by Tim Alberta
Ailes and, 190
auto bailout and, 56, 424
bipartisanship and, 43–44, 46–49, 51–53
birtherism and, 6, 36, 52–53, 80, 93–97, 159, 345, 524
Boehner and, 92–95, 104–5, 147, 164, 243, 254
Bowles-Simpson and, 71, 88–89
budget fights and, 101–2, 185
Bush and, 40–41, 474
China and, 111, 325
Christian right and, 327–28, 381
climate change and, 172
congressional agenda of 2014 and, 192
criminal justice reform and, 562–64
Crist and, 64, 66
DACA and, 121, 128
debt ceiling and, 102–3, 178, 254
Democratic Convention of 2016 and, 354
Democratic primaries of 2008 and, 14, 20, 330
elections of 2008 and, vii–viii, 3–4, 20, 22–25, 29, 31–32, 35–38, 65, 125, 137, 187, 278, 357–58, 394, 406
elections of 2010 and, 66, 71–74, 82–83
elections of 2012 and, 4, 85, 93, 121–39, 169, 236, 256, 295, 394, 534
elections of 2014 and, 196, 203
elections of 2018 and, 524
executive authority and, 415–16, 496
family-separation policy and, 506–7
financial crisis and, 29, 31–32, 54–55, 62
fiscal cliff and, 144–45
Flynn and, 339
Freedom Caucus and, 512
golf and, 461
GOP backlash vs., 36–37, 40, 44–47, 51, 54–57, 59, 62–63, 66, 73, 84, 86–87, 90, 93–95, 97, 256–57, 329, 515, 574
GOP Convention of 2016 and, 354
GOP primaries of 2012 and, 112–13, 116, 121
GOP primaries of 2016 and, 286–87
Grand Bargain and, 104–6
grassroots army of, 50
gun control and, 172
Hillary Clinton and, 330
immigration and, 202, 205, 207, 229, 231, 291, 405, 506–7
immigration reform bill and, 35–36, 154–55, 163–64
inauguration of, 42–44, 423, 426
Iraq and, 357
ISIS and, 225, 357
judicial nominees and, 183
mass shootings and, 158
McCain funeral and, 524
McConnell vs., 87, 93
Medicaid funding and, 218
Muslims and, 36, 97, 190
polarization and, 523
promise of, vs. reality, 599
Putin and, 269, 271, 511
race and, 128–29, 208, 159, 501
Reagan and, 256
Reid and, 78
Russian sanctions and, 557
Ryan and, 51–52, 88–89, 256
same-sex marriage and, 36, 405
Senate filibuster and, 57
sequestration and, 103
shutdown of 2013 and, 176–78
spending and, 497
Steele and, 52–53
stimulus and, 43–44, 46–49, 51, 54–55, 61
Supreme Court seat blocked, 291, 328, 381, 395
Syria and, 354, 555
trade and, 232, 325
transgender students and, 431
Trump and, 4, 6, 96–97, 213, 228, 261, 317, 357, 472, 489, 524, 549
Trump inaugural and, 425
Trump-Russia link and, 421–22
Trump skewered by, at WHCA dinner, 100
Trump Tower wiretapping claims and, 443–44
Trump voters and, 577
Washington Redskins and, 249
White House staff and, 413
Obama, Michelle, 92, 129, 354, 532, 585
Obamacare. See Affordable Care Act (ACA)
“Obama Couldn’t Wait: His New Christmas Tree Tax” (blog post), 108
Obergefell v. Hodges, 229–30
Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria, 494–95, 541, 576, 595
Occupy Wall Street, 107–8, 576
O’Dell, Nancy, 367
O’Donnell, Christine, 80–82, 84, 193
Office of American Innovation, 563
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 179, 402, 406, 415, 440, 554
Office of Strategic Initiatives, 18
Ohio, 57, 83, 89, 134–36, 147, 316, 323, 357, 391, 398, 558, 575, 609
Oklahoma, 148
Oklahoma City bombing, 263
O’Malley, Martin, 329
Omar, Ilhan, 603
O’Neill, Tip, 561
opioid epidemic, 563
Opportunity Zones, 478–79, 564–65
Orange County, California, 129, 544
Oregon, 323–24
O’Reilly, Bill, 15, 157
O’Rourke, Robert “Beto,” 534–35, 545–46, 597
Orwell, George, 505
