2016 Jan 19^th

The morning’s paper has a column by George Will and it is unusual because George goes well out on a limb to tout Governor Christie. His column is titled, “Keep an eye on Chris Christie as the race heats up.” Chris Christie is clutching for a hand-hold on the clown car that contains the Republican candidates. He is in that group that could be referred to as “third tier” candidates. These, according to Real Clear Politics (RCP) latest poll, are; Christie with 3.5 percent, Fiorina with 2.8 percent, Kasich with 2.3 percent and Paul with 2.3 percent. Given these dim prospects, even with Christie’s endorsement by the Manchester Union Leader, why is George Will telling us to watch Governor Christie? Will points out that Christie is the Chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association and has raised and distributed millions of dollars to fellow Republican Governors. No doubt as a result of that he is very popular with Republican Governors. Unfortunately his abysmal record as New Jersey’s Governor is likely to be used against him in any general election. (There is photographic evidence that this man, Governor Christie, actually hugged President Obama when Obama came to inspect the damage from Hurricane Sandy.)

Today Donald Trump is pandering away to the corn raising farm folk in Iowa. He, for the first time, actually read a statement supporting the ethanol producing folks who want to “make us energy independent’ (Particularly now that oil is selling for less than 30 dollars a barrel.) It turns out that a gallon of ethanol is now more expensive than a gallon of gasoline.

During his speech in Iowa Trump learned that Governor Terry Brandstad had “negatively endorsed Senator Cruz.” He says that he wants to see Cruz defeated in Iowa. Poor Cruz, not only do his fellow Senators loathe him but he isn’t popular with many other politicians either. Cruz made a motion for a roll call vote in the Senate on a funding bill, normally this gets a second as a matter of courtesy, but not for Ted Cruz; his motion died for lack of a second. That is simply an unprecedented slap down. I don’t think Trump will have any problem defeating Cruz; compared with Trump at 6’3,’’ Cruz is a short person at just 5’8.” In politics short people usually lose. Not always of course, but couple short with a disagreeable disposition and you have long odds of winning.

We now have confirmation that Trump’s big endorsement is from Sarah Palin. This will probably help Trump in Iowa and in the sunny southland where social conservatives and evangelicals predominate. You have to admit that Sarah Palin is usually smiling (Some wag might say that is because she doesn’t understand the situation; sometimes, though, snarky is accurate.) Her cheerfulness might balance Trump’s contention that we are in an awful mess. She is now officially on stage standing next to The Donald himself who is looking a bit grim, perhaps because “Governor” Palin is being a bit prolix and depriving her hero pro tem (Not long ago she worked to elect Ted Cruz to the Senate.) of his microphone. OK, I’ve watched as much of this as I can tolerate.