hotair--2020-11-09--Biden prepares his virus response which looks awfully... familiar

Over the weekend , I reviewed Joe Biden ’ s victory speech and pointed out his claim that he was going to roll up his sleeves and get to work on getting the pandemic “ under control.
” What was missing from his remarks was any hint about what he was going to do to accomplish this .
I somehow doubt Uncle Joe reads Hot Air , but he came out yesterday with an attempt to answer the questions I raised .
He set forth a few of the steps he planned to take in terms of the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with naming some people he planned to assign to his pandemic “ working group.
” Let ’ s see if we can spot the brilliant new ideas he will be deploying to save us all from the plague .
( Associated Press ) Biden announced Sunday that former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler will serve as co-chairs of a coronavirus working group to be rolled out Monday .
The group will be tasked with taking the virus proposals that Biden released during the campaign and turning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can enact after he is inaugurated in January .
Biden pledged during the campaign to make testing free and widely available ; to hire thousands of health workers to help implement contact-tracing programs ; and to instruct the Centers for Disease Control to provide clear , expert-informed guidelines , among other proposals .
So let ’ s see what we ’ ve got thus far .
Biden is establishing a pandemic “ working group.
” That sounds an awful lot like a “ task force , ” doesn ’ t it ?
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moment it became obvious that we had a crisis on our hands .
Biden is assigning doctors with experience at the CDC , FDA and inside the White House .
That ’ s just what Trump did , though the names are different .
Status quo Joe says he will make all testing “ free , ” and ramp up testing kit production .
Of course , when the government says it ’ s giving you something for free , you ’ re the one paying for it .
The money for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somewhere .
Also , while President Trump ’ s rhetoric about testing was definitely confusing at times , he was also beating the bushes looking for groups to produce more test kits as quickly as possible , along with possible drugs to treat the ailment and , of course , trying to accelerate the race to get a viable vaccine out to the public .
So not much of a change is coming there , either .
As the AP article points out , Biden is still privately talking about a national facemask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t push something like that through , to say nothing of enforcing it .
He ’ s going to “ work with the states ” to support their efforts along those lines .
Donald Trump has certainly been less aggressive about cloth facemasks , sometimes even questioning their effectiveness .
( As have many doctors . )
But he ’ s been leaving it up to the states to handle that question as their individual needs dictate .
Again , I ’ m not seeing what Joe Biden is going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you like that President Trump “ fumbled ” the virus response , as Joe Biden did constantly on the rare occasions that he emerged from his basement to campaign .
But making that argument implies that there was a better way to handle it that Trump somehow neglected .
I ’ m not seeing much out of Joe Biden ’ s plan thus far that points to Trump ’ s missed opportunities beyond throwing around more of the “ free money ” that characterizes most Democratic policies .
Joe Biden had best come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he intends to make good on his promises .
There ’ s simply no denying that the pandemic is surging again as winter approaches , though the mortality rate seems to be going down as treatment regimens improve and are shared around the nation .
Maryland ’ s largest county just closed all of their schools again , sending the students back to the online learning model that ’ s been failing spectacularly thus far .
If the numbers don ’ t start dropping significantly between January and March , I shall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Biden ’ s “ failure ” to tame the pandemic .
Of course , I won ’ t be holding my breath .

Over the weekend, I reviewed Joe Biden’s victory speech and pointed out his claim that he was going to roll up his sleeves and get to work on getting the pandemic “under control.” What was missing from his remarks was any hint about what he was going to do to accomplish this. I somehow doubt Uncle Joe reads Hot Air, but he came out yesterday with an attempt to answer the questions I raised. He set forth a few of the steps he planned to take in terms of the virus, at least in general terms, along with naming some people he planned to assign to his pandemic “working group.” Let’s see if we can spot the brilliant new ideas he will be deploying to save us all from the plague. (Associated Press)
Biden announced Sunday that former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy and former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler will serve as co-chairs of a coronavirus working group to be rolled out Monday. The group will be tasked with taking the virus proposals that Biden released during the campaign and turning them into a blueprint the new president can enact after he is inaugurated in January. Biden pledged during the campaign to make testing free and widely available; to hire thousands of health workers to help implement contact-tracing programs; and to instruct the Centers for Disease Control to provide clear, expert-informed guidelines, among other proposals.
So let’s see what we’ve got thus far. Biden is establishing a pandemic “working group.” That sounds an awful lot like a “task force,” doesn’t it? And Trump has had one of those since the moment it became obvious that we had a crisis on our hands. Biden is assigning doctors with experience at the CDC, FDA and inside the White House. That’s just what Trump did, though the names are different.
Status quo Joe says he will make all testing “free,” and ramp up testing kit production. Of course, when the government says it’s giving you something for free, you’re the one paying for it. The money for those test kits has to come from somewhere. Also, while President Trump’s rhetoric about testing was definitely confusing at times, he was also beating the bushes looking for groups to produce more test kits as quickly as possible, along with possible drugs to treat the ailment and, of course, trying to accelerate the race to get a viable vaccine out to the public. So not much of a change is coming there, either.
As the AP article points out, Biden is still privately talking about a national facemask mandate, but he knows he can’t push something like that through, to say nothing of enforcing it. He’s going to “work with the states” to support their efforts along those lines. Donald Trump has certainly been less aggressive about cloth facemasks, sometimes even questioning their effectiveness. (As have many doctors.) But he’s been leaving it up to the states to handle that question as their individual needs dictate. Again, I’m not seeing what Joe Biden is going to be doing differently.
You can argue all you like that President Trump “fumbled” the virus response, as Joe Biden did constantly on the rare occasions that he emerged from his basement to campaign. But making that argument implies that there was a better way to handle it that Trump somehow neglected. I’m not seeing much out of Joe Biden’s plan thus far that points to Trump’s missed opportunities beyond throwing around more of the “free money” that characterizes most Democratic policies.
Joe Biden had best come up with some sort of specific plan if he intends to make good on his promises. There’s simply no denying that the pandemic is surging again as winter approaches, though the mortality rate seems to be going down as treatment regimens improve and are shared around the nation. Maryland’s largest county just closed all of their schools again, sending the students back to the online learning model that’s been failing spectacularly thus far. If the numbers don’t start dropping significantly between January and March, I shall eagerly await the media’s attacks on Biden’s “failure” to tame the pandemic. Of course, I won’t be holding my breath.


hotair--2020-11-09--The good: Hundreds of Texans participate in Pfizer vaccine trial, The bad: "a scary and difficult wi

The good: Hundreds of Texans participate in Pfizer vaccine trial, The bad: "a scary and difficult winter" predicted

The good news about the success shown in the Pfizer vaccine data is just the boost our spirits need .
The drugmaker is hopeful that an effective vaccine is on the horizon .
This is also some very good news for hundreds of Texans who have been participating in Pfizer ’ s clinical trial .
Hundreds of Galveston area residents and workers must feel proud to participate in a clinical trial that likely has produced a vaccine that will be used in the battle of the coronavirus .
If the vaccine proves to be the first to complete the trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of Americans and others across the world will be beholden to them .
If Joe Biden is going to frame face mask-wearing with patriotism , then clinical trial participants deserve some kind of special recognition – perhaps a certificate or plaque or something like that .
We still have some months to go but there may be a light at the end of this nightmare and that is something we can all embrace .
All of the 44,000 clinical trial participants for the Pfizer vaccine across the globe must be pleased today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Galveston in late July launched the Pfizer trial at three sites — on campus , League City and Clear Lake .
It said then it hoped to enroll between 500 and 1,000 people .
UTMB officials would not comment on the trial Monday , but one official said the institution has appointed a vaccine roll-out task force and begun gearing up for when the Food and Drug Administration approves the vaccine for use beyond trial participants .
At that time , the first in the area to get the vaccine will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Janak Patel , director of UTMB ’ s department of infection control and health care epidemiology .
He said high-risk people , such as people in nursing homes and seniors with chronic health conditions , would be next .
“ We ’ re excited , prepared to provide the vaccine , want to do it , ” said Patel .
“ We just hope lots of people will want to get it.
” A vaccine scientist at Baylor College of Medicine , Dr. Peter Hotez , sounds cautiously optimistic .
That is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ present dark and gloomy predictions .
He says the Pfizer news “ looks like good news.
” “ It was written for Pfizer shareholders , not scientists , and the company still has a ways to go – determining whether the vaccine halts severe disease and proves to be safe — before the FDA grants emergency approval .
But this appears to be an important first step.
” Baylor is working on a different vaccine .
Dr. Hotez predicts a “ scary and difficult ” winter in Houston .
Now that a wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to places that flattened the curve , didn ’ t overwhelm their area hospitals , and have lowered the percentage of hospitalizations and deaths .
The numbers in Houston , for example , are on the rise again but not dramatically and not as much as the numbers from the current hot spots – North Dakota , South Dakota , Wisconsin , Oklahoma , Utah , Arkansas , Missouri , Kansas , Nebraska , Montana , Puerto Rico , Minnesota .
I know the numbers will increase in Texas .
They ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it ’ s not going to be as bad as the rest of the country , but I just don ’ t know that for certain .
There ’ s nothing holding back the really sharp rise in most of the country , especially in the northern states , and I think it will go into the Northeast as well .
Right now it ’ s more of a flyover-state kind of problem .
By that I mean , it ’ s not as bad in New England , the Mid-Atlantic states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything in between — especially as you go into more northern latitudes — is really bad .
I think it ’ s going to be bad across the whole country , that the numbers are going to continue to increase .
I ’ m especially worried about some of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation predictions where they ’ re looking at 511,000 American deaths by February 28 .
It ’ s a horrible number — more than double what we have now .
The country is going into a very unstable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ ll have vaccines by next year .
But between now and then could be one of the worst periods of our epidemic , and it ’ s happening after everyone ’ s exhausted already from what ’ s been a horrible year .
I ’ m worried not only that people will get COVID-19 , but also about our mental health : Getting sad and depressed is a normal reaction to what ’ s going to be an even more stressful situation .
That probably lines up with what we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approaches .
As people move indoors and are inside more than during the warmer months , the virus will likely come roaring back in some places .
What is interesting is that scientists still don ’ t have answers that they can confidently deliver to questioners .
That is what has been so frustrating about this pandemic from the start – a lack of information and sometimes frequent reversals on what should and shouldn ’ t be done to mitigate the spread of the virus .
We are still experiencing mask wars between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not , for example .
Dr. Hotez , a man who is on record as a Trump administration critic , especially since the coronavirus task force didn ’ t use his suggestions on combatting the coronavirus he submitted to them earlier this year , had to take a shot at the lame-duck administration .
“ I also worry about the post-election period .
If the vote goes against the President , as many are predicting , I worry that a lame-duck executive branch of the federal government would leave people to feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how well the states will be able to respond is a big unknown.
” I can ’ t roll my eyes far enough back to respond to that nonsense .
President Trump and the administration have not abandoned their quest to battle the coronavirus .
That is Team Biden ’ s talking point .
Trump has had stellar success in many areas of the fight , including Operation Warp Speed which is helping to produce the very vaccine that has brought hope to the forefront today .

