Just Ask The Question News Update
Who's my Mitch? August Update!
Welcome back to the Just Ask the Question newsletter where we share insights on the White House and politics in general through podcast interviews, original articles and commentary.
And because everyone deserves a break now and then from all that is D.C., we will also share the lighter side of the news with exclusive interviews from leading pop culture figures. sign up here
Is Andrew Yang finally ready for his closeup? His likely-to-fail third party depends on it
He couldn't get elected president, or even mayor. But he still thinks he can revolutionize American politics
The dark side of human nature is live-streaming in Technicolor, playing on every wide-screen TV and on full display in theaters across the United States this summer. It may be a Gothic horror show, but the only thing worse than being on this dark thrill ride is not being on it.
Hunter S. Thompson, a fellow Kentuckian who understood the appeal of Wild Turkey 101, as well as truly bizarre and rare hallucinogens, understood the allure of dark rides. He'd be right at home with the political darkness we've endured the last five years or so.
"No sympathy for the devil; keep that in mind," Thompson told us in "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." "Buy the ticket, take the ride . ..and if it occasionally gets a little heavier than what you had in mind, well ... maybe chalk it up to forced consciousness expansion: Tune in, freak out, get beaten."
Politics today is all about being beaten — at the polls, metaphorically and occasionally . . . physically. Some admit it. Some deny it. All suffer the beatings…
Op-Ed: How Trump’s party led to his downfall in the Jan. 6 hearings
In a primetime special— live from Capitol Hill— the Jan. 6 Committee wrapped up its first season of hearings with an extravaganza worthy hype on July 21..
During eight hearings, the committee has forever linked former president Donald Trump to the January 6, 2021 coup attempt at the Capitol. As Rep. Liz Cheney (a long-time Trump supporter) said, it wasn’t Trump’s political opponents who nailed him to the wall, but “a series of confessions,” from his own staff that did.
In fact, the entire eight-part production was dominated by Republicans, intent on purging their party of the cancer brought by Donald Trump. Cheney highlighted the seriousness of the effort by saying that Trump engaged in the “most serious misconduct of any president in history,” and declared him unfit for office. She is no RINO. She voted 89 percent of the time with Republicans– but because she snubbed Trump— she will probably lose her bid for re-election this fall.
With 100 days to go, Republicans are flatlining — yet somehow still poised to win
There's literally no excuse for this vapid, soulless party to win anything. But they may, and we'll all pay for it
Breaking news! (No, not really.)
It's just a little more than 100 days before the midterm elections, and the Republicans are outwardly giddy and chittering like rabid field mice.
Conventional wisdom — a questionable term — has the Republicans taking back the House in the midterm elections this fall. The idea has risen like cheap champagne in the putrescent bowels of the Republicans. Hell, they're so light-headed with their possible success they'll even tolerate Matt Gaetz publicly and historically embarrassing himself — yet again.
That is, unless you're Marc Short, the former staffer to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison who became Mike Pence's chief of staff. On CNN this week, Short flayed Gaetz into small morsels with an honest and sardonic description of the Florida congressman as Donald Trump's latest favorite fool. CNN aired a soundbite of Gaetz speaking to a youthful crowd, where he dismissed Pence as a nice guy who will never be president because he's no leader. Then Short got his shot — live.
Episode 134: Just Ask The Press - Should we just drop the investigation into Jan 6 and move on?
Episode 133: Just Ask The Press - A wrap up on the Season One Finale of the Jan. 6 Hearings
Will Liz Cheney run for President?
Will the committee call Ginni Thomas?
Will anyone ever be indicted?
Is Merrick Garland on the case?
These questions and more answered this week.