American Carnage

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American Carnage Page 82

by Tim Alberta

AHCA and, 441

  Boehner and, 57, 84, 95, 148, 175

  Cantor loss to, 495

  Cruz and, 167

  demise of, 504

  elections of 2010, 73–82, 93

  elections of 2012 and, 111, 125, 193

  elections of 2014 and, 193–95, 197–98, 200–201

  elections of 2016 and, 217, 297

  House of 2011–12 and, 86, 90, 95, 102

  immigration reform bill and, 155, 159–62

  rise of, 54–63, 108

  Rubio and, 66

  Ryan and, 200

  Ryan-Murray budget deal and, 185

  shutdown of 2013 and, 176, 179, 187

  Trump and, 346, 404, 497

  Tea Party Express, 76, 79, 81

  Tea Party Nation, 75–76

  Tea Party Patriots, 56, 161, 169, 194

  tech companies, 405, 558

  Teller, Paul, 184–85

  Tennessee, 323, 491, 540

  term limits, 74

  terrorism, 36, 212, 261–62, 298, 330, 342, 430, 561

  Tester, Jon, 533

  Texas, 74–75, 111, 137, 167–69, 533–37, 545–47, 561, 582, 585, 589

  theChive website, 270

  “36 Hours on the Fake Campaign Trail with Trump” (Coppins), 215

  This Week (TV show), 271, 355

  Thompson, Fred, 11

  three-strike laws, 562

  Thune, John, 372

  Thurmond, Paul, 73–74

  Thurmond, Strom, 73

  Tillerson, Rex, 410, 430, 473, 481, 486–87, 555–56

  Tillis, Thom, 195, 603

  Time, 56–57, 155, 225, 303, 448

  Tlaib, Rashida, 575–76

  Today (TV show), 472

  Todd, Chuck, 429

  Toomey, Pat, 142, 158

  top one percent, 107, 330

  Toronto Star, 537

  torture, 10, 270, 525

  Towey, Jim, 17

  trade, 4–5, 18, 30, 38, 56, 98, 127, 133, 232–33, 259, 261, 298–300, 325, 346, 387, 419–20, 424–25, 431, 496–97, 504–5, 511, 525, 531, 505, 558, 580, 610. See also free trade; tariffs

  Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), 232

  transgender rights, 214, 431

  Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), 431

  Treasury Department, 26, 27, 31, 102, 163, 175, 179, 410

  Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), 28–29, 31–35, 56, 73, 76, 178, 195, 499

  Trump, Donald, Jr., 337, 341

  Trump Tower meeting and, 459, 481, 483, 606–7

  Trump, Donald J.

