National Democrats
Delaney in the Middle
John Delaney believes there’s a middle lane in the Democratic presidential race. Last Saturday his path brought him to Raleigh, and I had a chance to sit down with him. While some Democrats lurch to the left, Delaney says, “I’m a moderate.” He positions himself as a centrist problem-solver who can actually achieve the bipartisanship…
Read MoreThe New Democratic Faces
The contrast was stark when the new Congress convened this month. The Republican side was monochromatic: white men in dark suits. The Democratic side was diverse, varied and colorful – in clothing and complexion, age and gender, background and life experience. You’ll see the same contrast in the North Carolina General Assembly. You’ll see it…
Read MoreStoned and Stonewalled
Friday wasn’t Trump’s best day. Before dawn, Roger Stone surrendered to the FBI. Mid-afternoon, Trump surrendered to Nancy Pelosi. Stoned and stonewalled in less than 12 hours. Trump looked corrupt, clueless and – worst of all for him – weak. Corrupt because, even if there wasn’t a criminal conspiracy with Russia, there was a coverup.…
Read MoreUnbranding the Wall
Trump’s trapped. After three years of rallies, tweets and boasts ‘The Wall’ now wears Trump’s brand like a Trump Tower Hotel. Trump and the Wall are one. If you like Trump, you like The Wall; if you dislike Trump, you dislike The Wall. Whether you’re for or against The Wall doesn’t have much to do…
Read MoreA Knife and a Subpoena
All it takes to drive a horde of Democrats crazy is a Trump tweet – in the blink of an eye a mob as ruthless as Trump goes on an internet rampage breeding sound and fury, providing one more sign of politics rolling downhill. In the meantime, over in Congress, there’s a grim-faced Democrat who’s…
Read MoreTrump-World and Bernie-Land
Who’d have believed it – in the New York Times women are telling tales about how they were sexually harassed during Bernie Sanders’ campaign: One woman told how after she “complained to her supervisor” about being harassed “he laughed” and another told how “there was no one who would or could help” when she was…
Read MoreRun, everybody, run
Run, Joe, run. Run, Elizabeth, run. Run, Beto, run. Run, Kamala, run. Run, Kirsten and Julian and Cory and Amy and Donner and Blitzen, Prancer and Dancer, Bluto and Pluto and Rudolph and all the Democratic 2020 hopefuls. If Democrats make a mistake this time, it’ll damn sure be a different mistake from last time.…
Read MoreWords or Deeds?
He said he’d hoped Trump’s campaign would stop name calling – but it didn’t. He said that after Trump won he’d hoped he’d clean up his act – but he didn’t. And a few minutes after Mitt Romney lit into Trump the Republican world ignited with Trump tweeting and Trump’s Campaign Manager telling the newspapers,…
Read MoreThose To Whom Evil Is Done
Call it an eye for an eye or a man (a politician) who does evil because evil was done to him – either way it’s an old tale. Russians using fake Facebook accounts to attack Hillary – that was the evil that was done; then Matt Osborne (the politician) did evil in return: During the…
Read MoreWinning message wars
Two communications innovations propelled Trump to the Presidency: reality TV and Twitter. Now three Democrats – wildly different in age and style – are pioneering the next wave. • Nancy Pelosi, 78, is the star of the Shutdown Showdown. She’s tough, stylish and sharp. She’s turned the West Wing press scrum into performance art. She…
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