The good news about the success shown in the Pfizer vaccine data is just the boost our spirits need. The drugmaker is hopeful that an effective vaccine is on the horizon. This is also some very good news for hundreds of Texans who have been participating in Pfizer’s clinical trial.
Hundreds of Galveston area residents and workers must feel proud to participate in a clinical trial that likely has produced a vaccine that will be used in the battle of the coronavirus. If the vaccine proves to be the first to complete the trial process and receive approval for distribution, millions of Americans and others across the world will be beholden to them. If Joe Biden is going to frame face mask-wearing with patriotism, then clinical trial participants deserve some kind of special recognition – perhaps a certificate or plaque or something like that. We still have some months to go but there may be a light at the end of this nightmare and that is something we can all embrace. All of the 44,000 clinical trial participants for the Pfizer vaccine across the globe must be pleased today.
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in late July launched the Pfizer trial at three sites — on campus, League City and Clear Lake. It said then it hoped to enroll between 500 and 1,000 people. UTMB officials would not comment on the trial Monday, but one official said the institution has appointed a vaccine roll-out task force and begun gearing up for when the Food and Drug Administration approves the vaccine for use beyond trial participants. At that time, the first in the area to get the vaccine will be essential health care workers, said Dr. Janak Patel, director of UTMB’s department of infection control and health care epidemiology. He said high-risk people, such as people in nursing homes and seniors with chronic health conditions, would be next. “We’re excited, prepared to provide the vaccine, want to do it,” said Patel. “We just hope lots of people will want to get it.”
A vaccine scientist at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Peter Hotez, sounds cautiously optimistic. That is a good sign since he usually seems to present dark and gloomy predictions. He says the Pfizer news “looks like good news.” “It was written for Pfizer shareholders, not scientists, and the company still has a ways to go – determining whether the vaccine halts severe disease and proves to be safe — before the FDA grants emergency approval. But this appears to be an important first step.” Baylor is working on a different vaccine.
Dr. Hotez predicts a “scary and difficult” winter in Houston. Now that a wave of new COVID-19 cases is finding its way to places that flattened the curve, didn’t overwhelm their area hospitals, and have lowered the percentage of hospitalizations and deaths. The numbers in Houston, for example, are on the rise again but not dramatically and not as much as the numbers from the current hot spots – North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Utah, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, Puerto Rico, Minnesota.
I know the numbers will increase in Texas. They’ll accelerate. My secret hope is that it’s not going to be as bad as the rest of the country, but I just don’t know that for certain. There’s nothing holding back the really sharp rise in most of the country, especially in the northern states, and I think it will go into the Northeast as well. Right now it’s more of a flyover-state kind of problem. By that I mean, it’s not as bad in New England, the Mid-Atlantic states or on the West Coast, but everything in between — especially as you go into more northern latitudes — is really bad. I think it’s going to be bad across the whole country, that the numbers are going to continue to increase. I’m especially worried about some of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation predictions where they’re looking at 511,000 American deaths by February 28. It’s a horrible number — more than double what we have now. The country is going into a very unstable period. Things will get better. We’ll have vaccines by next year. But between now and then could be one of the worst periods of our epidemic, and it’s happening after everyone’s exhausted already from what’s been a horrible year. I’m worried not only that people will get COVID-19, but also about our mental health: Getting sad and depressed is a normal reaction to what’s going to be an even more stressful situation.
That probably lines up with what we’ve been told as the colder weather approaches. As people move indoors and are inside more than during the warmer months, the virus will likely come roaring back in some places. What is interesting is that scientists still don’t have answers that they can confidently deliver to questioners. That is what has been so frustrating about this pandemic from the start – a lack of information and sometimes frequent reversals on what should and shouldn’t be done to mitigate the spread of the virus. We are still experiencing mask wars between those who mask up and those who do not, for example.
Dr. Hotez, a man who is on record as a Trump administration critic, especially since the coronavirus task force didn’t use his suggestions on combatting the coronavirus he submitted to them earlier this year, had to take a shot at the lame-duck administration. “I also worry about the post-election period. If the vote goes against the President, as many are predicting, I worry that a lame-duck executive branch of the federal government would leave people to feel abandoned and on their own. And how well the states will be able to respond is a big unknown.”
I can’t roll my eyes far enough back to respond to that nonsense. President Trump and the administration have not abandoned their quest to battle the coronavirus. That is Team Biden’s talking point. Trump has had stellar success in many areas of the fight, including Operation Warp Speed which is helping to produce the very vaccine that has brought hope to the forefront today.


hotair--2020-11-09--Another report that Trump is talking about running again in 2024

I said most of what I have to say about this last Thursday but I ’ ll add here that I suspect his own aides are egging him on about this as a way to to get him to concede .
You can ’ t run in 2024 unless you accept that you ’ ve lost in 2020 , after all .
And getting Trump to accept that will be difficult , given his psychology .
His deputies ’ main job from now until January 20 will be “ mood management.
” Even in the best of times , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t care about American civic norms .
At the worst of times , after losing a national popularity contest to a politician without charisma whom he doesn ’ t respect , who knows what he might do ?
The Pentagon is apparently dealing with that perception abroad this afternoon : As for Trump , on to 2024 ?
President Trump has already told advisers he ’ s thinking about running for president again in 2024 , two sources familiar with the conversations tell Axios .
Why it matters : This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden — even as the president continues to falsely insist that he is the true winner , that there has been election fraud and that his team will fight to the end in the courts .
Be smart : Aides advising Republicans who are likely to run in 2024 are dreading the prospect of a Trump run given the extraordinary sway he holds over millions of GOP voters… That fact alone could freeze the ambitions , fundraising and staffing of individual candidates — and of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to regroup and move beyond Trump .
Without question , that ’ s the best thing about the prospect of a Trump 2024 campaign .
Whether or not he actually goes through with it , he ’ ll certainly tease the possibility to the very last moment — and by “ very last moment , ” I mean like the night before the 2024 Iowa caucus .
His instincts for drama and dominance will forbid him from standing aside early and encouraging others to get in the race .
Which means all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve kissed his ass over the past four years in order to improve their chances in the 2024 primary will be jammed up for the next four years .
Among hardcore Never Trumpers , the big failure of election night was that none of the president ’ s sycophants among the party ’ s leadership class paid any price .
Susan Collins , who rubber-stamped Trump ’ s impeachment acquittal , won in a waltz .
Thom Tillis , who opposed Trump ’ s “ emergency declaration ” to use defense funds to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reversed himself , should also win another term in North Carolina .
Lindsey Graham , Trump ’ s most loyal toady , crushed Democrat Jaime Harrison despite Harrison raising an unprecedented amount of money .
Trump himself was a bridge too far for American voters this time but the Trump cheerleading squad in the Senate paid no price .
Republicans even gained House seats .
But the reckoning that was averted on election night will finally come if he runs in 2024 , or even flirts with a run .
The loudest Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be stuck .
What do you do if you ’ re Ted Cruz , Josh Hawley , Tom Cotton , Ron DeSantis , or Nikki Haley , knowing that you ’ ll need to start making hires , raising money , and putting an organization together after the midterms if you want to run for president but also knowing that Trump could jump into the race at any time and squash your chances ?
It ’ s not like you can go ahead with the campaign and challenge him in the primary after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ disloyal.
” You ’ d be forced to attack his record .
You ’ d be accused of sabotaging the party ’ s chances in November by weakening him with your criticism .
Even if you were gung ho to do it , how many donors are likely to cut a check to you or to a Super PAC working on your behalf knowing that Trump might hold a grudge if they do so and could very well be in a position to act on that grudge depending on how the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party into a personality cult is that everything then depends on the whims of the cult leader .
Frankly , I wonder if Cruz et al .
would prefer that Trump declare his 2024 candidacy immediately so that they don ’ t end up going to the trouble of putting together a campaign only to have him blow them up on the launch pad .
But I don ’ t think he ’ ll do that .
Again , he loves drama and he craves chaos .
Better to keep everyone guessing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re hostages to his moment-to-moment whims .
They deserve every minute of it .
Just like his staffers at the White House deserve every minute of this : I don ’ t know how much leverage McEntee has in threatening people with termination who are going to be out of a job soon anyway .
Maybe the bubble they ’ re in inside the building has convinced some of them that Trump really is going to be handed a second term next month by the Supreme Court , but I doubt it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re taking McEntee ’ s threat as a promise that they ’ ll be blacklisted from jobs within the Republican Party in the future if they bail out now .
He ’ s the right man to make that threat , as his job for most of the past year has been to go sniffing around for “ disloyal ” bureaucrats and have them purged .
And given Trump ’ s sway over the GOP for the foreseeable future , he and his toadies really might be in a position to implement a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of USAID reminded his staff in a conference call today that “ DC , at the end of the day , is a really small town ” and that they should bear that in mind if they ’ re tempted to start behaving as if Trump lost .
The people in charge here are nasty , vindictive cultists who are fully capable of holding a grudge against those who conclude that they should start sending out resumes given what ’ s going to happen on January 20 .
But I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they deserve .
It ’ s not like the president didn ’ t warn them .
By the way , Lindsey Graham is also all-in on the “ Trump 2024 ” thing : In the last post I pointed out that Republican senators who ’ ve either just won reelection ( Ben Sasse , Susan Collins ) or represent states where they ’ re somewhat insulated from pressure by Trump ( Mitt Romney , Lisa Murkowski ) have been the first to acknowledge Biden ’ s victory .
Graham could be part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be : He just fended off the most well-funded Senate challenge in American history with ease , winning by 10 points , and he ’ s had a warm friendship with Joe Biden for many years .
One would think he ’ d feel a little more daring about accepting reality under those circumstances , but no .
Whether because he ’ s a thronesniffer by nature or because he ’ s already plotting out his 2026 race and mulling over how Trump might punish him then if he concedes Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stick to the “ fight on ” strategy no matter what it means for the country .
He ’ s one of the lowest , most self-interested careerists in the Senate , brimming with political instincts like hyper-interventionism that will harm the country long-term .
I can ’ t believe anyone doubted that he would win reelection easily .