  abortion and, 98, 327, 431, 447

  ACA and, 213, 431–35, 447

  Access Hollywood tape and, 365–84, 387–88, 400

  accomplishments of, 599, 608–9

  agriculture bailout and, 496

  AHCA battle and, 431–54

  “American first” and, 425

  America’s worst instincts and, 585–86

  anonymous op-ed on, 516

  appeal of presidency and, 608–9

  approval ratings and, 1–2, 455, 475

  background of, 96

  Bannon and, 358–60, 448, 481, 484

  Bannon firing and, 463–64

  Barr defense of, 605–6

  base and, 331, 346, 375, 491, 503–7, 528–30, 521, 525, 550, 592

  base and, Congress vs., 454–55

  base and, mobilization of, 386–87, 603

  Bill Clinton attacked by, 370, 375

  birtherism and, 6, 96–99, 524

  border wall and, 212–13, 228, 431, 436, 582–83

  border wall and, national emergency declared, 583–84, 603

  border wall and, prayer rugs, 588–89

  border wall and, shutdown of 2018–19, 560–62, 566–74, 582–85, 588–91

  Brexit and, 331

  Buchanan and, 98–99

  budget omnibus of 2018 and, 497–500

  Bush and, 2–4, 473–74

  Bush Sr. funeral and, 559–60

  cabinet and, 430, 481, 484, 518–19

  campaign managers and, 325, 336–38, 358

  caravan and, 530–31

  Carrier deal and, 418–20

  chaotic management style and, 321–22, 412, 431, 461–64, 477

  Charlottesville rally and, 466–70

  chief of staff, Kelly as, 463, 464, 553–54

  chief of staff, Mulvaney as acting, 554–55

  chief of staff, Priebus as, 411–14, 457, 462–63

  China and, 558

  Christianity and, 387

  Christian right and, 281–82, 326–28, 327–28, 381–83, 395, 455–57, 580–81

  CIA visit by, 426–27

  Cohen and, 422

  Cohen FBI raid and, 487–88

  Cohen guilty plea and, 519–20, 557

  Cohen House testimony and, 604–5

  Cohen payoffs to Daniels and McDougal and, 484–86, 488–89

  Comey asked to shutdown Flynn probe by, 431, 446

  Comey firing and, 445, 458, 484, 486

  Comey letter on Hillary and, 389

  Comey Senate testimony on, 455

  Confederate monuments and, 465

  congressional leaders meet with, on inauguration, 429

  conservatism redefined by, 419–20, 457–58

  conservative insurgents emboldened by, 403–4, 406–7

  conservatives woo base of, 503–7

  Conway and, 337, 358

  Corker and, 339–40

  CPAC and, 457–58

  Crimea and, 549

  criminality surrounding, 518–21

  criminal justice reform and, 563–66

  critics of, in professional right, 516

  Cruz and, 316–18, 336–38, 343, 349–53, 404, 432, 535–37

  culture gap and, 406

  Curiel controversy and, 334–36

  DACA and, 475

  deep state and, 443

  deficits and, 504

  Democrats and, 246

  Democrats and, win House, 575–77

  deplorables and, 362

  disloyalty punished by, 549–52, 605

  economic dislocation and, 257

  economy of 2018 and, 555–59

  Election Night of 2016 and, 389–99

  Election Night of 2018 and, 539–42

  elections of 2012 and, 115–17, 136

  elections of 2014 and, 197

  elections of 2016 and, 330–31, 356–89, 406, 534

  elections of 2016 and, 2018 vs., 545, 546

  elections of 2016 and, 2020 vs., 577

  elections of 2016 and, debates vs. Clinton, 362–63, 365, 370–71, 374–77, 382–83

  elections of 2016 and, Democratic convention, 354–55

  elections of 2016 and, final month, 384–89

  elections of 2016 and, GOP Convention, 343, 349–54

  elections of 2016 and, postconvention campaign, 356–84

  elections of 2016 and, Russian meddling, 509

  elections of 2018 and, 503–4, 521, 525–27, 529–50

  elections of 2018 and, Cruz-O’Rourke race, 535–36

  elections of 2018 and, GOP critics eliminated, 547–48

  elections of 2020 and, 502, 545, 577, 597–98, 603, 608–10

  electoral coalition of, 397–99

  Electoral College and, 323–24, 358–59, 577

  electoral realignment of 2018 and, 544–45

  era of disruption and, vii–x

  executive orders and, 429, 431, 454

  family-separation policy and, 506–7, 518, 520, 532

  fear message of, 531–32

  finances of, 293, 604, 608

  fiscal responsibility and, 497–98

  Flake vs., 343–45, 474–75, 493, 552–53

  Flynn and, 339, 431, 446, 473

  foreign policy and, 334, 339

  Fox News and, 308–12, 316–17, 444

  Freedom Caucus and, 345–49, 414–17, 436–42, 491, 493, 511–18, 554, 567–69, 573, 584

  future of GOP and, 579–80, 609–12


  GM job cuts and, 558–59

  golf and, 333, 461, 525

  GOP and, impact of, 416–17, 457–48, 598–603

  GOP becomes party of, 255

  GOP contraction and, 551–52

  GOP critics of, 473–74, 501, 511

  GOP critics of, attacked by, 517–18, 572, 580, 591–92, 608

  GOP critics of, purged and punished by, 547–52

  GOP critics of, vote with, 505–6

  GOP defenders of, perks offered to, 514–18

  GOP fear of criticizing, 433–34, 507, 514

  GOP fear of independent run by, 244–45

  GOP insurgents and, 4–6, 457–58

  GOP legislative agenda and, 505–6

  GOP loyalty pledge and, 245–47

  GOP retreat of January 2018 and, 481–84

  GOP shields, from legislative branch, 514

  GOP taken over by, 2–3, 35, 490–91, 500–522, 571, 579–82, 591–92, 595–605

  GOP women candidates and, 579

  Haley and, 292

  health care and, 98 (see also ACA; ACHA)

