Catherine West withdraws Leadership Challenge - Update

Noted: REAGAN on Netflix, excellent movie, just felt it left out, the Reagan dark horse candidacy for the 1968 Republican nomination.  The electrifying 1976 Speech to the Republican Convention.  The the Reagan visit to Moscow and his walk with Gorbachev in red square in 1988.

BBC News: Reports in its 12.06pm post that the Labour backbencher has withdrawn her challenge.

Let's Get Real:

The Labour Party has flunked the leadership challenge to Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour MPs are out of touch with voters, Cabinet Ministers care more about the perks of being in the Cabinet. The cars and civil servants to protect Ministers from making fools of themselves.  If Reform win the next General Election, today is the road that started the process.

Trump on Iran War - Update

Fox News: Reports the following, " President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran's leaders "are gone" and their military is crumbling as a result of Operation Epic Fury......When asked what more needed to be done by the U.S. military for the operation to end, Trump said, "More of the same. "

Let's Get Real:

This does not sound like Trump is about to WIMP OUT, you never know with Trump, he sends mixed messages, Reagan White House was on message, the economy the first year, even if the Secretary of State wanted the President to move to foreign policy.  This is Trump's 2nd term, after the Mid Terms he could face Democratic House out to Impeach him again, he will be a lame duck President, then you have the 2028 cycle, and VP Vance will be spending time in Iowa and New Hampshire.  Trump will want to follow the Reagan example and see his VP become President, a third Trump Term, as the 22 Amendment bans Presidents serving more than two terms.  Political cycles never end.

The Presidential Address - Review

Sky News: Reviews of the Presidential Address by President Trump.

Lets Get Real:

It's best to review a speech after a good night's sleep.  The speech was angry, POTUS defended is domestic agenda, he seemed to get more angry as he went on, his poll numbers have gone down, every 2nd term President has this problem, it should be noted Reagan's polls went down after Iran - Contra, his polls only went up after he admitted the policy mistake from the Oval Office.  Let's note Reagan left OFFICE with a 63% approval rating and his VP becoming President.  One wonders if Trump can do the same.

Trump could run again 2028 - Trump47

BBC News: Reports that President Trump has hinted he might run again in 2028.

Lets Get Real:

The 22nd Amendment prevents a President running for a third term, it was done after FDR ran won four times.   It was passed by a Republican Congress, sometimes history bites you on the backside.  POTUS could resign and run again, the Courts would have a field day on that issue.  If not for the 22nd Amendment, then Reagan, Clinton and Obama would have ran again, Reagan was popular, thus his VP won, the two Democrats either saw their VP or nominee defeated by Bush 43 and Trump in 2016.  Of course POTUS could be needling the Dems and those on the left.  One hopes Trump is having fun.

Former VP Harris might run in 2028 - Trump47

BBC News: Reports that Former VP Harris has stated she might run again in 2028.

Lets Get Real:

HARRIS is running in 2028, she almost announced it an interview with the BBC.  Thus Iowa and New Hampshire can expect a visit from the former VP, one would expect just after the 2026 Mid Terms.   IF Trump47 has not declared himself President for Life before 2028!!!, one can expect VP Vance to run, a third Trump term, as Bush 41 did in 1988, a third Reagan term.  That would be a test for POTUS, can he pass the torch to his successor,  can he equal Reagan.

US at Crisis Point after Kirk killing - President Obama- Trump47

BBC News: Reports on remarks by former President Obama on the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Lets Get Real:

President Obama is great at rhetoric, and has charisma to spare, but it was a mistake to say such remarks with President Trump on a State Visit to the UK, if nothing else it will annoy Trump, who has a very thin skin to insults from Democrats, and from Obama specifically.  Lets recall that the American people had a choice of a third Obama term in 2016 with Hillary Clinton, and they elected Trump45, Obama  left OFFICE with a 58% approval raring in a Gallup poll, well behind Reagan on 63% and Clinton on 66%.  Also Reagan saw his VP became President, Bush41, no two term President following has had that success.  BIDEN was thrown out by his own Party.

Happy End to Iran - Contra - Reagan Era

 CNN: Reports that Lt. Colonel Oliver North ( Marine Retired ) has married his former Iran - Contra Secretary Fawn Hall.

Lets Get Real:

Thus happly end to Iran - Contra, the couple were widowers, thus gives us all hope of finding love later on in life.  As President Reagan stated Ollie North is an American hero, he kept the Contra Freedom fighters going in Nicaragua by selling arms to Iran by and diverting profits to the freedom fighters.  When the news broke, Ms Hall destroyed documents in the shredder to cover the operation.  The right thing to do at the time, whatever the Democrats said at the time.   The operation was a costly mistake for President Reagan, it took time to recover from, in the end Bush 41 won in 1988, the American people forgave the Gipper, thus 1st Vice President to succeed his boss in over a hundred years, with the exception of assassination or resignation.

