Campaign Notes
Gilbert N. Kahn is a professor of Political Science at Kean University.
Trump’s rules.
There continues to be something gravely disconcerting about how the media and the public continue to permit Trump to get away with his total disdain, arrogance, and self-righteousness. He answers what he wants, when he wants, if he wants, and how he wants. When he is challenged—and few reporters even have chance to do so—he attacks the messenger. Meanwhile all his supporters rally to his defense suggesting he is being picked on and attacked. Most of the Trumpites never even consider substance of the question.
The latest episode occurred this morning when Trump proclaimed on Good Morning America that the public has no right to see his tax returns and in fact it’s “none of their business”. This despite the fact that he himself had said in 2012 that Romney should disclose his returns and that candidates for many years have disclosed their returns. Trump makes his own rules.
What is truly ironic, is that to date the only person to have accepted the role so far to be a persistent attack dog against Trump has been Senator Elizabeth Warren. As Trump has now dropped down to try to humiliate and marginalize her, Warren, as expected, has demonstrated that she hardly is going to roll over and scream; rather she alone seems ready to take the campaign heat and dish it right back.
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Ryan Knows
Anyone who has worked on Capitol Hill or in the White House could have predicted and written the joint statement released by Ryan and Trump after their 45 minute meeting yesterday. Ryan’s staff—no doubt—wrote the statement and sent it to Trump’s staff before (or moments after) the meeting to clear it. (There probably also was a defiant statement prepared by the Speaker’s staff if the conversation had exploded.) The two men enjoyed the meeting, liked each other personally, agreed to continue the conversation, and announced that their policy staffers would continue the dialogue. All of which means that if Trump does not say anything more outrageous regarding Ryan’s sacred cows, Ryan will eventually—before the Convention– endorse Trump. Ryan knows, however, that nothing to which Trump will agree is worth taking to the bank.
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Hillary Knows Too
Not only does Hillary continue to have enough trouble clearing the deck of Bernie Sanders but in enters Joe Biden. Speaking this week also on Good Morning America, Biden once again could not control his mouth. While supporting Clinton’s candidacy and sure of her prospects for election–and certainly not criticizing her–the Vice President—who had opted not to run for personal family reasons—declared that had he run he …”would have been the best President.” Just what Hillary needed to hear!
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