I said most of what I have to say about this last Thursday but I’ll add here that I suspect his own aides are egging him on about this as a way to to get him to concede. You can’t run in 2024 unless you accept that you’ve lost in 2020, after all. And getting Trump to accept that will be difficult, given his psychology.
His deputies’ main job from now until January 20 will be “mood management.” Even in the best of times, Trump is an erratic, belligerent figure who doesn’t care about American civic norms. At the worst of times, after losing a national popularity contest to a politician without charisma whom he doesn’t respect, who knows what he might do?
The Pentagon is apparently dealing with that perception abroad this afternoon:
General Mark Milley,JCS chrm, held "tank" meeting with joint chiefs and combatant commanders around the world in the wake of Esper being fired, a senior US military official said. Mil officials will now call counterparts to assure them the US military maintains its stability. — Barbara Starr (@barbarastarrcnn) November 9, 2020
As for Trump, on to 2024?
President Trump has already told advisers he’s thinking about running for president again in 2024, two sources familiar with the conversations tell Axios. Why it matters: This is the clearest indication yet that Trump understands he has lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden — even as the president continues to falsely insist that he is the true winner, that there has been election fraud and that his team will fight to the end in the courts. Be smart: Aides advising Republicans who are likely to run in 2024 are dreading the prospect of a Trump run given the extraordinary sway he holds over millions of GOP voters… That fact alone could freeze the ambitions, fundraising and staffing of individual candidates — and of the Republican National Committee as it seeks to regroup and move beyond Trump.
Without question, that’s the best thing about the prospect of a Trump 2024 campaign. Whether or not he actually goes through with it, he’ll certainly tease the possibility to the very last moment — and by “very last moment,” I mean like the night before the 2024 Iowa caucus. His instincts for drama and dominance will forbid him from standing aside early and encouraging others to get in the race.
Which means all of the Republican senators and governors who’ve kissed his ass over the past four years in order to improve their chances in the 2024 primary will be jammed up for the next four years. Among hardcore Never Trumpers, the big failure of election night was that none of the president’s sycophants among the party’s leadership class paid any price. Susan Collins, who rubber-stamped Trump’s impeachment acquittal, won in a waltz. Thom Tillis, who opposed Trump’s “emergency declaration” to use defense funds to build the border wall and then cravenly reversed himself, should also win another term in North Carolina. Lindsey Graham, Trump’s most loyal toady, crushed Democrat Jaime Harrison despite Harrison raising an unprecedented amount of money. Trump himself was a bridge too far for American voters this time but the Trump cheerleading squad in the Senate paid no price. Republicans even gained House seats.
But the reckoning that was averted on election night will finally come if he runs in 2024, or even flirts with a run. The loudest Trump cheerleaders in the chamber and elsewhere will be stuck. What do you do if you’re Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Tom Cotton, Ron DeSantis, or Nikki Haley, knowing that you’ll need to start making hires, raising money, and putting an organization together after the midterms if you want to run for president but also knowing that Trump could jump into the race at any time and squash your chances?
It’s not like you can go ahead with the campaign and challenge him in the primary after he jumps in. That would be “disloyal.” You’d be forced to attack his record. You’d be accused of sabotaging the party’s chances in November by weakening him with your criticism.
Even if you were gung ho to do it, how many donors are likely to cut a check to you or to a Super PAC working on your behalf knowing that Trump might hold a grudge if they do so and could very well be in a position to act on that grudge depending on how the election goes?
The thing about turning your party into a personality cult is that everything then depends on the whims of the cult leader. Frankly, I wonder if Cruz et al. would prefer that Trump declare his 2024 candidacy immediately so that they don’t end up going to the trouble of putting together a campaign only to have him blow them up on the launch pad. But I don’t think he’ll do that. Again, he loves drama and he craves chaos. Better to keep everyone guessing, if only to remind them that they’re hostages to his moment-to-moment whims.
They deserve every minute of it. Just like his staffers at the White House deserve every minute of this:
According to a senior administration official, John McEntee, director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, is spreading the word throughout the administration that if he hears of anyone looking for another job they will be fired. — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 9, 2020
I don’t know how much leverage McEntee has in threatening people with termination who are going to be out of a job soon anyway. Maybe the bubble they’re in inside the building has convinced some of them that Trump really is going to be handed a second term next month by the Supreme Court, but I doubt it. More likely is that they’re taking McEntee’s threat as a promise that they’ll be blacklisted from jobs within the Republican Party in the future if they bail out now. He’s the right man to make that threat, as his job for most of the past year has been to go sniffing around for “disloyal” bureaucrats and have them purged. And given Trump’s sway over the GOP for the foreseeable future, he and his toadies really might be in a position to implement a blacklist. According to Axios, the head of USAID reminded his staff in a conference call today that “DC, at the end of the day, is a really small town” and that they should bear that in mind if they’re tempted to start behaving as if Trump lost. The people in charge here are nasty, vindictive cultists who are fully capable of holding a grudge against those who conclude that they should start sending out resumes given what’s going to happen on January 20.
But I’m glad. Again, it’s what they deserve. It’s not like the president didn’t warn them.
By the way, Lindsey Graham is also all-in on the “Trump 2024” thing:
Graham — during an interview with Fox News Radio’s “The Brian Kilmeade Show” — did not acknowledge that Trump lost this year’s election and instead said that if the president “falls short” he should “not let his movement die” and should “consider running again.” “I would encourage him to think about doing it,” Graham said, saying Trump should “create an organization, platforms over the next four years to keep his movement alive.” “Grover Cleveland came back. Donald Trump should think about it if he falls short,” Graham added, referring to the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms.
In the last post I pointed out that Republican senators who’ve either just won reelection (Ben Sasse, Susan Collins) or represent states where they’re somewhat insulated from pressure by Trump (Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski) have been the first to acknowledge Biden’s victory. Graham could be part of that group if he wanted to be: He just fended off the most well-funded Senate challenge in American history with ease, winning by 10 points, and he’s had a warm friendship with Joe Biden for many years. One would think he’d feel a little more daring about accepting reality under those circumstances, but no. Whether because he’s a thronesniffer by nature or because he’s already plotting out his 2026 race and mulling over how Trump might punish him then if he concedes Biden’s victory now, Graham’s going to stick to the “fight on” strategy no matter what it means for the country. He’s one of the lowest, most self-interested careerists in the Senate, brimming with political instincts like hyper-interventionism that will harm the country long-term. I can’t believe anyone doubted that he would win reelection easily.


hotair--2020-11-09--GSA top official refuses to approve funds for Biden's transition team

