I'm giving you a free-access link so you can judge the quality of the sources, the likelihood of a senatorial "feeding frenzy," and the meaning of "MAGA swarm."
We're told that Pete Hegseth went "from dead man walking to a man with a real shot of being confirmed by the Senate" in what was "a test case of power and intimidation," where Trump demonstrated his "ability to summon an online swarm, even while spending minimal personal capital of his own."
Mr. Hegseth spent Wednesday, Dec. 4, just trying to stay in the running. Mr. Trump, in a private phone call that morning, gave his blessing for Mr. Hegseth to go out and fight for the job.... Mr. Hegseth had been getting nervous, particularly after reading the reports about [Trump switching to Ron] DeSantis. He felt as though he was effectively under a gag order; people on the transition team had told him to stay away from the news media.... Mr. Trump’s private blessing to go out and fight was all he needed. By Thursday morning, Mr. Trump made his decision known to his inner circle: He was sticking with Mr. Hegseth....
That sounds like Trump interacting directly with Hegseth and making his own decision, but go read the rest of the article if you want to see the basis for saying there was "intimidation" and a "MAGA swarm."
Mr. Trump’s allies say they have learned their lesson: no more Gaetzes, no more easy concessions to squeamish Republicans.... [This was the] first test run of a blunt-force pressure strategy that will be replicated again and again, whenever a Republican gets in the way of Mr. Trump.
Another way of putting that is Trump's opponents wanted to run their own “blunt-force pressure strategy" that worked on Gaetz and that would have been "replicated again and again" if Trump hadn't stood his ground.
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ooo more leftwing-Democratxic thoughts from the NYT. from the same folks who ignore Biden family corruption.
Citizen participation is a "swarm" when it's the other side participating.
Unfortunately, nothing the NYT's prints about TRump can be trusted. Especially when they use anonymous sources. Even if these sources exist, which is open to question, who knows if they are correct or are telling the truth?
The NYT reporter was known for "Teeing it up" for Hillary, and giving us nonsensical articles about "the walls are closing in" during Russiagate. And the crazy "Trump tried to wrestle the steering wheel from the secret service" story may have been hers.
NYT approves of Trump's transition to President. Ad-Vance-ing.
Can a swarm pounce?
This looks like successful politicking to me. Minus all the negative words, Trump succeeded in persuading, which is after all the job of the President. They call it the “Bully Pulpit” for this very reason.
"Nobody who voted to confirm Lloyd Austin or Merrick Garland has any business complaining about any of Trump’s picks."
-Glenn Reynolds
All who Trump successfully appoints to various positions will be wretched shits by definition.
Field-grade officers are infinitely more trustworthy IMO than any promotable-Colonel or general officer. Take Mathis for instance...what a disappointment.
I'd take Hegseth over any clinched-star (R) appointee traitorous republican senators would suggest as more experienced.
You’re so crazy and stupid, Robert, that I regard that as an endorsement.
Kook is spot on. He knows what it takes to be a wretched shit.
Appears Trump 2.0 learned lessons from the 1.0 version. Let's hope the Republican party in general has also learned. This time around, there is no middle ground in dealing with The Swamp.
It's more likely that the DeSantis replacement story was not real, and this is more fiction from Haberman and company to cover for that.
Speaking of Gaetz, this link provides quite a bit of insight (if valid) and background on the Gaetz fiasco. If this was what all the hubbub was about, then chalk another one up to the feces machine that is DC.
A swarm of voters, also known as a mandate.
God forfuckingbid elected representatives should feel like they have to carry out the will of the voters.
I wonder how the NYTimes defines "direct knowledge". Hearing it from someone else would be direct (as opposed to indirect).
No, but it can seize the shit out of Democrats.
So the post is rich in content, as are so many Althouse posts. The NYTimes using anonymous sourcing for supposed insider info, the loss of the opposition to Trump in this case, the frothing at the mouth of the Left (as per normal) and concession of a momentary victory for reform of the Pentagon under Trump. The narrative is being pushed that an illegitimate nominee has been pushed through by illegitimate means, thus allowing future opposition to be even more outrageous by the outraged. A nonstated narrative is that the Left has no power when their opponents scoff at their insults and go on with their business.
