The Daly Weekly (7/17)
JD Vance on Joe Rogan's show, Pete Hegseth's testosterone mission, Patriot Front, and more.
Hi everyone.
Welcome to this week’s Daly Weekly, where I answer whatever questions you throw my way.
Before we get started this week, I’d like to invite you all to Reagan Caucus Action’s new Substack. I co-host their weekly podcast, on which we feature a different guest every week to discuss numerous issues from a Reaganite perspective.
It’s totally free, and you can sign up here (I hope you do):
Now, let’s get to your questions…
Trump, in the NATO meetings in Turkey, said: "The Islamic Republic of Japan", obviously meaning to say "the Islamic Republic of Iran." He was oblivious on this gaffe, but over-corrected himself on several others. This is becoming a glaringly frequent issue, or is it a no big deal? I think I know your answer, but please elaborate. — Sharon H.
Hi Sharon. Trump has been a gaffe machine since he first entered politics, and not just in the realm of confusing names and basic terms. It’s definitely getting worse with age, and I have to believe that even the president’s most enthusiastic supporters have noticed the difference. They may even cringe when they hear him rambling about weird things like “most people” supposedly not knowing that “dumb” is spelled with a “B.” Trump’s certainly not as bad on that front as Joe Biden was, but that’s a very low bar to clear.
Last week, Mitt Romney (who’s 79 and is clearly in better shape than both Biden and Trump) was jokingly asked about whether he planned to run for president again in 2028. He replied, “I basically think people who are 80 and above really should not be running the world or running the country.”
I think he’s right, and I’d extend that rule of thumb, beyond a candidate’s ‘running’ age, to the age when that candidate would be serving in office. The U.S. presidency is an extremely important, taxing, and consequential job. While some people certainly age better than others, no one maintains their peak level of mental sharpness and endurance over a certain age (except for Bernie Goldberg, of course).
Sir John — this viral photo of a black woman on a train surrounded by an alleged white supremacist group called the Patriot Front is touted by the left as proof of how awful & racist America is.
The right correctly points out the FACT that while the black woman appears to be nervous, NOBODY from the group harassed or threatened or assaulted or stabbed or set fire to her as had been done previously to white victims of black criminals on trains — A FACT that the left completely IGNORES! Your thoughts? —“Locomotive Breath” Regards from The Emperor
Let me start with some thoughts about your premise, Emperor:
I don’t think Patriot Front is an “alleged” white supremacist group. It seems clear they’re an actual one.
I don’t know who all on “the left” “touted” the picture as “proof of how awful and racist America is.” I’m sure some people did (I wish you had given some examples), but your framing is a sweeping generalization. I think one would have to be deranged to genuinely think that these Patriot Front losers represent America. They don’t represent “the right” either. If they did, such displays would be commonplace.
You are correct that no one threatened or attacked the woman in the picture. (Those guys were very careful not to do anything illegal that day).
I disagree that “the left” “completely ignores” black-on-white violence, though there’s certainly a inclination from people on the left to downplay it (along with black-on-black violence, for that matter). Bernie, among others, has done a good job of documenting this practice (especially in the media), and those who partake in it are entirely deserving of criticism. Societal violence should never be glossed over.
Personally, I thought the photo in question was powerful (and unsettling) — not because I felt it was representative of modern America, but because it evoked imagery of America’s dark past: a lone black woman on a bus (of sorts), surrounded by masked white supremacists. Groups like Patriot Front are still fringe (thankfully), but it’s bothersome that they seem more emboldened today than a decade or so ago.
John: Mitch McConnell and Tom Kean, Jr. are the most recent examples of elected representatives taking extended time off from their posts due to health reasons. But these reasons are not disclosed to the public, and their absence becomes a mystery. What do you think the rules for disclosure should be, considering we also have HIPAA laws governing privacy? I see it as kind of a gray area ethically. Elected representatives have a duty of transparency when they are not on the job, but they also have rights of privacy as codified in American law. — Steve R.
That’s a good question, Steve. I think elected officials should feel obligated to inform their constituents of health issues that keep them from performing their jobs (at least at the expected level) for an extended period of time. I wouldn’t expect such an official to share the most intimate details of their personal health status, but their prolonged absence shouldn’t be left up to public guess-work. As for whether there should be official rules in Congress that enforce such transparency, I guess I’m at least open to it. But as you suggested, it would be a bit of an ethical balancing act.
I’m guessing JD Vance wishes he didn’t go on Joe Rogan’s podcast this week. What do you think? — Alex D.
It’s hard to say, Alex. Vance seems blissfully (and smugly) unaware of how ridiculous he comes off in such appearances — from blaming Israel (how original!) for Iran unilaterally blowing off a deal with the U.S., to throwing out straw-man nonsense about people calling for 150,000 U.S. ground troops in Iran, to fueling Epstein conspiracy theories (again dragging in Israel), to deriving sexual meaning from Joe Biden eating ice cream. I honestly would not be surprised if, before the end of this term, Trump becomes embarrassed/annoyed enough by Vance to force his resignation. Vance, after all, is indirectly saying that foreign entities have compromised the Trump administration.
What’s your take on Pete Hegseth’s video this week promising “testosterone replacement therapy” for members of our military? This guy is beyond parody. — Ben G.
I’ve said a few times now that Hegseth is becoming more like Dwight Schrute every day, and I think this is a perfect example. I guess we’ll know how serious this initiative becomes if the president’s financial advisors start investing heavily in Tucker Carlson-highlighted testicle tanning technology.
Thanks everyone! You can send me questions for next week by leaving a comment in the comment section.