Inside the Beltway: A succinct review: ‘He is truly president’

NEWS AND OPINION:

After a full week of campaign rallies, problem solving and partisan attacks, President Trump also had an in depth interview with Leslie Stahl on CBS’ “60 Minutes” Sunday night. The overnight ratings from Nielsen Media Research are very telling here. Mr. Trump’s interview drew a respectable 11.8 million viewers for CBS. The debut of the “Alec Baldwin Show” on ABC, however, garnered 2.2 million. But that, as the sages say, is show biz.

Meanwhile, Ms. Stahl offered her own insight about the interview — her third with the president — and one that gave her some insight about Mr. Trump’s demeanor as he approaches two years in office. In a follow-up question-and-answer session with CBS senior producer Frank Devine, Ms. Stahl recalled a conversation she had with Mr. Trump just three days after won the 2016 election.

“It was my impression that he was in total shock. Right now, he’s so much more confident. He is truly president. And you felt it. I felt it in this interview,” Ms. Stahl told the producer.

“He’s trying to win the midterm election for the Republicans. And I think he believes, and I know his people believe, the more he’s out there, publicly — the stronger the chances are for the Republicans. And the better for him. And I think the White House has come to believe it’s a mistake to try to restrain him, to keep him off television, to keep him away from these rallies. And he loves doing it. He really gets a lot of energy from crowds,” Ms. Stahl later added.

Other news organizations did not love or get energy from Mr. Trump’s interview. “Trump’s ugly, dishonest CBS interview reveals GOP’s predicament in midterms,” noted a Washington Post column in the aftermath, while a CNN opinion piece said the interview was “a master class in deception and denial.”

But wait. CNN also had another headline to consider.

“More see Trump win likely as Biden leads crowded Democratic field,” CNN said, upon heralding a new poll.

“Americans are becoming more likely to think President Donald Trump will win a second term in office, while Joe Biden stands atop a crowded field of Democrats perhaps looking to replace him,” wrote CNN polling director Jennifer Agiesta. “The public is split over whether they think the President will win a second term — 46 percent say he will and 47 percent say he won’t. But that’s a steep improvement for him since March, when 54 percent of adults said they thought he’d lose his bid for a second term. The share seeing a second Trump win in the offing has risen across party lines.”

CNN was not kidding when it described a “crowded Democratic field.” The poll offered a choice of 16 Democratic hopefuls — along with “someone else,” “no one” and “no opinion.” Those three choices, incidentally, garnered 10 percent of the total vote.

MEANWHILE AT THE SUPREME COURT

Well, that was quick.

Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh has drawn the attention of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals — PETA — which has noticed that Justice Kavanaugh is required to serve on the court’s Cafeteria Committee. Yes, there is an eatery in the highest court on the ground floor, and it serves “a variety of hot entrees, sandwiches, soups, salads, snacks, and beverages,” according to the court’s guide to its own amenities.

“This may not strike you as the most important decision that you could make, but it would have a positive impact on both animals and human health. In your position on the court’s Cafeteria Committee, you could make a sound judgment on the merits of pro-life eating by offering predominately vegan food selections on the cafeteria menu — and perhaps even come up with an added incentive for justices to choose plant-based options that’s within your jurisdiction,” PETA President Ingrid Newkirk wrote in a letter to Justice Kavanaugh.

“We would gladly send free copies of our vegan starter kits to help lengthen the terms of your fellow justices as well as the lives of animals, court staff, and the public,” she wrote.

THE WISDOM OF PENCE

Arriving Tuesday: “Where You Go: Life Lessons from My Father,” a new book written by Charlotte Pence, daughter of Vice President Mike Pence, who also wrote the foreword.

“My hope is that the lessons she so tenderly conveys here will resonate and encourage you and many American families who have faced choices challenges and triumphs only to learn that those whom you love and the faith that you share matter most,” Mr. Pence advises readers.

“The stories you will find here are primarily from the life-changing months of August 2016 to August 2017,” writes the author, who took a year off college to campaign with her folks.

And a programming note. Ms. Pence — who includes chapters titled “Trust the grand plan,” “Find your group of happy warriors” and “Determine your heroes” — will appear on NBC News’ “Megyn Kelly Today” Tuesday at 9 a.m. EDT.

The publisher is Center Street, the Nashville-based conservative imprint of publishing giant Hachette Book Group, which says the new book is “a stirring portrait of Vice President Pence from his own daughter: the story of a Christian husband and father who answers the call to serve America with his family by his side.”

THE CIVILITY WARS

“Hillary Clinton last week urged Democrats not to be civil with Republicans over political issues, prompting rare disagreement from former first lady Michelle Obama. Voters also disagree with Clinton,” notes a new Rasmussen Reports survey of 1,000 likely voters.

It found that a near majority — 47 percent — disagrees with Mrs. Clinton, who told her party “You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about.”

Fifty-one percent of Republicans also disagree, along with 49 percent of independents and a surprising 40 percent of Democrats.

The Democratic Party’s public image may be at stake, though.

“Clinton went on to say in the same interview that civility can begin again when Democrats regain control of Congress. But just 26 percent of voters believe there will be more civility between the two parties if Democrats win control of at least one chamber of Congress in the upcoming elections. Forty-one percent think there will be less civility in the next session of Congress if that is the case,” Rasmussen Reports noted.

POLL DU JOUR

• 66 percent of U.S. voters say “it really matters” who wins control of Congress; 74 percent of Republicans, 75 percent of Democrats and 48 percent of young voters (ages 18-29) agree.

• 45 percent say they know “a fair amount” about the congressional candidates in their own district; 50 percent of Republicans, 48 percent of Democrats and 31 percent of young voters agree.

• 31 percent say they don’t “know too much” about the candidates; 27 percent of Republicans, 30 percent of Democrats and 36 percent of young voters agree.

• 14 percent say they “know a great deal” about the candidates; 16 percent of Republicans, 15 percent of Democrats agree and 7 percent of young voters agree.

• 9 percent say they know “nothing at all” about the candidates; 6 percent of Republicans, 6 percent of Democrats and 24 percent of young voters agree.

Source: A Pew Research Center poll of 8,904 registered U.S. voters conducted Sept. 24-Oct. 7.

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