Poll: Voters in Trump states want Democrats to keep him in check

The following article by David Weigel was posted on the Washington Post website January 4, 2017:

Donald Trump walks off his plane to speak during a campaign event at an Atlantic Aviation hanger in Moon Township, Pa., on Nov. 6, 2016. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

A poll of voters in red or purple states, conducted for the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress Action Fund, has found a sizable majority willing to back Democrats if they oppose President-elect Donald Trump.

The poll, which surveyed 1,206 voters in 14 states Dec. 19-23 — all with Senate races next year — found 49 percent approving of Trump’s conduct as president-elect. That’s higher than the number in national polls, which have included samples from bluer states. Depending on how the question was asked, anywhere from 56 percent to 61 percent of voters said that Democratic lawmakers should act as a “check and balance” on the incoming president. (The number was lower if voters were asked specifically if the senator should “block” Trump.)

“Even in states that Trump won handily, Democrats are in a good position,” said Neera Tanden, CAP’s president. “Eight years ago, if you asked this question, people were much more inclined to say that everyone should get along. Here, you’ve got people who voted for Trump but want Democrats to block or oppose his agenda. That seems to be a new thing for American politics.” Continue reading “Poll: Voters in Trump states want Democrats to keep him in check”

President-Elect Trump Is Historically Unpopular; His Press Coverage Should Reflect That

The following article by Eric Boehlert was posted on the Media Matters website January 3, 2017:

There are lots of ways the political press continues to normalize President-elect Donald Trump’s often radical behavior. From regurgitating his vague tweets as news while he refuses to grant press conferences, to shying away from calling the serial prevaricator a liar, journalists continue to play nice.

Here’s another way Trump’s getting the benefit of the doubt: He’s a wildly unpopular political figure, yet the press continues to gloss over that fact while granting him soft coverage.

In terms of polling data, there’s virtually no good news for Trump. The results generally point in the same direction: He’s widely disliked and inspires little confidence in his presidential abilities. Continue reading “President-Elect Trump Is Historically Unpopular; His Press Coverage Should Reflect That”

Trump alleges delay in his briefing on ‘so-called’ Russian hacking; U.S. official says there wasn’t one

Arriving at an annual New Year’s Eve celebration at his Mar-a-lago, Fla.,
estate, President-elect Donald Trump left open the possibility
of a meeting with Taiwan’s president if she visits
after he is sworn in on Jan. 20. Trump also pushed back on
intelligence claims about Russian hacking. (Reuters)

President-elect Donald Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday night to say that a planned intelligence briefing for him on “so-called ‘Russian-hacking’ ” had been delayed until Friday, a development he called ‘very strange!” — but one that a U.S. official said wasn’t a delay at all.

The tweet was the latest sign of Trump’s skepticism about a case pressed by the Obama administration, based on the work of U.S. intelligence and law-enforcement agencies, that Russia tried to influence the U.S. presidential election by hacking several Democratic email accounts, among other actions. Several leading Republicans have also endorsed that view.  Continue reading “Trump alleges delay in his briefing on ‘so-called’ Russian hacking; U.S. official says there wasn’t one”

A day of chaos at the Capitol as House Republicans back down on ethics changes

 

The following article by Robert Costa, Mike DeBonis and Philip Rucker was posted on the Washington Post website January 3, 2017:

A day of pageantry to open the 115th Congress and usher in a new period of Republican governance was overtaken Tuesday by an embarrassing reversal on ethics oversight, with the GOP gripped by internal division and many lawmakers seeking to shield themselves from extensive scrutiny.

The 19 hours of tumult was set in motion the night before behind closed doors at the Longworth House Office Building, where Republican lawmakers decided over the objections of Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) to amend House rules to effectively gut the independent Office of Congressional Ethics. Continue reading “A day of chaos at the Capitol as House Republicans back down on ethics changes”

What Journalists Can Do When The President Is A Liar

The following article by Matt Gertz was posted on the Media Matters website January 3, 2017:

President-elect Donald Trump shouts out to members of the media at the clubhouse at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

When Donald Trump is inaugurated later this month, the presidency will officially be held by an inveterate liar. And the way the press has covered Trump in the two months since his November election victory suggests that many journalists need to adjust their approach to address that reality before Trump takes office.

On New Year’s Eve, Trump cast doubt on the intelligence community’s conclusion that Russian government-backed hackers intervened in the presidential election, suggesting that he would release evidence to the contrary early this week. Continue reading “What Journalists Can Do When The President Is A Liar”

Inside Donald Trump’s Extremist Education Agenda

The following article by Jeff Bryant was posted on the Alternet website January 5, 2017:

The Hillsdale College connection links Trump to the right-wing evangelical community of Betsy DeVos.

