Mediaboss Marketing

After watching his interview on Fox News this weekend, it's worth asking whether President Donald Trump is now the leader of the Code Pink Republicans.

This is the term coined by the conservative author and radio host Mark Levin to describe those on the right who valorize Russian President Vladimir Putin. Like Code Pink, the sign-waving hollerers known for disrupting congressional hearings to demonstrate against alleged U.S. aggression, the current president does not appear to believe America is a morally exceptional nation.

How else to explain these remarks to Bill O'Reilly that aired before the Super Bowl? When asked why Trump says he respects Putin, given that Putin is a killer, Trump responds: "There are a lot of killers. We got a lot of killers, what? You think our country's so innocent?" Code Pink founder Medea Benjamin couldn't have said it better.

And yes, while it's true that the U.S. government has certainly killed its enemies before, there is no comparison to Russia.

The U.S. conducts drone strikes against terrorists. Putin poisons, disappears and exiles his domestic political opposition.

The U.S. since the late 1970s openly funds non-governmental organizations that push for the rule of law and democratic elections. Putin authorizes cyber-thefts and disinformation campaigns on behalf of far right and far left political parties in Europe and his near abroad.

The U.S. broadcasts news into foreign countries in several languages through Voice of America. Russia funds media that promote conspiracy theories like the 9/11 truth movement.

It's also true that Trump is not the first president to engage in this kind of moral relativism. When President Barack Obama was selling the Iran nuclear deal, he was fond of comparing Iran's hardliners with U.S. Republicans, an analogy that both demonized his political opponents and burnished the image of Iran's rulers.

Trump's moral equivalency toward Russia is part of a pattern. In December 2015, he was asked on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" about Putin's killing of journalists. Trump responded: "Our country does plenty of killing also."

During the Republican convention, Trump's surrogates stripped language from the Republican platform calling for the arming of Ukraine against Russia.

After winning the election, Trump appeared to begin to walk things back. He made it clear in interviews that he thought the NATO alliance was important, though he also said he believed it was obsolete. (Code Pink agrees on that last point, for what it's worth.)

Trump's choices for key cabinet posts also indicated he was moderating his views on Russia. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in his confirmation hearings last month said he would not support recognition of Russian claims to Crimea without the agreement of Ukraine. Last week, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, condemned Russian-backed separatists for the recent uptick in fighting in eastern Ukraine. She said: "Crimea is a part of Ukraine. Our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control over the peninsula to Ukraine."

That's good news. But it's also insufficient. Haley referred only to the specific sanctions related to Crimea. There are still sanctions on Russian officials for their role in the murder and torture of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who discovered a huge tax fraud scheme inside the country's interior ministry. There are also separate sanctions against Russia for its aggression against Ukraine, independent of those levied in regard to its annexation of Crimea.

What's more, it's not clear whether Haley was speaking for the Trump administration. When asked about sanctions on Russia on Sunday on ABC's "This Week," Vice President Mike Pence was inconclusive: "If we have opportunities to work together, I think the president is looking for an opportunity to begin that relationship anew. But, make no mistake about it, those decisions will await action. And they'll be very dependent on how the Russians respond in the days ahead."

As Trump might tweet: Sad! Pence distinguished himself in October during the vice presidential debate by taking a tough line on Putin. He called him a "small and bullying man," and promised a Trump administration would be tougher on Putin than Hillary Clinton would be.

Pence's position on Putin was in line with that of most of his party. On Sunday, Republican congressional leaders would not defend Trump's comments on Putin to O'Reilly. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called Putin a "thug" on CNN on Sunday, and said there was no moral equivalence between the U.S. and Russia.

Trump's remarks were closer to those of Republicans like Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan, who is an occasional guest of the Kremlin. These days this former cold warrior devotes his energies in Washington to the fight against Russia sanctions. Last summer, Rohrabacher entered into the congressional record an account of the Magnitsky case that claimed the whistle-blower was a thief, borrowing the same alternative facts pumped out by Russia's numerous propaganda outlets.

For years, because of Rohrabacher's pro-Putin sentiments, the leaders of his party treated him like a crazy uncle. But Trump's the party leader now. And the Code Pink Republicans appear to have one of their own in the Oval Office.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

To contact the author of this story: Eli Lake at elake1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Philip Gray at philipgray@bloomberg.net

See the article here:
On Russia, Trump Is a Code Pink Republican - Bloomberg

February 6, 2017 A Republican official has apologized for calling for "another Kent State" massacre in response to recent university protests.

Dan Adamini, the secretary of the Marquette County Republican Party in Michigan, tweeted that he was "sorry" for a pair of social media posts in which he referenced the infamous fatal1970 shooting of four unarmed college students by National Guardsmen during an anti-Vietnam War protest, and suggested that a similar incident might be the "only solution" to modern-day protests at the University of California, Berkeley, and elsewhere.

"Violent protesters who shut down free speech? Time for another Kent State, perhaps," Mr. Adamini wrote in a tweet last Thursday. "One bullet stops a lot of thuggery." In a similar Facebook post, he added, "They do it because they know there are no consequences yet."

