“A Republic, if you can keep it.”
- You go, Joe. Your election wasn’t a landslide; there’s still divisiveness; but it was an ethical, moral and strategic reset that we had to have. Four more uncivil, narcissistic years of Trump would not have been an aberration. It would have been a devolution. Congratulations—and thank you.
- A Donald Trump win would have sealed the deal with the U.S. opting out of the Paris climate accord. Officially, the U.S. withdrew last Wednesday. But President-elect Biden has vowed to immediately rejoin the accord. Yet another reminder that elections have consequences. Nationally and globally.
- “Flori-duh” wasn’t back in the electoral cycle. No chads hanging around this time. But Donald Trump topping his 2016 Sunshine State numbers and winning by 3.4 percent—and 370,000 votes—meant that “Flo-RED-a” was duly referenced.
- Doesn’t it speak ominous volumes that what scares, infuriates and embarrasses so many Americans also pleases, excites and validates so many others?
- “This election is far from over.” Donald Trump placating his base.
- “He intends to fight.”—White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, placating his boss.
- Trump and a graceful exit: Isn’t that an oxymoron?
- “This is a fraud on the American public. This is an embarrassment to our country.” Finally, some Trump truth. Indeed, we’re still living through a national embarrassment until he is finally evicted from what has become the White grievance House.
- How weird that as overseas congrats pour in for a president-elect, the present incumbent is refusing to concede and continues to play the “stop the steal” card. Isn’t this the MO of a shi* hole-country dictator?
- The challenge, if it matters to Trump’s speechwriters, is beyond formidable. That is, to concede his opponent’s victory with a measure of class and say something transitionally appropriate without referencing “carnage” or encouraging insurrection with dog-whistling rhetoric.
- Optics matter: Rudy Giuliani held a “voter-fraud” assessment press conference in Philadelphia last Saturday. It was next to an adult book store. Optics? Remember “Borat”? Rudy should.
- Whether it’s on the golf course or during a Twitter storm, chances are Trump is trolling himself with more than a narcissist’s freak-out over becoming a “loser.” That’s because he knows that the Manhattan district attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. is continuing to probe into his finances. He also knows, as does Michael Cohen, the possible consequences. He could face charges as soon as he leaves office—and he won’t be federally pardoned.
- So Scott Atlas, President Trump’s coronavirus adviser, appeared on Russian state TV (RT)—not knowing RT is a registered foreign agent. He then apologized to the national security community. No, we won’t miss any facet of this administrative fiasco.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains that he won’t be making a congratulatory call to Joe Biden until after all the Trump fraud charges have been dismissed. In other words, he’s still holding out hope that his favorite American president can autocratically hang on.
- The incongruous value of an Electoral College is ever-more apparent as winning candidates losing the popular vote is no longer a rarity. One man, one vote should be reality—not a cliché. It’s hardly surprising that the Congressional Record Service has found “more proposed constitutional amendments have been introduced in Congress regarding Electoral College reform than on any other subject.” Another may be coming.
- The GOP doesn’t need a brand; it needs a backbone.
- 210: Number of golfing days—so far—for Donald Trump.
- Worth repeating: The only way Trump could get to 270 was to lose 50 pounds.