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DECEMBER 20,  2018

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET: 

SOUNDS RIGHT TO ME – FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER:   Politicians, lawyers, telemarketers, and journalists sit at the low end of a new survey asking which profession has the highest ethics and honesty.  Nurses are on top of the latest Gallup survey, with 84 percent viewing their profession as one with “very high” ethics.  Last sit members of Congress. Just 8 percent view them as highly ethical and 58 percent view as having “very low” ethics, the biggest percentage in the annual poll taken since 1976.  Below average are journalists...Some 33 percent of those polled said reporters are honest and have high ethics and 34 percent said the industry’s ethics and honesty are low.  Still, at just 33 percent, the public’s view of the ethics of journalists is at a 41-year high.  Gallup said that’s a good thing and attributes that to a backlash by Democrats and independents to President Trump’s criticism of his coverage. I guess journalists should be grateful for small blessings, but journalism should finally face up to its poor image.

STQTE OF OUR POLITICS – FROM FOX:   Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has revealed that the abuse she and her staff suffered over her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court "was unlike anything I've seen in all the years that I've been privileged to serve in the Senate."  "There were protests at my home for six weeks in a row, protests at my home here in Washington, death threats, threats of sexual assault against me and my staff," Collins told Fox News' Martha MacCallum in an exclusive interview that aired Thursday evening on "The Story." "But, what I'll never understand is why anyone would think that I would be intimidated by those tactics and that they would be successful in converting me or causing me to vote against Judge Kavanaugh."   A woman of valor.  We must work for her re-election in 2020.

I'M NOT SURPRISED – FROM CNS:  Unlike Democrat voters, more Republicans are increasing, instead of cutting back, on their holiday gift spending this year, a new national study finds.  In fact, nearly eight times as many Democrats are decreasing (38%) as are increasing (5%) their holiday gift spending, the new Quinnipiac University Poll of 1,147 American voters, conducted Dec. 12-17, 2018, reveals.  Meanwhile, 19% of Republican voters are spending more on holiday gifts and only 15% are spending less. A similar percentage of Independents (17%) will spend more on gifts, but more (23%) are cutting back on their gift budget this holiday season.  Thus, both Republicans and Independents are greater than three times as likely as Democrats to be more generous with their holiday gifts this year (19%-5% and 17%-5%, respectively).  Scrooge is a Dem.

December 20, 2018       Permalink

BULLETIN:  MATTIS OUT – AT 8:16 P.M. ET:  The secretary of defense has resigned, and it is clear he wasn't a happy camper.  This is more trouble for the president in a week filled with trouble, and will raise more questions about his judgment.  From AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned Thursday after clashing with President Donald Trump over the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and after two years of deep disagreements over America’s role in the world.

Mattis, perhaps the most respected foreign policy official in Trump’s administration, will leave by the end of February after two tumultuous years struggling to soften and moderate the president’s hardline and sometimes sharply changing policies.

He told Trump in a letter that he was leaving because “you have a right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours.”

His departure was immediately lamented by foreign policy hands and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, who viewed the retired Marine general as a sober voice of experience in the ear of a president who had never held political office or served in the military. Even Trump allies expressed fear over Mattis’ decision to quit, believing him to be an important moderating force on the president.

“Just read Gen. Mattis resignation letter ,” tweeted Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. “It makes it abundantly clear that we are headed toward a series of grave policy errors which will endanger our nation, damage our alliances and empower our adversaries.”

COMMENT:  The timing, coming hours after the Syria decision was announced, will be seen as honorable – an honest disagreement over policy by a patriot.

The fact that Marco Rubio could make the statement he did suggests that Republicans in the Senate now feel free to criticize the president on foreign policy.  Does it also suggest a primary challenge to Trump in 2020?

This is high political drama.  First question:  Will Trump reverse his Syria decision?

December 20, 2018       Permalink

KEANE NOT KEEN ON SYRIA MOVE – AT 1:43 P.M. ET:  Retired Army General Jack Keane, normally a supporter of the president's policies, makes clear his dissent over Syria.  We're hearing a lot of this today.  From Mediaite:   

Fox News senior strategic analyst General Jack Keane made it very clear tonight that while he has agreed with many of President Donald Trump‘s foreign policy decisions, he strongly disagrees with his announcement today that the U.S. is withdrawing from Syria.

