The Confirmations Have Only Just Begun, And Even Dems Seem Resigned To Their Fate
For those who don’t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week’s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
Most of the world had eyes on Syria while the regime of Bashar Al-Assad crumbled under the attack of terrorist rebels — and while most of the Sunday morning political shows did devote some time to the breaking news out of the Middle East, there was still a lot of focus directed at President-elect Donald Trump and his nominees for certain high-ranking cabinet posts.
This Sunday, however, instead of the parade of panic-stricken guests complaining about how each Trump nominee was more existentially dangerous than the last, the tone was more reserved. In addition, the guests seemed willing — or perhaps resigned to the inevitability — to work with Trump’s nominees or at least hear them out in confirmation hearings and interviews.
On ABC’s “This Week,” for example, host Martha Raddatz spoke with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) about Trump’s plan for the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that will be helmed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and former Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy.
Khanna, who said that he had spoken to Musk about DOGE, appeared to agree with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who has said that he can at least get behind DOGE’s plan to audit the Pentagon.
“I think when there comes to defense, getting better defense for value and cutting costs, there can be huge bipartisan cooperation,” Khanna said on Sunday, noting that Musk had disrupted what had previously been a closed system — with regard to defense contractors such as Lockheed and Boeing — when he moved ahead with SpaceX during the Obama administration.
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna on his discussions with Elon Musk about the new Department of Government Efficiency: “I think when there comes to defense, getting better defense for value and cutting costs, there can be huge bipartisan cooperation.” https://t.co/QGEu8xRtpF pic.twitter.com/zkal88pP21
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 8, 2024
Raddatz also spoke with Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) about Trump’s plan to tackle the border crisis, and he noted that the president-elect had specifically chosen nominees he believed would be ready and willing to tackle the problems at hand.
“The appointees that have been made by President Trump to secure our nation on day one are going to get this under control,” Donalds said.
On immigration, GOP Rep. Byron Donalds tells @MarthaRaddatz, “The appointees that have been made by President Trump to secure our nation on day one are going to get this under control.” https://t.co/TZ3HACd3U0 pic.twitter.com/QjnvzijbF2
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 8, 2024
CBS host Margaret Brennan pivoted on “Face the Nation” from the breaking news about Assad to a question for Rep. Mike Turner about former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) — Trump’s nominee to serve as Director of National Intelligence — who left the Democratic Party and recently became a Republican.
Brennan pointed to Gabbard’s history of questioning intelligence reports — showing that Assad was guilty of attacking people within his own country with chemical weapons — and asked Turner whether he believed that disqualified her from serving in Trump’s administration.
Turner said that he trusted the Senate to do its job and properly question and vet all of the nominees who have been put forth, adding, “I obviously differ a great deal in a number of areas with both her judgment and her background and experience.”
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) says about Tulsi Gabbard, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence: “I obviously differ a great deal in a number of areas with both her judgment and her background and experience.”
He adds that he trusts “the Senate’s… pic.twitter.com/xy6RMJCfWp
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) December 8, 2024
On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) struck a more conciliatory tone — and even said that he was open to voting for several of Trump’s nominees.
“I think I need to keep an open mind,” Durbin said, noting that he would be happy to see colleague Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) confirmed as the next Secretary of State. As for Trump’s second choice to serve as Attorney General, Pam Bondi — as well as proposed FBI Director Kash Patel — Durbin said that he’d reserve judgment until after he saw the results of an FBI background check.
“I think I need to keep an open mind.”
@SenDurbin tells @jaketapper he’s open to voting for Pam Bondi and Kash Patel but says he wants to see the results of any FBI background check first. He also says Sen. Marco Rubio will be “an excellent Secretary of State.” pic.twitter.com/cMLyx4y9yp
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) December 8, 2024
Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) also spoke with anchor Jake Tapper on Sunday, and he said that he saw a clear path to confirmation for Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon.
“There’s been absolutely no ‘noes’ from Republican senators,” he said.
.@SenMullin tells @jaketapper, “There’s been absolutely no ‘noes’ from Republican senators” yet on Hegseth’s nomination and says he believes Hegseth will ultimately be confirmed. pic.twitter.com/jQlSCS5a2c
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) December 8, 2024
Mullin also defended Gabbard, saying that she is “perfect for the position” of DNI.
.@SenMullin says Tulsi Gabbard is “perfect for the position” of Director of National Intelligence despite her history of defending the recently fallen Assad regime. pic.twitter.com/hsWhsvdvS9
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) December 8, 2024
President-elect Trump defended his own nominees in a wide-ranging interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” but he worked in a few direct hits aimed at anchor Kristen Welker in the process.
“It’s amazing. I wish you could be a — you know, you have such potential. If you could be just — just non-biased. You hurt yourself so badly,” he told her.
WATCH: @realDonaldTrump nukes NBC Meet The Press host Kirsten Welker:
“It’s amazing. I wish you could be a — you know, you have such potential. If you could be just—just non-biased. You hurt yourself so badly.” pic.twitter.com/44P6yPbMJr
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) December 8, 2024
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