Michael Smerconish tackles the American political and news stories of the week, offering only one kind of talking points his own. I would be remiss if i did not say it in the outset. Here you are of another summer of extreme weather. Well, we can talk about that in a second, lets talk about this whole question of coverage of trump. I dont know who was the moron from fox news who made that point of how did that work in 2016. Thats the question that i would ask is how is it working in 2018 . What happened in 2016, donald trump was running against Hillary Clinton. We know there were a lot of moderate democrats, suburban women, and just enough that in a choice between trump and hillary ready to say, Really Dont Like Hillary and i think i will take a chance on trump. What has been happening over the last two years . Trump has been locked at 43 approval and around 50, 53 disapproval. I think wonderful key reasons for that, and we saw in the alabama election and the pennsylvania election and we saw it in the recent
for 400 above rich children in his home state . They see that and it reminded them what a despicable president this is. I think thats his biggest vulnerability going into the next election. Let me play devils advocate. The latest gallup number i think is 89 approval. So where is the evidence of these moderate republicans who are leaving . Is it instead the explanation for both the ohio 12 or the pennsylvania Special Election that there is great enthusiasm among democrats but not that republicans are turning their back on the president . I dont think so. I dont think you can explain that big of a gap in the ohio election. A district that has not sent a democrat to congress in over three decades, almost sending one now . Let alone the alabama election. I am sure there is greater democratic enthusiasm. But, by the way, lets say he only has 89 . Lets see 80 among republicans, he narrowly won those states. I dont expect republicans to abandon trump. But if enough moderates just stay home, trump is not a winner in those states. You made an observation that from the getgo he made no effort to reach out and expand his base. I think that observation is undeniable. But it occurs to me he has boxed himself in. I want to put up on the screen this reprehensible tweet about my colleague, don lemon, and mis something, you also made reference to. Here is what it occurs to me, tom, we read it and we find it objectionable. Lebron james was interviewed by the dumbest man on television and he made lebron looks smart which is not easy to do. I read that and i am appalled by it. But it occurs to me that the people who fill those arenas for him, they love it and he knows their sweet spots. You are exactly right. The very things that keep his 40 are the things preventing him from going from 40 to 50. He has a problem. He is the first president in our lifetime, once he got to office he made zero effort to pivot to the center. I think that worked when you have Hillary Clinton as your opponent. There were just a lot of republicans you who found her so toxic and they were not going to work for her. And they didnt know that much about trump, and thought hell moderate when they come in. He has not done that. I think thats going to be a real vulnerability going forward. When i travel and people recognize me because of my association of cnn, i will hear the comments and criticism from Trump Detractors
you guys elected him because you guys gave him all that attention. Thomas freidman is saying from the times, saying give him all the attention. Lets say you dont have a lets say you have a decent democratic candidate to oppose him. You dont have the punching bag of Hillary Clinton. I think the contrast between trump and that candidate could be very large if he continues to go around and calling people like don lemon and lebron james dummies or his daily kind of divisive and really unstable behavior. Take my final minute and answer the layup that i gave you. This is another summer of extreme weather. I think, michael, that the Sleeper Issue for 2020 president ial election could in fact be that we have an election thats not about left or right but about hot cold. If you look at whats going on now or the west thats burning of the center of the country is baking, the east is flooding. Youve got fires in sweden above the Arctic Circle and crazy drought in australia. Maybe by 2020, The Big Question on the ballot is not who lost north korea but who lost planet earth . In that election, a democratic candidate or opponent to trump, who focuses on reenergizing america could have a lot of resonance against a president who is telling people that Climate Change is a hope when death valley just set its allsometime Temperature Record of 120 degrees. Waft that issue. Mother nature could be on the ballot in 2020. It is a good prediction. Tom, thank you so much. Come back. Always a pleasure, michael. Thank you. What are your thoughts . Tweet me at smerconish or go to my facebook page. What do we have, catherine . The more the media covers him, the more his base loves him. They keep on calling yall fake news. Thats the point i was making to thomas freidman. Trump loves the attention. I have often said this about the president. The only thing worse in his mind than negative attention is no attention. He gives good ear. He knows how to push the buttons of his base. Hes at it today in Bedminster Tweeting already. It does not help the gop at all. They have to answer the inevitable question of the most recent absurd statement. You take away covering rallies you take away all of his oxygen. Thats the conundrum. Does it help or hurt him . My attitude is when its relevant and important, you cover it and try not to get sucked in by the ball of yarn he