The article is very flattering of the Trump team rallying all of their available forces and support of the defense secretary nominee. Of course you have to find a way to be offended by it because permanent victims status was what attracted you to the Trump train in the beginning and it's so hard to stop wallowing and self-pity even now that you and your movement are on top of the world.
The NYTimes is the defacto Deep State bulletin board. If they print it, that's only because the Deep State embeds who work there WANT that printed.
You used to be the thoughtful lefty. What happened to you?
Is the online swarm a “threat to our democracy”??
Trump says Liz Cheney should be in jail for her destruction of evidence in the J6 investigation.
Then in the same interview says he won't put her in jail.
He's learned NOTHING.
Exact tact that he took with Hillary Clinton. How'd that work out for Donald Trump?
Power is worthless if you have no damn clue how to WIELD it.
First: The top photo in the article appears to show that Kit Harrington is a part of Pete Hegseth's close team. Who knew? It's good to have the King of the North on your team.
Next: The 'feeding frenzy' was unleashed by the media to start this thing. They've lobbed bombs in a number of directions at various Trump nominees. The ammo for these bombs comes from the DNC or other leftists groups (some posing as NGOs). Some of the bombs were effective. I still don't know what to make of the email from his mom. I mean...his own mom?. But from what I've read from other sources, this is a good guy, people who know him seem to really like him, including those in the military who served with him. That counts for a lot.
That said...I am in disbelief that the 2nd most effective productive and effective politician in America, Ron DeSantis, is nowhere to be found on Trump's team. Such is the way Trump views disloyalty to his brand. You're either 100% in agreement or you're out. I think it also says that DeSantis is his own man.
In the end, this is politics. This is how it's been played for...ever?. But this Trump is different than last Trump. This Trump understands who and what he's dealing with, and...he's stronger than ever with a team of loyal supporters that will not be denied. This could be a very loud and interesting 4 years. And those of us on the right who feel like we've been sidelined for years, have found our voices. I may not be shouting for Trump, but I am most definitely pulling for him to get the team he wants and let them do what they can to right the ship.
It’s unclear whether people like Hegseth and Gaetz are Trump’s idea of serious candidates or merely opening sacrificial antes in an art-of-the-deal poker game. Personally I find it hard to believe Trump, famously sober, wants a drunk as his Secretary of Defense.
"drunk as his Secretary of Defense."
You've got to give the MSM credit...their bullshit is still unmatched in its virality.
Contacting your representatives maga swarm
... in what was "a test case of power and intimidation,"
It was an exercise of power and intimidation by Democrats/MSM, and they lost. The worm has turned, and even weak-kneed Republicans seem to have figured that out.
You've stopped going on about his tattoos?
That West Point acceptance letter gambit was revealing. Funny how the media never pursues claims made by the left, but chases Republican statements to the ends of the earth.
Howard.
Howard's post.
Howard's life.
Hegseth says he can quit anytime and will — if the Senate confirms him. I’m sure Trump recognizes that kind of talk from his brother’s tragedy.
I live in Iowa, i contacted BOTH of my Senators, and told them (well, their offices)
That:
a) i'd voted for BOTH of them, EVERY time they've run for office..
b) i'd NEVER vote for EITHER of them again, if they didn't fully support President Trump
Robert! i ALREADY Fully support Trump and his appointees.. You don't have to convince ME!
... in what was "a test case of power and intimidation,"
Glad to see that you reconsidered your initial reaction to the attacks on Hegseth. I had confidence you would.
I hope Trump’s team has a standing order that anyone who even says “hello” to Haberman will be fired.
Not getting your pony this time, either? Pity.
That aborted hit piece deserves serious scrutiny. Who at West Point leaked to bogus info to ProPublica? There's much more to the story that needs to be investigated.
Thanks for the link!
I thought it was a really good article, and it matched my perceptions of the Hegseth nomination. It seemed to me a couple of weeks ago that his candidacy was in serious trouble. Wishy-washy Republicans were making noises about not confirming him. And then I noticed a very strong push-back.
