Conservative: Bam Slams Habits That Drove His Career
Speaking in South Africa, Barack Obama this week “said a lot of things that could, or should, get conservatives nodding in agreement” about the state of US politics and the broader geopolitical scene, contends National Review’s Jim Geraghty. But the former president never seemed to “confront the fact that he had a lot to do” with both. For example, he “took a shot at identity politics” — but ignored the fact that he made Al Sharpton his “go-to man on race.” He bemoaned partisanship and division, yet forgot that his response to GOP criticism of his stimulus package was, “I won.” And when he complained that today’s pols “just make stuff up,” he doubtless didn’t mean his own assertion: “If you like your plan, you can keep your plan, and if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor.”
Foreign desk: If Only Trump Would Stop Talking
Harry Kazianis at The Hill predicts President Trump “will weather the storm” over his “colossal mistake” with Vladimir Putin at Helsinki — “at least this time.” Because America actually is “on the rise” in the global pecking order,” all thanks to Trump’s policies. NATO “remains intact and is getting stronger.” Russia “is a weak, declining power,” and North Korea “for now has been tamed.” But the president has a tendency to “undermine it all with shoot-from-the-hip comments that could prove politically fatal if he is not careful.” When Trump “opens his mouth,” cautions Kazanis, he threatens to undo all of his success. So “he must…