Keane spoke with Trish Regan on Fox Business Network tonight and bluntly stated, “This I believe is a serious strategic mistake, it’s going to have dire consequences. I think it’s a decision the President will come to regret, to be frank about it.”

“When we prematurely withdraw forces,” he argued, “because we’re frustrated of it or tired of the time it took––Vietnam, Iraq, and now Syria––the consequences are usually unfavorable and quite dire.”

Keane laid out the consequence of this move, saying that “Russia and our adversaries will look at this not as a victory by the United States, they will look at this as weakness.”

And Lindsey Graham, who has strong national-security cred in the Senate, doubled down on his initial criticism of the move.  From Mediaite: 

On Wednesday evening, Sen. Lindsey Graham spoke on the Senate floor about President Donald Trump‘s Twitter-announced decision to pull troops out of Syria, calling it “disastrous.”

“So the decision today by the president — and I think it was his alone — I think is disastrous to our own national security,” Graham began.

The Trump-supporting Republican senator continued on noting those we hate are celebrating this decision: “The Russians are up to no good all over the world, and their statement says everything you need to know about this decision. The only reason they’re not dancing in Tehran and ISIS camps is they just don’t believe in dancing. They are as happy as they will ever be, and they are not into being happy.”

He added: “So to the president, you win the election, you beat me and many others. You have the right to make this decision, but the Congress has the duty to hold you accountable.”

Then, turning to the fact Trump is declaring the war against ISIS won, Graham called it “fake news.”

“I give the president all the credit in the world for changing our policies regarding the fight against ISIS, but I will not buy into the narrative that they have been defeated in Syria, Iraq, and I just got back from Afghanistan, haven’t slept in two days,” Graham said on the Senate floor.

COMMENT:  That is strong tonic from two allies.  The president's enemies are no doubt lying back and enjoying the spectacle. 

France today bluntly stated that ISIS is not defeated, contradicting the president.  Our Kurdish allies, sold out again, said the same thing.  The Israelis, clearly upset over a decision that can result in Iranian troops on their border, are playing it cool, not wanting to upset their good relationship with Trump.

The president should immediately meet with his critics.  The decision can be reversed, or partially reversed.  But the president, who is not loved by his own party, is in deep trouble on this surprise decision.

December 20, 2018       Permalink

THE PRESIDENT'S MESS – AT 12:51 P.M. ET:  This has been a bad week for the president, possibly the worst of his presidency.  For the first time, he flashed confusion and weakness.  He appeared to cave, quite spectacularly, on his demand for funding the border wall.

Then, he announced, against the advice of his advisers, that we were pulling all troops out of Syria, appearing to echo the great blunder made by Field Marshal Obama in pulling all troops out of Iraq.  The reaction, especially within his own party, has been surprise and disillusionment.  Is Barack back?  Does he now have orange hair?

There is apparently some understanding in the White House over how this all went down.  Mr. Trump appears this morning to have found at least a portion of his spine, and is starting the pushback.  From the Washington Times: 

President Trump lashed out at Congress Thursday, blasting lawmakers for failing to fund his border wall demands — and throwing into doubt the chances of passing a bill to fund the government by Friday’s deadline.

Mr. Trump suggested he was betrayed by “leadership” on Capitol Hill who had promised after a another spending bill earlier this year he would get border security money.

“It didn’t happen! We foolishly fight for border security for other countries - but not for our beloved U.S.A. Not good!” the president said via Twitter.

Blaming Congressional allies is not a good idea.  Once again, Mr. Trump is his own worst enemy.  He makes enemies where friends are required.

The White House followed up with a statement saying the president is not inclined to sign the stopgap spending bill without money for border barriers, and he’s going to meet with House Republicans to talk strategy.

“The president is continuing to weigh his options,” said press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Mr. Trump, in his tweet, didn’t say which party’s “leadership” he felt betrayed him, but the GOP has been in control of Congress for the last two years, and has struggled to deliver on his demands for cash for a wall.

The president’s inconsistencies haven’t helped.

Earlier this week the White House said it could sign a spending bill without additional money for the border fence, because it was going to scrounge the cash from other agencies’ budgets.

