* Interesting–and perversely nostalgic–to see Henry Kissinger visiting the other day with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The elephant-in-the-room inquisitor had to be whispering: “BTW, Henry, how good does Nixon look these days?”
* It was a new low even for the fabulist-in-chief. “With all of the fake news coming out of NBC and the networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their license?” he questioned–and not rhetorically. It certainly prompts a non-rhetorical response along the lines of: “With all of the media scapegoating, retaliation and would-be coercion coming out of the Oval Orifice, at what point is it appropriate to charge constitutional lawyers with a First Amendment-meddling case?”
* No, it’s not exactly a groundswell, but the “I” word is now fair game for political speculation. Democratic Congressman Al Green of Texas recently introduced articles of impeachment against the president. It was followed up by high-profile comments by Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen of Tennessee who indicated the subject has been broached in Republican circles.
“I have one Republican that has said he is looking at it, he’s considering it,” said Cohen. “I have other Republicans–just like Bob Corker suggested–who have told me on a constant basis that they know this man is not balanced, he is not capable of continuing to lead us.”
Speaking of Corker, he ratcheted up the speculation when he spoke alarmingly about Trump’s penchant for in-your-face insults and nuclear bluster. “We could be heading toward World War III with the kind of comments he’s making,” said Corker.
* Doesn’t it speak volumes about what we’ve devolved into when Trump Administration loyalists, Beltway insiders, the national media and the public at large are still engrossed over the president likely being called a “moron” by his secretary of state? T Rex, to be sure, hasn’t denied it.
This is, of course, beyond personal for Trump. No leader, let alone the narcissist-in-chief, wants to be publicly ridiculed. In this case, by the man who favors the Paris climate deal, the Iran nuclear pact and diplomatic channels to North Korea. It’s what prudently sane secretaries of state do.
But much more important than presidential pique is that this is also existential. We’re all imperiled when someone moronically unfit has access to the nuclear codes.
* How much more doubling down does Trump have to do to his minority, deplorable base? This just in: Kathleen Hartnett White, the author of “Fossil Fuels: The Moral Case” has been brought in to chair the Council on Environmental Quality. She really has. White is a carbon dioxide supplicant who has close ties to Rick Perry, the energy secretary who once advocated the Department of Energy’s elimination. No, you can’t make this stuff up.
* “God, I hate that man.” Ever find yourself muttering those words about America’s unhinged charlatan-in chief? And then following up with: “God, I hate hating. I’m better than this.” More collateral damage.