"I've not been able to unite the Congress but I'm uniting the country, based on the polling data."
He's got a point.
And for a guy who his enemies claim is "cognitively impaired," Biden is showing an undeniably impressive command of data, names, issues, dates. All of it.
He's a president. We have one of those now.
"Your grandchildren are going to be doing a doctoral thesis on who succeeded, democracy or autocracy, because that's what's at stake here."
On the Southern border:
"We can get this done. We're going to get it done."
A very tough problem, let's see if he can address it at multiple levels.
Initial reax from MacCallum FoxNews: press was too easy on him, and Ducey didn't get a question.
Translated: Biden way exceeded expectations. This administration is good at that, so far.
Backhanded compliment from Dana Perino: "I think he did fine and fine is all they needed.... If you were bored, that's what they wanted."
Foxers seemed focused on Biden's use of a briefing book. I guess they would prefer the fact-free riffs of the ancien régime.
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Somebody really ought to tell Trump's lawyer that no one wants to hear him admit his oratorical shortcomings, we can make that judgment ourselves pretty readily.
Did this guy take any notes? He keeps looking down but it's like the paper is completely blank.
Opens his water bottle, doesn't drink, closes it again. Big mistake. Take a break, clear your head. Identify an exit strategy.
A question that seems increasingly crucial: Can Trump pardon himself, family members, etc. WITHOUT the participation of Cipollone’s OLC and Rosen’s DOJ? How would that even work? Can he write it up on a cocktail napkin with a Sharpie? Make a video?
Seriously, does anyone know?
Something else to consider: Trump’s financial and legal circumstances will grow increasingly desperate in the months and years to come. He will have one piece of leverage left: He knows secrets — immensely valuable secrets — and he’s already demonstrated a penchant for treason.
Correction: OLC is part of DOJ. So what I'm really asking is, can Trump issue pardons without the participation of the White House Counsel's office and the OLC. Apparently, the answer is 'yes' -- he COULD write it on a cocktail napkin with a Sharpie. That is truly shocking.
"Our country has had enough," the President-for-now just said, with his characteristic absence of self-awareness.
"With this administration, you'll see some bad things happen," says the President-for-now, accidentally admitting the jig is up.
It's all just bloodsport now....
"If they don't fight, we're going to primary the hell out of the ones who don't fight... These explosions of bullshit. All of a sudden it started to happen."
And the crowd screams "BULL-SHIT BULL-SHIT BULL-SHIT..."