Chris Crucial: Vice President Aaron Rodgers???
PLUS: Republican House majority shrinks even more!
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1. RFK’s Veep picks are….interesting: Robert F. Kennedy is an odd duck. The scion of Democratic royalty, he has broken from the party — and mainstream thinking — with his views on vaccines and Covid-19, among other topics.
So, this paragraph from the New York Times today on Kennedy’s preferred VP picks probably shouldn’t surprise me (and yet it does):
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has recently approached the N.F.L. quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the former Minnesota governor and professional wrestler Jesse Ventura about serving as his running mate on an independent presidential ticket, and both have welcomed the overtures, two people familiar with the discussions said.
Because, of course.
Rogers, who is currently the starting QB for the New York Jets, is a noted contrarian — especially on Covid-19 — and has made no secret of his ambitions for a life (and platform) beyond football. (I have made my feelings on Rodgers very plain.)
Ventura, who made his name as a professional wrestler and commentator, was elected governor of Minnesota in 1998 in what remains, to my mind, one of the most stunning upsets in modern political history. His four-year tenure was, how to say this, rocky. Ventura declined to run for a second term in 2002; he almost certainly would have lost had he run again.
According to the Times, RFK Jr. has also reached out to former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang. All three turned him down.
It’s hard to know how seriously to take all of this. While political pros might laugh at the idea of Aaron Rodgers running for vice president, two things are absolutely true: a) Rodgers thinks plenty highly of himself to do it and b) he is a massive celebrity and would draw a ton of attention to the ticket.
Now, attention is different than votes. RFK Jr. has no viable path to victory, with or without Rodgers or Ventura on the ticket. Or at least no path I have seen in the polling.
2. Buck out!: On Tuesday morning, Colorado GOP Rep. Ken Buck said he was leaving Congress at the end of the next week, a surprise announcement that makes the Republican House majority that much more tenuous.
Buck offered slightly more of an explanation for his abrupt resignation in a conversation with reporters. “It is the worst year of the nine years and three months that I’ve been in Congress and having talked to former members, it is the worst year in 40-50 years to be in Congress,” he said.
Buck’s decision surprised his party’s leadership. Speaker Mike Johnson said: “I was surprised by Ken’s announcement. I look forward to talking to him about that.”
Buck’s sudden departure (“Leftovers” reference!) creates a(nother) problem for Johnson as he seeks to manage the majority.
When Buck’s resignation is official next week, Republicans will control 218 seats to 213 for Democrats. And as Daniel Nichanian, the editor of Bolts, made clear the majority is going to get smaller before it gets bigger.
What this means — in practical terms — is that Johnson can lose only two Republican votes on any piece of legislation. Which means that the House is effectively ungovernable.
NO speaker could hope to accomplish much of anything in an election year with such a small majority. And Johnson, who spent his career as a back bencher before being elevated to the top job suddenly earlier this year, has demonstrated, repeatedly, that he is not, um, a wizard with vote counting and managing the slim GOP majority.
In short: Almost ANYTHING that Johnson wants to pass between now and November will likely require him to use Democratic votes to make it happen. Which won’t sit well with Republicans. Good times!
3. President Steph?: Aaron Rodgers isn’t the only famous athlete who harbors political ambitions apparently.
NBA star guard Steph Curry, when asked in a CBS interview about whether he would ever run for president, replied “maybe,” adding: “If politics is a way that you can create meaningful change.”
👀
Curry has dipped a toe in the political waters before. He publicly announced he would not accept an invite to the White House after the Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship in 2016 (and 2017). Donald Trump subsequently disinvited Curry and the team.
And Curry, and his wife Ayesha, publicly endorsed Joe Biden at the 2020 Democratic National Convention; “We’re voting for Joe Biden,” Curry told the audience in a taped message.
In 2022, in a profile of Curry, Rolling Stone described Curry’s widening political interest this way:
Curry has raised his profile as a businessman, a humanitarian, and — slowly but surely — an activist and more vocal political leader. Look into his kaleidoscopic stare as he considers his status in the history books, and you begin to believe Curry when he declares that he can eventually “have as much influence” as Michael Jordan. And while the notoriously apolitical Jordan once said that “Republicans buy sneakers, too,” Curry has already put his brand on the line by clashing with Trump, endorsing Joe Biden, and marching for racial justice.
So, there’s that! But, does Curry really want to jump from hoops to the hustings? Count me skeptical. He is on a glide path to have a pretty great life once he retires from basketball — as a commentator, brand endorser, spokesman etc. Politics is a very ugly business these days and I can’t imagine Curry would, at the end of the day, put himself in that game. Ahem.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
“But then you apply this senile cooperator theory, that because Joe Biden cooperated and the elevator didn’t go to the top floor, you don’t think you get a conviction.” — Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz attacking special counsel Robert Hur’s decision not to charge Joe Biden over his retention of classified documents
ONE GOOD CHART
The election isn’t today. People remind me of that all the time! And this chart — via ABC’s G. Elliot Morris — does a very good job of pointing out where polls showed the presidential race in mid-March versus where the final result ended up.
SONG OF THE DAY
Iron & Wine, which is led by singer/songwriter Sam Beam, makes music that will make you cry — in a good way! He has a new album (“Light Verse”) out next month. I CANNOT wait. In the meantime, listen to his new song “All in Good Time” featuring Fiona Apple.
“Noted moron” is better than “noted contrarian”. Also, I would love a Kamala dunk fest on that fool.
Well Aaron Rodgers already knows how to answer questions like a politician. When asked if he was vaccinated, his response was, "I'm immunized." Maybe he should be Trump's VP.