August 28, 2024
WHILE HARRIS IS RESHAPING THE TRUMP-HARRIS RACE IS HARDENING
I’m not going out on a limb. With less than 70 days to go, I’m not going to try to predict the outcome of the Trump-Harris presidential contest. I don’t have a clue, and neither do the gaggle of pundits and pollsters who pretend to be all-seeing and all-knowing. At this point in 2020, Biden was up 2.8 points and Clinton up 11.7 in 2016. As August comes to an end both Trump and Harris have hit their voter base ceiling, which is 48-49 percent, and that base is rock solid. The enduring oddity is that Joe Biden didn’t get a popularity bump by withdrawing. No fond well-wishes, just thankful good riddance. Recent approval/disapproval polling shows Biden’s disapproval remains mired in the low 40s, as it has for the past 3 years. It seems Americans’ quality of life is bad and not getting better. Recent polling has the president’s, or more accurately, the Biden-Harris administration’s policies approve/disapprove at 44/55 (Rasmussen, 8/25), 43/56 (Rasmussen, 8/22), 43/56 (Gallup, 8/21), 40/56 (HarrisX, 8/21), 43/56 (Data for Progress, 8/21), 42/56 (Economist/YouGov, 8/20) and a pathetic 37/55 (ABC/Washington Post, 8/17). Yet Kamala Harris, Biden’s VP, is polling at near-majority levels, albeit about 2 to 3 points less than Biden’s 51 percent 2020 showing, and Trump is polling just slightly above his 46.9. in August. Full Article...
August 21, 2024
NO ARTICLE THIS WEEK
August 14, 2024
J.B. PRITZKER AS NEXT U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY? THE PETER PRINCIPLE AND TIM WALZ
There is disrespect. There is embarrassment. There is humiliation. There is shame, being rebuked, a feeling of inadequacy. And then there is the ultimate insult of being passed-over for the 2024 Democratic vice-presidential nomination by Tim Walz, the non-entity governor of Minnesota. For JB Pritzker, the billionaire governor (D) of Illinois, that’s the “pit of diss.” Pritzker is narcissistic, as are most politicians, deems himself beloved and powerful and is obsessed with getting to a higher office. Walz just waltzed over that ambition. BUT JB HAS A PLAN B: His consolation prize, his golden parachute is to be U.S. Treasury Secretary (SOT) in a Biden-Walz Administration. He would replace Janet Yellen, now age 78, who was a Biden pick, being a White Jewish woman; she was former Federal Reserve Board chair who famously declared in 2021 that inflation was “transitory.” BATTLE FOR IL SUCCESSION: A Pritzker exit for Washington would have a significant ripple-effect in Illinois. A lot of ambitious politicians have a Plan A which focuses on getting elected governor post-Pritzker, either in 2026 or 2030. The Democratic aspirants are Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias (age 48), Attorney General Kwame Raoul (age 60), Comptroller Susana Mendoza (age 52) and Treasurer Mike Frerichs (age 51). THE “PETER PRINCIPLE”: That was the title of a popular 1970s book which theorized that there is a ceiling on ambition and upward mobility in all human endeavors. The theory was, especially in the realm of business, government and politics, that one rises smoothly because of one’s competence but then abruptly stalls when reaching their level of INCOMPETENCE. Biden was fine as an innocuous senator and VP, but he proved woefully inadequate for the presidency. There are similar doubts about Harris. But there are NO doubts about Walz, who hit his Peter Principle ceiling in 2018 when elected MN governor after 12 years in Congress. Full Article...
August 7, 2024
"SWOON & BARF!" HARRIS GIVES RESTORATION, NOT A SURGE
Swoon & Barf! That’s not the latest competitor to Crate & Barrel. Nor is it the latest all-you-can-eat late-night entrée on White Castle’s or Applebee’s menu. Swoon & Barf is the current mindset of the American electorate. Just slightly less than half now swoon over Kamala Harris, writhing in a fit of ecstasy just contemplating her imminent, historic election as president and that same half literally barfs at the prospect of a second Trump presidency. She was kept away for almost 4 years, in silence, and now she’s the savior. The “End of Democracy” is the perpetual refrain. Despair and despondency reigns. Without question, Harris has re-ignited enthusiasm on the Left. Anyone but Trump, right? Conversely, just slightly less than 100 percent of the other half barfs at Biden-Harris Part II, where absolutely nothing will change; they think Harris is a fraud and a fake, and swoon at a second Trump term. And the remaining 3-5 percent just wish they could hibernate for the next 90 days and wake up on Thanksgiving, and actually enjoy themselves. Without question, there has been some political movement – in the Democrats’ favor – since Joe Biden bailed on July 21. But that movement has basically been a restoration of the pre-June 27 pre-debate Biden floor, not a Harris surge. Harris is doing a few points better than Biden; Trump has not dipped. Full Article...
These columns are published in Nadig Newspapers. If you, a friend or a colleague wish to be added
to Russ's BUDDY LIST, and be emailed his column every Wednesday morning,
email webmaster Joe Czech at Joe@Nadignewspapers.com
Previous Articles