European sanctions on Iran - Trump47

Guardian: The Tehran Government has accused the UK, France, Germany of giving the Trump Oval a VETO over the return of sanctions. 

Lets Get Real:

The last thing that POTUS wants is Iran to return as an issue on the news, the Trump Oval nightmare is that Israel bomb Iran again because the Israeli intelligence, the Mossed finds out that Iran still has nuclear material that can make a nuclear bomb.  It could force Trump to face reality over his minds reality.  Lets recall that the 2026 mid terms are coming up, also the 2028 Presidential Election, Trump wants to hand the Oval to his chosen successor, as Reagan did for Bush 41 in 1988.

Trump uses the RACE CARD on VP Harris - 2024 Candidates/2024 General Election

Lets Get Real

The Trump are using racist adverts to attack VP Harris, they are using the 1988 " Willie Horton " advert as the example, there is no need for this, the record of allowing violent prisoners bail should be BAD ENOUGH, by making sure that nearly all those selected for the advert are from a ethnic background is is bad taste, and in these days open the campaign to the charge of racism, calling VP Harris a BUM is not called for, she still the VP of the United States.   This blog is moving to supporting Harris, not yet a full endorsement.

Lets Get Real:

More Effective and less Racist, 

Biden's poll numbers in the TOILET - 2024 Candidate/2024 Presidential Election - Biden Era

Guardian - Live Blog: Reports in its 5.32pm post the following, " Joe Biden remains an unpopular president, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released today finds....Biden’s approval rating was 40% in the poll conducted over three days till Sunday, just a smidgen higher than the 39% reported a month ago and remaining near the lowest level ever recorded of his presidency.  "

Lets Get Real:

It seems form news reports that POTUS is still thinking about running in 2024 an so are his staff, let's recall the late great President, Ronald Reagan went down to 35% in his polling rating on Gallup in the early years of his Presidency.  Also let's recall that that in 1984 he won 49 States, 59% of the vote and 525 electoral college votes and left in 1988 with a gallup rating of 63%, only Bill Clinton got more at 66% at the end of his Presidency.   At its fair to say these two President has their own scandals, Bill Clinton's being the most sordid with his affair with an intern.  The main fact being that these Presidents came back in to favour with the public, but only Reagan's VP, George H.W. Bush become President after his boss, it was seen as Reagan's third term.  Thus back to Biden, let's be clear Biden is not worthy to clean the late President's Reagan golf shoes, but on the whole he has had a successful first two years with the Congress, and things were looking up, inflation down a bit, unemployment down to the lowest in 50 years, and then classified files were found in one of his office and a home, and Special Counsel was give the job of investigation the matter.  The Biden Oval really needs to think, will the investigation last two years, it is simple for the Special Counsel to ask to interview the President, the files were found in his office and home, it should not take that much time.  Then the Congress will have investigations, the Biden Oval is painting them as extreme, might not work, Biden is NO REAGAN or even BILL CLINTON, people have been wondering with his age, is he losing track of things, he has shown that many times.  Thus an easy way to explain not running, the Democrats do not want to be stuck with a President who can only win if Donald Trump is the Republican candidate, what if the Republicans chose someone else, Biden becomes a former President.  The done deal that Biden will run in 2024 is not a 100%, events, events as a former UK PM once stated can thrown the game in the air and President Biden has to wait for what the Special Counsel does, the Congress with investigations of him and his son and what happens over seas, with the Ukraine, Russia, Iran, North Korea and China's threat to invade Taiwan.   EVENTS, EVENTS!!

Iran Crisis - Update 1 - Middle East - US Election 2020

Daily Mail: Reports " Lindsey Graham says Trump should 'punish' Iran 'militarily' for attacking drones and ships as he channels Ronald Reagan: 'Sanctions are not enough' "

Lets Get Real:

Let's be CLEAR, Ronald Reagan was one  of the greatest Presidents in US history, and as Lady Thatcher said won the cold war without firing a shot.  As the article notes Reagan used US Armed Forces when Iran attacked US interests, the President understood that bullies have to be countered, and let's be honest he tried to talk to Iran, thus Iran - Contra, when that did not work and Iran was shown to be a bad actor in, Reagan responded attacks from Iran  with force, let's recall Reagan's VP won 1988 US Presidential Election, no VP had successful won the Oval after a two term President in 152 years and nonce since.  Donald Trump will never be a REAGAN, he will be lucky to win  a 2nd term, he is the modern Neville Chamberlain and the Middle East is the modern Munich.  If you appease you LOSE in all kind of ways. 