But after fierce criticism from conservative commentators and lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the president appears to have changed that stance.

The spending bill passed the Senate by voice vote late Wednesday, suggesting lawmakers there are eager to avoid a shutdown showdown. But House conservatives are more eager to foment a blowup.

COMMENT:  These will be a few tense days of negotiating.  We wish the president well in his righteous fight, but being prepared with a strategy would have been better.

Now he's got to figure out the Syria mess.

December 20,  2018     Permalink

DECEMBER 19,  2018

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

A REAL CABLE RACE – FROM MEDIAITE:   The top three cable news networks enjoyed some big ratings boosts in 2018, but MSNBC is so far pacing to win December––as of now placing #1 in primetime in total viewers and the 25-54 demographic.  And in a remarkably news-packed December, from Michael Cohen‘s sentencing to Michael Flynn‘s sentencing hearing, Rachel Maddow currently holds the top spot overall as the most-watched cable news program.  In primetime, MSNBC has averaged 2.51 million total viewers, followed by Fox News with 2.47 million and CNN with 1.3 million.  In the 25-54 demo, MSNBC is winning again with 573,000 viewers to Fox’s 424,000 and CNN’s 375,000.  Lawrence O’Donnell at 10 p.m. and Brian Williams at 11 p.m. are also winning in their respective time-slots in the final month of 2018.  Fox News, however, remains the top cable news network of 2018 overall in the ratings, with Sean Hannity at the top at 9 p.m.  Sheer hatred of the president drives much of the MSNBC rating rise.  The real story is the fading of CNN, which bills itself as "the first name in news," but has become the anti-Trump network with little news and much opinion.

THE GOODBYE STATE – FROM CBS LOCAL:  ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) - New York State leads the country in an undesirable category.  New data from the U.S. Census Bureau says New York tops the nation in population loss.  The report says nine states saw a drop in population between July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2018. New York led the way at a loss of 48,510 people.  Illinois (45,116), West Virginia (11,216), Louisiana (10,840), Hawaii (3,712), Mississippi (3,133), Alaska (2,348), Connecticut (1,215) and Wyoming (1,197) also lost people.   New York's population of 19,542,209 is still fourth-highest in the country.  Nevada and Idaho are the nation’s fastest-growing states. Both states saw their populations increase by about 2.1 percent in the last year.  Our state of New York has become pathetic – ridiculously high living costs and absurdly high taxes, combined with mediocre services and facilities.  The magic of New York has all but faded.  Broadway is a tourist attraction.  The great publishing firms are foreign-owned.  The most creative people are driven out.  Andrew Cuomo is governor.  Who could ask for anything less?

EVEN DEMOCRATS LEARN ABOUT FAKE NEWS – FROM FOX:  Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on  Tuesday afternoon took aim at a mainstream news article, dismissing it as “gossip.”  She tweeted: “One disappointment about DC is the gossip that masquerades as ‘reporting.’ This story has: - Not a SINGLE named or verifiable source - Only ONE on-the-record comment, which is a denial. My dad had a name for junk articles like this: ‘Birdcage lining.’”  The tweet was attached to a Politico story titled,: “Ocasio-Cortez weighs a new primary target: Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries, the newly elected No. 5 Democrat in the House, has drawn criticism from the left since the party's leadership elections.”  The news outlet’s vice president of marketing and communications, Brad Dayspring, stood by Politico’s journalism: “It’s hard to know what the criticism of the piece is, since the congresswoman-elect doesn’t specify (nor has she or anyone from her staff asked for a correction). We stand by our reporting.”  The article claimed the Democratic socialist from the Bronx “has recruited an African-American woman to challenge Jeffries, who was just elected ... as caucus chairman — the No. 5 House Democratic leadership position.”   Ah, they live and learn.  Welcome to Washington, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.  To paraphrase Irving Berlin, "You've had your way with the press before, but you won't have it there anymore."

December 19, 2018       Permalink

THE FLOW OF HYPOCRISY – AT 2:08 P.M. ET:  No game in Washington is more expertly played than the hypocrisy game.  A board version would make a mint.   The great Michael Goodwin reviews the latest round, as the Democrats prepare to take control of the House.  From Fox: 

Keeping score of the daily ups and downs of the Trump revolution is tricky business. Some days, it looks as if the president is making good on his promise to liberate America from the stranglehold of the political elite and corrupt government insiders.