throws in on a daily basis, hoping the kittens will all change it. I want to know what you think. Go to my website smerconish. Com. Answer this question does covering every tweet of trumps speeches and rallies help the gop and trumps reelection . Up next, laura ingraham. She delivered a monolog and blamed immigrants both legal and illegal. Was she expressing nostalgia, fear or racism . Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens brown paper packages tied up with strings these are a few of My Favorite Things
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did you say you saved 120 dollars a night on a room . 120 a night on a hotel room. Thats a lot of savings i saved even more on my flight. Save up to 60 on hotels with priceline. Regarding the changing demographics. In some part of the country it seems like the america that we know and love does not exist anymore. Massive demographic changes have been forced on the american people. There are changes that none of us ever voted for and most of us dont like. From virginia to california, we see stark examples of how radically in some way the country has changed. Much of this is related to both illegal and some cases Legal Immigration that of course progressives love. Many on twitter called ingrams comments racist. Ingram felt compelled to explain herself last night. The purpose of Last Nights Angle was to point out the rule of law meaning security of border is something that used to bind us
together. I made explicitly clear that my commentary had nothing to do with race and ethnicity but a shared goal of keeping america safe and her citizens safe and prosperous. Was she being racist or offering a cultural comment shared by a wide swath of American Voters . Maybe both . Joining me now is david french, all thor of the recent peace, david, how did you interpret her remarks . I didnt interpret her remarks as racist, i interpret them as opportunist. And heres what i mean. I think there is a culture thats been cultivated in parts of the right where the goal is not necessarily to inform so much as it is to inflame, and the goal is to never back away from a fight and never be seen as politically correct. Thats an instinct that could get you in trouble particularly
when you find yourself using language that if not bordering on racist, it was language that racists love, and they expressed their love for it. And thats on her. I think there is an argument and a sensible argument to be had in this country of how many people should come into this country under what circumstances and whether immigration should be, for example, family based or merit based. Those are serious arguments to have. The problem is when you say you are fundamentally changing america and you are using the word demographics, what that is doing is sending a message to people who Pay Attention to these things that there is some sort of racial mix or ethic mix thats fundamentally american and there is a racial mix and ethnic mix that is not. The problem with her climb down is it kind of insults the intelligence of the viewers. It was obvious from context, she was not just talking about the
rule of law here. When you use the word like demographics, you are not implying anything of the rule of law. You are implying something of the mix of the country, that was the real problem with the remarks. I heard her expressing frustration at change in this country and wanting maintenance of the status quo, and as i watched it for the first time, i thought she was flatout wrong, because the change in demographics of this country have more to do with birthrates than they do with immigration. Would you agree with that . They got a lot to do with birthrates and some to do with immigration and the changing demographics of this country. This country has had changing demographics throughout history but what we have had is a broad consensus around certain patriotic ideas. America is more of an idea based country or should be more of an ideasbased country rather than
an ethnicitybased country or demographically based country. You know look the unfortunate thing is we do need to have a series conversation about immigration. It is not the case that there is only one sensible and only one nonrace position Immigration Debate and that only nonrace position is more immigration. Thats not the case at all. We do need to have a debate around things like should people come into this country have a certain set of skills or language skills. We need to have those kinds of conversations and what happens here is now we are yet in another firestorm over whether the real issue of Immigration Restriction is whether or not they are xenophobic or racist. That topic she is was seeking to address drove a significant part is of the president s electorate in 2016. Do you agree with that . I think it particularly drove a significant part of the primary electorate in 2016. I think it was a significant reason why donald trump was the gop nominee and a significant reason why hes the president of the United States and running against Hillary Clinton. Absent the immigration issue, its fair to say he might not be the president today, but i think primarily it was because of the primary campaign. So in closing tell me about this great, white culture war, it pits who against whom . This is in response to the controversy you saw of sarah young out of the new york times, there is this talk of can you be racist against white people . It was my colleague said what she was imitating was a lot of language from white people. There are white people who celebrate the end of the power of the white male. Or there are white people celebrating the end of the power of the white voter in this country. The point i was making is that a lot of those same people making
