The guy DOES embrace Democrats from time to time causing his people to scratch their heads and wonder WTF is going on….
President Donald Trump has long alternated between being nice to red-state Senate Democrats and punching them in the nose – and as the midterms approach, his muddled strategy is manifesting itself in tensions between key White House offices.
On the one side is the legislative office, which has in the past two weeks welcomed Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana – two of the Republican Party’s top targets in the fall – to stand alongside the president at bill-signing ceremonies. On the other is the office of political affairs, which has opposed any move that might help Democrats from states Trump won in 2016.
With a signing event for veterans’ health care legislation planned for next week, people in the White House are waiting to see whether an invitation will be extended to Montana Sen. Jon Tester, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs committee, who made himself an enemy to Trump by tanking the nomination of White House physician Ronny Jackson for secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Trump himself has veered from welcoming Democrats – most notably when he had Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his House counterpart Nancy Pelosi to the White House last year amid debt negotiations – to threatening them. He derided Donnelly as “a really incredible swamp person” during a rally earlier this month in Elkhart, Indiana, for voting with other Democrats against his top legislative priorities, the tax overhaul and opposing Obamacare repeal.
But he’s repeatedly praised Heitkamp, who has crossed the aisle to support Trump’s legislative priorities including the recently passed rollback of banking restrictions. Some Republican groups have shown their support: on Friday, the conservative Koch brothers political network announced it would launch a digital ad campaign in support of Heitkamp’s re-election bid – a move some interpreted as a show of support for legislative affairs head Marc Short, who previously worked for the Koch-funded Freedom Partners group….
More….
image of Trump with Democratic Senator’s Tester and Heitkamp….Politico
Democratic Socialist Dave says
The President is now known for at least twice seeming to ally with Democrats on legislation (gun control and immigration) before suddenly pulling away and pulling the rug from under their feet.
jamesb says
After getting taken in the room and admonished by his adopted party members….
jamesb says
Maybe he could take a pill to stop the recurring occasions?
My Name Is Jack says
This is silly on so many levels.
Apparently, talking with Members of the opposite party makes one have aDemocratic/Republican side.
Dumb.
This is simply a normal part of the Presidency as anyone who knows anything about politics understands.Presidents do this all the time.Declaring that such. indicates anything unusual is beyond ridiculous.
Hell ,Tip ONeill was a regular in Reagan’s White House.Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton talked endlessly .There are pictures galore of Congressional Leaders of the opposition party conversing with Presidents and get this James,
Sometimes they are smiling(this might stir up another whole new post,how long were they smiling?) WOOOOOO!!!!!
jamesb says
Trump and Normal do NOT fit in the same sentence….
Zreebs says
You don’t do the anti-Trump movement any favors with silly and cheap potshots at him. It might make you feel better, but it is very ineffective.
jamesb says
Look at social media Z
There ARE tons of anti-Trump comments
They are NOT gonna stop…..
Oh, and I HAVE highlighted anti-Trump comments from those who have or are still working with him….
jamesb says
Just in time for my point of view…
Via Twitter…
AP Politics
Kasich challenges GOP for not opposing Trump on tariffs, young immigrants’ policies.
jamesb says
via twitter….
Aaron Blake
@AaronBlake
Mason-Dixon poll in #NDSEN:
Cramer (R): 48
Heitkamp (D): 44