This seems to me a really strong piece of journalism from Swan and Haberman, with a nice inside peek of what's going on. And I agree with the Republicans around Trump that it would have been a bad idea to give in on another nomination so easily. There would have been blood in the water.
Hegseth is a bad pick. Swarms and fighting and pouncing don't change that.
"That said...I am in disbelief that the 2nd most effective productive and effective politician in America, Ron DeSantis, is nowhere to be found on Trump's team."
I don't share your apparent disappointment. Florida is a damn important state and I'm glad DeSantis is its governor. But besides that, I'm comfortable with the idea of conservative politicians' establishing their own brands/bonafides rather than simply joining Trump, Inc.
I want a t-shirt "Maga Swarm Member in Good Standing". I think there was an organic swarm on X of folks who want Pentagon reform - much of it led by veterans who tweet. I don't think the surgeon general lady will have a supportive swarm.
From the article, "And it highlighted the role of Elon Musk, who has bottomless wealth to enforce Mr. Trump’s desires."
Musk is helping Trump, and Musk has lots of money, but I don't think his wealth is what he is using to help Trump. Musk has a large media presence which is largely because of his accomplishments. Musk appears to be single-handedly pulling humanity into the 21st century technology-wise. This gives draws a lot of attention. The other thing Musk has is credibility. He has been willing to publicly state his beliefs even if they were unpopular with the popular. He also spent an incredible amount of money to purchase a media company and reshape it to have far more fair and open practices than what it was prior. Sure, this did require a lot of wealth to do, but viewing it as 'purchasing' credibility is incorrect. It is more a demonstration of his inherent credibility. As a counter-example look at Michael Bloomberg and his short presidential campaign where he spent over $1 Billion. How much credibility was he able to purchase with that? Would he have gained more credibility if he spent more?
Trump did do an interview with Maggie Haberman during the campaign. And the thrust of this story is that Trump is the one with the real political power in the Republican party and it is futile for individual Republicans to directly oppose him. I wouldn't be surprised if someone close to Trump did talk to Haberman with Trump's direct knowledge and blessing.
"This article is based on interviews with nearly a dozen people who have direct knowledge of how and why Mr. Trump salvaged Mr. Hegseth’s bid, at least for now. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a confidential process with the president-elect."
Anonymous sources with "Direct knowledge" - which can mean anything. And that 2nd sentence justifying their refusal to make their names known makes no sense.
Hey, i want to talk to our enemies at the NYT's about a "Confidental process" because I want the whole world to know. LOL!
How many of the Democrat's "bad picks" have been rejected in the past 100 years?
I'll wait...
Stop with the italics, just use quote marks, please.
It's more likely that the DeSantis replacement story was not real, and this is more fiction from Haberman and company to cover for that.
The DeSantis replacement story always seemed wacky to me. Rubio's move from the Senate to State was arguably a step up on his career path, making him a strong candidate for the White House in 2028 (along with Vance and DeSantis).
But nobody goes from Defense to the White House. That's not a thing. And given the tensions between Trump and DeSantis, both alpha dogs, to take a job under him is a recipe for disaster.
I think it's entirely possible that Trump was spit-balling that idea with aides without discussing it with DeSantis. My gut feeling says it was either a media invention (possible) or Trump was suggesting ideas out loud (also possible).
If it was a media-created story to sink the candidacy, it backfired spectacularly.
Mr. Hegseth had been getting nervous, particularly after reading the reports about Mr. DeSantis. He felt as though he was effectively under a gag order; people on the transition team had told him to stay away from the news media, a traditional approach in Washington confirmation battles. Mr. Trump’s private blessing to go out and fight was all he needed.
By Thursday morning, Mr. Trump made his decision known to his inner circle: He was sticking with Mr. Hegseth.
Trump demonstrated his "ability to summon an online swarm, even while spending minimal personal capital of his own."
Democrats enjoyed this ability for decades. Their "swarm" was the media. Obama almost never had to spend personal capital on his fights.
