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Monday: Former Vice President Joe Biden (D); Singer Elton John.
Tuesday: Director Tyler Perry; Actor/Comedian Anthony Atamanuik; John Avlon (The Daily Beast).
Wednesday: Actor/Director Jordan Peele; Actress Alia Shawkat; Comedian Paul Mecurio.
Thursday: Actor/Director Ben Affleck; Actress/Director Greta Gerwig; Band Dead & Company.
Friday: Norah O'Donnell (CBS News); Band Dead & Company.
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Monday: Comedian Hari Kondabolu; Tuesday: Rapper 2 Chainz; Wednesday: Director Elaine McMillion Sheldon; Thursday: Actor/Director Jordan Peele.
Elsewhere...
Republicans engaged in some creative defenses of Roy Moore's abhorrent (alleged) behavior.
They ranged from biblical...
"There is nothing to see here," Alabama State Auditor Jim Ziegler told the Washington Examiner. "The allegations are that a man in his early 30s dated teenage girls. Even the Washington Post report says that he never had sexual intercourse with any of the girls and never attempted sexual intercourse."
"He's clean as a hound's tooth," Ziegler claimed, before relying on Scripture to defend Moore.
"Take the Bible. Zachariah and Elizabeth for instance. Zachariah was extremely old to marry Elizabeth and they became the parents of John the Baptist," Ziegler said choosing his words carefully before invoking Christ. "Also take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus."
"There's just nothing immoral or illegal here," Ziegler concluded. "Maybe just a little bit unusual."
To counterfactual...
Speaking with his cohost Lynda McLaughlin on his radio program, "The Sean Hannity Show," Hannity suggested he doubted the veracity of the allegations against the Senate candidate and former judge.
Hannity cited conspiracy theories that the GOP wanted to discredit Moore.
"You've got the establishment — they hate Roy Moore," he said. "Roy Moore, to them, is another Ted Cruz, another Mike Lee, somebody they can't control."
He later said, "Do some people do it for political reasons?"
After discussing the allegations, McLaughlin said that "it was consensual," to which Hannity agreed.
To prosecutorial...
State Rep. Ed Henry told The Cullman Times that he is "not buying" the Washington Post report, which was published with accounts from four women and backed up by 30 sources. The report accused Moore of kissing and sexually touching a 14-year-old girl when he was 32.
"If they believe this man is predatory, they are guilty of allowing him to exist for 40 years," Henry said. "I think someone should prosecute and go after them. You can't be a victim 40 years later, in my opinion."
"The idea that accusations like this would stop his campaign is ludicrous," Henry said. "You cannot tell me there hasn't been an opportunity through the years to make these accusations with as many times as he's run and been in the news."
Christ, what an asshole!
– Trix