As Donald Trump and his campaign manager Paul Manafort struggle to win an uphill battle in the final 100 days until election day, it’s worth remembering that the last strategist to successfully launch a Republican into the White House was Karl Rove in 2004. Rove’s playbook was varied and innovative in its boldness and amorality. […]
David Atkins
Follow David on Twitter @DavidOAtkins. David Atkins is a Washington Monthly contributing writer, activist, and research professional living in Santa Barbara as well as an elected DNC Member from California. He is president of The Pollux Group, a qualitative research firm.
Posted inPolitical Animal
The One Poll Number that Spells Doom for Trump and the GOP
I wrote earlier today about Trump’s apparent 42% ceiling in public polling, which is a bad sign for him. But it’s Trump’s numbers among Hispanics that spell doom not only for him, but also the future of the Republican Party: Donald Trump remains overwhelmingly unpopular with Latinos, a new NBC News/ Wall Street Journal/Telemundo poll […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
Does Trump Have a Ceiling at 42%?
A slew of new national polls are out today showing Clinton with a modest but substantial lead over Donald Trump going into the conventions. It’s important, of course, not to put too much emphasis on national polling right now even in the aggregate. But the new numbers do make an interesting suggestion about the state […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
Breaking The Cycle Between Racial Profiling and Resistance
In a nation that needs few reminders lately, the killing of Philando Castile by a law enforcement officer has been a particularly chilling reminder of police violence and institutional racism. Mr. Castile appears to have been racially profiled, was not under suspicion of a crime, did nothing to disrespect or resist the officer, and was […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
Of Course Trump Snubbed Christie. What Did He Expect?
It’s hard not to feel a little bit sorry for Chris Christie. Once hailed as the superstar of the Republican Party with Reaganesque crossover appeal, Christie has seen his star fall dramatically. His approval rating is abysmal, and if Trump fails to win in November it’s likely that his political career is finished. It’s mostly his […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
In Attempting to Deny Police Racism, Conservatives Inadvertently Highlight Need for Reform
Police violence against unarmed suspects ought to be bipartisan issue. Americans should have the right to go about their business unafraid that if they have an impairment, mental illness, or an inability to hear officer commands, they won’t be killed for it. Americans should feel confident that reaching for their wallet during a traffic stop […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
No Matter Who Wins in the Coup Aftermath, the Turkish People Lose
An attempted coup is still ongoing in Turkey as I write early Saturday morning. Images of military personnel being arrested en masse, as well as reports that much of the military remained united with Erdogan against the coup backers and opened fire on the coup-backed military forces, seem to indicate that the coup has failed […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
Populist Backlash Will Keep Increasing as Inequality Continues to Rise
Listen to a typical center-left Democrat, and you’ll hear rosy things about the economy. GDP growth is is solid, unemployment is low, and even wages are starting to rise. The Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party generally will be touting these achievements even as they focus on issues of structural racism and sexism while offering […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
Kansas’ Experiment in Right-Wing Economics Is Still Failing Miserably
Every few weeks I feel it’s important to return to the ongoing disaster in Sam Brownback’s Kansas. It doesn’t get nearly as much play as it should in the media, which is unfortunate because Kansas’ experience is definitive proof of the failure of supply-side, Laffer-curve-based economic theory. Under the leadership of Brownback and one of […]
Posted inPolitical Animal
Donald Trump Posts Anti-Semitic Image on the Day of Elie Wiesel’s Passing
The world lost a living legend in Elie Wiesel yesterday. Few people in history have done as much for human rights and the cause of world peace as he did. Wiesel stood for everything good and right in this world: tolerance, nonviolence, and humane treatment for all peoples around the world. Wiesel continued his tireless […]
