Just a quick update on this Swamp Things post from 12/21. Donald Trump apparently was not happy about Newt Gingrich’s claim that he was no longer draining the swamp. So Trump sent out a tweet to correct him:
Newt Gingrich sent out his own tweet a few minutes later, apologizing for the “boo-boo.” With that and the accompanying video, he made sure to let us know that Trump just looooves draining the swamp. Continue reading
This is the Trumpiest thing ever: from a Washington Post article out today, Donald Trump is holding a government casting call. He’s seeking ‘the look’:
Donald Trump believes that those who aspire to the most visible spots in his administration should not just be able to do the job, but also look the part.
Given Trump’s own background as a master brander and showman who ran beauty pageants as a sideline, it was probably inevitable that he would be looking beyond their résumés for a certain aesthetic in his supporting players . . .
Trump’s closest aides have come to accept that he is likely to rule out candidates if they are not attractive or not do not match his image of the type of person who should hold a certain job . . .
Several of Trump’s associates said they thought that John R. Bolton’s brush-like mustache was one of the factors that handicapped the bombastic former United Nations ambassador in the sweepstakes for secretary of state.
One thing even Donald Trump’s haters would have to concede is that he’s great at selling himself & promoting his message. One way he did this throughout the Presidential campaign was with a few very memorable catchphrases. One that caught on at the very end of the campaign was “drain the swamp.” His fans embraced the symbolism and his rally audiences enthusiastically chanted it during the campaign’s last few weeks. Even in recent weeks, the chant could still be heard coming from audiences during Trump’s post-election “thank you” (more aptly called “thank me”) tour.
However, this morning, during an interview on NPR, Newt Gingrich said that Trump is done with all that “drain the swamp” stuff. Continue reading
I just came across a cool new tool for anyone who has ever toyed with the idea of running for office. It’s a new site, RunForOffice.org.* You simply enter your home address, and the site finds all the offices you’re eligible to run for (assuming you meet other qualifications) in the next few years. You can then select from the list an office you’re interested in, and the site gives you a description of that office and instructions on how to get yourself on the ballot. Continue reading
So after all that noise, it turns out there were more defector electors from the Hillary Clinton side than from the Donald Trump side. Five electors defected from Hillary (four from Washington state & one from Hawaii), while two defected from Trump (both from Texas). Continue reading
If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably interested enough in politics, or at least the 2016 election, to know that some of Donald Trump’s biggest fans were White Nationalists/White Supremacists (rebranded with the friendlier sounding name the “alt-right”). These groups have enjoyed a resurgence inspired by Trump’s candidacy, and they have been even more emboldened by his election win. (Just to be very clear, I’m not saying that this describes all or even most of Trump’s supporters, by any stretch. But this is a particularly vocal & energized subset)
So I am very torn when I read a story like this one, “Jewish leaders in Richard Spencer’s home town targeted in posting on neo-Nazi website”, Continue reading
I understand why Time chose Donald Trump, but between the 11 Tony Awards and the crazy level of interest in the electoral college, I think Alexander Hamilton should have been their choice for Person of the Year. (Or Man of the Year, if Trump has his way). Let’s see if Donald Trump can pull off a year as big as A. Ham just did after he’s been dead for over 200 years.
It’s possible you’re reading this after the electors have already cast their votes on December 19, but I think the question here will still be interesting & hopefully you‘ll think so too: In the case of a “faithless elector,” can the law prevent them from going rogue? Many states actually do have laws about this — they require their electors to vote for the candidate that wins the most votes in the state. But are those laws constitutional??
A Freudian slip for the history books. This wasn’t a typo, it was a cry for help! The man knows (deep, deep down in the depths where his soul should be) that he’s in way over his head:
(I posted this as a retweet from angel investor Chris Sacca, because Trump deleted the original tweet and sent out a corrected one before I could capture it. And, full disclosure, I tried to post it directly from Politwoops but I couldn’t get it to work!)
DC Deciphered 