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SEPTEMBER 14,  2021

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT: 

TRUMP SNAPS BACK – FROM NEWSMAX:   Claims made in the new book by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa that Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley took action after Jan. 6 to limit then-President Donald Trump's power are all a bid to draw attention away from the Biden administration's ''incompetent'' withdrawal from Afghanistan, Trump told Newsmax.  You never heard the word China mentioned in a thing like this, Trump said Tuesday in a telephone interview on "Spicer & Co."  "You heard a lot of anger about China on trade, and we made a great trade deal. You heard a lot of anger ... with the China virus. But for them, for him to say ... that I would even think about attacking China, I think he's trying to just get out of his incompetent withdrawal out of Afghanistan."  Trump called the withdrawal "probably the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to our country" with 13 U.S. service members killed at the airport in Kabul with less than a week before the pullout.  "We left with embarrassment on our face," Trump said. "We left Americans behind. And we left $85 billion worth of the best equipment in the world that I bought, because I was the one that rebuilt our military, and then Biden gave it away."  For Milley to say Trump "was going to attack China is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, and everybody knows it," Trump said. "That is a treasonous statement."  Trump slammed the claims in Woodward and Costa's book that Milley feared Trump might go "rogue" after failing to secure the presidency and order a nuclear attack. He noted he had read recently that he was the only president in decades who "didn't start a war."  Trump said he would have handled the Afghanistan withdrawal much differently than Biden, who has been criticized by the right and left for adhering to the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline and for leaving U.S. citizens and allies behind.  "We had a good agreement. They had to meet a lot of conditions," Trump said. "They wouldn't meet them, and we bombed the hell out of them, and they'd call and they'd say, all right, we'll meet them."  Like him or dislike him, at least Trump has a clear mind and an accurate view of the real world.  There is indeed a real world, but the Democrats think it exists only in faculty lounges and street demonstrations.  This story will grow.  It has to.  If Milley did what is alleged in the new book, he may have to face legal charges.    The first TV court-martial.  Gee, what a concept. 

September 14, 2021       Permalink

AS EXPECTED – OVERNIGHT:  California Governor Gavin Newsom has apparently won a landslide victory in his fight to beat off a recall.  We caution that the vote count is incomplete, and that most of the votes counted thus far were submitted by mail.  It's assumed that most of these are Democratic votes.  However, we can safely say that Newsom has kept his job, although the final totals may show a closer victory.  From CBS News: 

CBS News projects that the "no" vote will win the recall election, meaning Governor Gavin Newsom will remain in office. Newsom avoided an upset loss that would have sent Democrats scrambling ahead of the upcoming 2021 gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, as well as the 2022 midterm elections.

Less than one hour after polls closed, Newsom addressed supporters.

"'No' is not the only thing that was expressed tonight," he said. "I want to focus on what we said 'yes' to as a state. We said yes to science. We said yes to vaccines. We said yes to ending this pandemic.

We said yes to people's right to vote without fear of fake fraud or voter suppression."

The "no" vote won out with with most demographic groups: Majorities of both men and women, White and non-White voters, and voters of all age groups all voted against the recall.  

This was the sixth recall attempt against Newsom, but the first to reach the threshold of signatures needed to trigger an election. The recall began in February 2020, when a group called the California Patriot Coalition aimed to remove Newsom over his policies on COVID-19, homelessness, immigration and the state's taxes and affordability. 

The recall effort really took off after Newsom was spotted dining inside an upscale Napa Valley restaurant while his lockdowns on indoor dining were in place. 

The nation's most populous state was first to order statewide shutdowns at the onset of the pandemic, and Newsom was first to require vaccine and mask mandates for healthcare workers and teachers.

In the closing weeks of the campaign, Newsom and Democrats focused on his response to COVID-19 as well as national issues like  threats to women's rights in the wake of Texas' abortion law. 

Exit polling indicated COVID-19 was the main issue voters cared about: while Newsom's handling of the disease galvanized the recall movement, voters ultimately approved of Newsom's decisions in addressing it, and he was able to capitalize on that in the closing weeks of the race.  Roughly 30% of voters said COVID-19 is the most important issue facing California, followed by about a quarter who picked homelessness. The economy, wildfires and crime rounded out the top 5 issues.

For those voting "no" on the recall (keeping Gavin Newsom as governor), the coronavirus is the issue they see as the most important facing their state. For those voting "yes" on the recall (removing Newsom as governor), the economy and homelessness are the most important for them. Proponents of the effort to recall Newsom have been critical of Newsom's COVID policies, mostly arguing that they are too strict.

COMMENT:  California is overwhelmingly Democratic, by as much as two to one.  Newsom's opponents had to overcome that gap, and the money gap as well.  Newsom was vastly better financed than those who wanted him out.

The results are a warning to Republicans.  The year 2022, already hyped as a Republican year, will be a tough battle for us.  Nothing is guaranteed, nothing is in the bag.  There was a point in the California campaign when polls showed Newsom in serious danger of being escorted from his office.  But he and his party fought back vigorously, and no Republican candidate emerged who could out-charm the governor. 