Ostroy, Andy, 479
Oswald, Lee Harvey, 316–17
Our Principles PAC, 310
outrage culture, 248–49, 346, 380, 570, 585–89. See also anger
outsourcing, 5, 123, 299
Overton window, 576
paleoconservatism, 5, 595–96
Palestinians, 563
Palin, Sarah, 21–26, 35, 39–40, 62, 74–76, 79, 81–82, 116, 124–25, 168, 195, 197, 215, 281, 418
Papadopoulos, George, 458
Paris climate accords, 454–55, 610
Paris terrorist attacks, 261–62
Parker, Sean, 478
partisanship, 347–48, 512–14, 527, 600. See also ideological purity; polarization
“party in a laptop” strategy, 66
patriotism, 36, 524, 532
Patton (film), 51
Paul, Rand, 77, 194–95, 225–26, 247, 273, 280, 346, 435, 457
Paul, Ron, 11, 19, 73, 77, 99, 111–12, 115, 191, 225, 329, 346
Paulsen, Erik, 492, 550, 551
Paulson, Henry, 26–33
Pawlenty, Tim, 20, 111, 125
PBS, 454
Pecker, David, 305–6, 308–9
Pell Grants, 47
Pelosi, Nancy, 75, 173, 203, 494, 583
ACA and, 68–69
Boehner and, 103, 241–42
elections of 2018 and, 527
financial crisis and, 27, 31–32
shutdown of 2018–19 and, 560–61, 574, 590, 591
Speakership and, 561, 577–78
stimulus and, 46–47
Pence, Charlotte, 333
Pence, Karen, 119, 371–72, 374, 387
Pence, Mike
Access Hollywood tape and, 368, 371–74, 384–85, 387
AHCA and, 438, 441, 447–49, 453
background of, 118–19
Biden on, 597
cabinet allies of, 447–48
Cantor and, 45
Carrier deal and, 418–19
Comey firing and, 445
elections of 2012 and, 118–19, 137, 554
elections of 2016 and, 384–89, 393
elections of 2018 and, 539
evolution of, 501
financial crisis and, 33
Flake and, 343–45, 552–53
Flynn and, 431
future of GOP and, 611
as governor of Indiana, 218–19
House GOP and, 50–51, 89, 343, 345
Jews and, 45
McCain funeral and, 524
primaries of 2016 and, 217–19, 262, 288, 312–15
primaries of 2018 and, 491
RSC and, 141
Ryan and, 387–88, 438, 441
shutdown of 2018–19 and, 560
Tea Party and, 60
transition headed by, 402, 406–10, 448
Trump and, 387–88, 463, 499–501, 552–53
Trump picks, as VP, 325–26, 328, 331–37, 339–44, 382
Trump policy piloted by, 447–48
Trump-Ryan meeting and, 400–401
Pennsylvania, 35, 83, 127, 134–35, 299, 313, 323–25, 357–58, 364, 391–95, 397, 545, 577
People, 98
Perino, Dana, 22–24
Perkins, Tony, 59, 209–10, 266–67, 282, 328, 456, 598–99
Perot, Ross, 237, 299
Perry, Rick, 74–75, 111, 120, 124, 168, 273, 335, 410, 534
Philippines, 304
Phillips, Dean, 576, 577
Phillips, Nathan, 586–88
Pinckney, Clementa, 229
Pirro, Jeanine, 541
Pitt, Brad, viii
Planned Parenthood, 136–37, 233, 254, 290, 404, 431, 440, 498
Platt, Bill, 35
Playboy, 98, 306, 326, 456–57, 485
Pledge to America, 70–71, 101
Podesta, John, 369–70
polarization, 3, 25–26, 49, 386, 405, 479, 523, 532–33, 562
costs of, 600–602
culture and, 585–87
elections of 2018 and, 575–76
growing, 405–6
Mattis on, 554–55
impact of, on body politic, 593–96
Ryan on, 569–70
police brutality, 207–8, 229, 466, 468
political correctness, 112, 213, 237, 248–49
Politico, 52, 208, 281, 435, 472, 490, 528
PolitiFact, 363
Polk County, Iowa, 215
Pompeo, Mike, 297, 379, 407–8, 481
popular vote
(2008), 37
(2016), 394, 397–98, 429
populism, 19, 23, 29, 39, 59, 76, 130, 213, 260, 281, 331, 415, 419, 457, 492, 497, 515, 576, 593–95, 610
Porter, Rob, 487
Portman, Rob, 125
poverty, 62, 88, 123, 181–82, 196, 258, 335, 451, 478–79
Prager, Dennis, 41
pragmatism, 46, 64, 74, 101, 126, 128, 222, 255, 310, 350, 490, 542, 552, 576, 492
