Inside the Beltway: Transformed Republicans get a backbone amid attacks on Trump

NEWS AND OPINION:

The Republican Party and Republicans themselves may be undergoing a visceral transformation as they witness the repeated, strategic attacks on President Trump as the election approaches. These attacks seem to occur at well-timed intervals, and in concert with ever-hostile coverage from the news media. How convenient.

There is change afoot, however. One veteran analyst and heavy thinker now detects that the GOP is getting feisty, enthusiastic, proactive and verging on fearless when it comes to pushing back on the Democratic challenge.

“Traditionally, Democrats have approached politics as a form of war conducted by other means, while Republicans have entered the political arena as pragmatists and accountants. But the siege of Donald Trump has begun to create a new Republican Party, passionate and combative in defense of a leader they believe has stood up for them, and — equally important — who exceeds them in his appetite for combat,” writes David Horowitz, in his new book “Blitz: Trump Will Smash the Left and Win.” The book is already a No. 1 bestseller in three categories at Amazon and called a “must read” by such thoughtful observers as Mark Levin, Mike Huckabee and Dennis Prager.

And about that blitz part.

“Populism is the term political observers have drawn on to describe this phenomenon. The energy populism creates adds up to the blitz that is described in this book,” the author says.

The blitz, meanwhile, is showing up on the grassroots level.

“No more silence. Speak up! We have a nation to save and this is our time to save it!” New Jersey Women for Trump tells its 22,000 members in an outreach message, just one sample of the emerging new GOP culture.

“Enthusiasm for this president is through the roof,” Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told Fox News, noting that the Trump campaign has raised $255 million for his reelection, compared to $100 million that is now in Joseph R. Biden’s campaign coffers.

But wait, there are other numbers too.

A new Economist/YouGov poll conducted this week finds that 68% of Trump supporters are “enthusiastic” about their president, compared to 31% of those who support Mr. Biden. That’s more than twice as many in the Trump camp.

THE NEWS: JUST A CLOSER LOOK

The New York Times ran a story this week headlined “Does Trump want to fight for a second term? His self-sabotage worries aides.” The report made the case that President Trump is “acting trapped and defensive,” is exhibiting “self-destructive behavior” and may not be interested in running for a second term.

To back up the claims, the news organization got quotes from Republican Reps. Peter King of New York and Tom Cole of Oklahoma, former White House communication director Anthony Scaramucci and Sam Nunberg, who worked on the president’s campaign in 2015.

Well, OK.

Here is a verbatim list of the other sources for the story, however: “Some advisers,” ’friends and associates,” “many advisers,” “aides,” “one official,” “White House officials and others,” “some staff members,” “several current and former advisers,” and finally, “people close to him” — meaning Mr. Trump.

NETWORKS OF NOTE

“Ignoring a black conservative: ABC, NBC skip Sen. Tim Scott’s police reform bill,” writes Nicholas Fondacaro, an analyst for Newsbusters.org, a conservative press watchdog.

“ABC’s World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News completely ignored the Senate GOP’s Justice Act, a package of police reforms authored by Sen. Tim Scott, South Carolina Republican. And while the CBS Evening News mentioned the bill, they only spent 22 seconds on it,” the analyst said.

“Instead of dedicating airtime to Scott’s reform bill, ABC and NBC each spent plenty of airtime gushing about John Bolton’s new anti-Trump book. ABC gave it five minutes and 31 seconds, while NBC allotted two minutes and 14 seconds,” Mr. Fondacaro said, noting that CBS provided four minutes and 25 seconds on Mr. Bolton’s book — and also brought up the possibility that the book could spark new impeachment charges to be filed against President Trump.

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

Under new legislation passed by the New Hampshire state Senate, simply saying you’re afraid of catching COVID-19 is enough to access unemployment benefits, even after the pandemic emergency ends, reports the New Hampshire Journal. New Hampshire has already paid out more than $714 million in unemployment benefits.

The new amendment presents “a significant fiscal challenge,” says the news organization.

“It allows individuals to be eligible for unemployment if they felt they have a reasonable risk of contracting COVID-19 at the workplace. And they can make this claim even if the employer is doing everything required in terms of the CDC and state health guidelines,” advises David Juvet, vice president of public policy of the Business and Industry Association, New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce.

WEEKEND REAL ESTATE

For sale: The Foster House and Stable, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1900 on one acre in Chicago. Five bedrooms, three baths; large foyer, brick fireplace, living, dining and family rooms; 2,408 square feet. Original woodworking, windows, doors, architectural elements and details. Cedar exterior, covered porch, outdoor pond, detached garage. Priced at $145,000 through ColdwellBanker.com; enter 09728213 in the search function.

POLL DU JOUR

• 28% of U.S. adults say President Trump receives “very unfair” treatment by the news media; 54% of Republicans, 27% of independents and 6% of Democrats agree.

• 16% overall say he gets “more unfair than fair” treatment by the media: 23% of Republicans, 17% of independents and 10% of Democrats agree.

• 23% overall say he gets equally fair and unfair treatment; 13% of Republicans, 30% of independents and 24% of Democrats agree.

• 18% overall say the treatment is “more fair than unfair”; 6% of Republicans, 16% of independents and 30% of Democrats agree.

• 14% overall say the treatment is “very fair”; 3% of Republicans, 10% of independents and 30% of Democrats agree.

Source: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted June 14-16.

— Happy Father’s Day and thank you for reading Inside the Beltway.