Dear Reader (And especially Martha McSally's dog),

As I often note, I increasingly tend to see the political scene as a scripted reality show in which the writers don't flesh out the dialogue so much as move characters into weird, wacky, confrontational, or embarrassing positions. It's a lot like The Truman Show, except most of the cast isn't fully in on it. Sometimes I imagine some writers' room in the sky where a bunch of exhausted hacks with coffee breath struggle amidst the pizza boxes and broken pencils to figure out how to ratchet up the intensity from scene to scene or season to season. "Let's have them just leave Reince on the tarmac!" "How about we put Jared in charge of Middle East Peace!" "Let's have some fun with George and Kellyanne, I think there's huge sitcom material there."

"If only Roger Stone were still alive."

"He is."

"Whoa. Call his agent. We gotta have him on. A little goes a long way with that guy, but he could steal the show like Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction talking about ...

November 16 2018

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Basta La Vista, Baby Jonah Goldberg Dear Reader (And especially Martha McSally's dog), As I often note, I increasingly tend to see the political scene as a scripted reality show in which the writers don't flesh out the dialogue so much as move characters into weird, wacky, confrontational, or embarrassing positions. It's a lot like The Truman Show, except most of the cast isn't fully in on it. Sometimes I imagine some writers' room in the sky where a bunch of exhausted hacks with coffee breath struggle amidst the pizza boxes and broken pencils to figure out how to ratchet up the intensity from scene to scene or season to season. "Let's have them just leave Reince on the tarmac!" "How about we put Jared in charge of Middle East Peace!" "Let's have some fun with George and Kellyanne, I think there's huge sitcom material there." "If only Roger Stone were still alive." "He is." "Whoa. Call his agent. We gotta have him on. A little goes a long way with that guy, but he could steal the show like Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction talking about ... Read More ADVERTISEMENT Top Stories Making Acosta a Federal Case Mona Charen By revoking his press pass, the White House made Jim Acosta a martyr for freedom of the press. Trump's Not Populist Enough Rich Lowry Other than on trade and immigration, Trump has governed as a fairly typical Republican despite his self-professed populism. Report: HHS Aims to Retire $100 Million of Fetal Tissue Research Mairead McArdle The Trump administration has already canceled one FDA contract with a fetal tissue supplier and halted new programs that rely on fetal tissue. ADVERTISEMENT The Lessons of the Asia Bibi Case Nina Shea Amid fears of possible terrorist retaliation, no Western nation has yet dared to give Asia Bibi asylum Against the 'Coercive Elimination of Dissent' Jeremy Dys and Mike Berry Oregon tries to compel two bakers to lend their services to a same-sex wedding, and thereby to compel speech. The Case for the Wage Subsidy Oren Cass Both the Left and the Right should focus on how best to spend government money already slated to go out the door. Your Death Row Meals, or Last Suppers Jay Nordlinger What would be your ultimate meal? Readers place their orders. Scott Campaign Asks Secretary of State to Accept Broward Recount Despite Missed Deadline Jack Crowe Broward County officials turned in the results of their machine recount just minutes after the deadline, leading to a dispute over 779 votes gained by Scott. ADVERTISEMENT JOIN NRPLUS All Our Content. Fewer Ads. Members-Only Privileges. NRPLUS is everything you would associate with a digital magazine subscription, and a whole lot more ─ including up to 90% fewer on-site ads, access to our private Facebook group, full commenting privileges, and invites to our writer/editor conference calls. SAVE 40% TODAY Photo Essays Top Shots Mexico City Zombie Walk ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Follow Us & Share 19 West 44th Street, Suite 1701, New York, NY, 10036, USA Your Preferences | Unsubscribe | Privacy View this e-mail in your browser.