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It’s time to play offense and work toward a return to sanity and normalcy.
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Source for “Slam Dunk” editorial cartoon: Dave Whamond @DaveWhamond.
The Current Political Climate
Given the Trumpian propensity to endorse political candidates who are either celebrities or have frequently been seen on television, what we have now is a bizarre mix of political neophytes who are threatening to disrupt the so-called anticipated “Red Wave” in the 2022 November Elections. At least in the fight for the United States Senate.
Every election has its own unique dynamics, candidates, and set of issues and circumstances. Does anyone remember Todd “Legitimate Rape” Akin as the GOP US Senate candidate from Missouri in 2012? He lost that election by 15 points. How about Christine “I Am Not a Witch!” O’Donnell from Delaware who ran as the Republican nominee for the US Senate in 2010? She went down to defeat by 16 points.
Some of this year’s GOP US Senate candidates — Herschel Walker in GA, Dr. Mehmet Oz in PA, Blake Masters in AZ, and J.D. Vance in OH among them — are not much better than either Akin or O’Donnell.
Disgust over the Dobbs decision in June this year by the United States Supreme Court in overturning Roe vs Wade has a lot to do with higher levels of Democratic enthusiasm. Motivated and determined voters can upend the best of plans by the opposition. A narrative is taking hold that the GOP will be unable to regain the United States Senate. If this belief hardens in the fall, it could dampen enthusiasm and depress Republican turnout.
Will a similar narrative develop for competitive seats for the US House of Representatives? That is going to be much harder. Nothing, of course, is guaranteed unless Democratic voters turn out in very large numbers and send these clowns packing.
Recent public opinion polls and primary results in several states have moved the needle a bit and offered more than a bit of hope to Democratic candidates. People mad about the loss of abortion rights could come out in droves and upend all political predictions. It is shaping up to be that kind of history-defying, unconventional political cycle.
The future, however, is not pre-ordained. “Nothing is written,” as Peter O’Toole famously said in Lawrence of Arabia.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) recently expressed doubt about Republican chances to gain control of the upper chamber. He cited “candidate quality” as the reason for his pessimism. He’s right about that. Republicans have fielded untested celebrity candidates in three key Senate races that could make or break the contest for control.
The three candidates, Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, Herschel Walker in Georgia and J.D. Vance in Ohio have made rookie mistakes. The GOP urge to nominate celebrity candidates without any political experience in wake of former President Trump has clouded the party’s efforts to take control of the Senate. Prospects that were so very bright just a few short months ago…
Why is there such a big difference between the forecasts for the House and the Senate? Why are Republican hopes for taking the House so high and so low for the Senate? The answer is simple. House races reflect national trends while Senate races are more judgements on the qualities of individual candidates. House incumbents operate in anonymity. Voters, especially people who live in large metropolitan areas know little about the people who represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to FiveThirtyEight, the Democrats are slightly favored to retain the US Senate in 2022. As of now, the Republicans are favored to win the US House of Representatives.
Zombies, One and All
Sometimes the Other Side Just Screws Up
Summer Cooking
Blowback
Where Do They Find These MAGA Folks?
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Still Your Choice
Who Stole My Victory Paint?
Is Donald Trump Somewhat “Teflon-Coated” Like Ronald Reagan?
It was former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder (D-CO) who first used the term “Teflon President” when describing then-President Ronald Reagan in a speech she delivered on the floor of the US House of Representatives in 1983. She said, “He has been perfecting the Teflon-coated presidency: He sees to it that nothing sticks to him.” She had been frustrated that Reagan was nothing more than a corporate Republican whose interests included tilting economic gains towards the rich and away from the less fortunate in society. He didn’t care much for civil or human rights, either. Concern for the working classes didn’t much interest him. Lowering taxes, coddling the rich, and significantly raising military spending did.
Why, then, Schroeder wondered, would more Americans not hold Reagan responsible for such regressive views? Whether it was the hangover from the long Vietnam War, the Watergate Scandal, the resignation of a President, runaway inflation, high-interest rates, high unemployment and economic uncertainty that convinced the public to always forgive Reagan and give him a pass for political miscues, we don’t know for certain. Most were ready to turn the page over. Reagan’s humor, folksy ways, and communication skills also made him non-threatening to many Americans and I suppose people wanted him to succeed in difficult times.