  Helsinki summit and, 509–12, 518

  Hillary Clinton attacks, 320

  Hillary Clinton concedes to, 396

  Hillary Clinton threatened by, 356–57, 376

  Holt interview of, 446

  ideology and opportunism of, 258–62

  immigration and, 98, 236, 249, 261, 298, 331, 474, 506–7, 530–32n, 536

  impact of, on political culture, 593–95, 598–602

  impeachment threat and, 6–7, 535, 575, 607–8

  inaugural “American carnage” address by, 423–26

  inaugural crowd size and, 426–29

  infrastructure and, 435

  inner circle of, 461–64

  invulnerability of, as candidate, 274, 380–83, 484

  judicial appointments and, 327–28, 401, 454, 599–600

  Kanye West and, 530–31

  Khashoggi murder and, 556–57

  Khizr Khan controversy and, 355–56

  Kislyak meeting and, 445

  lack moderating influences on, 556

  Lewandowski and, 325, 336

  lies and deception and, 334, 363, 428–29, 487, 504–5, 518, 537, 604, 606, 608

  loyalty demanded by, 488, 491–92, 517–18, 520–21, 608

  Manafort and, 303, 336, 340, 358

  Manafort and, Mueller indictment, 473

  Mar-a-Lago and, 305

  Mattis resignation and, 554–55

  McCain funeral and, 522–25

  McConnell and, 401, 489

  Meadows and, 417, 437–39, 517–18, 554, 567, 573, 584, 591

  media and, 114, 305–12, 362–64, 380, 427, 483, 516–17, 547

  military and, 339, 424, 472

  military draft deferments and, 236

  minorities and, 277–78

  Mueller firing threats by, 488, 607

  Mueller investigation and, 6–7, 446, 458–59, 473, 486–87, 510, 519–20, 591

  Mueller report and, 604–8

  Mulvaney at OMB and, 402, 415–16

  Muslim ban and, 429–31

  National Enquirer and, 305–9, 314, 317

  NATO attacked by, 510

  NeverTrump vs., 349

  NFL knee controversy and, 361–62

  North Korea and, 471–72, 487

  Obama and, 4, 100, 472

  obstruction of justice and, 446, 484, 605–8

  Ocasio-Cortez and, 494–95, 576

  outrage culture and, 585–89

  Palin as early warning on, 25

  pardons and, 471, 520

  Paris climate withdrawal by, 454–55

  Pecker and AMI and, 305–7

  Pelosi-Schumer meeting and, 560–61

  Pence and, 312–15

  Pence as VP pick and, 325–26, 328, 331–44, 371–72, 382, 384–89

  Pence’s Faustian bargain with, 498–500, 552–53

  Pence’s influence on policy of, 431, 447–48

  personality of, bizarre behavior, 507–8

  personality of, ignorance about government, 439–40, 489, 585

  personality of, influence of last voice in ear of, 437

  personality of, lawlessness, 5

  personality of, mental stability, 482–83

  personality of, provocations by, 426, 461

  personality of, salesmanship of, 439

  personality of, shamelessness as superpower of, 504–5

  personality of, staff and rants by, 461–62

  personality of, vulgar and inflammatory rhetoric of, 334, 372, 381, 507–8, 519, 585, 597–98

  polarized political climate and, 576

  political labels and, 457

  popular vote disputed by, 429

  populism and, 419–20, 457

  post-shutdown calm of, 602–3

  presidential run first flirted with, 98–99

  press conferences and, 509–12, 549–50

  Priebus and, 411, 463

  primaries of 2012 and, 99–100, 110, 115–17

  primaries of 2016 and, 120–21, 212–15, 226–29, 236–39, 243–50, 258–85, 287–318, 342

  primaries of 2016 and, nomination clinched by, 317–23

  primaries of 2018 and, 491–93

  Putin and, 269–71, 334, 339, 549

  race and, 248–49, 372, 532–33, 604

  race and, Tim Scott’s influence on, 469–71, 479–80, 565

  rallies and, 521, 526–27, 535–38

  religious liberty and, 447

  resignations and firings and, 487, 518–19, 553–55, 603

  rise of, factors enabling, 3–6

  RNC summit of May 2016 and, 319–21, 335

  Romney and, 115–17, 136, 580, 591–92

  Rove plan for victory of, 322–26

  Russia and, 269–70, 420–22, 431, 443–46, 458–59, 473, 483, 484–87, 508–14, 557, 604, 606–7

  Ryan and, 258, 335, 355–56, 367–69, 377–79, 399, 401–2, 415, 477–78, 488–89, 570, 573