Does former President Obama want to see Biden as the nominee? - Election 2020

Fox News: Reports " Axelrod claims Biden 'serially distorting' record, 'in danger of creating more damaging' trend with gaffes "

Lets Get Real:

One does wonder if a former top adviser to President Obama, would write this if not having been given approval by the former POTUS.  This blog has noticed that on CNN David Axelrod has been more critical of the former VP than other guests, sometimes he is the only one who can bring a CNN panel back to earth with the political reality.   It did come as surprise to this blog that President Obama did not want Biden to run in 2016, he thought that HRC had a better chance of winning the White House, its shows that the political skill of Obama is pretty much about himself, at least the Great Reagan helped get his VP elected in 1988.   Does Obama want a different candidate to Biden, a younger, ethnic candidate, and that does not include Senator Warren.  How many gaffes can Biden get away with before his numbers being to fall. 

What happens behind the OVAL OFFICE Door - Iran Crisis - Trump Era

CNN - Politics: Reports in its 9.23pm post the following,  " Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is "a triangulator" between President Trump and national security adviser John Bolton on the topic of Iran, a senior diplomatic source of a US ally told CNN....A senior White House official told CNN that there is a Bolton v. Trump debate on how to proceed on Iran, and Trump definitely does not want conflict. The source said Pompeo, Vice President Mike Pence and incoming acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper are the “swing votes.”  "

Lets Get Real:

The FACT that the US has not acted on the US Drone getting shot down shows a WEAK President, the Tehran Regime has shot down a 110 million drone, not money you find behind the sofa.  One has only to look at how the Reagan Oval dealt with such issues in 1987/88, they took action, and let's recall Bush 41 went on to win the 1988 Presidential Election even after Iran - Contra, due to the popularity of the Gipper, it was seen as his third term.  If the Trump White House does not act, then Democrats can show that they are strong on defence, that never happens!! Also let's also remember that as Citizen Trump, POTUS opposed the Reagan policy when it came to defending the Tankers in the persian Gulf.  A weak President will be a rollover for Iran and North Korea, the US might have elected a DOVE( that is being nice ) to the White House.  JFK and Reagan looking down must be horrified. 

HRC cost Obama his LEGACY - Trump Era

Daily Mail: Reports " EXCLUSIVE: 'This stings!' How Obama saw Trump's victory as a 'personal insult,' watched the movie Dr. Strange to distract himself from election results and blamed Hillary for the loss because of her 'scripted, soulless campaign'  "

Lets Get Real:

The only President to have served two terms and to see the nominee of his Party win in a 152 years was Ronald Reagan, the Gipper could hand over to Bush 41, his Vice - President, and this in many respects and the fact that the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, few months after Reagan left office and then the fall of the USSR placed Reagan in the league of GREAT American Presidents.   The very FACT that President Obama thought that HRC would of course naturally win, shows how touch a President can come after serving two terms as President.  When your staff say your great ALL THE TIME, it can mess with your head, and President Obama's great black hair went white after serving two terms, Reagan hair was still black and he was in his late 70s.   The Gipper showed that the Presidency can not be a burden, if you have the right character for the job.  It can be argued that Bill Clinton looked great after serving 8 years, and he had deal with the fact that he took over from Bush 41 and his successor was Bush 43.  In the late 1960s, LBJ's greatest fear was that he would be seen as the President between the Kennedy's, that being JFK and RFK.   In many respects Obama allowed the pressure to get to him, well at least his hair, Jimmy Carter really aged in Office, 1977-81.  It can be argued that he faced some of the greatest challenges of any President. 

Booker for President ? - Trump Era

CNN - Politics: Reports " Cory Booker says he's nearing 2020 decision as he swings through key southern states "

Lets Get Real:

Senator Booker is NOT Barack Obama, he does not have "IT", HE does not have the charisma, the left leaning voters of the Democratic base are not going to HELP the Democrats in 2020.   The FACT that former President Jimmy Carter endorsed him is not going to help the Senator, one can see the Republican Adverts already, do you want another Carter in the Oval Office.   One can see Senators Booker or Harris as VP, the question is who will be the nominee, not Senator Warren, President Trump would love her as the Democratic nominee, her attempts to explain why she thought she was a native American were foolish, even the Native American tribe she claimed to be part of disavowed her, also she is LIBERAL Democrat from a State that has produced two failed Presidential bids, in 1988 and 2004.  What about former VP Biden, he would appeal to white working class, but he has tried to run before and has failed, also lets be very honest here, he is OLD and has a FOOT IN THE MOUTH problem.  Also he is pandering to the liberal base, he has stated that he regrets supporting tough criminal laws in the 1980s and 1990s.  This might go down well on the East and West Coast but what about the rust belt States, he is ahead in the polls become people know the name, the race has not started yet.    This blog is still waiting for that candidate you like, leads and it not lead, liberal on social issues but tough on foreign policy, thus far not very impressed, POTUS could WIN big in 2020.

