A sitting president is at war with his own party: Stuart Varney
The president is pounding his own party. It sure seems like war, and the president is on the attack.
He says Arizona Republican Jeff Flake is "toxic", South Carolina's Lindsey Graham is "publicity seeking", Mitch McConnell "failed" on health care. It's a long list of provocative and sharp-edged attacks. He is demanding action from a GOP Congress, which has so far achieved very little.
Think this through: if the Republicans can't get anything done, the president can say, "You failed. You let me down. It’s your fault.”
If the Republicans do get something done, the president can say, “You couldn't have done it without me. I'll take the credit.”
That’s how Donald Trump rolls. And there is some evidence that voters are rolling along with him. If it’s Trump vs. Congress, Trump may be winning, despite the media firestorm against him.
Just yesterday, the influential Cook Political Report said voters in four Democrat-held senate races had shifted in the GOP's direction.
And the president will pile on the pressure directly. Next Wednesday, he starts a barnstorming tour of the country, pushing tax cuts. Over the heads of the media, over the heads of Congress, going straight to his base. He starts in Springfield, Missouri next Wednesday, and it’s on from there.
As we have said so many times, you've never seen anything like this before. A sitting president at war with his own party, with his agenda, and the future of his party at stake.
The president is asking voters: Whose side are you on?
It’s the answer to that question that will decide what gets done.