The administrator of the General Services Administration ( GSA ) has not signed the paperwork necessary to release millions of dollars earmarked for the Biden transition team .
The reason is a simple one .
By signing the paperwork , the agency ’ s administrator essentially acknowledges the election ’ s winner .
The GSA administrator , Emily Murphy , is a Trump appointee .
As of Monday morning , there is no indication that she will sign off on the release of the funding for the transition any time soon .
President Trump has not conceded the election so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to anyone , especially a long-time Swamp creature like Joe Biden .
Yet there are headlines about Murphy ’ s reluctance to sign off on the money because Team Biden is pressuring her office to do so immediately .
This kind of delay also happened in 2000 when the results of that election were contested .
This task that falls to the GSA administrator is not often recognized , as most post-presidential election transitions move smoothly through a traditional timeline .
She will “ sign paperwork officially turning over millions of dollars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials , office space in agencies and equipment authorized for the taxpayer-funded transition teams of the winner.
” At the present time , we have two men declaring victory .
The only ones who have declared a winner , the media , have no official role in this matter .
Thus , the headlines which call attention to the situation .
A lack of official funding hasn ’ t stopped the work of Team Biden .
They have almost brazenly taken the reins and are going about announcing policy decisions and constructing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president will sign to undo Trump ’ s policies .
This is how presidents govern now – through executive orders – because Congress is no more united than the American people are .
Joe Biden will follow the same pattern .
The funding will pay for salaries and travel .
The transition team already has space in the Commerce Department as provided by the Presidential Transitions Act .
Joe Biden made President Trump ’ s response to the coronavirus pandemic the main focus of his campaign and the virus is being used as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds .
Today Biden announced his coronavirus response team .
In other words , Biden is not so hamstrung right now that he can ’ t move ahead and get work done .
He gets the time on cable television to make his statements , including the time this morning for his plans on the coronavirus .
He ’ s still all talk on that subject , though , and not offering any new ideas that Trump isn ’ t already doing .
True to form , Biden is continuing to hold what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden doesn ’ t take any questions from the press .
He just says what he wants them to hear and then leaves .
So much for all that transparency , we ’ ve been promised .
Critics are concerned that the Trump administration may wait until December 14 when the electoral college votes or until his legal options are exhausted .
Sleepy Joe is determined to make good on his promise to hit the ground running .
He needs to show some vitality and reassure he is up to the job of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usually appears weak and feeble .
That is why his transition team is chomping at the bit and pressuring Ms. Murphy to sign the letter authorizing the release of the funds .
Biden ’ s staff is spitting out tweets fast and furiously as they have been doing .
It ’ s interesting that I ’ m not seeing Dr. Fauci ’ s name bantered around in Biden ’ s coronavirus talking points about his experts .
The funding is generous .
So are the perks for the transition team .
By declaring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election , the GSA administrator releases computer systems and money for salaries and administrative support for the mammoth undertaking of setting up a new government — $ 9.9 million this year .
Transition officials get government email addresses .
They get office space at every federal agency .
They can begin to work with the Office of Government Ethics to process financial disclosure and conflict-of-interest forms for their nominees .
And they get access to senior officials , both political appointees of the outgoing administration and career civil servants , who relay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects , upcoming deadlines , problem areas and risks .
The federal government is a $ 4.5 trillion operation , and while the Biden team is not new to government , the access is critical , experts said .
Each government agency has developed a plan to work with the Biden transition team , as is routine .
Ms. Murphy is in a tough spot right now but this , too , shall pass .
She is a seasoned professional who receives good reviews from both sides of the aisle .
Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government and politics for decades .
I ’ m sure they ’ ll survive just fine until the money is available to them .

The administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) has not signed the paperwork necessary to release millions of dollars earmarked for the Biden transition team. The reason is a simple one. By signing the paperwork, the agency’s administrator essentially acknowledges the election’s winner.
The GSA administrator, Emily Murphy, is a Trump appointee. As of Monday morning, there is no indication that she will sign off on the release of the funding for the transition any time soon. President Trump has not conceded the election so this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, especially a long-time Swamp creature like Joe Biden. Yet there are headlines about Murphy’s reluctance to sign off on the money because Team Biden is pressuring her office to do so immediately. This kind of delay also happened in 2000 when the results of that election were contested.
This task that falls to the GSA administrator is not often recognized, as most post-presidential election transitions move smoothly through a traditional timeline. She will “sign paperwork officially turning over millions of dollars, as well as give access to government officials, office space in agencies and equipment authorized for the taxpayer-funded transition teams of the winner.” At the present time, we have two men declaring victory. The only ones who have declared a winner, the media, have no official role in this matter. Thus, the headlines which call attention to the situation.
A lack of official funding hasn’t stopped the work of Team Biden. They have almost brazenly taken the reins and are going about announcing policy decisions and constructing a list of executive orders that the next president will sign to undo Trump’s policies. This is how presidents govern now – through executive orders – because Congress is no more united than the American people are. Joe Biden will follow the same pattern.
“No agency head is going to get out in front of the president on transition issues right now,” said one senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. The official predicted that agency heads will be told not to talk to the Biden team.
The funding will pay for salaries and travel. The transition team already has space in the Commerce Department as provided by the Presidential Transitions Act. Joe Biden made President Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic the main focus of his campaign and the virus is being used as an excuse for a quicker release of funds. Today Biden announced his coronavirus response team. In other words, Biden is not so hamstrung right now that he can’t move ahead and get work done. He gets the time on cable television to make his statements, including the time this morning for his plans on the coronavirus. He’s still all talk on that subject, though, and not offering any new ideas that Trump isn’t already doing. True to form, Biden is continuing to hold what this staff call a press conference yet Biden doesn’t take any questions from the press. He just says what he wants them to hear and then leaves. So much for all that transparency, we’ve been promised.
Critics are concerned that the Trump administration may wait until December 14 when the electoral college votes or until his legal options are exhausted. Sleepy Joe is determined to make good on his promise to hit the ground running. He needs to show some vitality and reassure he is up to the job of leader of the free world because he usually appears weak and feeble. That is why his transition team is chomping at the bit and pressuring Ms. Murphy to sign the letter authorizing the release of the funds.
Biden’s staff is spitting out tweets fast and furiously as they have been doing. It’s interesting that I’m not seeing Dr. Fauci’s name bantered around in Biden’s coronavirus talking points about his experts.
Today, I have named a COVID-19 Transition Advisory Board, comprised of distinguished public health experts, to help our transition team translate the Biden-Harris COVID-19 plan into a blueprint we can put into place as soon as @KamalaHarris and I are sworn into office. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 9, 2020
My COVID-19 Transition Advisory Board will advise on detailed plans built on a bedrock of science, and that keep compassion, empathy, and care for every American at its core. — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 9, 2020
The funding is generous. So are the perks for the transition team.
By declaring the “apparent winner” of a presidential election, the GSA administrator releases computer systems and money for salaries and administrative support for the mammoth undertaking of setting up a new government — $9.9 million this year. Transition officials get government email addresses. They get office space at every federal agency. They can begin to work with the Office of Government Ethics to process financial disclosure and conflict-of-interest forms for their nominees. And they get access to senior officials, both political appointees of the outgoing administration and career civil servants, who relay an agency’s ongoing priorities and projects, upcoming deadlines, problem areas and risks. The federal government is a $4.5 trillion operation, and while the Biden team is not new to government, the access is critical, experts said.
Each government agency has developed a plan to work with the Biden transition team, as is routine. Ms. Murphy is in a tough spot right now but this, too, shall pass. She is a seasoned professional who receives good reviews from both sides of the aisle. Biden and many of this team have been in government and politics for decades. I’m sure they’ll survive just fine until the money is available to them.


hotair--2020-11-09--Whoopi Goldberg to Republicans: 'Suck it up like we sucked it up'

Say what , Whoopi ?
I guess partisan memories fade fast .
Today on the View , co-host Whoopi Goldberg went on a rant demanding that Republicans stop questioning the outcome of the election and instead “ suck it up.
” According to Whoopi , that ’ s how Democrats handled it in 2016 .
“ I want to say to all those people who don ’ t believe that Americans got out and voted , let me say this to you , ” Whoopi said .
She continued , “ When you-know-who was elected four years ago , Hillary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wait a minute , this doesn ’ t feel right .
Stop the count.
’ She didn ’ t say ‘ This isn ’ t right , I ’ m not going for it.
’ She didn ’ t say any of that .
So all of you , suck it up .
Suck it up like we sucked it up.
” She went on to say , “ How dare you question it.
” Um , yeah .
Okay .
Should the GOP do it just like Democrats did ?
Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump won in 2016 there were protests around the country , some of which turned into riots .
And do you know what the slogan was that was chanted and spread online in connection with these protests ?
Here ’ s a hint from Nov 10 , 2016 : “ We .
Reject .
The President-elect.
” The Today show labeled these the “ Not my president ” protests because that was the common thread .
In this clip you ’ ll see people burning Trump hats , burning Trump in effigy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is more than two months before he even took office .
Is this what sucking it up looks like , Whoopi ?
That energy to immediately reject the results of the election never went away , it just mutated into the resistance .
NY Times columnist Paul Krugman called Trump ’ s victory “ illegitimate ” because of Russian interference in the election .
And because it was illegitimate , more than 50 Democrats said they would not attend Trump ’ s inauguration .
Is that what sucking it up looks like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left went beyond not showing up .
There were calls by Michael Moore and others to disrupt Trump ’ s inauguration .
And sure enough that ’ s what happened .
There were destructive protests in Washington , DC and efforts to interfere in the event itself by a group called Disrupt J20 .
A limousine was set on fire in front of the Washington Post ’ s offices .
And the day after the inauguration was the Women ’ s March in which literally hundreds of thousands of people came out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a carryover from the election protests months earlier : “ Not my president !
Not my president !
” Again , is this what sucking it up looks like , Whoopi ?
A few months later a deranged Bernie Sanders supporter attempted to murder a group of GOP congressman and Senators at a baseball practice in Alexandria , VA and would have succeeded if not for the security detail on hand to protect Rep. Steve Scalise .
Around this same time there were numerous other threats reported against GOP lawmakers .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to do with Hillary Clinton .
And here it ’ s true that Clinton did concede the election , but it ’ s also true that she spent the next year offering various explanations for her loss .
She blamed so many factors , including the presumption she would win , that it was actually hard to keep track of them all .
This never really went away .
In fact , last May Hillary claimed that you can run a good campaign and still have the election “ stolen ” from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt what she meant , last September she gave an interview calling Trump an “ illegitimate ” president .
I ’ m not even going to get into the two full years of Democrats promising proof of collusion with Russia , all of which seems to have been motivated by a not-so-secret desire to remove Trump from office because most Democrats never really accepted his win .
I also won ’ t delve into the months of talk about Trump ’ s mental fitness which similarly seemed aimed at a 25th Amendment solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perused and then never mentioned during the campaign .
But let ’ s just say the idea that Democrats sucked it up is a little hard to accept .

