Variation On A theme Memo .Flake's Flub or Fluke? Trump Learn's Self-Control? Flake And Pandora. Sam Bodman - RIP.

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ERRATA:  Avi will appear at Plantation, Tuesday, Nov 13 at 5PM not 4:30PM.
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Did: Jeff Flake Go Benedict Arnold on GOP? 

Sen. Flake could not resist Sen. Coons sobbing. What appears to be a flub, could, fortuitously, turn into a positive fluke. Why? Because, it might pacify those who felt an FBI pursuit was needed since many agree with Democrats who made such a to do about same. Thus, Flake might help garner enough votes and put an end to the circus and elevate Kavanaugh to The SCOTUS .

What Flake unleashed will certainly prove interesting because setting a time limit on the FBI is not so much the problem but  subsequent demands, that have already begun, could morph into urging more baubbles be placed on The Kavanaugh  Christmas Tree, thereby, providing nourishment for a slew of calls for delays.

Liberals believe a woman has a right to her body and therefore, abortion is acceptable.  Is killing Kavanaugh  simply another permissible aborting of a Conservative? The Feminist movement is being damaged by this circus because, as I pointed out in a previous memo, these type movements eventually disintegrate and implode when radicals take over and dictate directions.

Flake's fluke, as I noted above, may have been unwitting and/or a purposeful opening of Pandora's Box. After all Flake finds Trump repugnant and his caving to Democrat demands would serve to butter his "Trump antipathy toast."



As for Flake, after one term his constituents decided he needed to go so he opted not to run again. Basically he never should have labeled himself a Republican. However, he might not have won in Arizona running as a Democrat.  You decide.

What the Democrats Have Done

And we should never, never forget.  Read in browser »
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Finally, a very thoughtful article and a good one.(See 1 below.)
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My friend, Sam Bodman, passed away several weeks ago.  We met when he was Chairman of Cabot Corp and he graciously spoke for me many times at institutional meetings I arranged with clients in the Southeast.

One of the more embarrassing episodes, of my professsional life,  involved a cancellation of a hotel reservation in Jacksonville and our having to stay in a truck stop motel.  

Sam was a bright a delightful person and he will be missed.
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Dick
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1) Trump Tries 

Something Surprising:

 Self-Control 

By Fred Barnes

Eyebrows were raised in Washington when President Trump responded to an allegation of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The president didn’t mention the accuser. He said the Senate Judiciary Committee would go through “a process and hear everybody out [and] I’d like everybody to be very happy.”

Trump’s remarks were “unusually sober,” the Washington Post declared in a page-one headline. That was high praise from an archenemy. White House aides got credit for recommending the mild response, if only because the press doubts Trump is capable of getting a grip on his emotions without help. Yet that’s what he did.

When facing a political crisis—and the threat to the Kavanaugh confirmation is a crisis—Trump has often stayed cool and rational. True, he seems to enjoy erupting more. It’s more fun. But he’s the one who decides whether to blow his stack. Believe it or not.

We saw this in the 2016 campaign. When his raunchy comments on the Access Hollywood video put his chance of winning the election in jeopardy, he became a paragon of self-discipline. He read speeches from a text. He minimized the ad libs.

Now, with the midterm election six weeks away, it’s time for Trump to tighten his grip on his emotions again, limit any distractions, and act like a gentleman. He has a big incentive to do so. If Democrats win the House by a big margin—40 or more seats is possible—he will face impeachment.

Trump is the main man in the overall election. GOP senators and House members are at his mercy. In 2017, Republicans had a fine candidate for Virginia governor, Ed Gillespie. Hard as he tried, he couldn’t escape being identified with Trump, which was the kiss of death in the Old Dominion.

Trump draws large crowds. His political base appears to get as big a kick out of his appearances as they did two years ago. They’re not jumping off the Trump Train. But millions of soft Republicans and independents who backed him in 2016 have drifted away. The promise of conservative judges attracted them before. But this year, Trump needs to woo them personally.
He can’t do it by being vulgar or mean. He needs to be likable. Folks who spend time with Trump love to talk about how likable he is. In 2015, Rick Perry, the former Texas governor, and I visited with him in his Trump Tower office. Trump was a genial host. He showed us his collection of sports memorabilia, including Mike Tyson’s heavyweight-champion belt. I asked how he got it. “Tyson owed me money,” Trump replied.

Our country is hardly overrun with likable politicians. Ronald Reagan stands out. Trump is a pale copy. Reagan’s conservatism appealed to millions of voters, his likability to millions more. He explained that having been an actor really came in handy in politics. It made him a natural politician.

Trump’s populism is different. He was a bit of an actor as the host of a TV show, The Apprentice. But it hasn’t made him a natural politician. He’ll have to work at that.

Trump has three rules of the political road. When you’re right, you fight. Controversy elevates message. Never apologize. The president is going to have to reverse all three of those to build his influence in the midterm.

Fighting is what he needs less of in 2018. Everyone knows he’s a counter-puncher. It’s what a populist does. The rule should become: When you fight, make sure you win. Being right doesn’t matter. Political leaders win. It keeps them out of jail.

These days message elevates controversy. Trump is a better politician when he focuses on his message. For one thing, it’s easy to understand. Proposing to build a wall to keep illegal immigrants out will keep the issue alive and controversial. Trump has already put this into practice.

The hardest change for Trump to make is to begin apologizing. He has long felt that apologizing shows weakness. He loathes saying he’s sorry. It doesn’t come naturally. I assume that’s because he’s seldom sorry in real life. But it’s one of the keys to likability.

Trump can’t help Republican candidates unless he starts apologizing. He’ll have plenty of material to work with. There are all those humiliating nicknames he’s given to political rivals. Sorry! The actors he’s called overrated or worse. Sorry! The media types he lumped together as enemies of the people. Sorry! The list of eligibles for apologies is endless in Trump’s case.

The president won’t like saying he’s sorry to people he dislikes. But there’s a dividend. Winners apologize. Losers refuse to.

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