I used really dislike Nicole Wallace when she was George W. Bush’s press secretary. But she has been a great “Never Trumper” and, as a “non-practicing Republican,” she has been a very strong critic of Trump, often stronger than Democrats. And she is sometimes a brilliant political strategist.
Today, she voiced a brilliant alternative to Speaker Pelosi’s (already strong and brilliant) dis-invitation for the Orange Menace delivering the State of the Union in a joint session of Congress. Here is Wallace’s alternative:
“OK, I have an idea. I used to dabble in politics a little bit,” she said. “Why doesn’t Nancy Pelosi say: ‘You can come. I’m going to be at the food bank that the FBI has set up because you’re not paying them, and so they can’t feed their families. And here’s what we’re going to do with all our seats: As Democrats, we’re going to give all of our seats to furloughed federal workers. And you look them in the eye — you coward! — and you tell them why they don’t have two paychecks.'”
That’s brilliant! Of course, Trump might be stupid enough to come anyway, but McConnell and the GOP would try to be ANYWHERE but on camera while Trump confronts furloughed workers and those working without pay. Trump literally does not care, but the GOPers KNOW this will not play well back home.
Don’t let McConnell’s goofy grin (a defense mechanism) today, fool you. He knows that he looked bad with furloughed workers arrested outside his office. He knows that will play badly back home. And Wallace version of the SOTU? That would be far worse. McConnell would let Trump sink by himself. Hell, he just might decide to hypocritically join Pelosi and the Dems at the food kitchen for the FBI.
We need to keep the pressure on McConnell. He’s the key to breaking the log jam. Continue to call your Senators and Congresscritters (especially if they are GOPers): Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121. The line will be busy. Keep calling until you get through. Leave a message. Be polite, but FIRM, even angry. If you have family connections to the military or to government workers, mention it.