Say what, Whoopi? I guess partisan memories fade fast. Today on the View, co-host Whoopi Goldberg went on a rant demanding that Republicans stop questioning the outcome of the election and instead “suck it up.” According to Whoopi, that’s how Democrats handled it in 2016.
“I want to say to all those people who don’t believe that Americans got out and voted, let me say this to you,” Whoopi said. She continued, “When you-know-who was elected four years ago, Hillary Clinton didn’t say ‘Hey, wait a minute, this doesn’t feel right. Stop the count.’ She didn’t say ‘This isn’t right, I’m not going for it.’ She didn’t say any of that. So all of you, suck it up. Suck it up like we sucked it up.”
She went on to say, “How dare you question it.”
Um, yeah. Okay. Should the GOP do it just like Democrats did? Because what I recall was that immediately after Trump won in 2016 there were protests around the country, some of which turned into riots. And do you know what the slogan was that was chanted and spread online in connection with these protests? Here’s a hint from Nov 10, 2016: “We. Reject. The President-elect.”
The Today show labeled these the “Not my president” protests because that was the common thread. In this clip you’ll see people burning Trump hats, burning Trump in effigy and carrying signs calling for his impeachment. This is more than two months before he even took office. Is this what sucking it up looks like, Whoopi?
That energy to immediately reject the results of the election never went away, it just mutated into the resistance. NY Times columnist Paul Krugman called Trump’s victory “illegitimate” because of Russian interference in the election.
So this was a tainted election. It was not, as far as we can tell, stolen in the sense that votes were counted wrong, and the result won’t be overturned. But the result was nonetheless illegitimate in important ways; the victor was rejected by the public, and won the Electoral College only thanks to foreign intervention and grotesquely inappropriate, partisan behavior on the part of domestic law enforcement.
And because it was illegitimate, more than 50 Democrats said they would not attend Trump’s inauguration. Is that what sucking it up looks like, Whoopi?
But many on the left went beyond not showing up. There were calls by Michael Moore and others to disrupt Trump’s inauguration. And sure enough that’s what happened. There were destructive protests in Washington, DC and efforts to interfere in the event itself by a group called Disrupt J20. A limousine was set on fire in front of the Washington Post’s offices.
Someone set the limo on fire. pic.twitter.com/y4AFr5HNjk — Matt Pearce 🦅 (@mattdpearce) January 20, 2017
And the day after the inauguration was the Women’s March in which literally hundreds of thousands of people came out to protest President Trump. But the message was a carryover from the election protests months earlier: “Not my president! Not my president!”
https://youtu.be/SPDw_TjwuOc?t=85
Again, is this what sucking it up looks like, Whoopi?
A few months later a deranged Bernie Sanders supporter attempted to murder a group of GOP congressman and Senators at a baseball practice in Alexandria, VA and would have succeeded if not for the security detail on hand to protect Rep. Steve Scalise. Around this same time there were numerous other threats reported against GOP lawmakers.
The other part of Whoopi’s rant had to do with Hillary Clinton. And here it’s true that Clinton did concede the election, but it’s also true that she spent the next year offering various explanations for her loss. She blamed so many factors, including the presumption she would win, that it was actually hard to keep track of them all.
This never really went away. In fact, last May Hillary claimed that you can run a good campaign and still have the election “stolen” from you. In case there was any doubt what she meant, last September she gave an interview calling Trump an “illegitimate” president.
I’m not even going to get into the two full years of Democrats promising proof of collusion with Russia, all of which seems to have been motivated by a not-so-secret desire to remove Trump from office because most Democrats never really accepted his win. I also won’t delve into the months of talk about Trump’s mental fitness which similarly seemed aimed at a 25th Amendment solution to removing Trump or the impeachment Democrats perused and then never mentioned during the campaign. But let’s just say the idea that Democrats sucked it up is a little hard to accept.


hotair--2020-11-09--Loeffler and Perdue call on GA secretary of state to resign over election, not even pretending they

Loeffler and Perdue call on GA secretary of state to resign over election, not even pretending they have evidence of fraud

On Friday I divided Republicans into three groups in their reactions to Biden ’ s victory .
One is the group that no longer has anything to lose by crossing Trump and therefore is free to acknowledge either that Biden won or that there ’ s no evidence of widespread fraud going on .
Pat Toomey and Chris Christie are in that group , as is Mitt Romney .
This afternoon Susan Collins joined , having just won another six-year term in Maine and run far ahead of Trump there : Ben Sasse , also freshly reelected , hopped aboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congratulate the next president , Joe Biden , and the next vice president , Kamala Harris .
Today in our house we pray for both President Trump and President-Elect Biden , that both would be wise in the execution of their respective duties during this important time in our nation.
” The second group , which includes most of the Senate GOP ( for now ) , are the people trying to thread a needle between appeasing Trump fans and not giving credence to Trump ’ s wild claims of massive fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ weaselly bromides about counting every legal ballot , Trump having the right to pursue fraud claims in court — stuff that everyone agrees with and therefore doesn ’ t need to be said , but which signals a certain small degree of doubt about the outcome that leaves them momentarily neutral about who won .
Mitch McConnell , appropriately , is the chief spokesman for that group : Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp is part of it as well : McConnell is worried , as always , about Senate elections .
He has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll decide control of the chamber and he ’ s in a jam .
If he goes all in on Trump ’ s “ election hoax ” claim , it ’ ll piss off Democrats and maybe swing voters in GA .
If he swats down Trump ’ s claim , it ’ ll piss off Trump fans there whom he needs to turn out .
The only way to navigate that is through ambivalence .
Then there ’ s the third group , the people who have reason to fear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obliged to indulge in whatever fantasies he and they insist upon , which brings us to the subject of this post .
This joint statement from Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue , the two Republican candidates in the Georgia runoff , is an almost perfect statement of Trumpy “ unfairness.
” There ’ s no claim whatsoever here that something illegal happened in Georgia .
The claim is simply that the outcome went the wrong way , therefore something must have been amiss , therefore the Republican secretary of state should resign in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example of loyalty to the leader requiring the substitution of a more palatable reality for actual reality .
Raffensperger replied with this statement , to his credit .
Were there any irregularities , he says ?
Sure , as there always are in elections , and his office is investigating all of them .
Were there enough irregularities to change the outcome ?
“ That is unlikely.
” The lieutenant governor of Georgia , also a Republican , said just a few hours ago that he ’ s seen no evidence of wrongdoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia is actually *more* transparent than most states in its vote-counting because it provides regular updates on how many ballots are outstanding in each county .
But it doesn ’ t matter .
In a loyalty cult , the important thing is to signal loyalty .
That ’ s what Loeffler and Perdue are doing even though it ’ s … tricky to ask people to turn out for you while you ’ re also telling them that the electoral system in your state can ’ t be trusted to count their votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ *will* turn out to vote despite their own party ’ s efforts to convince them that their ballots will be nullified by fraud because , again , the point of this song-and-dance isn ’ t really to convince anyone that Biden cheated .
It ’ s to give a man and a movement that make a fetish of “ dominance ” a way to save face by claiming that they ’ ve never actually been defeated .
They remain the voice of The People , whatever The People may have to say about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” stuff is just a face-saving exercise , not a serious allegation of wrongdoing , then sure , Georgians will absolutely turn out to cast their ballots .
McConnell ’ s counting on it .
Cracks are starting to show in the pretense , though .
This is noteworthy : Fox News was airing Kayleigh McEnany ’ s press conference this afternoon and Neil Cavuto pulled out of it , insisting that he ’ d need to see some hard evidence to justify keeping it on the air : That ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Will you get on the team and accept the president ’ s bare allegations of massive fraud in multiple states to the tune of hundreds of thousands of illegal votes ?
Or will you demand evidence that ’ ll stand up in court ?
How much reality are you willing to deny to prove your allegiance ?
One last point .
It ’ d be one thing if Trump had been a good sport about defeats in the past ; in that case we might listen to him crying foul now and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like him .
Maybe he really does have evidence of cheating.
” But the truth is the opposite .
What he ’ s doing right now is him to a tee .
Remember this from 2016 ?
He can ’ t cope psychologically with losing because it puncture his “ dominance ” myth so he invents tales of cheating to comfort himself and keep his fans on side .
For an absurd example , read this NYT piece about him complaining over the years how unfair and political the Emmys are because “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days before the election , McKay Coppins published this piece quoting Democrats who anticipated the strategy Trump is pursuing at this very moment to try to discredit a Biden victory .
“ The goal here is really not producing evidence that stands up for any length of time , ” said one to him .
“ They ’ re interested in sowing just enough doubt … to develop this narrative of fraud—not only so that he can contest the election , not only so that he can refuse to concede a loss , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his supporters will remain embittered and be able to say the results were illegitimate.
” He ’ d be doing the same thing even if the polls had been right and Biden had won in an eight-point landslide .
The fraud claims would be slightly more ridiculous in that case because of the margin but he ’ d still pursue them , having no reason not to .
The goal is to save face .
Say “ I was cheated ” enough times and some people who like you will play along .

