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Over The Top and Completely Useless

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Who says we don't break news on this show? The whole gang is back this week, and they're joined by National Review's senior political correspondent, Jim Geraghty for a long chat on Republicans leaving the party, fealty to you-know-who, and an update on Wuhan lab theories. Then, Elliot Abrams, who's most recently served as President Trump's Special Representative to Venezuela and Iran; joins to discuss They Israel's ongoing fight with Hamas and speculate on how it might conclude, while marveling at the strength of the Abraham Accords (negotiated at the direction of you-know-who). Ricochet member @MarkAlexander gets the coveted Lileks Post of The Week® badge for his post My Shakespeare Confession and Rob and James mull the wisdom of a million dollar vaccine lottery.

Song from this week's episode: Bad Blood by Taylor Swift.

Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonRob Long
Guests:
EAElliott AbramsJGJim Geraghty

Discussion (180)

  • Al Sparks@AlSparks

    On Rob Long's hysterical comments comparing Jimmy Carter's influence on the Democrat Party after his loss, compared to Donald Trump's influence:

    Jimmy Carter never had a rabid base. He wasn't particularly charismatic (for crying out loud, he was an engineer; the last president before him who was an engineer was Herbert Hoover). When he got close to winning the nomination, he was referred to as, "Jimmy who?" The closest he had to a base was a mixture of Southern Baptist and Evangelical Christians (there's overlap in that Venn diagram).

    That was actually a conservative base back when the Democrats had conservatives (often called blue-dog Democrats).

    Carter's policies alienated that base, and perhaps persuaded them that character in office might be overrated.

    Also Carter's successor was Reagan. Trump's successor is senile.

    No one said "Donald who?" at any point in 2016, even as people were surprised, win or lose, at his success in getting close to, much less garnering, the nomination. Everyone knew who he was.

  • kedavis@kedavis
    ReplyingtoHeadedwest

    Headedwest (View Comment):

    Don’t listen to the Rob Long part.

    If Rob is an admitted "RINO squish" then if the Republican party becomes seriously conservative, no wonder he feels left out. But what to do? Move the party more to the "RINO squish" side so that Rob feels more at home? No thanks. And why would, or should, Rob expect it?

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