The relationship between President Trump and Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, has disintegrated to the point that they have not spoken to each other in weeks, and Mr. McConnell has privately expressed uncertainty that Mr. Trump will be able to salvage his administration after a series of summer crises.
What was once an uneasy governing alliance has curdled into a feud of mutual resentment and sometimes outright hostility, complicated by the position of Mr. McConnell’s wife, Elaine L. Chao, in Mr. Trump’s cabinet, according to more than a dozen people briefed on their imperiled partnership. Angry phone calls and private badmouthing have devolved into open conflict, with the president threatening to oppose Republican senators who cross him, and Mr. McConnell mobilizing to their defense. [snip]
Mr. McConnell has fumed over Mr. Trump’s regular threats against fellow Republicans and criticism of Senate rules, and questioned Mr. Trump’s understanding of the presidency in a public speech. Mr. McConnell has made sharper comments in private, describing Mr. Trump as entirely unwilling to learn the basics of governing.
In offhand remarks, Mr. McConnell has expressed a sense of bewilderment about where Mr. Trump’s presidency may be headed, and has mused about whether Mr. Trump will be in a position to lead the Republican Party into next year’s elections and beyond, according to people who have spoken to him directly. (our emphasis)One of the "basics of governing" that's beyond the Man Baby is, "Don't alienate your party's leader in the Senate if you want to get anything done."
Rump is in Arizona tonight, the home state of one of the Republican Senators he's attacked recently, Jeff Flake. As a shot across Rump's bow, McConnell's PAC just put out a nasty ad attacking Flake's likely primary opponent, crackpot "Chemtrail Kelli" Ward, whom Rump has hinted he might endorse. "Chemtrail Kelli" has also put out an attack ad declaring her undying love for Rump.
If Rump dings Flake tonight, that would certainly add fuel to the feud, which is good news for all of us. In the longer term, it might also give us a Democratic Senator from Arizona in 2018.
