Endorsement Failure
The reporting came yesterday from Politico, no friend to President Trump or this White House. The broad story is that there is “chaos” in the Administration these days, with one source saying “the knives are out”—aides stabbing each other in the back to curry favor with the boss. There was one Iowa-based hook to the reporting that was interesting.
One source, who Politico called “a MAGA world operative close to the White House”—whatever that is, said the President is “increasingly frustrated with everyone, from his own team to the Senate”. I would think so; this President has built his reputation on action and accomplishment, and having the Senate in particular work against him would be frustrating to say the least.
With that background, here’s the Iowa connection. “Even White House advisers weren’t spare the president’s fury after Trump sustained his first major loss of the election season in Iowa, where Randy Feenstra was defeated in alst week’s gubernatorial primary,” Politico reported. ” ‘He’s really angry about this Iowa endorsement — like really, really angry,’ a White House ally said. ‘He’s really angry that his consultants and people pushed him to do that.’ ”
Again, I would think so. The endorsement of Feenstra at the last minute—the Friday before the Tuesday election—seemed rushed and ill-advised when not only was the race uncertain, but when folks on the ground in Iowa were not silent about Feenstra’s inability to have closed the deal. The President boasts a perfect endorsement record in primaries this cycle, for house, senate, and governor positions—except for that one blemish in Iowa.
Finally, Politico says the president is “increasingly turning to a small group of loyalists and informal advisers who can reach him directly amid a broader understaffed and closed-off White House operation,” according to their sources.
Yet again, I would think so. Most in the position do; and given all the opposition to even the simplest move made by this White House, it’s hardly a surprise the President would be careful about limiting the inner circle.
More evidence that Iowa is always the center of the political universe—even when it’s a failed presidential endorsement.
