Two ideas dominating coverage of Donald Trump throughout his presidential campaign, and increasing since his electoral victory, are his many conflicts of interest and his staunch and petulant hostility toward the news media. And now they converge. An article by Greg Sargent in the Washington Post about another conflict of interest has wrapped inside of […]

From Gallup: Gallup has asked Americans to rate political figures using the current favorable/unfavorable format since 1992. The last three presidents-elect had much higher favorable ratings at comparable time periods than Trump currently does. Then President-elect Barack Obama had the highest favorable rating, 68%, in November 2008. Fifty-nine percent of Americans viewed George W. Bush […]

President-elect Donald Trump has made no secret of his contempt for the press, but his assault on the First Amendment entered a new phase on Monday when he met with executives and journalists from ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC for an off-the-record confab that was described by one participant as “a f*cking firing […]

During the second presidential debate, Donald Trump threatened his opponent Hillary Clinton by saying: “If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation.” He oversaw rallies at which people chanted “Lock her up!” But now he has agreed not to further pursue investigations […]

A Washington Post analysis of President-elect Donald Trump’s financial filings indicate at least 111 Trump companies have done business in 18 countries and territories across South America, Asia, and the Middle East, presenting complex problems for U.S. military and diplomatic strategy. Serious concerns have been raised about potential conflicts of interest regarding the unprecedented circumstance […]

The Northwest Indiana Times reports that Republican State Rep. Curt Nisly has announced he is planning to file “Protection at Conception” legislation when the General Assembly convenes in January. His proposal, if passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature, would “prohibit all abortion in Indiana in all circumstances and authorize the criminal prosecution of any doctor […]

Donald Trump introduced his first 100 days agenda by saying it is “based on a simple core principle — putting America first.” The Anti-Defamation League has urged Trump to stop using “America first” because of its anti-Semitic use preceding WWII, but instead of jettisoning the term, he is now using it to define the “core […]

President-elect Donald Trump won his electoral victory by virtue of razor-thin leads in a handful of states, with just over 112,000 votes separating him from Hillary Clinton in the three key states that gave him the presidency. Meanwhile, Clinton’s popular vote lead is expected to exceed two million, and currently sits at over 1.5 million. In […]

Election night was a difficult one for Democratic politicians and voters and their vision for the country, and the ensuing days have been filled with worry and fear over the incoming administration’s staffing moves and policy pronouncements. But there is reason to be hopeful. Many Democrats, both current and incoming officeholders, are loudly and forcefully […]

On the same day incoming Chief of Staff Reince Priebus refused to rule out a Muslim registry, Vice President-elect Mike Pence was equally evasive during an interview with Face the Nation’s John Dickerson. Dickerson invoked Senator John McCain’s fervent rejection of the use torture and asked Pence for his reaction. “What I can tell you […]

Donald Trump’s financial conflicts of interest have been well-documented for months. His property holdings in foreign countries create a serious risk that he could manipulate federal law to reduce oversight of his own businesses, offer preferential treatment to foreign states that give him business contracts, or profit from real estate deals with international entities which […]

I previously warned that Donald Trump was tweeting about Mike Pence attending the musical Hamilton to misdirect attention from a story about foreign dignitaries staying at Trump’s D.C. hotel. That is not to suggest the Hamilton story was not important in and of itself: A president-elect shaming artists for exercising their First Amendment rights is […]

Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager and reportedly a candidate for either a role in the new administration or the chairmanship of the RNC, gave a speech and Q&A session at the Oxford Union which was not well-received. One standout moment came when a young woman cited some of Trump’s campaign promises on which he has […]

In a March 2016 speech at the University of Utah, Mitt Romney spoke out vociferously against Donald Trump: “Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University,” Romney said. “He’s playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and […]

Encouraged by the response to Donald Trump’s election and the hard-right, white nationalist prospects for his cabinet, many Republican state legislators have begun promoting bills targeting immigrants, minority faiths, and freedom of assembly. In Iowa, Republican Representative Bobby Kaufmann announced plans to introduce what he calls the “suck it up, buttercup” bill when the legislature […]

This one tweet about the cast of Hamilton addressing Mike Pence has already been shared over 100,000 times: Tonight, VP-Elect Mike Pence attended #HamiltonBway. After the show, @BrandonVDixon delivered the following statement on behalf of the show. pic.twitter.com/Jsg9Q1pMZs — Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical) November 19, 2016 The message, read by cast member Brandon Dixon, was both respectful […]

