NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor and On Balance host Leland Vittert was a foreign correspondent for four years in Jerusalem. He gives you an early look at tonight’s 7 p.m. ET show. Subscribe to War Notes here.
“Politics Is Downstream from Culture”
The success of “Top Gun: Maverick” a few years ago should have been a wake-up call for Democrats because, as the late great Andrew Breitbart said, “Politics is downstream from culture.”
- MUST READ: Paul Anleitner picked up on this and tweeted out
- “I don’t study politics, but I do study culture, and here are some of the signs that a cultural shift has been brewing for years in America that most of the professional political analysts just completely missed.”
- He will be on tonight to pull back the curtain on the culture shifts in America that explain our politics.
Over the weekend, The New York Times, and among others, Fareed Zakaria, finally figured out what we’ve been telling you all along — Donald Trump’s “They/Them vs. You” ad explains this election.
- Watch Trump’s ad here.
On Wednesday, we wrote that the ad featuring Kamala Harris celebrating taxpayer money for prison inmates’ transgender surgeries explains a lot, if not everything, about this election.
But it goes far deeper than transgender prisoners or even boys in girls sports.
The ad ended with “Kamala Harris is for they/them … Donald Trump is for you.”
- Over the past few days, the election autopsy continues to miss that “they/them” is a proxy for the elites who demand allegiance to their worldview lest you become a deplorable.
- If you don’t want boys in girls sports, you are transphobic
- If you want a secure border, you are xenophobic
- If you don’t want to defund the police, you are racist
- If you don’t believe in unlimited aid to Ukraine, you are pro-Putin
- If you don’t want to get a vaccine, you are anti-science
- If you don’t want Trump locked up, you are anti-democracy
The elites (they/them) have those views — you don’t.
- You, who is suffering from inflation.
- You, who worries about the crime and economic effects of illegal immigration.
Donald Trump was for you.
- Disclaimer: That’s how he and his campaign framed it. We are not endorsing this view.
- Don’t believe me — check out this poll from Blueprint Strategies about why Harris lost:
- “The top reasons voters gave for not supporting Harris were that inflation was too high (+24), too many immigrants crossed the border (+23), and that Harris was too focused on cultural issues rather than helping the middle class (+17).”
What I am watching: This TikTok video – sure, it’s over the top, but worth a click
Two points: Where were all these Democrats a month ago? And why won’t anybody listen to them now?
- Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., both got shellacked by the Left for noting the orthodoxy.
- To be fair: Murphy largely ignores the culture, and Moulton got tarred and feathered by the Left for taking on boys in girls sports.
- The extreme: Watch CNN’s reaction when my friend Shermichael Singleton dared to say boys shouldn’t play in girls sports.
Eating their own: I watch Rachel Maddow most nights she is on and watch “Morning Joe” with my first cup of coffee.
- Joe Scarborough decrying “white elitist Democrats” is something I didn’t have on my 2024 bingo card.
Team of Sycophants
Think whatever you want about Donald Trump’s new and yet-to-be-named Cabinet and administration — it will be anything but Lincoln’s “team of rivals.”
Take Mike Davis’ tweet:
- “Dear Trump Job Seekers: Long time, no chat. Before asking me for help, I am going to ask you to provide me specific and concrete evidence of your łoyalty to Trump. If you cannot provide a lot of that, stop asking me. Political appointments require both competency and loyalty.”
- Thought bubble: The most important thing isn’t specific and clear loyalty to Trump — it’s who can best help the country.
Users’ guide: Axios lays out the power struggle at Mar-a-Lago.
Changing power structure: Eight years ago, Trump looked to Fox News for vetting and trial-ballooning his hires.
- Now, Tucker Carlson plays a serious and public role on the selection committee?
In practice: The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board goes deep on the successful campaign against Mike Pompeo as secretary of state.
Watch tonight: Bill O’Reilly, author of “Confronting the Presidents,” will discuss whether a team of sycophants is really best for America or — maybe more importantly — Trump.
Bonus coverage: The fight over Senate majority leader and MAGA fascination with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., shows just how much control Team Trump exerts in every part of Republican politics.
Quiet Part Out Loud
From “Pod Save America” — How Trump Built His Coalition, Nov 10, 2024:
- “What’s not fine is what anyone who is Latino has had to face on social media this week. ‘I hope you get deported. I hope you get thrown in camps.’ ‘I hope you have your passport because you’re about to get thrown out of the country. Go back home, Beaner’ What’s amazing is that these are coming from liberals.
- “It makes you wonder, is this how people have felt about us all along? In addition to everything else, I’m now also mourning the loss of decency, humanity among the many things that Donald Trump has robbed of us. At the same time, turning to what needs to get done next to protect our people and bridge the divides so we can get back to a better place.”
Thought bubble: Democrats who talk constantly about the moral ground are now outraged that Latinos have agency and vote their conscience.
Zoom out:
- Democrats love women until Iran is beating women.
- Democrats love Palestinians until Hamas is torturing Palestinians.
- Democrats love Latinos until they vote in their best interest.
More on that tomorrow.
Tune into “On Balance with Leland Vittert” weeknights at 7/6C on NewsNation. Find your channel here.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of NewsNation.