Democracy 2024: # 17

Monday morning may have been the high point of the fledgling Presidential campaign of Republican Nikki Haley.

In quick succession came the word that Fox News had suddenly parted ways with their top rated host Tucker Carlson. Then, CNN fired Don Lemon, the former prime time host who became the main anchor of their lowly rated morning show. Haley could perhaps have called this a moment of "vengeance" and "retribution." Both cable personalities had been very critical of the former South Carolina Governor. Carlson is very hostile to anything associated with the GOP "establishment" and Lemon had gotten into trouble for saying that Haley was "past her prime" as a woman, when she had made statements inferring that Joe Biden and Donald Trump were too old. Lemon would be forced to apologize and attend sensitivity training. For him at least, there were likely some other issues at play in regards to his professional dealings, past and present, with female colleagues.

The Tucker Carlson news came as a bigger surprise as he was considered a major influence on the MAGA crowd and also perhaps the most prominent American media apologist for Vladimir Putin during his war on Ukraine. Carlson, who now holds the distinction of having being fired by CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News had his own internal issues which involved a lawsuit by a female ex-producer who alleged a toxic work environment. Then, there was the matter of the Dominion lawsuit over voting machines in which Fox News recently had to pay up a hefty settlement, due in large part to things said by Carlson and his guests over the air. Whatever the reason, this was a major decision by Fox News and many on the right are now waiting to see where Carlson heads next. Some believe he might even run for President himself against Trump, a man he has defended on the air for years, but who talked privately of him as a "demonic force" and expressed his hatred of. I do not see Carlson seeking public office. Reportedly, he and Lemon have spent some time texting each other this weekend as well.

In the real world of course, Haley is not getting much traction in her Presidential bid, despite seeing two media foes vanquished. This week she made comments that were inartful at best and morbid at worst regarding the likelihood that Joe Biden may live to finish a second term at age 86. The way she said it not a great look for her and likely will not really win her over many right-wing critics. However, I think she is another politician (like Biden) who is apt to wind up with their foot in their mouth. The true target of the remarks was likely Vice President Kamala Harris, who is seen as very unpopular, especially among Republicans of course, and the possibility that she might be elevated to the Presidency.

This was the week where Joe Biden released a videotape (not on Betamax) declaring himself as a candidate for reelection. According to Rasmussen Reports, a polling organization associated with the right, his job approval rating was a surprising 51 percent this week. However, the more established Gallup has the incumbent at just 37 percent approval, a new low. Who knows what to really believe in regards to polls? What cannot be denied is that the talk about Biden's age is becoming louder than ever. A further Beltway controversy ensued during a brief joint press conference with the President of South Korea, when Biden called on a reporter and seemed to have her question already pre-printed on an index card. During that Rose Garden event, Biden admitted that concerns over his age are valid and that he considered it himself before deciding to seek another term, but insisted he was up to the job.

The current President is at no risk in his party's primary, but it is hard to ignore the fact that most Democrats simply did not want him to run again. Some polling data shows him leading his two announced challengers with just 62 percent of the vote. Some of the may be chalked up to the name recognition of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the undeserved cult-like devotion that many Democrats have had towards that family for generations now. The bottom line is that Biden is polling lower nationally within his own party as an incumbent President lower than I believe any other ever has. Yet, in spite of all that, he is not facing what could be considered a major challenge.

Most Americans do not want to see Donald Trump run for a reelection effort either, and yet he is, and is considered a strong frontrunner to once again become the Republican nominee. Ron DeSantis and others definitely have a lot of work to do. This week, in a New York courtroom, where Trump was not present, a writer testified in a civil suit that the former President raped her in a department store dressing room sometime in the mid-1990s and later defamed her publicly. It cannot be ignored that Trump in the infamous "Access Hollywood tape" did brag about having sexually assaulted women. The particular allegations made by E. Jean Carroll though seem a bit murky and possibly influenced by politics. I think Trump is potentially capable of having done many horrible things in his life. Still, I would think that his accuser should be able to remember the month, let alone the specific year, that this horrible thing happened to her. There are also no apparent witnesses who saw the two together in a department store.

So, things are pretty status quo on the Presidential front. There is a long way to go. I for one will note that this past week also saw the announcement of former Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas in his hometown of Bentonville. I watched much of his campaign announcement speech and read the rest of it. He did not mention Trump, his main obstacle by name, or go after him in any significant way during this speech. It also was far from a rhetorical stemwinder. However, I was pleased to hear a Presidential candidate speak about issues and about America, and actually sound like a Republican.