"President Trump blames Democrats, the shutdown and media bias for his party's shellacking last Tuesday, Axios' Marc Caputo writes.
Why it matters: What he leaves out is his own role in Republicans' election wipeout and the contradictions in his policies and messaging.
It's hard to argue you care about the working class while you're fighting to not fund SNAP payments.
It's hard to argue Democrats are to blame for the shutdown when your party controls all of Congress.
It's hard to argue prices are coming down everywhere when they're obviously going up for coffee, orange juice, ground beef, energy and housing.
It's hard to argue you're fixated on economic angst at home when you spend a lot of time talking about other countries, including on an overseas trip during a domestic shutdown. And then there are the White House renovations, the weekend trips to South Florida, golfing, and a "Great Gatsby"-themed party at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach.
Reality check: Trump does have one clear, consistent message,Democrats need to end the shutdown. And there's an explanation for each of his seemingly muddled positions.
But in politics, when you're explaining, you're losing. And polls show more voters blaming Trump and the GOP for the shutdown. Public approval of Trump's job performance began to crater in late October, four weeks into the shutdown."
Axios
Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside
“I love Cal deeply, by the way, what are the directions to The Portal from Sproul Plaza?”
