* Donald Trump is supporting Alabama’s embattled Roy Moore for the Senate. “We don’t need a liberal” in there, explains the president. Plus, Moore denies being a creepy, serial stalker and molester. So there.
In other words, it’s better for Alabama voters to elect an accused child molester than a Democrat. That’s where we are. It gives obscenely partisan politics a bad name. It gives fundamentalist Christian/Moore voter an oxymoronic definition. It keeps the Alabama stereotype alive and, well, unfair to those who deserve better.
To date, the approach of Moore’s campaign has basically been three-fold. First, keep playing up his anti-gay bias, Second Amendment reverence and high-profile history of support for at least nine of the 10 commandments. Second, a strategy where Moore says, “I didn’t do stuff like that, any other questions?” And third, it’s all “fake news” anyhow.
Now add this ploy, as noted by Moore adviser Brett Doster. “We’re going to make it clear to the voters of Alabama that Roy Moore is the candidate to help President Trump get a conservative Supreme Court and cut taxes. That will be included in our ads, definitely.”
* This just in. “Women are very special,” says Donald Trump. “I think it’s a very special time, a lot of things are coming out, and I think that’s good for our society, and I think it’s very, very good for women, and I’m very happy these things are coming out.” No, Billy Bush was not standing next to him.
* Beyond blunt: “I have children and grandchildren to answer to.”–Retiring Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, in underscoring his opposition to Trump.
* Beyond biblical: “No, I don’t understand it. I really, genuinely do not understand where that is coming from.”–The Most Rev. Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in response to a question about why American fundamentalist Christians are so supportive of Trump.