The posts, which have since been deleted, received widespread backlash, and were quickly condemned by Kent State University and the Michigan Democratic Party.

"To call for 'another Kent State' and declare that 'one bullet stops a lot of thuggery' is to clearly and openly advocate for the murder of unarmed college students, simply because they dont share his beliefs or point of view," said Michigan Democratic Party chair Brandon Dillon in a statement, calling on Adamini to resign from any public or political party positions. "The right to free speech is the cornerstone of our democracy, and when someone threatens another individual or group with harm for exercising it, that one person is a threat to all of us, as Americans."

Kent State presidentBeverly Warren decried the posts in a tweet Saturday, writing that the remarks had "no place in healing the divide in America."

Later that morning, in an official press release, the university described Adamini's suggestion as "abhorrent," and invited him to tour the campus's May 4 Visitors Center, which features exhibits that tell the story of the shooting, "to gain perspective on what happened 47 years ago and apply its meaning to the future."

Some Kent State students praised the school's invitation to Adamini, noting the impact the center had had on their own perspective.

"I think that (inviting Adamini) to the May 4 Memorial was the best course of action," Brandon Calalesina, a junior computer science major, told the Kent State school newspaper. "The university didn't jump the gun and started attacking them. They welcomed him to understand rather than do anything else."

In an apology tweet, Adamini said the intent behind his original posts had been misinterpreted.

"Taking a lot of heat for a very poorly worded tweet yesterday," he wrote. "Sorry folks, the intent was to try to stop the violence, not encourage more."

Adamini has since deleted his Twitter account.

Read the rest here:
Republican official Dan Adamini apologizes after calling for 'another Kent State' - Christian Science Monitor

"We may, in fact, have an additional Republican colleague voting 'no,' which would stop her tomorrow," Sen. Debbie Stabenow told CNN's Erin Burnett "OutFront" Monday.

Last week, Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski said they would not vote for DeVos.

If all other Republicans vote in favor of her, DeVos' nomination will pass the Senate with Vice President Mike Pence casting a tie-breaking vote. That would be the first time the vice president had broken a tie for a Cabinet pick in history.

But if DeVos' opposition can peel off more Republicans, she will not become education secretary. Republicans have said they are confident they have the votes.

Democratic senators have steadfastly opposed to DeVos' confirmation, and earlier Monday they began a 24-hour long debate against her on the Senate floor.

DeVos has faced significant pushback, from her controversial advocacy of charter school programs to accusations of plagiarism.

Stabenow said the Democrats' united front against DeVos has "galvanized" people and caused some Republicans to declare their intentions not to support President Donald Trump's pick.

But Stabenow acknowledged her party's weak position.

"We know as Democrats we don't have the votes to stop these nominations by ourselves, but people -- parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders across the country -- have power and are weighing in."

As for who else would join them, Stabenow demurred.

"I think there are a couple of folks still thinking about it," Stabenow said. "We don't know."

See original here:
Democratic senator: We may flip another GOP vote on DeVos - CNN

New York Times

How Would Republican Plans for Medicaid Block Grants Actually Work? New York Times The federal government picks up between 50 percent and 100 percent (depending on the population and the per-person income) of whatever it costs to provide health care to a state's population. Many, if not most, Republican plans would like to change that. and more »

Read the original post:
How Would Republican Plans for Medicaid Block Grants Actually Work? - New York Times

Senator John McCain was trailed by reporters while walking to the Senate Chamber Jan. 31.

WASHINGTON It became a mantra for John McCain in the months around Donald Trumps improbable electoral win: Im not talking about Trump. Im not talking about Trump. Im not talking about Trump, he chanted to inquiring reporters in December.

McCains reticence is gone.

Advertisement

The veteran Arizona senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee has taken an unusual role as the new presidents highest-profile Republican critic, his pointed pushback keeping stride with the dizzying pace of controversies Trump has set in his first two weeks.

McCain has publicly challenged Trump on refugees and immigration saying the action may do more to recruit terrorists than beef up national security as well as on the issues of torture, Russia, and trade. Trump has shot back, accusing McCain of looking to start World War III.

Get Ground Game in your inbox:

Daily updates and analysis on national politics from James Pindell.

McCains willingness to so aggressively challenge Trump contrasts with many of his House and Senate colleagues and serves as a warning that Trump, his agenda, and his provocative ways may face increasing obstacles. It also highlights a danger of Trumps scorched-earth, anti-establishment attacks.

Sen. John McCain said that multiple committees investigating the matter, rather than a single panel, would be inefficient.

Trump openly mocked McCain during his presidential campaign for being a Vietnam POW, saying I like people who werent captured. It was a highly personal attack that stunned the Republican Party, whose leaders rushed to McCains defense and called him a war hero.

