John Ellis posted one of his Political News Items yesterday in accessible form — “A reckless age.” Although it may not please you, it is worth a look. Ellis opens with a long quote from Financial Times columnist Janan Ganesh reflecting on the passing of the first President Bush. He then writes:
The president of the United States is running for re-election to perform duties he will no longer be able to perform. The previous president of the United States and leader of the opposition is running for re-election to avenge a defeat he has yet to acknowledge. The people who served in many of the highest positions in his administration, including the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Advisor, his chief of staff (among many, many others), describe him as unfit to hold high office.
That’s the choice. Everything you need to know about the two major political parties in the United States is described by the choice. It is the best they can do.
See the rest of Ellis’s item here. It goes well beyond this opening.
Ellis leaves the Trump officials unnamed. I take it that he is citing William Barr, Rex Tillerson (not Mike Pompeo), Mark Esper, John Bolton, and John Kelly. The Washington Post reports that Trump has stated this time around he would look out for people who are loyal and “smart.” A second term in office would have people who “actually support President Trump,” in the words of one adviser.
The Post also quotes Trump himself speaking to donors at a private event: “I learned how deep the deep state is.” That is true enough, but not entirely on point. I would also like to see the former Trump officials compare and contrast Biden with Trump. As they say, it’s a binary choice.
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