SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Today’s Good News And Bad News

From Our Local Political Junkie We’ll Call “Cincy Dave”

TONIGHT’S DEBATE
Everyone that hasn’t been in a coma knows that the first debate is tonight. It’s at 9 PM on all the major broadcast channels plus CNN and the Trump Channel (Fox). It’s supposed to have more viewers than the Super-Bowl game. Everyone is hoping for a good game but there is a good possibility that it will be dull and boring. One reason is that the audience is not allowed to cheer, boo or otherwise make noise. This is seen as a disadvantage to Trump, who is used to having boisterous crowds to play to. Hillary has been preparing for weeks by hitting the books on policy and practicing with a stand-in, while Trump has been shooting the bull with his buddies and likely rehearsing one-liners of dubious veracity. What makes it interesting is that it is one of the few things on TV, other than sports, that is not completely scripted. People will watch for the same reason a lot of people watch NASCAR, hoping to see a big wreck. Since most people have made up their minds already, they are hoping that their candidate is not the one in the wreck. Anyway, turn off your phones, turn up the volume and have fun!

TRUMP DID NOT INVITE FLOWERS
After The Donald said he would seat Gennifer Flowers in the front row at the first debate, his campaign said yesterday that she was not invited. So, the whole thing was an empty threat, merely to draw attention. Nearly everyone except Hillary’s campaign was disappointed. The whole debate is about theatre anyway and her presence would have added to the drama.

“TRUMP IS THE BABE RUTH OF DEBATING”
Or so says his campaign manager Kellyanne Conway. This runs contrary to the conventional debate wisdom of lowering expectations, so that merely breaking even or coming close can be considered a “win.” “He’s a brilliant debater,” Conway said on ABC’s “This Week.” “Newt Gingrich put it best. The former speaker recently said Donald Trump is the best debater he’s ever seen. He’s like the Babe Ruth of debating. He really shows up and swings and does a great job.” Conway and Gingrich should be careful making such analogies. Although Babe Ruth hit a lot of home runs, he also held records for the most seasonal and lifetime strike-outs. Considering that Ruth’s best season was 60 home runs in 154 games, the slugger had a little less than one homer every two and a half games, but a lot more strike-outs. Of course, the Babe wasn’t 70 years old back in 1927 and he never had to face Waite Hoyt either. Could the “Curse of the Babe” land on one of the debaters? If so, on which one? Hillary is probably hoping that Trump will be swinging for the fences tonight because that’s the best way to strike out.

CRUZ RENTED EMAIL LIST TO TRUMP
Although Ted Cruz hates Trump, that hatred doesn’t mean he hasn’t cooperated with Trump when there was money involved. The man whose principles didn’t allow him to endorse Trump for months has been renting his precious email list of suckers – we mean supporters – to The Donald all the while. Altogether, Cruz has collected $290,000 in rental income from the Trump Campaign for the use of his list. Religious people like Cruz know that money is the root of all. And principles are always superseded by cash.

TRUMP CAMPAIGN DENIES RUSSIA TIES
Well, of course they do. Campaign Manager Kellyanne Conway said that Carter Page, who Trump had earlier described as one of his foreign policy advisors, is not part of the campaign now. Conway said of Page: “I have not spoken with him at all, in fact, meaning he’s not part of our national security or foreign policy briefings that we do now at all, certainly not since I have become campaign manager.” Page has been reportedly engaging in negotiations with the Kremlin to lift economic sanctions on Russia if Trump is elected. These reports have been cited as possible evidence of an inappropriate relationship between the Republican presidential nominee and Russian leader Vladimir Putin — and another source of possible Russian meddling in the U.S. election. Maybe the Trump campaign doesn’t know that there is a federal law prohibiting non-government persons negotiating with a foreign government.

GOOD NEWS FOR HILLARY
Donald P. Gregg, George H.W. Bush’s National Security Advisor during his vice presidency is supporting Hillary. His statement: “We now have a person at the top of the Republican ticket who I believe is dangerous, doesn’t understand the complex world we live in, doesn’t care to, and is without any moral or international philosophy,” Gregg said in a statement. “I’ve met Hillary Clinton a number of times and followed her career in public service. I’m impressed with her knowledge and experience. She would make an extremely good president.” Bush’s national security adviser during his presidency, Brent Scowcroft, endorsed the former secretary of state as well, as have a number of other national security figures from both Bush administrations.

TODAY’S MEANINGLESS POLLS
The only thing of note in this group is that it shows Colorado to be closer than the Hillary campaign has assumed. Another one like this and they may have to reconsider their decision to pull resources out of that state because they thought it was in the bag. But it’s too early to panic.