Wednesday on the RealClearPolitics podcast, Tom Bevan, Carl Cannon, and Andrew Walworth discuss a New York Times report that President Trump is “slowing down” as he gets older, controversial comments from Joy Reid about Erika Kirk, and a surprisingly competitive special election next week in Tennessee. Later in the program, RCP White House reporter Phil Wegmann joins the group to discuss the latest on the Trump administration’s negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, and the leak of a highly sensitive diplomatic conversation. The show closed with Thanksgiving reflections, and making fun of the media’s annual missive about how to speak to your “MAGA Uncle” at the dinner table. You can listen to the show live each day at 11:00 a.m. on SiriusXM’s Megyn Kelly Channel 111 and then on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and here on our website. *** The show opens with the New York Times analysis that President Trump’s schedule is much lighter than it was in his first term: “Shorter Days, Signs of Fatigue: Trump Faces Realities of Aging in Office” With Trump on track to become the oldest president ever by the end of his term, is he slowing down? “This is driven by the fact that he was seen falling asleep in a meeting a few weeks ago, he closed his eyes for a couple of seconds,” Tom Bevan said. “And that was headline news for The New York Times? Give me a break.” “It’s good journalism-but the problem is they only do it for Republican presidents,” Carl Cannon said. “It’s the kind of story newspapers used to do about a president’s health, his approach to the job, his work habits… They didn’t cover Joe Biden that way.” *** In the next segment, around minute 9, the group responds to ugly comments from Joy Ann Reid on the “I’ve Had It” podcast, about Erika Kirk and JD Vance’s wife, Usha. “Joy Reid had the distinction of being too bigoted and ignorant for MSNBC,” Cannon commented. “People will say, you shouldn’t give her any more attention or oxygen, and I understand that argument. But the flip side is, it’s so despicable that I feel like it needs to be called out,” Bevan said. *** At minute 17, RCP White House reporter Phil Wegmann joins the program to give the latest updates on the White House’s efforts to broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine, how it compares to previous administrations, and whether there are any internal divisions between the vice president and secretary of state. Wegmann wrote this morning: “Ukraine Negotiations Highlight GOP Pivot Away From Bush Era Foreign Policy” “We’re going to learn something about the final direction of the Republican Party on foreign policy once there’s actually an agreement signed by the Ukrainians and the Russians. And thus far, it seems that Donald Trump’s realpolitik-where he just wants a deal, doesn’t care about niceties-is going to win out,” Wegmann explained. “The best way to understand Trump’s foreign policy is he sees the United States as the bully on the world stage,” he said. “That’s the unifying principle. It’s not isolationist or hawkish-it’s case-by-case.” *** Next, at minute 30, Wegmann discusses the effort to figure out who leaked to Bloomberg the transcript of a conversation between Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special diplomatic envoy, and his Russian counterpart. “The White House has not denied that the transcript is real,” Wegmann said. “Did it come from someone in Witkoff’s camp? Is it the Russians playing games? Are they trying to throw a wrench into things at the last moment?” “Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are amateurs, and I would add: I think they’re actually corrupt,” he said. “But the results thus far have been pretty damn promising. There’s been a lot of progress in Gaza. There’s actually Ukraine and Russia at the table. So there might be something to be said for the amateurs over the people with the best credentials.” “The substance of the call is interesting. Witkoff is advising his counterpart on how they should speak to Trump. That sounds sophomoric at first-everyone in the room is an adult. And yet: What is he reinforcing? That Trump could change his mind in an instant,” he added. *** Finally, 38 minutes into the show, the group discusses the special election coming up in Tennessee’s 7th congressional district, where the Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn is only a few points behind Republican Matt Van Epps in a district Trump won by more than 20 points, according to a new poll from Emerson College. “We always say don’t make too much of any one poll. Well, we only have one poll for this race at the moment,” Bevan said. “But a couple of hours ago, Donald Trump posted in all caps to come out and vote. That would lead me to believe it actually is close, if he’s that interested in boosting turnout.” “If she were to win that race, you’re going to see full panic mode on the Republican side,” Cannon added. “Democrats are highly motivated. They’re turning out.” *** Don’t miss a single episode of the RealClearPolitics weeknight radio show – subscribe at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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