Now McCain is needling Trump as the new president appears to hit a few early potholes running the executive branch. On Thursday, McCain who occupies the powerful post of Armed Services Committee chairman contacted Australias ambassador to smooth over the diplomatic dustup Trump created during a contentious call with the countrys prime minister. McCain followed that with a press release that implied he felt the need to mop up after the president.

Advertisement

Despite the tensions, McCain, who is 80 and was just installed by Arizona voters to another term, bristled in a Senate hallway conversation with reporters at the notion hes playing the role of opponent in chief to the commander in chief.

Whether it be Ronald Reagan, when I said we shouldnt send Marines to Lebanon; whether it be George W. Bush, when I said youve got to fire [Defense Secretary Donald] Rumsfeld because were losing the war in Iraq I have always done what I think is best, said McCain. But to portray it I know its very convenient for the media as some kind of nemesis. Im not, he said.

It is true McCains opposition is rooted in rhetoric, not legislative action. If he is emerging as the conscience of his party, the role is thus far limited to a moral argument. McCain pointed out that he has supported many of Trumps Cabinet nominees and helped ensure quick committee action on a waiver to allow retired General James Mattis to serve as defense secretary despite not being out of the military for seven years, as required.

He said he is working closely with Mattis, White House national security adviser Michael Flynn, and Homeland Security chief John F. Kelly and described all three men as close friends.

McCain and Trump see eye-to-eye on military spending, too.

Ive supported him strongly on rebuilding the military and Im very much in favor of that, McCain added.

Friends say McCain, in his criticism, is merely displaying his usual independence.

I just think hes being John McCain, said close ally Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina with whom McCain issued a harsh statement blasting Trumps ban on travelers from seven countries.

First elected to Congress in 1982 and the Senate in 1986, the former naval aviator has under gone several political metamorphoses.

In 2000, his bid for the GOP presidential nomination during which he rode a bus dubbed the Straight Talk Express attracted centrist support from both the right and the left and helped solidify his reputation as a forthright maverick, willing to buck his party when principle dictated.

His second run at the presidency in 2008 saw him stake out more conservative positions, and the happy warrior of 2000 seemed crankier. His selection of Sarah Palin, then the governor of Alaska, as his running mate turned off many of his independent supporters even as she energized conservatives.

Today, some Trump skeptics privately chafe at praise of McCains pushback on Trump, grumbling that he helped pave the way for the real estate moguls rise by elevating Palin, whose selection invigorated the far-right wing of the Republican Party and ultimately the Tea Party movement.

Since 2008, two tough Senate primaries in 2010 and 2016 caused McCain to move further right, and some say he never truly returned to his old bipartisan self.

One former senior level Capitol Hill staffer recalled how, in 2010, aides for Graham, then-Senator Joe Lieberman, and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts were confident that McCain would back their bosses climate change legislation as soon as he beat his primary opponent that year. They were so confident that they printed up gray T-shirts with the slogan Operation Sidney, a reference to McCains middle name.

The confidence was based on conversations the three senators had had with their friend and colleague, the former aide said.

But McCain did not end up backing the legislation. It fell apart.

While he may be Trumps most frequent critic, McCain isnt the only Republican standing up to Trump. McCains close friend Graham has taken his shots, too, including accusing Trump of undermining confidence in our democracy with claims of widespread illegal voting.

Several others have criticized the immigration order, in varying degrees. Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska put Trumps pick to lead the Education Department, Betsy DeVos, at risk of failing confirmation by refusing to vote for her.

But McCain has nonetheless become the most prominent and persistent Trump critic at a time when most congressional Republicans seem intent on putting up a united front on behalf of the new president.

McCain is showing flashes of his trademark humor when it comes to Trump, too. Moments after fuming about not being Trumps nemesis, he joked to reporters that watching the presidents prime-time Supreme Court nomination announcement made him think he was watching The Apprentice.

The day he did cleanup duty with the Australians, a reporter asked McCain whether he was worried about how the new administration was handling foreign policy.

Oh no, McCain replied, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

I dont care about that, McCain said with a smile, when asked about having the president lash out at him on Twitter after he and Graham criticized Trumps executive order on immigration. He added, laughing: Ive just joined a large group of people.

But mostly McCain is taking the new president head on, at maximum volume.

When Trump issued his controversial immigration order, McCain blasted out a press release ahead of Trumps first call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia to warn that the president better not lift sanctions against the country run by a murderer and a thug.

McCain has criticized Trumps position on the North American Free Trade Agreement, castigated his nominee to lead the White House budget office, and called one proposal floated by the White House on how it can force Mexico to pay for a wall insane.

And that isnt an exhaustive list.

It is what he would do if Hillary Clinton had been elected, said Mark Salter, a former senior adviser to McCain.

Salter said the senator is doing what he thinks is in the best interest of national security, speaking out forcefully and trying to mitigate what he sees as damaging policy moves, as he did with previous presidents of both parties.

If Trumps the kind of guy who takes it personally, too bad, Salter added, noting that other presidents didnt. Grow up.

Read more:
John McCain has emerged as a leading Republican dissenter - The Boston Globe