The Washington Two-Step
Build the ballroom vs. build the wall.
‼️Nothing unifies Republicans like an assassination attempt — and what are they spending that newfound motivation on? A ballroom
Even worse🤦: A privately funded ballroom seemed trivial and harmless — now with a GOP effort to authorize federal funding, Republicans in swing districts will have to answer for it.
Wait, there is more😬: It moves the conversation away from Democrats’ refusal to take responsibility for their Hitler rhetoric.
Perplexing🤦: The same man who figured out Americans would respond to “Build the wall” thinks they will also rally around “Build the ballroom.”
Who thought that was a good idea?!?!?
Zoom out🔍: In the midst of multiple crises, the White House was given a winning lottery ticket.
What’s happening‼️: Within minutes of the assassination attempt, right-wing X all united around a new rallying cry — “Build the ballroom.”
🗣️Some of the screengrabs make it almost certain talking points went out even before the president got back to the White House.
Speaker Mike Johnson: “The ballroom will be a solution for this... it’ll have 7-inch-thick glass on the windows. So it’ll be a very safe environment to do events like this.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.: “I’m convinced if there had been a presidential ballroom adjacent to the White House, the guy would have never gotten in.”
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.: “A ballroom is imperative.”
Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio: “We’ve got to build that ballroom as soon as possible.”
Let’s dance🕺: Typically, the Washington two-step describes escaping a problem — this White House is creating another one.
💲Americans feel worse off financially than at any time in the past 25 years, reports Axios
📈A record-high stock market is doing nothing to it
♾️A stalemate with Iran makes a new forever war — or at least a new Cold War — inevitable
👀Losing the House six months from now appears a foregone conclusion — a Democratic majority in the Senate is a real possibility
📰The New York Times headlines, “Republicans Brace for Brutal Midterms as Trump’s Popularity Slips,” writing:
“If the election were in May, Republicans would lose,” said Newt Gingrich, the Republican former House speaker, who urged his party’s leaders to “get reality a little better — and get communications a hell of a lot better” to salvage their majorities this fall…The war, the sense of affordability and gasoline — some of that has to be cleared up in order to win,” Mr. Gingrich said. “If it doesn’t change, I’ll start tearing my hair out.”
📉President Trump’s approval ratings are near freezing levels.
😬I could go on.
💭Let’s think about the American family sitting around, figuring out where they can scrimp and save to have money, trying to figure out how to make it to the end of the month.
Then the husband looks over and says, “Well, honey, all of our problems will be solved if Trump builds his ballroom.”
Be real🤦: No one is saying that, so why is Trump?
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A War by Whatever Name‼️
Cold/Hot War💣: Iran is Trump’s forever war, whether we like it or not.
🗣️President Trump hinted once again today that the Iran war is about to be over
Trump: “Iran has just informed us that they are in a ‘State of Collapse.’ They want us to ‘Open the Hormuz Strait,’ as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!).”
🤷No question Iran is feeling the effect of the strait’s blockade — just as they felt the effect of getting blown to smithereens for the past two months
Pain🚨: The Iranian regime embraces pain as proof of its righteousness.
⚠️The regime knows the U.S. feels the blockade too
⛽Today, gas prices jumped to their highest point since the war began, sitting at $4.18 a gallon
Reality‼️: How long can Americans survive in a forever war?
Tonight📺: Axios’ Marc Caputo headlines, “The Iran conflict is the new Cold War,” writing:
“Several U.S. officials told Axios they’re concerned about America getting drawn into a frozen conflict of no war and no deal. In this scenario, the U.S. would have to keep its forces in the region for many more months. The Strait of Hormuz would stay closed, the U.S. blockade would remain, and both sides would continue waiting for the other to blink or fire first”
What I’m thinking💭: This is a nightmare scenario for any candidate with an “R” next to their name come November.
The Lost Moral Code🚨
⛓️💥The moral code of America is breaking down.
Look back🔙: Ronald Reagan warned that the greatest threat to American freedom was not from a foreign foe — but from the Left. And we are seeing that today.
Reagan: “If fascism ever comes to America, it will come in the name of liberalism.”
🚨The slow undoing of our most valuable institutions is coming from the Left — not the Right.
‼️There is this growing acceptance and advocacy of violence in pursuit of saving democracy on the Left.
26% of liberals aged 18 to 44 say violence can be justified to achieve political goals, according to a YouGov poll.
“22% of liberals under 44 say it’s okay to feel happy when a political opponent dies, compared to just 6% of conservatives their age,” reports Political Polls.
Good read📰: The Wall Street Journal headlines, “The Year of the Molotov Cocktail: American Antigovernment Violence Hits a 30-Year-High,” writing:
“For the first time in 20 years, they are coming from extremists on the left in greater numbers than the right…”
🤦And somehow, The New York Times is okay with debating what level of shoplifting is acceptable. Here are just some recent pieces put out:
📰The New York Times: “‘The Rich Don’t Play by the Rules. So Why Should I?’”
📰The New York Times: “Opinion | Would You Steal From Whole Foods?”
Wow😱: We went from Zohran Mamdani, who is now mayor in New York City and wants to “globalize the intifada,” to Abdul El-Sayed, who is a leading Senate candidate in Michigan and talks about taking Republicans “to the mud” and choking them out.
‼️El-Sayed is also a Hamas enthusiast.
📊El-Sayed is tied for the lead at 24% support, according to Emerson College polling.
⚠️The fact that this guy is rising in the polls shows where America is and heading towards.
Reality🚨: There are a lot of Americans who are angry, feel things are unfair and are fine with blood being spilled
Tonight📺: Graeme Wood, from The Atlantic, who headlined, “Something Is Happening to America’s Moral Code”
Saw This Coming 👀
‼️Today’s second indictment of former FBI Director James Comey proves what we warned about a few weeks ago.
Look back🔙: We told you Democrats would rue the day they ousted former Attorney General Pam Bondi.
🚨Today, Comey was indicted for a second time for posting a photo of seashells on the beach reading “86 47” — in which officials said threatened Trump.
🤦It was in VERY poor taste — it was not inciting people to kill Trump.
🤷Bondi (like Noem) was ineffective but great at creating fodder for Democrats
😬They got all excited for their scalp, and now, they have a guy in her replacement who is far more effective at all the things Democrats hate.
Landmine🤦: If Trump wants to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, this doesn’t help.
What helps Blanche get the nomination will make the Senate process even worse — looking at you, Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine
Last point‼️: It doesn’t have to be this way.
🤷Like building a ballroom, most Americans either don’t care or don’t like the second Comey indictment — it does nothing to make their lives better.
Watch this📱: The person doing some of the best work to improve Americans’ lives while not picking stupid fights is Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin — Democrats may dislike him, but he can land a punch.
4D Chess♟️: Is this an opportunity for Trump to get his licks in with Blanche and then nominate Zeldin?
Tonight📺: Former federal prosecutor Shan Wu and former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Berit Berger