  Ryan lays out agenda for, 420

  Ryan meets with, post-Election Day, 400–401

  Ryan’s AHCA bill and, 431–42, 449

  Ryan’s assessment of, 556, 593–96

  Ryan’s Faustian bargain with, 499–500

  Ryan’s policy hopes and, 442

  Ryan’s retirement and, 489–90

  Ryan vs., as defacto nominee, 319–22

  Sanford attacked by, 433–34, 492–93, 517–18, 547

  Scalise shooting and, 460–61

  Sessions and, 443, 486, 553

  sex scandals and, 305–6, 317, 327, 332, 334, 365, 367, 385, 473, 526

  sex scandals and, Daniels-McDougal hush money payments, 484–86, 488–89, 520, 531, 557, 604

  shutdown of 2018–19 and, 560–62, 566–74, 582–85, 588–91

  siege mentality of, 455–56

  SOTU address of 2018, 515

  SOTU address of 2019, 1

  Spicer as press secretary, 427–28

  Stone arrest and, 591

  Supreme Court and, Gorsuch appointment, 432, 447, 454, 471

  Supreme Court and, Kavanaugh appointment, 521, 526, 531

  Supreme Court list of, 328, 369, 381–83, 395

  Syrian refugees and, 429

  Syrian withdrawal and, 555

  tariffs and, 495–97, 558

  tax reform and, 471–72, 475–80, 482–83, 599

  tax returns hidden by, 294, 420, 433, 549

  Tea Party and, 6, 59

  Tillerson and, 486–87, 555–56

  toxicity of, 598–99

  TPP withdrawal and, 431

  trade and, 98, 232, 331, 431, 505

  transactional relationships and, 455–56

  transgender students and, 431

  transition and early appointments by, 406–14, 427–29

  Trump Tower meeting with Russians and, 459, 481

  Trump Tower wiretapping claim and, 443–44

  Trump University lawsuits and, 334

  Twitter and, 30
9, 461–62, 477, 482, 483, 487, 493, 504, 521, 525, 536, 555, 588–89

  unpopularity of, 380–81, 429–30

  Warren mocked by, 249–50

  White House staff and rants by, 461–62

  WikiLeaks and, 369–70

  Wolff’s Fire and Fury and, 481–82

  Women’s March and, 428–29

  Trump, Eric, 341

  Trump, Ivanka, 331, 337, 341, 428, 463, 522, 554

  Trump, Melania, 307–8, 400, 485

  “Trump fatigue,” 549

  Trump Hotel Washington DC, 273, 338

  Trumpism

  as cautionary tale, 598–99

  future of GOP and, 610–12

  Heritage absolutism and, 503

  impact of, on GOP, 457, 515

  Ryan on, 595–96

  Trump Organization, 485

  Trump Tower Moscow, 420, 557, 604

  Trump Tower (New York)

  Don, Jr., meeting with Russians and, 459, 606–7

  wiretapping claims, 427, 443–44

  Trump University, 293, 295, 334

  Tuesday Group, 448–49

  Turkey, 556–57

  Twenty-Fifth Amendment, 516

  Twitter, viii, 25, 147, 188, 219, 308, 309, 444, 446, 461, 477, 482, 483–84, 487, 493, 504, 521, 536, 555, 589

  two-party system, fragmenting of, 610–11

  Uber, viii, 266

  Udall, Mark, 196

  Ukraine, 304, 305

  unemployment, 62, 123

  United Nations, 408, 472, 553

  United Nations Population Fund, 431

  U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 194, 198–99, 238, 304

  U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 253

  U.S. Congress. See also U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Senate

  112th (2011–12), 86

  113th (2013–14), 157–58

  114th (2015–16), 345

  115th (2017–18), 401, 562, 573

  116th (2019–20), 575

  ACA drafting and, 61

  ACA repeal attempt and, 432–33

  atmosphere of, and rise of Trump, 348–49

  bipartisan criminal justice bill and, 562–64

  Boehner’s rise in, 57–58, 86

  Bowles-Simpson and, 88

  Bush’s immigration reform and, 16–17

  destabilized by insurgents, 255

  diversity of Democrats vs. GOP, 157–58

  elections of 2008 and, 21, 37–38

  financial crisis and, 27–28, 30–31

  joint session on health care, 63

  mass shootings and, 158

  Obama and, ix, 43–46

  polarization and, 601–2

  post-shutdown, of 2019, 602–3

  Reformicons and, 257

  Ryan on changes in, 595

  sexual misconduct and, 472–73

  shutdown of 2019 and, 582–85, 589–90

  stimulus and, 46

  tax reform of 2017 and, 475–76

  Trump’s victory and impact on, 404

  U.S. Constitution, 355, 434, 554

  U.S. House Committees

  Agriculture, 148, 416

 

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