Prague, Cohen and, 422
preexisting conditions, 69
Price, Tom, 141, 152, 184, 406, 472, 518
Priebus, Reinhold Richard “Reince,” 54, 71, 77–78, 85, 134–35, 139
Access Hollywood tape, 365–69, 372–74
AHCA and, 438, 441
autopsy and, 544
as chief of staff, 411–13, 457, 463
Comey firing and, 445
Convention of 2016 and, 351
elections of 2016 and, 357–59, 365, 375, 390–97
Freedom Caucus and, 414
GOP leaders meeting with Trump and, 320–21
immigration reform bill and, 157
primaries of 2016 and, 235–38, 244–46, 261, 269, 277, 292, 318–19
as RNC head, 90–92, 412
Ryan and, 252–53, 367–68, 401, 595
Spicer and, 427–28
Trump and, 401, 422, 426, 428, 444, 462–63, 609
Trump transition and, 409–10
Princess Bride, The (film), 168
Priorities USA Action, 123, 124
prisoner reentry programs, 17, 562
prisons, 562–64
pro-choice movement, 244
progressives, 17, 38, 61, 72, 249, 330, 356, 404, 498, 527
pro-life movement, 327, 431, 440
ProPublica, 292
protectionism, 18, 331, 424–25, 457, 511, 609–10
Pruitt, Scott, 518–19
public option, 68
Puerto Rico, 472
Putin, Vladimir, 269–71, 334, 339, 411, 458, 557
Crimea and, 549
Helsinki summit and, 509–12
Putnam, Adam, 491
Quayle, Dan, 386
Quds Force, 268
Queens, New York, 493
Quinnell, Gayle, 36
racial issues, 18, 37, 60–61, 72, 74, 92, 94, 98, 112, 128–31, 159, 197–98, 207–8, 212, 229, 248–49, 295, 334–36, 355, 360–62, 369, 372, 465–75, 479–80, 501–2, 532–33, 565, 581–82, 586–88, 589. See also birtherism; minorities; and specific groups and incidents
Raddatz, Martha, 375
Rand, Ayn, 181
Rangel, Charlie, 17
rape, 80, 133, 472, 526
Rattner, Steve, 124
Reagan, Ronald, viii, 5, 14, 23, 36, 37, 39, 113, 130, 137, 142, 162, 217, 256–57, 303–4, 326, 337, 403, 483, 544, 551, 597, 609
RealClearPolitics (RCP), 225, 238, 263–64, 266, 306, 324, 357, 364
reconciliation process, 68, 435
RedState blog, 65
Red Wave, 525
Reed, Ralph, 382–83, 456
Reed, Scott, 194, 198–99, 238, 303–5, 473
Reformicons, 256, 265
Reform Party, 98
refugees, 17
Trump order banning, 429
regulation, 514, 610
Reid, Eric, 361
Reid, Harry
ACA and, 68, 167, 173, 175
budget of 2011 and, 103
elections of 2010 and, 78–79
elections of 2012 and, 123–24
financial crisis and, 31, 32
fiscal cliff negotiations and, 145–46
nuclear option and, 183
shutdown and, 175, 180
Religious Freedom Restoration Act (Indiana, 2015), 218–19, 312, 332
religious liberties, 382, 454, 600
reparations, 597
Republican National Committee, 37–38, 49–50, 115, 134, 138–39, 154, 156–57, 244–47, 260, 268, 289, 290, 292, 319, 320–21, 351, 357–58, 368–69, 372–74, 377, 520, 389–93, 559
autopsy, 139, 155–57, 227, 235, 260, 544–45
black members, 53–54
donors and, 90–91
Priebus as chair, 84–85, 90–92, 412
Priebus as general counsel, 54
schism of 2010, 71, 75, 78
Steele as black chair, 50–54, 85
Trump meeting with, 319–21, 335
Trump transition and, 409–11
Republican National Convention
(1964), 113
(1996), 303
(2008, Minneapolis), 20–24
(2012, Tampa), 92, 133
(2016, Cleveland), 295, 304–5, 320, 343–44, 349–54, 411, 415
Republican Party (GOP). See also House Republicans; Senate Republicans; and specific caucuses
ACA and, 61–63, 69–70, 167, 169–80, 436
Access Hollywood tapes and, 368–69, 372–75, 377–80
AHCA and, 432–49, 451–54, 471
allegiance rewarded with power in, 603–4
autopsy report and, 154, 156–57, 256–57
Bannon vs., 414
