Morning Joe

The Trumpist War Against Pope Francis

Like Hitler, about a third of Germans had been born into Catholism in the 1930s. (Hitler himself had already found a different god by then.) As the Nazis came to power they recognized the Church as an enemy. They banned the Catholic-aligned Centre Party in 1933 and although the Reichskonkordat treaty with the Vatican that year guaranteed religious freedom for Catholics, the Nazis confiscated Church property and closed down Church schools and youth organisations and banned the Catholic press.

Beto's Pose As A Benign Hipster In An Empty Suit Is Covering Up Something Worse

The Beto Bandwagon by Nancy OhanianReid Epstein's Wall Street Journal piece, Beto O’Rourke’s Past GOP Ties Could Complicate Primary Run, pointed out that "Before becoming a rising star in the Democratic Party, Beto O’Rourke relied on a core group of business-minded Republicans in his Texas hometown to launch and sustain his political career.To win th

Trump's Phony National Emergency-- And His Vulnerability In 13 States He Won In 2016

A new national Gallup poll shows Trump underwater in every single state he lost in 2016 but also underwater in 13 states he won in 2016! His job approval is between 49 and 40% in Arizona (43%), Texas (41%), Louisiana (49%), Florida (43%), Georgia (44%), North Carolina (45%), Pennsylvania, Ohio (48%), Indiana (48%), Michigan (42%), Wisconsin (42%), Iowa (45%) and Nebraska (49%).

How Many Republican Politicians Are Ready To Lose Their Seats To Support Behavior By Trump They Hate?

A few days ago, the Cook Report published a piece by Amy Walter about the 2020 prospects of a Blue Wall, basically that "the 'easiest' or least risky electoral path for the Democratic nominee in 2020 is to reconstruct the so-called 'Blue Wall' in the industrial midwest. If the Democratic nominee wins every state Hillary Clinton carried in 2016, plus Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, that Democrat would win 278 electoral votes-- eight more than the 270 needed to win.

Republicans Seek To Go Out With A Bang-- Reaffirming Their War Against Women In The Lame Duck Session

The House Republicans have always hated the Violence Against Women Act-- first passed in 1994-- and yesterday Roll Call reported that they plan to use the cover of the lame duck session to let it lapse. "The law was set to expire Sept. 30, but it was extended through Dec. 7 under a stopgap spending bill that expires this week. Text of another short term spending deal was released Monday and does not include a VAWA extension, according to Republican aides in both the House and Senate."

Tom Steyer-- More Than Just Anti-Trump

Yesterday, we took a quick look at the presidential exploratory committee announcement from author and teacher Marianne Williamson. There was a comment from a reader who didn't find it as refreshing and hopeful as I did. "Sorry Howie, I do not think Ms. Williamson should zoom to the Presidency. She is not by any stretch qualified for this position, despite having some excellent views and political positions. We do not need another such individual becoming President without qualifications.