Trump and the US Congress - Trump Era

BBC News: Reports " Democratic congressional leaders have cancelled a meeting with President Donald Trump after he attacked them on Twitter. "

Lets Get Real:

POTUS is playing to his base, he wants any Government closed down to be the fault of the Democrats, he knows that the bases wants TAX CUTS not TAX INCREASES, the Democrats always want to increase taxes, Bush 41 promised no new taxes in 1988 and then folded once in power, this cost him his re-election in 1992.   The Oval has to try and get the Republicans in the Senate to pass a tax cut, that would be a great victory.

The Republicans are always on safe ground when they support tax cuts, limited government and being tough on Russia, on this last part the Trump Oval is far to nice to the Russians, whatever the reason.  One does wonder if the old FSB, the successor to the KGB has anything on Trump, otherwise why is POTUS so nice to the Russians.

HRC BLAMES Obama for 2016 Defeat - Post 2016

Fox News: Reports " Hillary Clinton said in a new interview that her inability to run on an "agenda of change," coming off of President Barack Obama's two terms, was a significant problem for her 2016 campaign. "

Lets Get Real:

Thus far Hillary Clinton has blamed everyone from the FBI to the Russians for her defeat, it is not fair to blame President Obama, this blog had issues with the Obama Administration but it has to be said that President Obama stated his legacy was on the line in 2016 and supported HRC as best he could.   Let's recall that in modern history only one VP has been the successor to his boss, the President, that was Bush 41 who took over from President Reagan.   In 2000 Al Gore the sitting Vice President lost to Bush 41, in 2008 Senator McCain lost to President Obama, and it can be argued that Bill Clinton and Obama are rather good politicians.   It would be interesting to study what President Reagan did different from his successors that allowed his VP to win, a Ph.d of worthy of study. 

President Obama on 57% job approval - Trump Era

The Hill: Reports " President Obama’s approval rating is now at 57 percent, the highest it’s been in his second term, according to a new Gallup poll. "

Lets Get Real:

Thus the question will be asked, WHY did Hillary Clinton lose an election she should  have won on the back of Obama's high approval rating.   In 1988 Reagan helped his VP, Bush 41 get the job, thus it can be asked , was Reagan a better campaigner for Bush 41 than Obama was for HRC.  Did the HRC send the President to the right States, what in their campaign lead to the loss, did the campaign become glued to the polls, and not look at the reality.   This Campaign will be debated for ages, many a book will come out on 2016 and the Trump victory.

Review of President Obama's remarks on the Trump victory - Trump Era

Guardian - Live Reporting: Reports in its 5.32pm post the following, " Barack Obama has just suffered a devastating blow to his legacy. He failed to hand off the White House to a member of his party, despite his personal popularity. His namesake health care legislation is on the chopping block. Same with his actions on emissions caps, other environmental regulations, immigration reform and more... With a Republican-controlled Congress and White House, no piece of Obama’s legislative or executive legacy would seem to be safe.  So that was a gracious speech, too, under the circumstances. "

Lets Get Real:

They were great remarks by a leader on his way out, the question is what will be left of the Obama legacy?   One can assume that ObamaCare could get axed, there will be regulation rules that will be thrown out.    While President Obama has had a frosty relationship with Putin's Russia it can be expected that Trump will wish for warmer relationship, there could be an agreement to allow Putin and Assad to take out the threat of Daesh in Syria, while Putin might make a  move on the Baltic States in between the election and Trump taking over.   Thus President Reagan will be the only two President in modern times to hand over to his office to his VP.   It shows again that even President Obama is not as great as the Gipper, that is why Reagan is the favorite President of most Republicans and a few Democrats.

Obama on Democratic Race - Election 2016

BBC News: Reports " President Obama says he hopes the Democrats "pull things together" after Hillary Clinton became the party's presumptive nominee for president. "

Lets Get Real:

This is about legacy when it comes to President Obama, he wants to be the modern Reagan who transfers his base to his successor thus allowing the Democrats to have three terms in the Oval Office.   The question is not the Democratic base but the winder voters, if this is change election then HRC could be toast, the US voter it seems is tired of the Republican and Democratic Establishment, they want REAL change, thus Trump could come from behind, the HRC Campaign and the White House will have to use POTUS in a clever manner, send his to States were his popularity is over 50%, if they happen to be swing States more the better, this race will be close, very close, 1960 or 2000 close.