.@realDonaldTrump won ratings, but @JoeBiden went longer. When voters turned in to Biden?: “The questions were softball. I think Biden lost votes with his answers on why black voters should vote for him, transgender rights and fracking,” said one GOP strategist to @nypost 1
The last debate may move needle, but its still a turnout election, w/ only the GDP number still to come --proving or disproving the "Super V" recovery. And of course @realDonaldTrump rallies. Expect him to rally round the circuit of PA, WI, AZ, NC, FL, OH, NH, GA. It works. 3
The @SenateGOP helped itself a lot this week, as @LindseyGraham led a group of impressive colleagues through the hearings on Judge Barrett, who will be confirmed on 10/28. The key races remain the same, and in need of cash donations, small or large: hughhewitt.com/the-battle-for… 4
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Like @JoeBiden, @SteveScully is a very nice guy. He's an excellent host. And, it appears, he doesn't like @realDonaldTrump --which is fine, if he's open about it. The @debates Commission is full of nice people too --I've known, worked w/ Jane Harmon many times for example. 1
But you have to be a moron -there aren't many morons inside the Beltway's many circles- not to see the set-up here, how it has unfolded. Read this column, washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/…, listen to @realDonaldTrump on @RushLimbaugh today, and go GOTV. It is "Countryside v. Capital" time.
It will take a 4rth quarter comeback for @realDonaldTrump to get out of the trap the @Debates Commission/Wallace built for him, but I thought he was toast in 2016 too and this time he's got a vast army of volunteers and now, w/ Commission perfidy and @SteveScully DM, a plan. 3
My criticisms of Commission on Presidential @debates are long standing. It represents Manhattan-Beltway interests and is partisan. With regards to this latest attempt to change rules to favor @JoeBiden at expense of @realDonaldTrump, here is text of letter Denver Post. 1
The letter was shared with me with permission to use it:
Editor:
In this morning's edition, you printed four letters regarding the presidential debate, all of them critical of President Donald Trump's performance. Did you receive none about Joe Biden? Well, here's one. 2
The first time the President spoke, there was no interruption. The first time Biden spoke, there was no interruption. When the President responded to Biden's comments about the Supreme Court nomination, Biden interrupted him four times. 3
Issues on which next #SCOTUS justice will prove pivotal: separation of powers; scope of Free Exercise Clause and "tension" w/ Establishment Clause; Free Speech; breadth of Second Amendment; criminal procedure in the age of surveillance; scope of deference to regulatory agencies 1
Property rights and especially regulatory takings; rights of states vis-a-vis the federal government; scope of Congressional power to regulate commerce and of course scope of reproductive rights. People suggesting delay don't know the number and importance of big disputes. 2
Originalists --simply put, people who believe in the Constitution and in limited government, who prize freedom and liberty-- have been taking it on the chin for 33 years...since Judge Bork. They have elected four GOP presidents and one moderate Democrat. one left Democrat. 3
“The rule is that the Senate majority rules in this matter. British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli put it succinctly in the 19th century: “A majority is always better than the best repartee.” Talk all you want, but 51 votes decides.” 2
So expect a nominee quickly (Monday?) and hearings in a week or two chaired by @LindseyGrahamSC Democrats are threatening to do things they have already threatened to do —end legislative filibuster, “pack” the Supreme Court. But they’ve already committed to doing those things. 3
When Harry Reid used the nuclear option to end the filibuster for nominees he changed the Senate. He did so over GOP warnings. Now GOP has the majority and @senatemajldr and must take seriously threats made by Ds before Justice RBG died. Seriously, can people not see this? 4
January 29 of this year, National Security Advisor Ambassador @robertcobrien to me on air: “It’s an incredibly dangerous virus. We’re meeting on it every day. The President’s being briefed by his advisors, Alex Azar, by CDC on an almost hour by hour basis.” 1
“So we’re watching it carefully. We did note that the British Airlines, one of the great airlines in the world, and with a very international reach, has suspended direct flights in and out of mainland China. So we’re monitoring that.” 2
“I believe that was a company decision, not a UK government decision, but I think it’s, I think that sends a message to the American people.” 3
“Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the president’s support of members of the military in an interview on Friday morning.
Speaking to radio host Hugh Hewitt.” theguardian.com/us-news/live/2…
Pompeo said he had not read the Atlantic article but insisted the description does not comport with what he knows about Trump.
“I’ve never heard that. Indeed, just the opposite,” Pompeo told the radio host. 2
“I’ve been around him in lots of settings where there were both active duty military, Guardsmen, reservists, veterans. This is a man who had the deepest respect for their service, and he always, he always interacted with them in that way. 3