base and, 57, 66–67, 190, 209, 223, 375, 379, 386–87, 454–55, 574–75
Bill Clinton and, 3
birtherism and, 93–94
Boehner and, 57–58, 255, 457
Bowles-Simpson and, 88–89
Bush and, 15–18, 24, 60
Carrier deal and, 418
Charlottesville rally and, 467
civil war in, ix, 25–26, 71–85, 106–7, 171, 187–90, 207, 210–11, 386–87, 390, 457–58, 516, 570–71, 578, 593–97 (see also House Freedom Caucus; Tea Party and other specific factions)
Cohen testimony and, 604–5
college-educated voters and, 545–46
congressional leaders’ meetings with Trump and, 320–21, 343–45, 359, 481–84
conservative scorecards and, 106
conservative vs. moderates in, 39–40, 45–47
contraction of, 551–52
criminal justice reform and, 562–63
Crist leaves, 64–66
decline of, and 2016 primary, 292–93
Democrats’ leftward shift and, 576
demographics and, 37–39
diversity and, 50, 138, 143–44
divisions of, and convention of 2016, 354
divisions of, and elections of 2012, 133
donors and, 38–39, 90, 503–4, 533
donors and, new ideological, 196–97
dysfunction of, 442, 542–43
elections of 1986 and, 162
elections of 2002 and, 551
elections of 2008 and, 35–39, 209
elections of 2010 and, 70–85, 193
elections of 2012 and, 122, 124, 126–39, 193, 209
elections of 2014 and, 187
elections of 2016 and, 209, 385, 391, 392–99
elections of 2018 and, 502–4, 525–53
energy policy and, 21
executive overreach and, 415–16
family-separation and, 506–7, 532
fear of base not leadership in, 190
fear of criticizing Trump in, 433–34, 507, 517–18
fight as defining word of, 176–77
financial crisis and, 26, 28–35
fiscal cliff and, 144–46
Florida Senate race of 2010 and, 64–67
fund-raising and 53
future of, after Trump, 609–12
Gingrich and, 3
GOP governors in blue states and, 542–43
Heritage Foundation and, 502
House freshmen of 2010–11 and, 86–87
immigration and, 15–18, 72, 138, 506–7, 532
immigration reform bill and, 157–64
impeachment and, 607
infrastructure and, 46–48
judicial appointments and, 599–600
legislative agenda of, under Trump, 505–6
loyalty to Trump, 608
McCain and, 19–26, 36
media and, 380
minorities and, 92, 138, 260, 545–46
moderates and, 45–46, 48, 61–62, 66–67, 141–42, 164–65, 502, 578
Mueller report and, 608
Muslim ban and, 430
neoconservatism and, 2–7
Nevada Senate race of 2010 and, 79
Obama and, viii–ix, 4, 36, 42–48, 55–61, 93–95, 404
omnibus budget bill of 2018, 497–98
Oregon and, 324
Palin and, 22–26, 39
party chairmanship of 2009 and, 49–50
populism and, 595
post-2018, 578–79
race and, 129–30, 469, 501
Reagan and, 256
revolution of 1994 in, 58
rightward shift of, 404
RSC and, 141–42, 164–65
Ryan and, 319–22, 432–42, 593–96
sequestration and, 424
shutdown of 2013 and, 167, 169–80, 187
shutdown of 2018–19 and, 567, 582–85, 588–91
Social Security and, 15–16
Southern Strategy and, 129–30
state governments and, 216
state organizations and, 53
Steele as chair and, 50–51
stimulus and, 43–48, 51, 61
Supreme Court and, 432
tariffs and trade and, 495–97
tax reform of 2017 and, 475–79, 482–83
Tea Party rise and, 55–61, 457
Trump and, 355, 386–87, 454–55, 457–58, 516, 521, 574–75
Trump critics purged from, 547–48
Trump critics within, 473–75, 501, 505–6
Trump defenders and, 514–17
Trump inaugural and, 426
Trump nomination and, 347–48
Trump rebrands orthodoxy of, 457–58
Trump redefines core principles, 6, 416–17
Trump rise in, 258–63
Trump-Russia and, 508–12