So the hooded Senator suggests that Trump is simply "god tier level trolling". Certainly the markets do not see Gaetz's chances of being confirmed as very high. But would Trump nominate someone who isn't going to get confirmed just to get under the skin of his political adversaries? I tend to believe that he believes he can push the Gaetz nomination forward.
So far, he has made some very stellar as well as some unconventional picks, with the two adjectives overlapping on many. The Hegseth pick for Defense is other unconventional pick that has come under some fire, although not to the degree that people are criticizing the Gaetz pick. Polymarket shows Hegseth at 80% to be confirmed, but as you can see, only a 35% chance that Gaetz will be confirmed.
All of this relies on the goodwill between Trump and the Republican Senators. The first go around, the McConnell led Senate pushed back on Trump and wanted to bully him and actually did so somewhat successfully. Much of the problems with his Cabinet is that they were not necessarily his choices, but rather compromise choices with the old school Party members. You get a sense that this time around, he is looking at people he wants to work with, not people others want him to work with. Just look at the difference in the 2016 and 2024 VP picks.
Now, do I think Trump will still end up firing some of his own choices? Probably, but not like he had to do in 2016 when it felt like certain people were pushed on him. This time around he is picking his own crew and I would expect that at least for a while, this will operate much smoother than it did in 2017.
My son is training here tonight. It’s where the bumper sticker “Rugby Players Eat Their Dead” came from
Flight 571 disaster
Further information: Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571
On October 13, 1972, a plane carrying 40 members and players of Old Christians' rugby team en route to Chile, crashed in the Andes. More than a quarter of the passengers died in the crash and several more quickly succumbed to cold and injury. Of the twenty-nine who were alive a few days after the accident, another eight were killed by an avalanche that swept over their shelter in the wreckage.
The survivors had little food and no source of heat in the harsh climate, at over 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) altitude. Faced…
I think Gaetz may be Trump playing 4D chess and having all attention go to this pick rather than the others so they can proceed. While I like this pick Trump may have someone else ultimately in mind, like Texas AG Paxton. Or not. Could it be that Rubio's Senate replacement is not a Trump but rather Gaetz? Whatever Trump is definitely leading the nation. I wonder what Thume is thinking??? Looks like we are all just along for the ride while Trump is running the train. Somehow I think we are heading in the right direction.