It's amusing watching Dixcus shift from MAGA terrorist who wants to lynch people to Trump critic who thinks he's too soft.
I'm not sure if you're a Klansman or Antifa, but you're definitely wearing a mask, dude.
The name of the bitter bureaucratic harridan who pulls this stunt was I'm the letter from Tom Cotton to Westpoint. Theresa something. I wonder how many cats she owns.
I have a nagging suspicion that DeSantis was asked if he wanted to be part of the team, and he respectfully declined.
thanks for that link, really bizarre (and interesting)
I do not understand the Hegseth nomination. The Pentagon is one of the largest and most complex organizations in the world. Hegseth’s management background is running two non-profits that he left under murky circumstances. Personal issues aside, the man is just not qualified to transform, let alone manage the Pentagon.
This is the equivalent of hiring @threeyearletterman to coach the Georgia Bulldogs.
Trump’s penchant for hiring people because they look good on TV does not serve him well.
Por que no los dos?
Hey Dixcus, I mean Chuck. Your trolling is so obvious. Get a life.
I don’t know if Goetz was a mistake or a throwaway. The squishes got their scalp. And that is probably going to be it. Why? Because losing nominees makes him look weak. One of the worst things that Trump did first term was letting Flynn get LawFared out of the NSA position. Trump should have picked up the phone, and called his AG, and told him to get rid of it. The DOJ attorneys and FBI agents involved should have been fired on the spot. The entrapment was illegal (they illegally utilized the unminimized transcript against LTG Flynn - they can only be utilized to prevent or disclose already committed crimes, and not to create them, as was done there) and violated DOJ rules. IF AG Sessions had refused, he should have been fired too. Flynn was too valuable to lose, since he knew where the bodies were buried in the IC, and the DOJ/FBI part of the IC are what have been hounding him for 8 1/2 years now - the same organizations that took out Flynn. Trump showed weakness there, and that just emboldened his enemies.
Ah Maggie--who ever told you that Hegseth was a dead man walking? Fever dreams, fever dreams, the diet of the NYT staff.
As far as Hegseth's drinking, Lincoln was warned that Grant, too, was a drunk. Lincoln wanted to send whatever Grant was drinking to all his other generals.
Or more recently, as Estelle Reiner said to the waiter, "I'll have what she's having.."
"This article is based on ..." some suggested lies and fantasies provided by a senior editor, as well as our own, rather less-than-vivid, imaginations. The drugs were a BIG help. Colors!
I think that is a legitimate concern, but as a counter-point I would say that the more familiar a person is with the inner-workings of an organization the more likely they are to make small incremental changes. Their concept of what the organization is in their mind is already largely formed. It can be hard to make significant changes from an idea that is already flushed out, since in the mind of that person it can only change so much before it ceases to be that thing. An experience like that can cause feelings of cognitive dissonance which hampers the willingness of that person to make those big changes. An outsider has the ability to come with a fresh set of eyes. To them making big changes won't necessarily feel like the DoD isn' the DoD anymore, just different and improved. Trump is a transformational (hopefully) president, and we want transformational (hopefully) people in charge of these organizations so we can actually see the changes we want. Though I will say I hope Hegseth gets lieutenants who are very familiar with the inner workings of the DoD so that he knows where to look to make these changes. You can't knowingly change what you aren't aware of.
Exactly.
Says the wretched TDS afflicted Shit of this blog.
Ask the Democrats why they keep picking drunk women to represent them. Nancy, Hillary, Kamala. All drunks. ON CAMERA in front of the press....and fools like you keep voting for them.
An outsider is good. An outsider who has not demonstrated the executive skills to do the job is not.
LOL. Because the last 4 years of a shit show were stellar!
self-apprenticed and self-mastered!!
It would be nice for Republicans to be able to focus on holding Vance's seat (Sherrod Brown is making noises about filing for it) and flipping Senate seats in Georgia, Michigan, and perhaps one or two out of the set consisting of Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia, still if political capital has to be expended to primary out squishs like Ernst, Tillis, Graham, and Cornyn, then perhaps it has to be done. Compared to the Democrats, with their near-impeccable party discipline, leading the collection of GOP politicians up on the Capitol Hill looks an awful lot like herding cats.
