From Reluctant Trump Watcher to Administration Appointee

The General Eclectic

Kale is joined today by his brother Mark Zelden, a long-time Capitol Hill guy, to discuss the Trump administration from the inside. Mark talks about the differences between Trump and the so-called Republican Establishment, and his own journey from skeptic to supporter. They discuss the unintended consequences of free trade, the unexpected Trump win, the move to the transition team, and the shocking experiences of the first crazy days especially after the Russia storm hits hard two weeks into the transition. Mark and Kale move on to talk about polarization, and Trump as a symptom and not a cause. This polarization has been manufactured, and it's roots reach back over 30 years oftentimes inadvertently caused by otherwise understandable reforms. The surrounding culture of members of congress altered the politics. Seeing Trump in the context of Obama illuminates and exposes these already grooved trends. The character that haunts all of these long trends is of course President Biden, nearing the half-century mark of time in Washington. Mark closes on why he thinks the President will not be removed, and why Trump will be elected in 2024. Buckle up.