OMG, GOP

WAMU 88.5

Published October 26, 2017 at 10:06 AM EDT

CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images

With guest host John Donvan.

We talked about the woes of the Democratic Party this week. Now we’ll talk about Republicans.

Things aren’t at all quiet across the aisle. Republican Senators Jeff Flake, John McCain and Bob Corker and former President George W. Bush have all been outspoken about the shift in their party’s tone and style under President Donald Trump.

While these critics might make impassioned speeches, all but McCain are either out of office or not seeking re-election. And the senators still largely vote along the party line.

Will anyone with an office and a campaign join this chorus, or are Flake, McCain, Corker and Bush part of an older faction of a changing party?

As the New York Times notes:

Well aware of the mercurial nature of the president, most congressional Republicans are loath to do or say anything that could upset Mr. Trump and risk provoking an early-morning Twitter tirade from the White House when they are trying to delicately piece together a complex tax agreement. One can practically sense Republicans tiptoeing around the Capitol, taking extra care not to awaken the president to their presence in a way that could draw a scolding or rebuke.

Is the GOP a civil war, or a forgettable skirmish?

GUESTS

Ron Christie, Republican strategist, Christie Strategies; @Ron_Christie

Matthew Schlapp, Principal and founder, Cove Strategies; chairman, The American Conservative Union; @mschlapp

Rachel Bovard, Senior director of policy, Conservative Partnership Institute; former legislative director, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY); former director of policy services, The Heritage Foundation; @rachelbovard

For more, visit https://the1a.org.