Alexandra DeSanctis of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America cheer Vice President Pence for going to North Dakota and hammering Sen. Heidi Heitkamp for her liberal votes on health care, taxes, abortion, energy and more – in a sign the Republicans are getting on message early in the states with the best pickup opportunities. They also take aim at Heitkamp’s attempt to look strong on the second amendment after the senator makes a pathetic attempt to liken passion for gun rights similar to passion for abortion rights. And they slam “Fire and Fury” author Michael Wolff, who is now admitting he is an observer rather than a journalist and says his job “has nothing to do with the truth.”
Michael Wolff
America Backs 20-Week Abortion Ban, Wolff’s Haley Smear, Hillary’s Grammy Cameo
Alexandra DeSanctis of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America are deeply disappointed that the Senate is unlikely to pass a bill banning the vast majority of abortion past 20 weeks of pregnancy, but are heartened that most Americans support the restrictions, including a majority of Democrats and a majority of women. They also hammer “Fire and Fury” author Michael Wolff for his sleazy efforts to suggest that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is having an affair with President Trump and they praise Haley for her clear and dignified denials. And they roll their eyes as the Grammy Awards telecast shoehorns Hillary Clinton reading an excerpt from “Fire and Fury” into the show, a move made even more baffling in this #MeToo environment by recent reports that the 2008 Clinton campaign took no action against Hillary’s faith adviser for sexual harassment.
McCain Wallops Wolff, Greitens Exposed, Trump Fumbles FISA Tweets
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America applaud Meghan McCain for calling out Michael Wolff’s many factual errors and questionable journalistic ethics to his face during a discussion of his book on “The View.” They also unload on Republican Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens for conducting an extramarital affair as he prepared to launch his bid for governor and they recoil at accusations that he threatened to release compromising photos of the woman if she revealed their affair. Greitens admits to the affair but strongly denies the blackmail. And they smack their foreheads as President Trump trashes FISA renewal legislation in a tweet before realizing his administration actually supports the bill.
Unshackling Energy, Trump’s Impulses Obscure Big Week, Gorilla Channel Parody
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America cheer Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke for taking steps towards allowing energy exploration and development on more than 90 percent of the Outer Continental Shelf. They also fume at President Trump for taking a week when he could be highlighting his support of Iranian protesters, the Dow crossing 25,000 and expanding American energy production and instead ranting about nuclear button sizes and trying to order a book publisher not to release a book critical of his presidency. And they laugh at the liberals in the media and beyond who believed an online parody – about Trump being obsessed with the “Gorilla Channel” up to 17 hours at a time – was actually in that new book.