On Friday I divided Republicans into three groups in their reactions to Biden’s victory. One is the group that no longer has anything to lose by crossing Trump and therefore is free to acknowledge either that Biden won or that there’s no evidence of widespread fraud going on. Pat Toomey and Chris Christie are in that group, as is Mitt Romney. This afternoon Susan Collins joined, having just won another six-year term in Maine and run far ahead of Trump there:
Susan Collins congratulates Biden, calls him “president-elect:” “I understand that the President and others have questions about the results in certain states. There is a process in place to challenge those results and…the President should be afforded the opportunity to do so” pic.twitter.com/PbTaukYNd3 — Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 9, 2020
Ben Sasse, also freshly reelected, hopped aboard as well: “Melissa and I congratulate the next president, Joe Biden, and the next vice president, Kamala Harris. Today in our house we pray for both President Trump and President-Elect Biden, that both would be wise in the execution of their respective duties during this important time in our nation.”
The second group, which includes most of the Senate GOP (for now), are the people trying to thread a needle between appeasing Trump fans and not giving credence to Trump’s wild claims of massive fraud. Members of this group typically resort to weaselly bromides about counting every legal ballot, Trump having the right to pursue fraud claims in court — stuff that everyone agrees with and therefore doesn’t need to be said, but which signals a certain small degree of doubt about the outcome that leaves them momentarily neutral about who won. Mitch McConnell, appropriately, is the chief spokesman for that group:
McConnell backs Trump's refusal to concede the election. pic.twitter.com/3N36z1gXXL — TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) November 9, 2020
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is part of it as well:
Georgia's election result will include legally cast ballots – and ONLY legally cast ballots. Period. pic.twitter.com/ldgxvOysPj — Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) November 9, 2020
McConnell is worried, as always, about Senate elections. He has two runoffs coming up in Georgia that’ll decide control of the chamber and he’s in a jam. If he goes all in on Trump’s “election hoax” claim, it’ll piss off Democrats and maybe swing voters in GA. If he swats down Trump’s claim, it’ll piss off Trump fans there whom he needs to turn out. The only way to navigate that is through ambivalence.
Then there’s the third group, the people who have reason to fear the president or his fans and thus feel obliged to indulge in whatever fantasies he and they insist upon, which brings us to the subject of this post. This joint statement from Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, the two Republican candidates in the Georgia runoff, is an almost perfect statement of Trumpy “unfairness.” There’s no claim whatsoever here that something illegal happened in Georgia. The claim is simply that the outcome went the wrong way, therefore something must have been amiss, therefore the Republican secretary of state should resign in disgrace. It’s a supreme example of loyalty to the leader requiring the substitution of a more palatable reality for actual reality.
LOEFFLER and PERDUE jointly attack the Republican secretary of state in Georgia. pic.twitter.com/IjHWgLbOCJ — Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) November 9, 2020
Raffensperger replied with this statement, to his credit. Were there any irregularities, he says? Sure, as there always are in elections, and his office is investigating all of them. Were there enough irregularities to change the outcome? “That is unlikely.”
The response from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger: “Let me start by saying that is not going to happen. The voters of Georgia hired me, and the voters will be the one to fire me.” #gapol pic.twitter.com/ZBXv4G4gHO — Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) November 9, 2020
The lieutenant governor of Georgia, also a Republican, said just a few hours ago that he’s seen no evidence of wrongdoing there. Nate Silver pointed out that Georgia is actually *more* transparent than most states in its vote-counting because it provides regular updates on how many ballots are outstanding in each county. But it doesn’t matter. In a loyalty cult, the important thing is to signal loyalty. That’s what Loeffler and Perdue are doing even though it’s … tricky to ask people to turn out for you while you’re also telling them that the electoral system in your state can’t be trusted to count their votes fairly.
I think Republicans in Georgia *will* turn out to vote despite their own party’s efforts to convince them that their ballots will be nullified by fraud because, again, the point of this song-and-dance isn’t really to convince anyone that Biden cheated. It’s to give a man and a movement that make a fetish of “dominance” a way to save face by claiming that they’ve never actually been defeated. They remain the voice of The People, whatever The People may have to say about it. If the “voter fraud” stuff is just a face-saving exercise, not a serious allegation of wrongdoing, then sure, Georgians will absolutely turn out to cast their ballots. McConnell’s counting on it.
Cracks are starting to show in the pretense, though. This is noteworthy:
https://twitter.com/christoq/status/1325854746234646528
Fox News was airing Kayleigh McEnany’s press conference this afternoon and Neil Cavuto pulled out of it, insisting that he’d need to see some hard evidence to justify keeping it on the air:
Watch the moment Fox News cut away from Press Sec. McEnany: pic.twitter.com/SwW9cq9bJI — The Recount (@therecount) November 9, 2020
That’s the “loyalty test” in a nutshell. Will you get on the team and accept the president’s bare allegations of massive fraud in multiple states to the tune of hundreds of thousands of illegal votes? Or will you demand evidence that’ll stand up in court? How much reality are you willing to deny to prove your allegiance?
One last point. It’d be one thing if Trump had been a good sport about defeats in the past; in that case we might listen to him crying foul now and say, “That’s not like him. Maybe he really does have evidence of cheating.” But the truth is the opposite. What he’s doing right now is him to a tee. Remember this from 2016?
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/694879900256354304
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/694890328273346560
He can’t cope psychologically with losing because it puncture his “dominance” myth so he invents tales of cheating to comfort himself and keep his fans on side. For an absurd example, read this NYT piece about him complaining over the years how unfair and political the Emmys are because “The Apprentice” never won. Three days before the election, McKay Coppins published this piece quoting Democrats who anticipated the strategy Trump is pursuing at this very moment to try to discredit a Biden victory. “The goal here is really not producing evidence that stands up for any length of time,” said one to him. “They’re interested in sowing just enough doubt … to develop this narrative of fraud—not only so that he can contest the election, not only so that he can refuse to concede a loss, but also so that some portion of his supporters will remain embittered and be able to say the results were illegitimate.” He’d be doing the same thing even if the polls had been right and Biden had won in an eight-point landslide. The fraud claims would be slightly more ridiculous in that case because of the margin but he’d still pursue them, having no reason not to. The goal is to save face. Say “I was cheated” enough times and some people who like you will play along.


hotair--2020-11-09--Democrats may lose 3 California seats they flipped in 2018

I wrote about one of these seats Friday because the person who eventually wins will be my representative in Congress .
But yesterday the NY Times pointed out that Democrats are actually in danger of losing three seats in California that they managed to flip in 2018 .
The margins in these races are still razor thin but it looks like a good bet that at least two of the three are about to flip back to the GOP : Three Democrats who flipped GOP-held seats in the blue wave , Reps. Gil Cisneros and Harley Rouda of Orange County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all behind on election day and have seen the gap grow , not shrink , since then .
Another Democrat in a closely watched race , Assembly member Christy Smith of Santa Clarita ( Los Angeles County ) , held an election night lead , only to quickly lose it to GOP Rep. Mike Garcia .
All the races remain close with tens of thousands of ballots still uncounted .
Garcia , for example , held only a 432-vote edge over Smith on Sunday… “ We ’ re encouraged by the early results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of votes yet to be counted , ” said Andrew Renteria , a spokesperson for former GOP Rep. David Valadao of Hanford ( Kings County ) , who had a 4,500-vote lead over Cox on Sunday .
In 2018 , Cox took Valadao ’ s seat by 862 votes in a race that wasn ’ t decided until nearly a month after election day .
But this year , instead of a steady flow of Democrat-favoring numbers , Valadao has seen his lead grow by more than 1,500 votes since Thursday… Cox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where they said more than 25,000 ballots in the race remained uncounted on Saturday .
But Kern County , like Tulare and Kings counties , backed Trump on election day .
Of the four counties in Cox ’ s 21st congressional district , Biden won only Fresno County .
As of the moment I ’ m writing this , Republican Valadao is leading TJ Cox by 4,570 votes with 83 % of the vote in .
If the remainder of the vote is largely in Kern County then Valadao is probably going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is over .
Also in trouble this year is Democrat Harley Rouda .
With 98 % of the vote reported , Republican Michelle Steel leads by 6,973 votes .
That ’ s about double the lead she held last week .
That pattern , where Republican votes filter in later , has been repeated across the country this year because Democrats pushed their voters to vote early while Republicans were far more likely to vote on election day .
The third close race where Republicans might steal a seat back from Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Republican Young Kim is leading Democrat Gil Cisneros by 3,095 votes with 98 percent reporting .
However , the Times points out that in this case the outstanding votes probably come from LA County : Finally , the race mentioned above in California ’ s 25th district pits Republican Mike Garcia is currently leading Democrat Christy Smith .
Garcia is currently leading by 432 votes with 94 % of the vote recorded but in this case , that margin could shrink : If Republicans win all 4 seats they would have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they lose in CA-25 that would bring it back to +7 .
Whatever the case , it ’ s far better than the +10-12 gain for Democrats that was anticipated this year .

I wrote about one of these seats Friday because the person who eventually wins will be my representative in Congress. But yesterday the NY Times pointed out that Democrats are actually in danger of losing three seats in California that they managed to flip in 2018. The margins in these races are still razor thin but it looks like a good bet that at least two of the three are about to flip back to the GOP:
Three Democrats who flipped GOP-held seats in the blue wave, Reps. Gil Cisneros and Harley Rouda of Orange County and TJ Cox of Fresno, were all behind on election day and have seen the gap grow, not shrink, since then. Another Democrat in a closely watched race, Assembly member Christy Smith of Santa Clarita (Los Angeles County), held an election night lead, only to quickly lose it to GOP Rep. Mike Garcia. All the races remain close with tens of thousands of ballots still uncounted. Garcia, for example, held only a 432-vote edge over Smith on Sunday… “We’re encouraged by the early results, but we know there are a lot of votes yet to be counted,” said Andrew Renteria, a spokesperson for former GOP Rep. David Valadao of Hanford (Kings County), who had a 4,500-vote lead over Cox on Sunday. In 2018, Cox took Valadao’s seat by 862 votes in a race that wasn’t decided until nearly a month after election day. But this year, instead of a steady flow of Democrat-favoring numbers, Valadao has seen his lead grow by more than 1,500 votes since Thursday… Cox’s team pointed to Kern County, where they said more than 25,000 ballots in the race remained uncounted on Saturday. But Kern County, like Tulare and Kings counties, backed Trump on election day. Of the four counties in Cox’s 21st congressional district, Biden won only Fresno County.
As of the moment I’m writing this, Republican Valadao is leading TJ Cox by 4,570 votes with 83% of the vote in. If the remainder of the vote is largely in Kern County then Valadao is probably going to increase his lead a bit before this is over.
Also in trouble this year is Democrat Harley Rouda. With 98% of the vote reported, Republican Michelle Steel leads by 6,973 votes. That’s about double the lead she held last week.
That pattern, where Republican votes filter in later, has been repeated across the country this year because Democrats pushed their voters to vote early while Republicans were far more likely to vote on election day.
The third close race where Republicans might steal a seat back from Democrats is in California’s 39th district. Republican Young Kim is leading Democrat Gil Cisneros by 3,095 votes with 98 percent reporting. However, the Times points out that in this case the outstanding votes probably come from LA County:
While 60% of the district’s voters are in Orange County, where the count was nearly complete, there were still plenty of uncounted ballots in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
Finally, the race mentioned above in California’s 25th district pits Republican Mike Garcia is currently leading Democrat Christy Smith. Garcia is currently leading by 432 votes with 94% of the vote recorded but in this case, that margin could shrink:
The more than 600,000 ballots left to count in all of Los Angeles County, which has 82% of the district’s voters, has Democrats thinking Smith can overtake Garcia and flip that seat from the Republicans.
If Republicans win all 4 seats they would have a +8 gain this year, though if they lose in CA-25 that would bring it back to +7. Whatever the case, it’s far better than the +10-12 gain for Democrats that was anticipated this year.


