Politics Won’t Take a Holiday This Year – “The Sunday Political Brunch” - December 3, 2023

Sunday, December 03, 2023

Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER™

 

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PHOTO: Jon Tyson, Unsplash

In most presidential election cycles, there is something of a “truce” or “cease fire” between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. The public is preoccupied with gift giving and stomach stuffing, not to mention all the football games, to really engage politically. But this cycle is different. Debates are scheduled, “grenades” are being lobbed, and fundraising is at a fever pitch. Campaign 2024 is in full swing already. Let’s “brunch” on that this week.

 

“Things Go Better with Koch (pronounced Coke!) – The families of Charles and David Koch, infamously known as “The Koch Brothers,” are again weighing in on U.S. politics. David died in 2019, so the politically active group these days is more commonly known by its organizational name, “Americans for Prosperity.” It is extremely well-funded and highly influential. This week, it announced it was endorsing former Gov. Nikki Haley (R) South Carolina for president. It is a huge development that can put Haley on a more even financial footing with billionaire Donald Trump. Despite their personal, financial, and philosophical differences, I still see Haley as Trump’s VP pick next year. But now with the Koch dollars and backing, all bets are off.

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“Newsom vs. DeSantis” – I think the most fascinating event of the week was the debate between Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) California and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) Florida, each of whom is his party’s likely presidential nominee in 2028, if not 2024 where I think each is viable as a backup nominee should the current frontrunners fail. Newsom is 56 and DeSantis is 45, so they could be around for several election cycles to come. In fact, both could wind up as president at some point, just like longtime rivals John Kennedy and Richard Nixon.

 

“The CA vs. FL Debate” – I found the debate engaging and potentially foreshadowing. First the downside. The two men argued incessantly and talked over each other, to the point that a viewer was able to digest little. It was a train wreck with moderator Sean Hannity often losing control (actually the debaters simply stampeded him). “I don’t want to be the hall monitor. Please don’t turn me into that,” said Hannity. All that said, and the sharp elbows that jabbed, I was stunned when Newsom said, “Neither of us will be our party’s nominee in 2024.” I don’t rule it out either. I think the implosion of the Trump and/or Biden renominations is a very real possibility, and these two guys are front and center on the sidelines.

 

“The U.S. Senate Showdown” – As mentioned often in this column, the key U.S. Senate race this year is in West Virginia where Sen. Joe Manchin (D) West Virginia is not running for reelection. There is a strong chance the seat will flip red, with a titan primary between Gov. Jim Justice (R) West Virginia and U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney (R) West Virginia. This week, The Club for Growth, which backs Mooney, issued its first blistering ad against Justice. The “Never Trump Super PAC” which is backed by the Club for Growth, unleashed the ads. The commercial underscores Justice’s donations to the Democratic National Committee for President Barack Obama’s reelection and donations to Hillary Clinton’s leadership council. Of course, at the time, Justice was a Democrat before switching parties in 2017. The ad says Justice gave more than $100,000 to Democrat candidates.

 

“Justice Punches Back” -- "The Club for Growth has spent millions in a failed effort to defeat President Donald Trump. Unsurprisingly, they are now attacking Governor Justice, whom President Trump strongly endorsed and has a solid conservative record of cutting taxes, creating jobs, growing our economy, standing for life, and protecting the Second Amendment," said Roman Stauffer, Campaign Manager for Jim Justice for U.S. Senate. The problem is the Club for Growth has had a major falling out with Trump, who carried West Virginia in 2016 and 2020 with 69 percent of the vote. Justice enjoys a 73 percent approval rating in the most recent WMOV radio poll. Trump has endorsed his friend Justice in the Senate race. The anti-Justice ads from the Club for Growth may just amount to ineffective background noise. We’ll see.

 

“See you Later, George Santos Alligator!” – The House voted to expel Rep. George Santos (R) New York, under charges too numerous to enumerate here. My favorite is that he used campaign contributions for Botox treatments. Santos, to the bitter end, refused to resign, even though both Democrats and fellow Republicans wanted him out. Santos said, “Because if I leave, they win. If I leave, the bullies take place. This is bullying.” No, when both sides, especially your own party, say it’s time to go, you go. Former President Richard Nixon is the case study on this.

 

“In Memoriam” – I have been a fan of every first lady in my lifetime, from Mamie Eisenhower to Jill Biden. Politics is a tough, tough business and I appreciated how the first spouse is so supportive, yet so often hurt, by the barbs that are thrown. You have to develop a thick skin. Every first lady develops their own worthy cause to support, and I respect that. This week, every living First Lady showed up to pay respects to Rosalynn Carter who died at the age of 96. Her cause was to be an advocate for the mentally ill. Her husband of 77 years, former President Jimmy Carter said, "Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me." May God rest her soul.

 

“In Memoriam II & III” – Former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger passed away at the age of 100 this week. He served in both the Nixon and Ford administrations, and was certainly the architect of opening up direct talks with Russia and China, including President Nixon’s historic and groundbreaking trips to both nations. Then Friday came word that former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor had passed away. She was the first woman on the Supreme Court, and I got to meet and interview her when she came to Providence in 2013. Carter, Kissinger and O’Connor were vastly different people. But they each loved their country and wanted it to be better for future generations. To that end, we celebrate three remarkable people who stood and served with dignity on the broad and diverse American political stage.

Mark Curtis, Ed.D., is Chief Political Reporter for the seven Nexstar Media TV stations serving West Virginia, its five neighboring states and the entire Washington, DC media market. He is also a MINDSETTER™ contributing political writer and analyst for www.GoLocalProv.com and its affiliates.


 

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