those arguments occupying the elite level of the ivy league, the academy and the media. Theyre not talking about celebrating or losing their power. What they are talking about is celebrating the loss of power of White Americans that they dont like. Theyll still remain on top. What they are really talking about is this battle between the cultural battle between more Elite Progressive Americans who live on the coast who are disproportionately white, and more workingclass americans and religious americans who live in the heartland and who are disproportionally white. When you look at this and you realize the person thats making this argument in harvard or in Silicon Valley isnt arguing for the loss of their own status. Theyll be fine. Their kids will be fine. Theyre arguing of a political defeat of people they dont like and it is becoming race plays into this in many, many ways,
but what i was saying is its a little hard to take when a White Progressive Elite from the coast says the day of the white person is over but theyre not talking about their day. Its a provocative piece. I have pinned it on my website. Thank you for coming back. I appreciate it. Thank you for having me. What do we have ingram needs to be stifled. She is hoping for an all white america. I like diversity of my country. I think she was speaking all about demographics, but those so unsettled about the changing face of america, like laura ingraham, clearly i think are misdirected in looking at immigration because there is much more going on causing the changes apparently have her so unsettled. Still to come, Rudy Giulianiadmits that negotiations with Robert Mueller seems to be delayed. But with mueller avoid making james comeys mistake and ignore the political calendar . And the Green Party Candidate in ohio says hes from another planet and many accusing him of siphoning off crucial votes. Where have we heard that argument before . The chili pepper sweatout. Not cool. Freezing away fat cells with coolsculpting . Now thats cool coolsculpting safely freezes and removes fat cells with little or no downtime. And no surgery. Results and Patient Experience may vary. Some common side effects include temporary numbness, discomfort,and swelling. Ask your doctor if coolsculpting is right for you and visit coolsculpting. Com today for your chance to win a free treatment. I get it all the time. Have you lost weight . Of course i have ever since i started renting from national. Because national lets me lose the wait at the counter. And choose any car in the aisle. And i dont wait when i return, thanks to drop go. At national, i can lose the wait. And keep it off. Looking good, patrick. I know. vo go national. Go like a pro. Everyone else, no way. We let calls from any of your devices come from your business number. Them, not so much. We let you keep an eye on your business from anywhere. The others . Nope for a limited time, when you get fast, reliable internet, you can add voice for just 24. 95 more per month. Call or go online today. Call or go on line today. Two questions loom over the mueller probe. Will he make any significant moves in the runup to the election . And should his Thought Process Take Account of the timeline . Mueller is expected to give rosenstein two reports at some point. One on the issue of obstruction and the other is conspiracy. Then attorney general eric holder laid it out in a 2012 memo, and the president s lawyer Rudy Giuliani have been hammering hard on the idea that mueller has to wrap up his findings by labor day. You do not want to run into the november elections. So back up from that, this should be over with by september 1st. Yet hes clearly behaving political. Heres what he told cnn this week. When i first got involved, i would have told you not testifying would be the right legal strategy but then hurt politically. Now i am thinking the continuance of the investigation would actually help because people are getting tired of it. The president needs something to energize tis voters, because the democrats look like theyre energized nothing would energize reps more than, lets save the
president. So but what if you are Robert Mueller . Remember, thinking about ramifications is what got james comey in instrumental. In the summer before the 2016 election, cohen held the conference to criticize Hillary Clinton and handling her emails but he did not bring charges. And then brought up the weiner emails . Why did he do that . Presumably he thought that shes going to win. He didnt want to look like he if thinking about the ramifications instead of just doing his job is what got comey in trouble, what were mueller do publicly in the weeks ahead . Joining mess is Scott Frederick son in the d. C. Office of foley and wadner. Counselor, lets put the memo from eric holder. He says in part, politics must play no role of federal investigators or prosecutors r