hotair--2020-11-09--Ossoff claims Democrats 'have the wind at our backs' in Georgia Senate races

At this moment , Joe Biden leads the presidential vote in Georgia by 10,647 votes out of nearly 5 million cast .
Meanwhile , both Georgia senate races will be heading for runoff elections because no candidate reached the 50 % threshold required by Georgia law .
As things now stand , winning those two races would create a 50-50 split in the Senate which would hand control of the chamber to the Democrats .
Democrat Jon Ossoff , who is trailing in his Senate race to Republican David Perdue by about 90,000 votes , say Democrats now have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a huge sense of enthusiasm and momentum here in Georgia right now , ” he said .
He added , “ Now to have two Senate runoffs for Senate control with so much at stake , with this virus still raging out of control , with an urgent need to get economic and financial relief to families in my state and across the country— we have the wind at our backs and a great sense of promise and opportunity here.
” “ Now with two Senate runoffs in a single state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the people of this state and this country want a government that will respond properly and in a focused and coherent way to this pandemic , ” Ossoff said .
Ossoff kept repeating that same basic talking point when challenged , so I think it ’ s fair to say that ’ s what Democrats are planning to run with , at least as of now .
The message is going to be : Give us the Senate so we can stop the virus .
It ’ s a lot easier to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , as of today in fact , that a workable vaccine is on the horizon .
But guess what , that vaccine is going to roll out just as quickly if Republicans control the Senate .
So , no , an effective response to the pandemic does not depend on these races .
Unfortunately , CNN didn ’ t challenge him on that point but Democrats will be challenged on it by others over the next two months .
This election isn ’ t even over yet and we ’ re already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to decide the fate of the Senate .
Politico reported last week that donors are already lining up on both sides : With the stakes so high , the state is likely to see tens of millions of dollars pour in from small donors and super PACs from both parties ahead of the Jan. 5 runoffs .
Already , high-dollar donors have begun lining up behind an effort to pour resources into the Georgia races , according to several Democratic donors and donor advisers , who described a flurry of phone calls on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-abortion group Women Speak Out PAC announced a $ 4 million expenditure on Thursday for the two races , for example , and the traditional GOP apparatus is already soliciting contributions .
“ The fate of the Senate Majority is on the line in Georgia .
If you don ’ t step up now , Schumer and the Dems take control , ” the National Republican Senatorial Committee wrote in a text message to donors Thursday afternoon , with a link to the committee ’ s donation page… And Democrats see the twin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after they failed to live up to expectations in other battleground states during this cycle .
Bottom line : It ’ s going to be pretty hard for Joe Biden to sell his unity message when we ’ re not done fighting yet and won ’ t be until January .
Here ’ s the Ossoff interview on CNN .

At this moment, Joe Biden leads the presidential vote in Georgia by 10,647 votes out of nearly 5 million cast. Meanwhile, both Georgia senate races will be heading for runoff elections because no candidate reached the 50% threshold required by Georgia law. As things now stand, winning those two races would create a 50-50 split in the Senate which would hand control of the chamber to the Democrats.
Democrat Jon Ossoff, who is trailing in his Senate race to Republican David Perdue by about 90,000 votes, say Democrats now have the wind at their backs. “There’s a huge sense of enthusiasm and momentum here in Georgia right now,” he said. He added, “Now to have two Senate runoffs for Senate control with so much at stake, with this virus still raging out of control, with an urgent need to get economic and financial relief to families in my state and across the country— we have the wind at our backs and a great sense of promise and opportunity here.”
“Now with two Senate runoffs in a single state, this is the moment to demonstrate that the people of this state and this country want a government that will respond properly and in a focused and coherent way to this pandemic,” Ossoff said.
Ossoff kept repeating that same basic talking point when challenged, so I think it’s fair to say that’s what Democrats are planning to run with, at least as of now. The message is going to be: Give us the Senate so we can stop the virus.
It’s a lot easier to make a promise like that when you know, as of today in fact, that a workable vaccine is on the horizon. But guess what, that vaccine is going to roll out just as quickly if Republicans control the Senate. So, no, an effective response to the pandemic does not depend on these races. Unfortunately, CNN didn’t challenge him on that point but Democrats will be challenged on it by others over the next two months.
This election isn’t even over yet and we’re already headed in to a new, mini-election to decide the fate of the Senate. Politico reported last week that donors are already lining up on both sides:
With the stakes so high, the state is likely to see tens of millions of dollars pour in from small donors and super PACs from both parties ahead of the Jan. 5 runoffs. Already, high-dollar donors have begun lining up behind an effort to pour resources into the Georgia races, according to several Democratic donors and donor advisers, who described a flurry of phone calls on the matter to refocus funds. The anti-abortion group Women Speak Out PAC announced a $4 million expenditure on Thursday for the two races, for example, and the traditional GOP apparatus is already soliciting contributions. “The fate of the Senate Majority is on the line in Georgia. If you don’t step up now, Schumer and the Dems take control,” the National Republican Senatorial Committee wrote in a text message to donors Thursday afternoon, with a link to the committee’s donation page… And Democrats see the twin races as a chance for redemption, after they failed to live up to expectations in other battleground states during this cycle.
Bottom line: It’s going to be pretty hard for Joe Biden to sell his unity message when we’re not done fighting yet and won’t be until January. Here’s the Ossoff interview on CNN.


hotair--2020-11-09--As expected: Trump fires Defense Secretary Mark Esper; <span class='red'>Update: I was no "yes man,"

As expected: Trump fires Defense Secretary Mark Esper; Update: I was no "yes man," says Esper

One never knows whether an official who ’ s been “ fired ” by Trump was actually fired or whether they resigned and Trump then retconned their departure as a firing to preserve his image of “ dominance.
” ( Ask John Bolton about that . )
It was reported a few days ago that Mark Esper had prepared a letter of resignation , potentially to be submitted at some as yet undetermined time .
But I tend to think Trump really did pull the trigger on this one .
For one thing , rumors have been swirling for more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Chris Wray and Gina Haspel ) was in his crosshairs .
And Esper presumably would have stayed on for the final 70 days of Trump ’ s administration simply as a matter of duty , to ensure stability at the top of the Pentagon .
If he “ resigned , ” it must have been that his resignation was demanded .
Trump probably needs a few firings at this point to soothe him after losing the election .
It ’ s deeply weird for a lame-duck president to dump a top cabinet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the clock but everything happening around Trump right now is a function of his feelings having been hurt by the electorate .
It ’ ll make him feel better to humiliate deputies who weren ’ t abject toadies for him during his presidency .
I ’ ve lost track of what Esper said or did to make Trump hold a grudge against him .
Reportedly he regretted having participated in the president ’ s Lafayette Park PR stunt back in June and opposed invoking the Insurrection Act to send regular troops to battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two on questions of basic civics .
Make that three for three , actually : As his tenure may be coming to an end , Esper is helping members of Congress draft legislation that will strip names of Confederate leaders from military bases in a move that could put him further at odds with President Donald Trump .
While Esper considered issuing a directive that would order the secretaries of the Army , Navy and Air Force to change the names in their respective services — an order that could be overturned by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bases — he now plans to work with Congress to put language in the annual National Defense Authorization Act , or NDAA , so the name changes will be written into law .
Wanting to take the names of Confederate traitors off of U.S. military bases may have been the last straw .
For Esper , that ’ s a high note on which to leave .
As for Christopher Miller , just because Trump says he ’ s the new acting secretary doesn ’ t make it so as a matter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried about what Biden ’ s cabinet might look like , I ’ d be careful about siding too strongly with Trump here : Trump abused vacancy laws to install cronies without Senate approval throughout his presidency , drawing complaints from nerds like me and shrugs from most of the public .
Americans don ’ t care about procedural niceties , even when the chicanery involved is so gross that GAO has to an issue a ruling that the head of Homeland Security has been acting illegally because he was never lawfully installed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a feeling , though , that conservatives are about to rediscover that the Senate ’ s advice and consent is crucial to the legitimacy of top presidential appointments .
That ’ s because progressives have been watching Trump abuse his power to appoint “ acting ” secretaries and are eager for President Biden to abuse it too — in their favor this time , of course .
“ There ’ s no need to heed to McConnell ’ s demands to install corporatists , ” said David Segal , who runs the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the progressive effort to influence the Biden transition process .
“ He ’ s got to [ appoint liberal Cabinet members ] If he ’ s got any chance to attack the crises before us and stave off total democratic collapse in the midterms.
” … In other words , these groups argue , picking the types of people who usually have power in Washington ― and could perhaps get McConnell ’ s approval ― will be a bad idea .
Trump has relied heavily on acting secretaries to run the administration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Office of Management and Budget director , the director of national intelligence as well as the head of the Department of Homeland Security , which has not had an official head since early 2019 .
Installing these temporary picks through the Vacancy Act is limited .
They can serve for only 210 days once the position becomes open , although it can be extended if the president nominates someone to be the permanent secretary .
We might not get Elizabeth Warren at Treasury or Bernie Sanders at Labor for the entirety of Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ install them for seven months .
Or , actually , maybe he *will* keep them on for his entire term as acting secretaries .
Chad Wolf has been the acting head of DHS for 361 days now , after all , much longer than the statute allows .
Our garbage Senate refused to force Trump to abide by the law in Wolf ’ s case .
Now Biden and the left can claim that turnabout is fair play .
That would be inconsistent with Biden ’ s “ return to norms ” message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to complain beyond noting that point .
We let Trump cut the Senate out of the picture on appointments .
Now Democrats may exploit the precedent .
I assume Chris Wray is next on Trump ’ s chopping block .
For anti-Trumpers , watching Trump go nuts during the lame duck with a big purge of his enemies or a series of “ I was cheated !
” rallies around the country is a mixed bag .
On the one hand , it ’ s petulant , irresponsible , and bad for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to new leadership .
On the other hand , if Trump behaves even more erratically than usual on his way out , it ’ ll leave a sour taste in the mouths of voters who might be asked to give him a second term four years from now .
As was true this year , so it ’ s likely to be true in 2024 : Maybe only Trump can stop Trump .
Him burning things down en route to the exit may help stop him in 2024 .
Update : Ah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t willing to treat the U.S. military as an arm of Trump ’ s campaign .
Maybe Christopher Miller is more of a fan of autocracy .
Update : The Military Times interviewed Esper five days ago , apparently in anticipation that he ’ d be forced out soon .
A few choice quotes : Speaking to Military Times in an exclusive interview on Nov. 4 , Esper confirmed that he never had any intention of quitting , and though he expected the other shoe to drop , he didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I guess my top line is , as I look back , I see it ― you know , despite a series of crises and conflicts ― and yes , occasional tension with the White House ― I think we ’ ve been really successful in transforming the department , implementing my top priority as the NDS , if you will , and then protecting the institution , which is really important to me , ” he said .
“ And then … fourth , I should say , preserving my integrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” by his critics , including the president , he takes umbrage with the idea that he has been anyone ’ s “ yes man.
” “ My frustration is I sit here and say , ‘ Hm , 18 Cabinet members .
Who ’ s pushed back more than anybody ?
’ Name another Cabinet secretary that ’ s pushed back , ” he said .
“ Have you seen me on a stage saying , ‘ Under the exceptional leadership of blah-blah-blah , we have blah-blah-blah-blah ?
’ ” Sounds like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he just wasn ’ t obsequious enough compared to , say , Mike Pompeo .
Esper also told the paper that if Alex Vindman had had his promotion blocked by Trump instead of resigning from the service first , Esper would have resigned too .
Update : Further to my point about Trump hurting himself in 2024 by how he handles the transition : Update : I missed this quote from the Military Times interview earlier : “ At the end of the day , it ’ s as I said — you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I could have a fight over anything , and I could make it a big fight , and I could live with that — why ?
Who ’ s going to come in behind me ?
It ’ s going to be a real ‘ yes man.
’ And then God help us.
” Welcome aboard , Chris Miller !

