Tag: GOP retreat

The State of the Union got teleprompter Trump. The GOP retreat got real Donald Trump.

The following article by Jenna Johnson was posted on the Washington Post website February 1, 2018:

The Debrief: An occasional series offering a reporter’s insights

President Trump said on Feb. 1 that his first year in office was “almost unlike any” and a “tremendous success.” (The Washington Post)

Standing before Republican lawmakers at a luxury resort in West Virginia on Thursday afternoon, President Trump delivered a Trump-ified version of the State of the Union speech.

Instead of stiffly reading from a teleprompter as he did Tuesday night, Trump was excited and animated, using his hands to illustrate his points as he went off script. He still rattled through his policy priorities, but offered the friendly GOP crowd much more. Continue reading “The State of the Union got teleprompter Trump. The GOP retreat got real Donald Trump.”

Republican Retreat Heavy on Boasting, Short on Strategy

The following article by Joe Williams was posted on the Roll Call website February 2, 2018:

Divisions within ranks threaten progress on immigration, government spending

Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and South Dakota Sen. John Thune conduct a news conference at the media center during the House and Senate Republican retreat at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., on Thursday. Credit: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Republicans leave the Greenbrier resort on Friday buoyed by their reflections of the accomplishments of the past year. But they also depart with little consensus on how to address the long to-do list awaiting them in Washington, D.C.

Much of the public portion of the GOP retreat was spent touting the recent tax overhaul, cuts to federal regulations, a record number of judicial appointments and an optimistic economic forecast. But the silence on contentious lingering issues such as health care, government spending and immigration was deafening.

What was meant to serve as a time for Republicans to hone their message and come away with a unified position on their 2018 agenda gave way to contradicting answers and vague statements of optimism. Continue reading “Republican Retreat Heavy on Boasting, Short on Strategy”

FBI memo firestorm engulfs GOP retreat

The following article by Rachael Bade and Burgess Everett was posted on the Politico website February 1, 2018:

Republicans wanted to tout their accomplishments and agenda. Instead, all they got asked about what was Devin Nunes’ memo.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), left, and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.). (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Republican lawmakers often complain when President Donald Trump’s controversial comments suck up the headlines and undercut their messaging. But this week, they tripped over their own feet.The firestorm over whether to release a classified, GOP-crafted memo alleging FBI misconduct has totally drowned out the House-Senate GOP retreat here in West Virginia. Republicans wanted to tout their tax bill and advocate for their 2018 priorities, from infrastructure to military spending. But the controversial document of their own making seemed to be the only thing reporters wanted to talk about.

The rank and file and leadership alike were peppered with questions about the memo drafted by aides to House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes. Fully seven out of the nine questions asked during a joint news conference with Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell centered on it. Reporters grilled them on the FBI director’s opposition to unveiling the document and whether they thought Nunes, a Trump-loyalist, should remain chairman. Continue reading “FBI memo firestorm engulfs GOP retreat”