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If you think Democratic pols are so different from (and superior to) GOP ones, should you think again? What's wrong with this picture?

One Hamptons party explains what’s wrong with American politics

By Maureen Callahan

For anyone still wondering why Middle America’s so angry, just take a look at the guest list for the annual bash thrown by Washington Post heiress Lally Weymouth, currently the paper’s senior associate editor, in the Hamptons last week.

It was full of politicians and power brokers — the ones who pantomime outrage daily, accusing the other side of crushing the little guy, sure that the same voter will never guess that behind closed doors, they all get along.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner partied with billionaire Democratic donor George Soros, who rubbed shoulders with billionaire GOP donor David Koch.

Chuck Schumer and Kellyanne Conway were there. So were Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Ronald Lauder, Carl Icahn, Joel Klein, Cathie Black, reporters Steve Clemons and Maria Bartiromo, columnists Richard Cohen and Margaret Carlson, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, Ray Kelly, Bill Bratton and Steven Spielberg.

Oh, and Lally’s uncle, former Gov. and Sen. Bob Graham, and cousin Gwen Graham, who’s currently running for her dad’s old job as Florida’s governor.

Weymouth’s party is the latest reminder that for all the bruising rhetoric, the constant polls showing a deeply divided America and the most polarizing president in history, our battle isn’t red vs. blue, right vs. left: It’s about the 1% vs. the rest of us. They laugh as we take their political theater for real.

“If you believe any of these people care about you, you are mistaken,” Samuel Ronan tweeted. “The Hamptons might as well [be] another planet.”

Ronan’s running for Congress from Ohio’s First Congressional District. His platform? Campaign finance reform and lobbying restriction. We’ll see how long that lasts if he wins next year.

No one’s immune. Even Barack Obama, who once said, “I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money,” has spent his post-presidency cashing $400,000 speaking fees and kitesurfing with Richard Branson. Hillary’s campaign was compromised by shady dealings with big donors to the Clinton Foundation. Trump won by fighting for the forgotten worker yet advances policies that benefit the wealthy.

The journalists who want to belong are no better. The press is supposed to be oppositional, adversarial — comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, as the old saw goes — yet almost every year, otherwise respected reporters jockey for seats at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner like desperate kids playing musical chairs.

In the Trump era, such familiarity cuts both ways. The president was wrong, of course, tweeting insults at MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski, but what were she and Joe Scarborough doing at Mar-a-Lago last New Year’s Eve? Why were they so chummy with an incoming president?

In February 2016, CNN reported that Scarborough’s then-friendship with candidate Trump was a major network concern.

“I’ve actually called him up and said, ‘Donald, you need to speak in complete sentences at debates,’ ” Scarborough boasted at the 92nd Street Y in November 2015. A member of the media, ratings bolstered by Trump’s frequent appearances, giving the front-runner advice — often.

Little wonder that trust in politicians and the media has reached historic lows: According to Gallup, 42 percent of Americans trust their political leaders and only 32 percent trust the mainstream media.

At Lally Weymouth’s party, her brother toasted Spielberg for making a film about former editor-in-chief Katherine Graham, their mother, and her superstar editor Ben Bradlee, who made his career on the Pentagon Papers and Watergate. Yet throughout his life, Bradlee boasted most of one thing: He may have been a journalist covering John F. Kennedy, but he truly believed they were best friends.

Posted - July 12, 2017

Responses


  • 46117
    That it is outmoded and outdated?

    I mean POLLS and voting booths don't measure anything any longer.

      July 12, 2017 8:15 AM MDT
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  • 13277
    POLS as in politicians. And what's outdated? This party happened last week.
      July 12, 2017 8:21 AM MDT
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  • 46117
    Who cares how it's spelled.  Voting is passe' and so are taking numbers on any opinions. 

    They are FAKE.  Who cares.  And stop bothering to listen to it.   Take your head out of your....I mean the sand.


    You want FACTS?   Try real ones....

    This post was edited by WM BARR . =ABSOLUTE TRASH at July 12, 2017 9:50 AM MDT
      July 12, 2017 8:23 AM MDT
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  • 1233
    The economy was so depressed after the 2008 global crunch the only way was up. Deficits were so astronomically high after the collapse the only way was down. Recovery was achieved by running the printing press. There wasn't any real growth. Western civilization continues its slide towards collapse year on year.

    Deficit reduction means nothing. If there is no surplus the U.S. is still sinking. The speed at which it's sinking doesn't matter much. It's sinking. It's going to sink unless the leftist wakes up. This post was edited by Zeitgeist at July 12, 2017 6:04 PM MDT
      July 12, 2017 12:08 PM MDT
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  • 46117
    Now I lay me down to sleep,
    Zeitgeist is blowing hot air
    I pray the lord my soul to keep
    and when I awake, he's no longer there.

      July 12, 2017 12:41 PM MDT
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  • Des[ite all this clap-trap being slanted towards critique of the Democratic party...The ruling elite parties are compromised of BOTH GOP and Dem.  Neither group of politicians give a rat's pattootie about their constituents.  AS it has been stated many times, the majority of elected officials begin their terms  by planning fund raising for their next term. Conservatives seem to like complaining about the liberal celebrities and Hollywood quite alot.  THat is completely understandable because the majority is of liberal leaning persuasion with larges amounts of cash and AND the ability use their media access for their soap-box. Then, on the other hand the conservatives who live under dark clouds made-up of 'Doom & Gloom' use the money pumped in their vast enterprises to spread their fertilizer with heir brand of Celebrities such as Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Alex Jones, etc., Etc. 

    There truly is a war going on and it's between the wealthy elitists for YOUR money to line their pockets. We are all stuck in the middle and lose no matter who the reigning dictators are 

    Is it no wonder tha 42 percent of Americans trust their political leaders or the media??? We had our chance and all of you that fell into that pit of tomfoolery have no one to blame but yourselves. DUMP the concept of the 2-party system and start thinking like grown-ups because they are ALL using us.

    BERNIE SANDERS was the correct decision as president and both parties did everything in their power to stop him, but he enjoys a 75 percent approval rating.  How is that possible? Because people TRUST him and he is a True American who fights for all of us, not just those who support him.

    Wake the F**k and stop all this in fighting. What you posted is nothing more than passive-aggressive clap trap
      July 12, 2017 8:48 AM MDT
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  • 46117
    I would agree.  But?  We have Hitler in office.  So?  All bets are off.

    He needs to GO.  No Democrat on the planet is this horrid of a person.  Because no person on the planet is this sick in the head. 

    Sorry.  I disagree.  Trump all day until? He goes all away.

      July 12, 2017 8:53 AM MDT
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  • 5354
    It is the same here in DK, and thank god for that. If they really hated eachother as much as it sounds like when they make speeches even the least little bit of negotiation and compromize would be impossible.

    Then again the US have a number of ways to 'bully' the opposition, the 'filbuster' tradition is viewed with disgust most everywhere outside the US. This post was edited by JakobA the unAmerican. at July 12, 2017 11:34 AM MDT
      July 12, 2017 9:23 AM MDT
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  • 22891
    not sure
      July 12, 2017 2:56 PM MDT
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