Jeff Danziger lives in New York City. He is represented by CWS Syndicate and the Washington Post Writers Group. He is the recipient of the Herblock Prize and the Thomas Nast (Landau) Prize. He served in the US Army in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star and the Air Medal. He has published eleven books of cartoons and one novel. Visit him at DanzigerCartoons.com.
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Kevin McCarthy
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Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy joined hands with more than a dozen House Republicans, leading them in prayer at Wednesday’s National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance, an event co-sponsored by several far-right Christian organizations, at least five of which appear on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s list of anti-LGBTQ hate groups.
The California Republican specifically mentioned his upcoming meeting later Wednesday with President Joe Biden, when the two will discuss the debt ceiling, which Republicans want to leverage to massively cut federal spending on programs critical to keeping many Americans alive, including Social Security and Medicare – or shut down the federal government if Democrats do not agree to their terms.
“Father, I want to lift up those who are not here today. I want you to open their hearts,” McCarthy prayed. “Father, I want to lift up the president. Father, you know I will meet with him today. Father, I ask. I asked that you open both of our hearts that you put our meaning, our meaning that seeks your truth. And the help for this nation. Father, we know as we struggle, is we come up short and again but continue to seek your guidance. We ask that you give us the patience of Job. We ask that you give us the intellect the leadership that you gave David we ask that you give us the boldness.”
\u201cThey were followed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who led the gathering in prayer.\u201d— Right Wing Watch (@Right Wing Watch) 1675272776
The event was held at the Museum of the Bible, a non-profit founded by right-wing evangelical activist David Green and the Green family. Green is the founder of Hobby Lobby, the privately-held chain store that won a Supreme Court case enshrining into U.S. jurisprudence the concept that for-profit corporations can and do have religious beliefs.
The five groups sponsoring the event which also appear on the SPLC’s list of anti-LGBTQ hate groups include the American Family Association (AFA), the Family Research Council (FRC), the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), Liberty Counsel, and the Pacific Justice Institute.
Other attendees included anti-LGBTQ activists, like “right-wing pastor Andrew Brunson, who blasted the United States as ‘the primary corrupter of the world’ because ‘our government and corporations increasingly march under the rainbow flag,'” he said, as Right Wing Watch reported.
\u201cAmong the speakers was right-wing pastor Andrew Brunson, who blasted the United States as "the primary corrupter of the world" because "our government and corporations increasingly march under the rainbow flag."\u201d— Right Wing Watch (@Right Wing Watch) 1675272776
Also, two “ex-gay” activists.
\u201cSpeakers also included two "ex-gay" activists who begged God to cleanse the nation of "the sins of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, and sex confusion."\u201d— Right Wing Watch (@Right Wing Watch) 1675272776
Later, the Republicans, including McCarthy, were prayed over by Tony Perkins, the longtime head of the anti-LGBTQ hate group Family Research Council. Perkins has also served as chair and vice chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal government commission.
\u201cEventually, several members of Congress gathered near the stage so they could be prayed over by Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council.\u201d— Right Wing Watch (@Right Wing Watch) 1675272776
Far-right House Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Weber of Texas descended into an anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ tirade during which he invoked “the blood of the lamb” to telegraph to McCarthy his concerns about U.S. debt.
\u201cRep. Randy Weber wept over marriage equality and reproductive choice: "Father, we think we're so smart, but please forgive us. Please, please put America back on the right path to worshiping you."\u201d— Right Wing Watch (@Right Wing Watch) 1675272776
Weber is an original co-sponsor of the federal “Don’t Say Gay” bill. He once compared then-President Barack Obama to Hitler.
Right Wing Watch reports some of the Members of Congress who attended include Reps. Mary Miller, Diana Harshbarger, Steve Scalise, Rick Allen, Brian Babin, Michael Cloud, Robert Aderholt, Tracey Mann, Burgess Owens, Gary Palmer, Michelle Steel, Warren Davidson, Brandon Williams, Dan Bishop, Nathaniel Moran, and Mike Johnson.
Watch the videos above or at this link.
Reprinted with permission from Alternet.
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Donald Trump
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The conservative outlet The Bulwarkpublished a poll this week with findings that suggest Republicans' worst 2024 nightmare could indeed become a reality.
The poll, conducted by North Star Opinion Research, showed that 28 percent of GOP primary voters said they would support Donald Trump even if he decided to run as an independent in the general election.
It's a number that surely has GOP donors, operatives, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell drenched in night sweats. One way or the other, Trump will undoubtedly be making Republicans' life a living hell for yet another cycle.
To sweeten the plot, the survey also found that Trump's candidacy isn't exactly popular, nor is he poised to run away with the nomination.
The Bulwark notes that recent polling, including their own, finds Trump's '24 candidacy retains the support of approximately 28 -- 38 percent of Republican primary voters, meaning a solid majority of GOP voters are ready to give Trump the heave-ho.
Trump, however, still has a plausible path to winning the nomination, though nothing is assured.
In 2016, for instance, Trump won a 35 percent plurality of New Hampshire Republican voters and a 33 percent plurality of South Carolina voters, taking all the delegates from both states and putting him on the path to eventually clinch the nomination.
The poll tested three different GOP candidate scenarios for ‘24:
- A head-to-head with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who handily beats Trump 52 -- 30 percent (with 15 percent undecided, three percent declining to vote if DeSantis/Trump are the only choices)
- A DeSantis/Trump/generic third candidate match up, where DeSantis prevails with 44 percent, Trump garners 28 percent, and the third candidate gets 10 percent, with 17 percent undecided.
- A 10-candidate field, where DeSantis takes 39 percent, Trump 28 percent, Mike Pence gets nine percent, everyone else nabs low single digits, and 13 percent remain undecided.
None of those scenarios seem particularly promising for Trump, but it's worth remembering that no one really knows whether DeSantis is ready for prime time. Remember when former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was going to roll over everyone else on his way to the '16 GOP nomination?
So DeSantis being the frontrunner at this point isn't exactly a lock either.
One thing, however, is clear: Trump's star is falling. That has proven true in poll after poll even as Republican voters continue their full embrace of Trumpism.
In Civiqs tracking, Trump's favorables are now at their lowest point since he clinched the nomination in 2016 — 34 percent favorable, 59 percent unfavorable — exactly where they stood on July 19, 2016, when he officially became the Republican nominee. The difference is, at that point, his favorables were steadily improving; now they are steadily in decline.
Bottom line: Trump isn’t exactly collapsing, but he appears to be withering. Any reasonable read on the way things are trending in the GOP primary suggests he would be far better off if the elections started now rather than a year from now.
But Trump’s lock on roughly a quarter of the GOP electorate is highly problematic for Republicans, particularly if he does not win the nomination. A third-party Trump run is an obvious spoiler for Republicans in the general election.
And if you’re a Democrat watching from the sidelines, Trump is the only candidate you want to see running as an independent in 2024.
Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos.
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