The shifting sands of the Middle East just blew up another storm with Trump’s off-the-cuff agreement, against his own advisers and party leaders, allowing Erdogan of Turkey free rein to invade Kurdish-held Northern Syria. Turkey dislikes the Kurds whom they see as terrorists with ambitions to set up their own state which would encroach … Read more
Despite his best efforts, William Barr, the Attorney General, is being dragged down into the rapidly expanding Ukraine impeachment affaire. It appears he and Mike Pompeo, according to multiple reports, ‘collectively participated in contacts between Trump and leaders of at least four foreign countries.’ These contacts were variously aimed at producing stories that could … Read more
‘An enigma without a secret’ – Matthew Parris’s delightful description of Theresa May might just as easily be applied to Mike Pence, Trump’s VP. To European eyes his fusion of evangelical Protestantism with unvarnished capitalism and the spirit of the Tea party seem head-jarringly contradictory. Less so in the USA but even there his piety … Read more
Keeping a calm head in the midst of chaos and cutting through the cacophony of noise when all sides are screaming that they are right and are winning ain’t easy. Trump’s impeachment may seem a slamdunk to the chattering classes but out in the boondocks where they don’t watch the news (or think) nothing … Read more
Nancy Pelosi finally caved and announced Congress would move towards an impeachment inquiry on Trump’s dealings with Ukraine where he allegedly threatened to withhold aid unless it dug dirt on his electoral rival Joe Biden. The chart for 5pm on 24 September does have a successful or at least enthusiastic Jupiter in the 10th but … Read more
Another day, another egregious Trump transgression to which he responds in typical style by muddying the waters and hurling the same accusation back. On his scenario he’s not corrupt for using US Foreign policy for personal political ends to attack and undermine his leading opponent Joe Biden. Instead Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, is guilty … Read more
Would Trump refuse to be photographed beside his middle daughter because she wasn’t up to his feminine ideal of physical perfection? Perish the thought. Hissy fits all round as a contrite presidential personal assistant exits stage left after transgressing confidentiality protocols at a media dinner. Tiffany is the only child by Trump’s middle … Read more
Batshit crazy was one description of Trump after his latest series of unhinged ramblings. The Guardian remarked that his impromptu speech on the White House driveway had “swept away all previous Trumpian benchmarks for incoherence, self-aggrandizement, prevarication and rancor in a presidency that has seemed before to veer loosely along the rails of reason but … Read more
The holier-than-thou Mike Pence who sold his soul for a seat near the centre of power has been selected again as Trump’s putative VP for 2020. Born 7 June 1959 he’s another slippery Gemini like Trump with his Moon in Gemini/Cancer (more probably Cancer given his family-oriented leanings and strong wife); a flashy Venus, Mars … Read more
Stephen Miller, Trump’s 33-year-old senior adviser, is now the lynch pin of his presidency, driving the narrative about immigration which will supposedly win him a second term. His power is at its peak according to two long pieces in the Washington Post and New York Times which publicity won’t go down well with the … Read more