Then there are days like Tuesday, when the deep state asserts its power and proves it’s not dead yet.
True, it was only one day, but it was an important one. And the results were lopsided.

The brazen quote of the dismal day comes from New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood after she got the president’s family foundation to agree to dissolve itself under court supervision.

“This is an important victory for the rule of law, making clear that there is one set of rules for everyone,” Underwood crowed.

If there really were “one set of rules for everyone,” Underwood would have been arrested on the spot and charged with perjury.

Her claim of equality before the law is about as bald-faced as a lie can get.

Recall that she presides over an office that turned a blind eye to years of suspect conduct by the Clinton Foundation, in apparent solidarity with the Clintons’ politics, then singled out the Trump Foundation for fine-tooth scrutiny as Democrats built their resistance to his presidency.

That’s not to say the Trump Foundation always acted honorably. Charges of “self-dealing” are serious and there were abuses of its privileges. But with just $1.7 million left to spend, after it distributed a reported $19 million over a decade, the foundation was relatively insignificant in Trump World.

On the other hand, the Clinton Foundation was a financial juggernaut, raising and spending tens of millions of dollars each year. In 2016, as Hillary sought the presidency, it took in nearly $63 million, but the year after her defeat, the haul fell to $26 million.

COMMENT:  Read the whole piece.  Goodwin is always worth it.  The Clinton Foundation was a blatant influence-buying game.  The reason donations dropped so sharply after Hillary's defeat is because of the perception that the Clintons had far reduced power in Washington, which is true.  Foreign interests didn't contribute the Clinton Foundation to help the world's poor.  They contributed to help themselves.  Yet, few questions are asked by the Washington establishment and its journalistic allies.

December 19, 2018       Permalink

MAJOR DECISION, COMPLETE WITH BACKLASH – AT 11:51 A.M. ET:  President Trump has apparently decided that U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Syria.  Details are vague.  From Fox: 

The Trump administration is considering pulling all U.S. forces out of Syria, U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News.

There are roughly 2,000 American troops on the ground in Syria currently, concentrated in northern Syria.

Pentagon officials have been caught off guard by the White House proposal, multiple officials told Fox News.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report the administration’s Syria plans. President Trump appeared to allude to the decision to pull troops out in a Wednesday morning tweet.

"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump wrote.

The news comes less than a week after President Trump spoke to Turkey’s president last week.

Turkey has long considered the U.S.-backed ground force fighting ISIS in Syria to be a terrorist group due to their links to a separatist group in Turkey which have killed thousands in the past decades.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders underscored Trump's comments in a statement later Wednesday morning.

“Five years ago, ISIS was a very powerful and dangerous force in the Middle East, and now the United States has defeated the territorial caliphate," Sanders said. "These victories over ISIS in Syria do not signal the end of the Global Coalition or its campaign. We have started returning United States troops home as we transition to the next phase of this campaign. The United States and our allies stand ready to re-engage at all levels to defend American interests whenever necessary, and we will continue to work together to deny radical Islamist terrorists' territory, funding, support, and any means of infiltrating our borders.”

The Pentagon issued a vague statement in response to the news reports, not committing to any path ahead.

COMMENT:  Not necessarily wise.  Like the Obama administration, Trump is telegraphing his moves.  We criticized that practice then, we criticize it now. 

The news caught many by surprise, but some in his own party are already criticizing the decision.  From the Washington Examiner: 

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., warned President Trump on Wednesday that a U.S. withdrawal from the war in Syria would be an “Obama-like mistake.”

The president claimed that the Islamic State had been defeated in Syria amid reports that the administration is planning a rapid withdrawal from the country after four years of war with the terrorist group.

But Graham said pulling out the 2,000 troops in Syria would still be a win for the group and alluded to former President Barack Obama’s decision to withdraw all forces from Iraq in 2011, a move that allowed ISIS to sweep into the region and drew widespread Republican criticism.

Graham has the better argument.  Sometimes leaving a stabilization force is wise, even if expensive.  We have a force in South Korea some 65 years after the end of the Korean War, but it has been a successful investment.  I hope the president considers this move more carefully than did his predecessor.

December 19,  2018     Permalink