"But nobody goes from Defense to the White House. That's not a thing. "
Setting aside Washington, Grant, and Eisenhower when no DoD existed, there is Dick Cheney, but yeah, he was just the VP.
I hardly think the right should aspire to be more like the left. Spend all your time thoughtlessly agreeing and end up concluding that there's no real difference between men and women.
In full agreement with AMDG. This pick is unserious.
Why would Republicans want to be like Democrats? It's only led Democrats into endorsing more and more outrageous positions that normal people see as absurd. Groupthink is bad.
Hegseth has solid credentials. The idea that he is "not qualified" is based on notion that serves the establishment that you must be part of it, from it, in order to lead it. That's a lot closer to fascism than anything Trump is doing or anybody he is nominating.
Trump has destroyed so many facades.
Washington, Grant, and Eisenhower all won wars. You can definitely win a war and win the White House, that is a thing.
Secretary of Defense is a bureaucratic position. Quick, who was the Secretary of Defense under Nixon?
(I had to look it up, and once I looked it up, I forgot it again)
Secretary of Defense under Obama?
(Ditto)
Desantis would do himself a favor if he just gave up on national ambitions. He doesn't have the talent to do anything without his GOPe handlers and donors.
2028 primary will be between Vivek and Vance or whoever Trump puts up. There are a lot of people on the Republican side that are just better than Desantis. He might make a good senator.
There was another interview of over a dozen carbon copies with variable volumes of directed knowledge. Who to believe?
Oh, he's a bad pick. Well, he's TRump's pick. He's POTUS elect and he gets to choose his cabinet. Not Senator Thune, Not Lisa Murky and NOT Chuck Schumer.
Trump got elected POTUS, and unless his opposition in the Senate can come up with more than BS nonsense, then he should be confirmed. I'm sick of RINOs and fake moderates, helping the D's sabotage Trump and R Presidents.
Grow up and look at reality. The D's will vote in lockstep against anyone Trump nominates that is too conservative or supports Trump too much. They voted against Jeff Sessions for God's sake. Meanwhile the fake moderate Republican senators voted for Garland and Mayorkas - two the most leftwing radicals ever to hold that office. Their excuse? "The president biden gets to pick his own cabinet".
I wish moderates and "True Conservatives" would just drop the pretense, and say "I'm a liberal Democrat who likes low taxes".
Give Hegseth a chance. Trump is not shy about firing someone who fucks up.
I'm in the middle of Pete Hegseth's book (Note the "Pete"). It's short, and I'll finish it tomorrow. or perhaps Saturday, depending on chores. BUT, I've read enough to know these things: (1) My initial thought was this guy (former National Guard Major) doesn't have the background to take on THE PENTAGON. But (2) His point is that the current US military establishment is forked up the a**, and it needs to be changed. He makes a VERY PERSUASIVE case. A "normal" Republican President would drop Pete and appoint someone to implement non-disruptive reforms. This is a case in which I HOPE Trump isn't "normal".
Sure, but I doubt if any of that matters to Trump — he’s the one who’ll have to work with the drunk, not the Democratic party.
"A "normal" Republican President would drop Pete and appoint someone to implement non-disruptive reforms."
'Reforms without disruptions' sounds a lot like 'Business as usual'. But maybe that's just me...
Saint Croix said...
"Quick, who was the Secretary of Defense under Nixon?"
Deacon Jones
Basically, they've learned that squishy Republicans will be facing a decade long fight to stay in office. And the damage may attach to their children and those they mentored. No one in the new Republican party is going to go along with the useless old guard unless they get on board. If you are an Establishment Republican, your future is in the Democrat party alongside the Cheneys and Romney
Its never too late for a a Draft Romney For DOD campaign by the "respectable" republicans, eh Freeman?
Italico?
Italico - trying it here!
Thanks for posting. I actually was trying to find that story to say essentially the same thing. If valid, then Gaetz may have been honeypotted and actually had sex with a minor, except he couldn’t have known since her ID was authentic except for the birthdate. Still, if that’s a true story, it probably wouldn’t play well why he was sleeping with anyone that young, nor that he could fall for the honeypot.
