Wednesday, July 11, 2018

What Do They Care About

As far as I can tell they're mostly the "use the right fork with the appetizer and make sure the right guests been invited" crowd. Actual policies don't really seem to matter, it's just about having the "right" sorts of people run things in the appropriate style.
Some months ago, Wittes famously called for the anti-Trump left, center, and right to set aside their differences and come together in a big kumbaya hug. Questions of tax policy, entitlements, or foreign policy should be taken off the agenda so that "Americans of good faith [can] collectively band together to face a national emergency."

Wittes wants this coalition to fight Trump by loudly asserting and behaving according to traditional norms. Therefore someone like Kavanaugh, who is within the bounds of normal politics (read: he is personal friends with Benjamin Wittes), is not a big deal — and may even be a positive sign.