May 19, 2016--Donald & Megyn: Reunited at Last

I'll admit it. I'm a fan of junk TV. Anything from Married With Children to Good Wife to Dancing With the Stars. That's why I have to ration my viewing.

So it should be no surprise that I looked in on the new Megyn Kelly show, I think eponymously titled, Megyn Kelly Presents.

And what did she present on her inaugural special? A no-brainer--Donald Trump.

After nine months of long-distance spatting, they were together again. She with her new Valkyrie power-hair right out of Game of Thrones. He with perhaps a slightly toned down Trump-do. She with her agenda--to expose his soft (appealing to women) side. He with his agenda--to expose his soft (appealing to women) side.

So of course the entire interview was about what happened during the first GOP debate and its lingering aftermath when she nailed him so devastatingly as a misogynist.

"Do you look back at that debate with any regrets?" she in effect asked, "Anything you learned or would change?"

He admitted that he would change a few things but refused to disclose any. So much for soft side.

They went back and forth about that. Kelly in the Barbara Walters' mode, hoping for a pop shot--in this case the beginning of a tear.

I thought, if one runs down his cheek during a closeup he will win in November.

Not to worry, he'll be back with her frequently now. It should assure a blip up in his poll numbers when it comes to female voters and help her leap ahead of Bill O'Reilly in the Fox News internecine ratings war.

They are truly made for each other. Perhaps a better way to put this is that they are made by each other.

Before his outrageous "blood coming out of her wherever" comment, Trump, pundits thought, was just along for the ride in the Republican clown car to burnish his brand and she was a middling host of a relatively low-rated Fox talk-show.

After the debate his numbers started to rise and she saw her ratings soar and was offered a $5.0 million advance for a memoir.

This as the result of the two of them together conspiring to create a reality show of their own to star in and from which to derive mutual benefit. For him, votes; for her fame and fortune.

Use-use.

At some point the other evening, during the interview, they got off on a different subject--I forget just what. Maybe something boring having to do with economic policy.

Ever-alert, not wanting to distract from the real subject at hand, Megyn interrupted and all excited said, "Enough about that. Let's talk about us."

Perfect.

February 23, 2016--Oy Vey Another Debate

I just realized that there's another Republican debate scheduled for Thursday evening. At the same time as American Idol.

This presents problems--

I am addicted to both. The GOP campaign and Idol. Thankfully there is On Demand so I'll watch the debate live and then stream Idol.

After getting trounced in South Carolina, Rubio and Cruz have declared that it is now a three-man race. Ignoring the continuing existence of John Kasich and, yes, still in it, Ben Carson.

Kasich still thinks he can win the nomination, especially after Super Tuesday (a week from today) when the campaigns turn more to the Midwest. Kasich Country he believes. Carson will continue until the last votes are counted since his campaign has never been about the presidency but about promoting his brand and selling books.

So what to look forward to on Thursday? I mean in the debate.

Pundets are saying it's really a two-man race. Not between Cruz and TRUMP or Rubio and TRUMP, but between Cruz and Rubio. For second place. Whoever loses is then supposed to follow Jeb and drop out, making it a two-man race, again forgetting Kasich and Carson both of whom will trundle on since it costs them nothing to do so. A few airline tickets and a freshly pressed suit to wear to the debate.

So the fireworks, one would think, would be between Rubio and Cruz.

I suspect in fact the fireworks will be between Cruz and TRUMP and Rubio and TRUMP. One will hope to emerge as the better potential giant killer and thereby become TRUMP's chief rival.

This prediction is for whatever it's worth.

But lest you are taken in by this, you should know I predicted Amelia Eisnehauer on American Idol would make it to the top 14.

She was sent home last week. I had assumed enough people would think she's the granddaughter of President Dwight Eisenhower and that would get her some votes.

So much for what I know.

Amelia Eisenhauer

August 5, 2015--GOP Debate

I've got a six-pack of cold beer ready for Thursday night's GOP debate. It should be a good one.

First, there's the matter of who will be invited to debate. By Fox News no less.

With at least 16 announced candidates, to make a good show of the 90 minutes, Fox decided to invite only 10--the top 10 based on the most recent polling data.

Thus, Donald TRUMP, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, and Ben Carson will participate but not Rick Perry (his smart glasses will soon be available on eBay), which is too bad since last time around he was dependably hilarious; or Rick Santorum, who last time around was the last man standing when Mitt Romney secured the nomination; or Carly Fiorina (the only woman running--oh, how I pine for Michele Bachmann); nor of course will we hear from George Pataki (who?) or Lindsey Graham (though thanks to TRUMP we have his cell phone number), the latter two polling at less than one percent. It's never a good thing when you're favorability rating begins with a 0, as in  0.15 percent. Their number.

Everyone's attention will be focused on the star of the show, Donald TRUMP--what he will blurt out and the zingers the others are desperately rehearsing to launch his way. The first debate and, who knows, maybe the entire lumbering nomination process, will be about TRUMP, unless he gets bored having to hang out with John Kasich and Ted Cruz. How tedious would that be.

Speaking of Senator Cruz, little is expected of him but he could turn out to be one of the unanticipated winners. Chris Christie as well and maybe Ben Carson. These three have at least some jizzum and come across as sort of spontaneous. Compared to the ever-boring Jeb Bush and the over-managed Scott Walker these three appear to be at least alive and breathing.

Then there is TRUMP. Yesterday I caught him on Morning Joe. They had him booked for a quick phone call interview that was set to last perhaps 10 minutes. He was so good that they skipped commercial breaks and kept him on air for what felt like half an hour.

And what a half hour it was. I didn't catch any gaffs (though his trashing of John McCain and his subsequent additional surge in the polls suggests he has a get-of-out jail gaff card--for example in South Carolina, McCain's pal Lindsey Graham's state, where TRUMP has at least a 20 point lead in the polls: 34% compared with 10-11% for Bush and Carson.

More than anything else, at least for the moment, in contrast with all the other GOP candidates, he sounds actually enthusiastic about the prospect of being President. Not winning the nomination and then the general election but being the President.

The others (Hillary included) feel interested only in the process of being elected. TRUMP already sees himself sitting in the Oval office telling people what to do, as he previewed on Morning Joe.

"I'll tell Carl Ichan, a friend of mine, 'Congratulations, Carl. I'm sending you to China. Handle China.' And I'll send someone like that to Japan to handle Japan. Can you believe Caroline Kennedy is our ambassador? She said she couldn't believe they gave her the job. Speaking of jobs, I'll create jobs. I've created tens of thousands of jobs including for Latinos and African Americans. Let me tell you something, I'll win the Hispanics and blacks. Mexicans love me. They buy my apartments."

As I said, Thursday evening will be fun.