Donald Trump’s election to the U.S. presidency left education policy experts at a complete loss to explain what this would mean for the nation’s schools. During his campaign, Trump gave few clues about what would inform his education leadership, only that he had some antipathy for the Department of Education, he was no fan of Common Core and he would advocate for more “school choice.” Continue reading “Inside Donald Trump’s Extremist Education Agenda”

Trump Hotels has had its eye on China — but the door hasn’t opened

The following article by Simon Denyer and Jonathan O’Connell was published on the Washington Post website December 26, 2016:

President-elect Donald Trump speaks in Hershey, Pa., during his “thank you” tour. (Don Emmert/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

BEIJING — Donald Trump calls China an “enemy” of the United States, a threat and an international pariah whose modus operandi is to lie, cheat and steal — but for at least eight years his hotel chain has been trying to do business here.

Although negotiations have yet to bear fruit, Trump Hotels has made confident predictions this year about opening 20 or 30 luxury hotels in China. It is an ambition that would involve the company in direct negotiations with a Communist Party that the president-elect professes to fundamentally distrust.

On Dec. 12, Trump tweeted that he would do “no new deals” during his time in the White House. It is not clear what that means for Trump Hotels as a company, and both the Trump Organization and the Trump transition team declined to comment for this article.

If Trump Hotels goes ahead with its efforts to expand to China, or even if it only lays plans to do so after his term in office, it could hugely complicate one of the most important foreign policy relationships Trump will have to negotiate during his presidency. And the suspicion that Trump as president might be trying to badger China or butter it up to promote his business there risks coloring perceptions of his every move in regard to Beijing — even those that are completely aboveboard. Continue reading “Trump Hotels has had its eye on China — but the door hasn’t opened”

Trump Is Like King Henry VIII Revived — Without The Charm

The following article by Jamie Stiehm was posted on the National Memo website December 31, 2016:

WASHINGTON — It’s a good thing to be king, holding court high in a gold tower. And the 45th American president, Donald Trump, reminds me of one English Tudor king, known for his reddish hair, huge body heft, six wives of various nationalities and, um, forceful personality.

Trump is like King Henry VIII revived — without the charm the early Henry famously had. But there are parallels: Henry had France across the water to warily watch and, of course, Trump has Vladimir Putin’s Russia and his reckless wish to start a nuclear arms race. Is he going to make an enemy out of a friend before he takes office? One difference, however, is that Henry set sail to lead his men in battle. That’s what kings did.

The history major in me feels compelled to note this male bonding over the span of five centuries and a mighty ocean.

Let’s get used to it. Donald Trump behaves much like the first American king. With his mean-spirited tweets, threats and contradictions of U.S. policy as president-elect, he’s messaging to the American people that there will be no limits as ruler. What about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by nearly three million votes? No problem! We will all be his subjects, forced to endure outrages at all hours as he tweets from his tower — and when he deigns, the White House.

Trump resembles King Henry VIII in his ferocity and willingness to follow his whims wherever they go. Once the 6’2″ Henry cut a fine figure on a horse hunting a hart. Can the same be said of Trump on a golf course? (Let’s not answer that.) Henry also was a lover and player of music, even a composer. Enchanting poetry wafted through the halls of his court, notably that of Sir Thomas Wyatt, author of “To His Coy Mistress.”

Our man has neither poetry nor music to compensate for his rough edges.

A real Renaissance man in his time and prime, Henry VIII is characterized as a “supreme egoist” by the Columbia Encyclopedia. He did pretty much as he pleased, in epic proportions. To marry the clever, witty, beautiful Anne Boleyn, he defied the pope’s decree to keep his marriage vows to the Spanish Catherine of Aragon, setting off the Protestant Reformation. Continue reading “Trump Is Like King Henry VIII Revived — Without The Charm”

11 curious quotes from Trump’s New York Times interview

The following article by Aaron Blake was posted on the Washington Post website December 29, 2017:

President Trump speaks Dec. 29, 2017, as he meets with members of the U.S. Coast Guard, whom he invited to play golf, at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Evan Vucci/AP)

President Trump sat down with the New York Times’s Michael S. Schmidt on Thursday for a wide-ranging half-hour interview. And while he didn’t make any really big news, there were plenty of worthwhile nuggets, bold claims and factual inaccuracies.

Below are 11 of them, with a little analysis of each (and click here for the full excerpts from the Times): Continue reading “11 curious quotes from Trump’s New York Times interview”

Trump’s Deep Character Flaws Will Define His Presidency; Media Should Focus Attention There

The following article by Eric Boehlert was posted on the Media Matters website January 26, 2017:

Donald Trump continues to make history.

We know of no other president in American history who has started out his tenure by unfurling two preposterous bookend lies, the way Trump did during his first days in office.

He lied fantastically about the size of his inauguration crowd. And then, taking a sledgehammer to the premise of free and fair elections, he lied fantastically about millions of Americans having voted illegally on Election Day, supposedly costing him the popular vote victory. Continue reading “Trump’s Deep Character Flaws Will Define His Presidency; Media Should Focus Attention There”