- Of the many criticisms I've had of President Donald Trump over his time in and out of the White House, I never joined the collective who've suggested he's a puppet of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. But if indeed Trump does not have Putin's mythical hand up his back, how would his justification for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict be any different were he a Putin stooge?
When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky decided not to join in on the negotiations in Saudi Arabia this week, Trump's response was shockingly ignorant.
“Today I heard, ‘Oh, well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it—three years. You should have never been there. You should have never started it. You should have made a deal.”
Hot Air's Ed Morrissey, as intellectually honest a conservative writer out there, was incredulous over such bilge.
Been where? In their own country? And what deal did Putin offer them, except subjugation to Moscow?
Now, we can have a long debate over whether Ukraine has some political fault in its dealings with its ethnic-Russian population, and whether pursuing closer economic and military ties to Europe was a bad idea. However, none of those issues negates the fact that Russia conducted a full-on, unprovoked military invasion with the intent to conquer all of Ukraine three years ago, and have conducted themselves like a barbarian horde during the entire "special operation."
Look, I get it. It was a pretty safe assumption that Ukraine was never going to prevail in this war, so there was never going to be a clean break. And I understand that had Trump told the truth about Putin's decision to engage in this hostile takeover, that would further complicate a porous Russia-America relationship (yes, despite what Tucker Carlson claims, Russia is not a peaceful country). But this is yet another disturbing Trump tendency in that he may have a solid idea (i.e. ending the destructive Russia-Ukraine conflict) but goes about executing it in an incoherent and destructive fashion. My concern is the fallout will be felt for years to come.
- This from the Strib's X account earlier this week.
If you are a federal employee in Minnesota and recently lost your job, we'd like to talk to you. Please contact JMooreStrib.60 on the encrypted messaging app Signal. You can also email us at whistleblower@startribune.com. We strongly encourage you to use a personal device.
— The Minnesota Star Tribune (@StarTribune) February 17, 2025
This was reminiscent of the government shutdown which occurred in the state of Minnesota back in 2011. With so many state workers potentially being laid off (albeit temporarily), the local media conducted interviews with some of those affected, and of course took aim at the all-GOP Legislature. The media also spoke with owners of eating establishments in downtown St Paul who were likely to feel the pinch of government employees not being around. But when prominent private sector businesses have layoffs, those same issues are prevalent but not nearly as amplified by media outlets. Why?
- When then Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced last year he was stepping down as caucus leader, that set off strong signals that he would not be seeking reelection for his Senate seat in 2026.
On Thursday it became official.
“Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell said in prepared remarks on the Senate floor. “Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”
The Kentucky Republican has experienced several medical episodes in recent years, most recently including two falls inside the Senate chamber earlier this month that have left him using a wheelchair to get around the Capitol. He has also frozen at least twice during press events, sparking concerns about his deteriorating health.
McConnell has had polio since he was a youngster, a disease which has hampered the upper portion of his left leg. As one stricken with polio becomes older, frailty sets in and falling becomes an issue. The multiple falls McConnell has endured over the past few years have taken a significant toll. But while his physical health has worsened, McConnell still appears to have solid mental faculties. Laugh if you want, but I challenge you watch his appearance at Erick Erickson's The Gathering event last summer. There aren't a lotta 80-somethings who can share such wisdom and insights.
I'm certain there are a significant number of Trumpkins who reacted to this news with "gOoD rIdDaNcE, cOcAiNe MiTcH" or "bYe, TuRtLe." But if these same people had any ounce of intellectual consistency, they would at least concede that were it not for McConnell denying to replace Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia with then President Barack Obama's nominee Merrick Garland in early 2016, Trump may not have even been elected that November. McConnell was also key in keeping together a unified Senate majority in 2017 when perhaps Trump's signature piece of legislation, the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, was able to get passed. Trump himself even lauded McConnell's efforts.
Godspeed, Senator.
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