Next up will be the governor's race in Virginia, to be decided this November.  The race is close, but the Democrat is winning.  And the Democrats will have the money to close big in the last week of the campaign.  Virginia used to be solidly red.  It then became purple, and then blue.  A key state in presidential elections, it should be seen as a major prize that we must win in the weeks remaining until election day.  Flipping Virginia would be exceptionally good for our morale.

September 14,  2021     Permalink

SEPTEMBER 13,  2021

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT: 

NO CLASS, NO TASTE – FROM DAILY MAIL:   Democrat Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez made an appearance at the Met Gala wearing a white gown with bright red letters spelling 'TAX THE RICH.' 
The congresswoman was photographed in the red carpet of the socialite event in New York City, where tickets are up to $35,000 and tables are $250,000.   AOC wore an off-the-shoulder custom dress, red heels and a bag that also read 'TAX THE reach', designed by creative director Aurora James, ELLE reported.
Brothers Vellies, James's luxury brand, is often worn by celebrities such as Beyoncé, Meghan Markle, Zendaya, Rihanna and Lady Gaga, according to the brand's website.   It is AOC'S first time attending the gala, but her political message has already drawn controversy during this year's 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion' exhibit.   James and Ocasio-Cortez said they were inspired by their experiences as working women of color to make the political statement at the Met gala.  AOC has been very vocal in the past about her stance on taxing millionaires. In 2019 she advocated to raising taxes of to 70percent for the wealthy in order to fund measures against climate change.  'As a working class woman, [I] wanted to enjoy the event but also 'break the fourth wall' and challenge the industry, Ocasio-Cortez told Vogue.   Reactions from social media users on Twitter have ranged from poking fun at AOC's political stunt while assisting the lavish event, to siding with her premise.  Just get a wink at those photos. Yeah, just another working-class woman of color.  The phoniness  and hypocrisy just flow.  Also, I don't like the dress.  Do you?

September 13, 2021       Permalink

CALIFORNIA, THERE IT GOES – OVERNIGHT:  Californians are about to go to the polls to decide whether to recall Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.  It would be great if it happened, considering the horrible condition California is in, but we must be realistic.  All the polls heavily favor Newsom's being retained as governor, and the Dems are sounding very optimistic.  From Fox: 

Gov. Gavin Newsom's team seems to be striking a confident tone just a day before Tuesday's California recall election, and said that there's no "scenario where we lose."

"I don’t see a scenario where we’re not talking about a victory for the governor and a complete rejection of this appalling partisan power grab," said Newsom strategist Sean Clegg. "I think what we’re seeing in our projections in the early vote is we’re performing so well we might reach a point where there’s not enough Republican vote left on the table for them to overtake us. We’ll let you know when we reach that." 

Newsom, who was overwhelmingly elected governor in 2018 in California, is facing a recall sparked last year mainly over accusations that he mishandled his state’s response to the coronavirus.

Republicans see the recall election as their best chance to topple a politician who has never lost an election during his years as San Francisco mayor, California lieutenant governor, and now governor – and their first chance to win a statewide contest since the 2006 gubernatorial reelection victory by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

On Monday night, President Biden urged Californians to keep Newsom as their governor during a rally in Long Beach.

"The eyes of the nation are on California because the decision you’re going to make isn’t just going to have a huge impact on California, it’s going to reverberate around the nation, and quite frankly — not a joke — around the world," Biden said. 

The president also contended that a "Trump clone" could replace Newsom, which was an apparent reference to conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, the Republican frontrunner.

"All of you know that last year I got to run against the real Donald Trump," Biden said. "Well, this year the leading Republican running for governor is a closest thing to a Trump clone that I've ever seen in your state."

"You either keep Gavin Newsom as your governor or you’ll get Donald Trump," he added. "It’s not a joke. A Republican governor blocking progress on COVID-19 who is also anti-woman, anti-worker, a climate denier, who doesn’t believe in choice. The choice should be absolutely clear."

The recall push was launched in June 2020 due to frustrations by many Californians over the governor’s restrictive response to the coronavirus. On Monday, Biden defended Newsom's handling of the virus, arguing that voting no would protect California from "Trump Republicans trying to block us from beating this pandemic."

"We don't need politics in this battle against Covid," he added. "We need science. We need courage. We need leadership. We need Gavin Newsom."

COMMENT:  As I've written here many times, the only thing that counts in an election is winning.  It's not like the Olympics.  There's no silver medal.

But, despite the overwhelming odds against us in this recall – California is one of the bluest states in the Union – there can still be benefits to the exercise.   Some people with good political connections in California tell me to get ready for a voter surprise.  These sources say that the Latino vote is turning against Newsom and that, if that vote turns out in large numbers, the race could be much closer than it now appears.  Also, we'll want to look at other communities the Dems think are in the bag.  California has a large Asian-American community, and Asian Americans have shown increasing frustration at being ignored by the Democratic Party.   So the vote may give us a pretty good picture of the California electorate, as of today.  Very useful as we move into 2022.

September 13,  2021     Permalink