March 6, 2017
Dems face choice — Resist or seek deals
(Also published in The Hill) Over the next several months, congressional Democrats have several leverage points where they can score legislative victories on behalf of key constituencies. Or they can do nothing and hope that the ensuing chaos accrues to...
March 6, 2017
The Manchurian Candidate?
(Also published on Political Storm) In 1962, Frank Sinatra and Angela Lansbury starred in a black-and-white thriller, based on a novel written by Richard Condon, called The Manchurian Candidate. The movie won an Academy Award and captured the imagination of...
March 1, 2017
Trump’s Lobbyists: An Ambulatory Bridge Across a Constitutional Gulf
When I worked on Capitol Hill, first for House Republican Leader Bob Michel, then for House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, and then for House Speaker Denny Hastert, I always had a pretty good idea who was representing the White House...
February 28, 2017
Trump’s Presidential Address
It was a helluva speech. It started well with a nod to black history month and a condemnation of the racist idiots among us who do dumb, dangerous and criminal things. It recounted the promises made and kept in the...
February 28, 2017
“Tell Trump to Shut Up”
That was the most common line I heard as I went home to Illinois this weekend for the funeral of my former boss and mentor, Bob Michel. Michel, an Illinois Republican, was in Congress for 38 years was the longest-serving...
February 27, 2017
Trump’s Address to Congress
(Also published on Political Storm) Technically, when Donald Trump addresses a Joint Session of Congress later this week, it won’t be a State of the Union. Presidents don’t give those types of speeches until they have had a whole year...