Reagan, not unlike Trump, was not afraid to exploit simmering racial tensions, although he did it in a more indirect way. Early on in his 1980 quest for the presidency, Reagan delivered this speech in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the site where three civil rights workers — James Chaney from Meridian, Mississippi, and Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner from New York City — had been murdered by the Ku Klux Klan during Freedom Summer in 1964. Historians see the speech as a divisive dog whistle to whites opposed to racial integration.
To a large degree, Donal Trump also seems to escape responsibility at every turn. His background, record, political experience, intellect, and demeanor — quite different from Reagan’s — would suggest that his blatant racism, misogyny, numerous mistakes, outrageous statements, personal indiscretions, and illegalities would have long landed him in hot political water. Perhaps even worse. Most certainly, they would have doomed most other conventional politicians. It hasn’t so far.
Professor David McGrath wrote this about Trump not long after the 2016 Presidential Election.
Throughout his election campaign, when over 80 percent of Trump's statements were labeled false by Politi-fact, it didn't matter to supporters who continued to stand by him. Even the infamous three minute recording of Trump boasting about how his stardom gave him license to grab women's private parts did not stick detrimentally, as he went on to win the election after the type of scandal that would have caused any other candidate to drop not only out of the race, but off the face of the earth. Just ask Gary Hart.
So, how has Trump managed to emerge from all the mud in his ascension to the presidency?
Time to Panic?
But what won Trump the presidency was a huge block of voters who chose him primarily because he reminded them of themselves. His winning strategy was to echo the thoughts and feelings that he rightfully suspected were simmering inside his constituents' hearts — resentment against government, immigrants, African-Americans, Hispanics, Muslims, academics, scientists and the media.
Finally, a like-minded presidential contender meant that their views were not just shameful manifestations of racism or lack of education. Trump made them legit.
Get a Booster Shot, Pal
Is Trump’s Luck About to Finally Run Out?
What is to be done? Nothing lasts forever.
By 1986, with the Iran-Contra Scandal seriously denting Reagan’s popularity, people started to wonder if he still possessed the same level of political charm and luck. Many thought he was not up for the job, too old, often forgetful, and prone to even greater political mistakes than before. Some critics even suggested that with the Cold War still going on, a person without his full mental faculties intact, should not have his finger on the nuclear trigger. The concern was legitimate.
Have we reached a similar stage with Trump?
Lord of the Rings
One Man Crime Wave
Stand By My Man
A Necessary Dinner Ingredient for Trump
Will No One Rid Me of This Meddlesome Cheshire Cat?
No Surprise Here
Is the End Near?
The wheels of justice turn slow, sometimes too slow for our taste. The Mar-a-Lago Search Affidavit released yesterday does not bode well for Trump’s political future.
I somehow get the feeling that it will be very difficult — if not, outright impossible — for Trump to pull another Houdini Act.
Nothing lasts forever. Brad Moss at the Daily Beast thinks it’s only a matter of time when Trump will be indicted.
I have finally seen enough. Donald Trump will be indicted by a federal grand jury.
You heard me right: I believe Trump will actually be indicted for a criminal offense. Even with all its redactions, the probable cause affidavit published today by the magistrate judge in Florida makes clear to me three essential points:
- Trump was in unauthorized possession of national defense information, namely properly marked classified documents.
- He was put on notice by the U.S. Government that he was not permitted to retain those documents at Mar-a-Lago.
- He continued to maintain possession of the documents (and allegedly undertook efforts to conceal them in different places throughout the property) up until the FBI finally executed a search warrant earlier this month.
That is the ball game, folks.
Time to Cut the Chord. Go for it, Sam!
One Couldn’t Ask for a Nicer Bunch of Guys
Which Stage Are We at Now?
How’s Twitter on St. Helena, Donald?
Finally…
Two oldies-but-goodies from the recent and distant past. All editorial cartoonists and standup comedians loved Richard Nixon and adored Sarah Palin. Both Nixon and Palin kept many cartoonists and comedians gainfully employed for years.
Such a loss!
Can She Still See Russia from Her House?
Sorry to hear of your loss, Tina Fey!
From the Wayback Machine
A losing argument then and now. “Third-rate burglaries” can get you in serious trouble.
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