Neither Failed DeSantis Online Wannabe Influencer AMDG nor Freeman Hunt have apparently any concept whatsover of the extent of the fundamental change required to alter our defense establishment trajectory and warfare focus.
Just who is this perfect candidate for DOD SEC that combines the large scale organization leadership experience with deep military/strategy insight MULTIPLIED by a ferocious willingness to execute extreme fundamental change based on a newer vision of what our military mission and focus and capabilities ought to be?...all on top of a happy willingness to toss non-performing established military vendors and contractors over the side for that non-performance...all the while taking on a cultue of DEI rot at top of the Pentagon?
So go ahead, give us the list of acceptable names that meets the need and could be confirmed by a den of GOPe snakes and squishes in the Senate.
Dont hold back now. Wow us all!
"Business as usual" is precisely what all the squishes are looking for.
GOPe caretakers of continued managed decline...because its just more comfortable and less yucky. Who really cares if the militsry becomes more and more inept and a greater disgrace over time as long as defense contractor stock prices and dividends continue to climb over time and everyone is happier at cocktail parties and fundraisers and the DC usual suspects continue to have their revolving door sinecures?
How much did Lockheed-Martin pay Jim Comey again?...
Oh, there's groupthink going on here alright. Take a look in the mirror.
Stop with the italics, just use quote marks, please.
Turn it off yourself rather than complaining. Here's how:
</i>
at the beginning of your posting, perhaps with an explanatory comment.
Politico was preparing a hit piece on Hegseth that claimed he hadn't been admitted to West Point. His response was to post his acceptance letter on X. Politico dodged a lawsuit and is busy congratulating itself, but it smells like Politico was playing some inside dirty pool at West Point, to me - or sloppiness in the records department at the very least.
But this is how the left rolls - they were planning a smear and counting on its momentum wave to smash into the nomination and carry it away. Looks like the surf's not 'up' and the tide's going out, though. Good that the incoming administration is wise to Washington DC's ways.
In full agreement with AMDG. This pick is unserious.
I think it's just as serious as Donald Trump running for office in 2016.
The status quo nominees (Rubio, for instance) are getting zero pushback. While the nominees who might shake up the bureaucracy are catching a lot of flak. I get how people who are happy with the status quo would not like most of Trump's picks. But if you want to shrink the government and drain the swamp, you have to love what he's doing here.
Some of these picks might fail. (In which case I expect Trump to fire them -- he's famous for that). But the vibe I get is that they're all very serious about doing radical changes to these bureaucracies. So I'm very much inclined to give them all a chance and see what they can accomplish.
He must keep really good records. I don't even think I could find my diplomas, let alone my acceptance letters.
It might have been smarter to let the hit job play out. Let Politico run the bad story. And then it blows up in their faces. You'd have people who went to school with him calling up and letting them have it. And you could embarrass the shit out of West Point, and maybe the Department of Defense, too.
That might be true, if the media was at all fair-dealing. But he has a confirmation hearing coming up, and defamation suits take years to reach the Gawker 'Blow Up' stage. My take is that the lie would have been relentlessly over-hyped because that is its sole purpose, getting Senate confirmation torpedoed - it would have given the fence-sitting GOPe Senators the excuse they need to vote 'no'. Hegseth would never catch up, because he would never get the coverage.
Politico only gave Hegseth an hour to respond to the allegations, but they didn't publish because Hegseth's lawyers laid it right out for them and probably had them to dead to rights with no way for Hegseth to lose. That's what it takes to beat the Democrat Legacy Media complex.
If you are going to take over a good organization, you can take a little time to be a gentleman and get the lay of things before taking action. But the long term failure of audits which indicates hiding money, you have to go in hard. An old boss told me, if you let something go for two months after you take over, you will never be able to change it, and If you can't fix a problem department, fire someone and see what happens.
Hegseth may only be the Sec Def for 9 months, but if properly done with the right theatrics, a more socially noble female friendly version can replace him after the head rats have been removed.
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