One never knows whether an official who’s been “fired” by Trump was actually fired or whether they resigned and Trump then retconned their departure as a firing to preserve his image of “dominance.” (Ask John Bolton about that.) It was reported a few days ago that Mark Esper had prepared a letter of resignation, potentially to be submitted at some as yet undetermined time.
But I tend to think Trump really did pull the trigger on this one. For one thing, rumors have been swirling for more than a week that Esper (along with Chris Wray and Gina Haspel) was in his crosshairs. And Esper presumably would have stayed on for the final 70 days of Trump’s administration simply as a matter of duty, to ensure stability at the top of the Pentagon. If he “resigned,” it must have been that his resignation was demanded.
Trump probably needs a few firings at this point to soothe him after losing the election. It’s deeply weird for a lame-duck president to dump a top cabinet member when he’s running out the clock but everything happening around Trump right now is a function of his feelings having been hurt by the electorate. It’ll make him feel better to humiliate deputies who weren’t abject toadies for him during his presidency.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1325859407620689922
I’ve lost track of what Esper said or did to make Trump hold a grudge against him. Reportedly he regretted having participated in the president’s Lafayette Park PR stunt back in June and opposed invoking the Insurrection Act to send regular troops to battle rioters, which makes Esper two for two on questions of basic civics. Make that three for three, actually:
As his tenure may be coming to an end, Esper is helping members of Congress draft legislation that will strip names of Confederate leaders from military bases in a move that could put him further at odds with President Donald Trump. While Esper considered issuing a directive that would order the secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force to change the names in their respective services — an order that could be overturned by Trump, who has strongly opposed renaming bases — he now plans to work with Congress to put language in the annual National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, so the name changes will be written into law.
Wanting to take the names of Confederate traitors off of U.S. military bases may have been the last straw. For Esper, that’s a high note on which to leave.
As for Christopher Miller, just because Trump says he’s the new acting secretary doesn’t make it so as a matter of law — and if you’re worried about what Biden’s cabinet might look like, I’d be careful about siding too strongly with Trump here:
There’s currently a Senate-confirmed Deputy Secretary of Defense — David Norquist. Under 10 U.S.C. § 132(b), *he* is supposed to become Acting Secretary in the event of a vacancy. Unless Trump fired him, too. pic.twitter.com/sZNlwq0SGG — Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) November 9, 2020
Trump abused vacancy laws to install cronies without Senate approval throughout his presidency, drawing complaints from nerds like me and shrugs from most of the public. Americans don’t care about procedural niceties, even when the chicanery involved is so gross that GAO has to an issue a ruling that the head of Homeland Security has been acting illegally because he was never lawfully installed in the job. I’ve got a feeling, though, that conservatives are about to rediscover that the Senate’s advice and consent is crucial to the legitimacy of top presidential appointments. That’s because progressives have been watching Trump abuse his power to appoint “acting” secretaries and are eager for President Biden to abuse it too — in their favor this time, of course.
“There’s no need to heed to McConnell’s demands to install corporatists,” said David Segal, who runs the group Demand Progress and has been leading the progressive effort to influence the Biden transition process. “He’s got to [appoint liberal Cabinet members] If he’s got any chance to attack the crises before us and stave off total democratic collapse in the midterms.”… In other words, these groups argue, picking the types of people who usually have power in Washington ― and could perhaps get McConnell’s approval ― will be a bad idea. Trump has relied heavily on acting secretaries to run the administration, including for high-profile positions like for the Office of Management and Budget director, the director of national intelligence as well as the head of the Department of Homeland Security, which has not had an official head since early 2019. Installing these temporary picks through the Vacancy Act is limited. They can serve for only 210 days once the position becomes open, although it can be extended if the president nominates someone to be the permanent secretary.
We might not get Elizabeth Warren at Treasury or Bernie Sanders at Labor for the entirety of Biden’s term, but he can install them for seven months. Or, actually, maybe he *will* keep them on for his entire term as acting secretaries. Chad Wolf has been the acting head of DHS for 361 days now, after all, much longer than the statute allows. Our garbage Senate refused to force Trump to abide by the law in Wolf’s case. Now Biden and the left can claim that turnabout is fair play. That would be inconsistent with Biden’s “return to norms” message, but righties won’t be able to complain beyond noting that point. We let Trump cut the Senate out of the picture on appointments. Now Democrats may exploit the precedent.
I assume Chris Wray is next on Trump’s chopping block. For anti-Trumpers, watching Trump go nuts during the lame duck with a big purge of his enemies or a series of “I was cheated!” rallies around the country is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it’s petulant, irresponsible, and bad for the country as it tries to transition to new leadership. On the other hand, if Trump behaves even more erratically than usual on his way out, it’ll leave a sour taste in the mouths of voters who might be asked to give him a second term four years from now. As was true this year, so it’s likely to be true in 2024: Maybe only Trump can stop Trump. Him burning things down en route to the exit may help stop him in 2024.
Update: Ah, Esper committed the cardinal sin. He wasn’t willing to treat the U.S. military as an arm of Trump’s campaign. Maybe Christopher Miller is more of a fan of autocracy.
6/ … this was in marked contrast to the actions of Attorney General Barr, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue, all of whom used their departments in various ways that helped Trump 2020. — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 9, 2020
Update: The Military Times interviewed Esper five days ago, apparently in anticipation that he’d be forced out soon. A few choice quotes:
Speaking to Military Times in an exclusive interview on Nov. 4, Esper confirmed that he never had any intention of quitting, and though he expected the other shoe to drop, he didn’t have a good read on when… “I guess my top line is, as I look back, I see it ― you know, despite a series of crises and conflicts ― and yes, occasional tension with the White House ― I think we’ve been really successful in transforming the department, implementing my top priority as the NDS, if you will, and then protecting the institution, which is really important to me,” he said. “And then … fourth, I should say, preserving my integrity in the process.” Dubbed “Yesper” by his critics, including the president, he takes umbrage with the idea that he has been anyone’s “yes man.” “My frustration is I sit here and say, ‘Hm, 18 Cabinet members. Who’s pushed back more than anybody?’ Name another Cabinet secretary that’s pushed back,” he said. “Have you seen me on a stage saying, ‘Under the exceptional leadership of blah-blah-blah, we have blah-blah-blah-blah?’”
Sounds like confirmation of Tapper’s tweets that he just wasn’t obsequious enough compared to, say, Mike Pompeo. Esper also told the paper that if Alex Vindman had had his promotion blocked by Trump instead of resigning from the service first, Esper would have resigned too.
Update: Further to my point about Trump hurting himself in 2024 by how he handles the transition:
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/1325879920237621250
Update: I missed this quote from the Military Times interview earlier: “At the end of the day, it’s as I said — you’ve got to pick your fights. I could have a fight over anything, and I could make it a big fight, and I could live with that — why? Who’s going to come in behind me? It’s going to be a real ‘yes man.’ And then God help us.” Welcome aboard, Chris Miller!