Ex-Presidents We Want to Drink With: Podcast
This week's show covers the John Kelly phone flap, former presidents against Trump, and why Republicans are only pretending to be worried about the budget.
Last week, Barack Obama and George W. Bush emerged from the mothballs to criticize Trumpian dog-whistling and strategic incivility. Jimmy Carter, however, said he thinks Trump gets a raw deal from the press and appears to be plugging for a diplomatic posting. Was bipartisanship really better before Donald showed up? Did it accomplish anything?
On today's podcast, Reason's Nick Gillespie, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch discuss these issues, and the slain-soldier spat between Trump, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, and Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), which seems to be distracting the public from bigger, bloodier problems. Also: why Republicans can't sat they're anti-tax but not actually in favor of fiscal discipline, why Matt Welch may be pro-pirate, and which former U.S. presidents Katherine Mangu-Ward would like to drink with. The conversation was moderated by Andrew Heaton.
Some relevant links from the show:
- Jordan Fabian and Jonathan Easley for The Hill: "John Kelly Defends Trump on Calls, Lashes Out at Florida Democrat"
- Sheldon Richman for Reason: "The Truth About Niger"
- Robert O'Brian and Jerry Hendrix for National Review: "Why the United States Needs a 355-ship Navy Now"
- BBC News: "Obama and Bush Decry Deep US Divisions Without Naming Trump"
- Maureen Dowd for The New York Times: "Jimmy Carter Lusts for a Trump Posting"
- The Commission on Presidential Debates: "The Carter-Reagan Presidential Debate"
- Gabby Morrongeillo for The Washington Examiner: "Steve Bannon's War on the Republican Party Will Go On With Or Without Trump's Blessing."
- Matt Welch for Reason: "Republicans Officially Give Up Trying to Cut Spending"
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