American Carnage

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American Carnage Page 80

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

 

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