During the campaign, Donald Trump offered this boast about his university, and his supposed principles: Trump University has a 98% approval rating. I could have settled but won’t out of principle! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 29, 2016 Contrary to this previous declaration, today he agreed to settle the three lawsuits against Trump University, to […]

President-elect Donald Trump pledged to be a “president for all Americans,” but immediately contradicted that promise with his choice of white nationalist Steven Bannon as chief policy advisor. His most recent spate of appointments for key legal and national security positions are just as dangerous, and should be equally troubling to anyone paying attention. Former […]

Representative Tom Price (R-GA) told Talking Points Memo that House Republicans will move on Medicare reforms “six to eight months” into the Donald Trump administration. Price said Republicans are planning to use budget reconciliation to make the changes, which will allow them to pass bills in the U.S. Senate with a simple majority. “I think that […]

Hillary put together a powerful, MAJORITY coalition centering marginalized people. I'm proud to stand with them and fight alongside them. — Peter Daou (@peterdaou) November 15, 2016 The reality of what happened on Election Day is unavoidable: The far right now dominates the U.S. government. But that doesn’t mean that progressive values disappear. They are […]

Beginning in the weeks before the election, when Donald Trump began asserting the election was “rigged” — a claim he abandoned once he won the Electoral College — there was emphasis on how our democracy survives via peaceful transitions of power from one administration to the next. But the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks […]

Following Donald Trump’s election, Senator Harry Reid immediately went on the attack, demanding that Trump repair the damage his hate-fueled campaign had caused. One week later, Reid took to the Senate floor to deliver a blistering rebuke of the dangerous effect that Trump’s win has already had, and called on Democrats to be leaders for the millions […]

One of the many potential candidates on the fast track for a Trump administration cabinet position was Dr. Ben Carson, the neurosurgeon and former Republican primary candidate. Carson was added to Trump’s shortlist for Secretary of Education — an odd choice, given that Carson does not believe in evolution and thinks the ancient pyramids were grain silos. […]

Trump’s decision to appoint Breitbart honcho and alt-right figurehead Stephen Bannon to a senior White House position is meeting with stiff resistance. The hashtag #StopBannon is now a top Twitter trend: https://twitter.com/lizgarbus/status/798244872708714497 I finally had a good cry over what's happened to the country yesterday. Today I started making phone calls. #StopBannon — BluedyMoos (@Audzilla27) November […]

Shock turns to steely determination. And steely determination turns to mass organizing. Thousands of women — and like minded men — are planning to march in Washington, D.C. over inauguration weekend to voice their opposition to Donald Trump. It started about 24 hours ago, and already, a national Facebook page isn’t enough. There are state-specific organizing pages in fifteen states. Equally […]

The past 48 hours have been a wake up call for many Americans. Republicans will now run the country and if the election is any guide, the national media (with a few exceptions) will refuse to hold them accountable. Democrats have signaled that they are willing to do what’s necessary to make sure Trump’s presidency […]

Not only am I #StillWithHer, but I'm with the MAJORITY of Americans who voted for her. #TrumpProtest — Peter Daou (@peterdaou) November 10, 2016 The body blow of Trump’s win is being processed by the millions of Americans who opposed him. The resistance to his presidency is already taking shape. Protesters took to the streets to make their […]

We do not know what a Trump presidency will look like but we do know that tens of millions of Americans will continue to defend and promote the values that Hillary Clinton represented in her campaign. Over 119 Million Americans voted. 47.7% voted for Hillary Clinton.47.5% voted for Donald Trump. America has spoken. #StillWithHer — Leela […]

“Your baby is growing outside your uterus. It can’t survive. Get to the emergency room now so we can make sure that you do.” The day before that call from my doctor, I walked into her office for my very first prenatal exam. I had been dutifully taking my daily vitamins, experiencing morning sickness and an insatiable appetite. Everything […]

Speaking on a stage with members of the military seated behind him, Donald Trump’s closing argument against Hillary Clinton includes the contention that a woman simply cannot be president. Trump, standing in front of Medal of Honor recipients: “to think of HER — being their boss? I don’t think so…I know what they’re thinking.” pic.twitter.com/BPXLnwHxo5 […]