One of his books is titled, “The Art Of The Deal.” He’s billed himself as the “dealmaker in chief” but when it comes to one of the most important deals of his presidency, Donald Trump heads to the golf course, twice this weekend.
How much does he really care about a deal that could extend federal benefits for those devastated from the pandemic? With his poll numbers tanking, it seems politically questionable to have Trump sit this one out. It is an opportunity to boost, for perhaps the last time, his fading reelection hopes.
But instead, he sends Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to do the negotiating. And it’s not like the White House is even trying to make Trump look involved. He tweets nonsense all day but what about stepping in to make a deal?
The Washington Post wrote recently about Meadows’ skill as a dealmaker:
“But Meadows comes at this as someone who, for more than seven years in Congress, did anything but broker bipartisan peace. The North Carolina Republican helped force John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) into resigning as House speaker in 2015 because Meadows viewed him as too conciliatory to Democrats. He undercut a budget deal that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had greased in December 2018, sending the federal government into a 35-day shutdown that ended with a complete GOP surrender.“
The Post also writes that Meadows is promoting Secretary Mnuchin, the longtime Wall Street investment banker and movie producer, as the lead negotiator. Suffice it say Republicans are nervous.
Politico’s Playbook writes:
We are moving into the phase where serious progress has to be made, or it may be time to reconsider who’s at the negotiating table. If a deal is reached today — it won’t be, but let’s assume it is for argument’s sake — we’re looking at votes late this week or early next week. Enhanced unemployment expired Friday.
— The question driving the week: How much longer will Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stay on the sidelines?
