2016 Feb 14^th

It’s Valentine’s Day. This is the day people are supposed to devote themselves to love and affection…unless you are a candidate for the Presidency. I did not watch last night’s performance because I was sure the important parts would be re-broadcast again today. Certainly the invective laden exchanges were re-broadcast and there was no shortage of those. Reince Priebus, the RNC Chairman, was sufficiently embarrassed by the performances of his friends on stage that he needed a scapegoat and quickly found it by blaming the CNN moderators. If the participants act like twelve year olds, blame the moderators for not properly moderating them. Why should you expect candidates for the Presidency to act like adults unless they have a firm guiding hand?

A particularly contentious exchange was between Jeb Bush and Donald Trump. Bush claimed that his brother “kept us safe” while Trump reminded everyone that the 9/11 attacks happened “on President Bush’s watch.” Trump was careful not to directly blame Bush for the attacks; he just pointed out that they happened while Bush 43 was President. This implication was not well received by Jeb Bush, and particularly when Trump had also called attention to “mommy,” Mother Bush, now appearing on Jeb’s behalf. Trump has gone on this tack before but it was not a smart position to take in South Carolina because this is a state with a strong allegiance to the Bushes and to all things military. South Carolina has many military bases and many retired members of the uniformed services live there. Trump’s various deferments and lack of any military service (except for time spent in a private military school) do not impress the local folks. Then, as I mentioned yesterday, we have Trump’s recent predilection to be foul mouthed; lie all you like in South Carolina politics, but don’t use naughty words in your speeches. There are limits! I find it inconceivable that any of these men could possibly become the successor to Barack Obama as President of the United States.

Then we have the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia to deal with. Justice Scalia served this country on the Supreme Court for thirty years. Now, however, his replacement has already produced political conflict. Congress wants a delay in the nomination of his successor until after the election and they refuse to consider any nomination until then. President Obama, citing his constitutional responsibilities to nominate Scalia’s replacement, plans to suggest a name “in due course.” The Republican controlled Senate can certainly delay a vote on the matter. Unfortunately for them, if the President nominates a very well-qualified minority person, as he will surely do, these conservative Senators will be seen as bigoted if they fail to vote, and if they vote down the candidate they’ll also get that result. I believe the President is in the catbird seat.