Littwin: Does anyone really think Jared Polis can be president? ...Middle East

Ever since Jared Polis was sworn in as governor, I’ve been saying he plans to run for president someday.

And ever since I’ve said that Polis plans to run for president someday, I’ve also said he has no chance of ever becoming the Democratic nominee.

Not only because he’s on record as saying he wants to eliminate the state income tax, although that’s a decent place to start. Polis’ decision to attend Trump’s inauguration is also worth mentioning. And I would also think Polis’ support for and praise of the nuttier-now-than-ever RFK Jr. as health secretary has to be disqualifying. 

In light of the ongoing measles outbreak, Kennedy is directing federal health agencies to explore new measles treatments, including vitamins. He has already recommended cod liver oil. That announcement was made one day after RFK Jr. promised to look into the long-debunked conspiracy theory that chemtrails are evidence of seeding the skies with whatever the conspirators of the day are claiming.

Isn’t it time for Polis to say “oops, my bad” on that one, so he can just move on? But he hasn’t so far. Is that presidential material? 

It took many Democrats a while to notice, but 100 days into the Trump/MAGA regime, we have finally reached a time of resistance. Polis has voiced objections to Trump policies, but he is in no way part of any resistance. He has said repeatedly that, as governor, he can work with a wannabe authoritarian who is attempting to destroy American democracy. 

Polis even welcomed Trump’s anti-immigrant raids in Colorado, which, he said, were to help get violent criminals off the street. We know that isn’t really the case. Doesn’t Polis see that?

Want early access to Mike’s columns?

Subscribe to get an exclusive first look at his columns twice a week.

So I was surprised to see that when Nate Silver and a member of his Silver Bulletin team held a recent mock draft of likely 2028 Dem nominees, Polis was selected ninth — one pick behind Gretchen Whitmer and three behind Gavin Newsom. He was picked ahead of JB Pritzker, of Wes Moore, of Andy Beshear, of Tim Walz, even ahead of Mark Cuban, who would seem to have a lock on the quirky rich-guy Democratic lane.

And, speaking of draft picks, way, way ahead of Shadeur Sanders.

Not that I would put too much stock in this or any other way-too-early list, which can be fun but hardly predictive. And a lot of way-too-early lists don’t mention Polis at all.

But any Dem who dreams of one day moving into the Oval Office has to be considering a 2028 bid in what is likely to be a wide-open primary race, with no clear favorite. I hardly think Polis could resist.

But I’m not here to just pick on Polis, although he keeps giving your friendly columnist reason to.

I’m wondering how anyone believes normalizing the entirely abnormal (or is it Abby Normal?) Trump is the way to get to the White House. Polis is certainly not alone. He has been joined, to varying extents, by Big Gretch Whitmer and Newsom, who would seem to otherwise be strong candidates, in acting as though dealing normally with Trump is somehow OK.

Whitmer is the Michigan governor who, if Dems had managed to get Joe Biden out of the picture earlier — in time for a non-Biden primary, or even a non-Biden semi-primary — might have been the 2024 nominee instead of Kamala Harris.

But now there is the photo of her infamous welcome-to-Michigan embrace with Trump. There is the even more damning photo of her hiding her face behind a binder so she wouldn’t be photographed in the Oval Office, when Trump had tricked her into coming even as he was announcing his retributive, uh, justice against a former Trumpist who had the nerve to say the 2020 election wasn’t rigged. 

There is the speech in which she even praised Trump — without ever mentioning his name — in  her quest to assure funding for a Michigan jet fighter base. (No mention of chemtrails, by the way.)

Can she come back from buddying up to Trump? Maybe. It’s too early to judge, but I’m thinking the collaborators will not be forgotten.

And then there’s Newsom, the governor of California who, like Whitmer, has been a Trump adversary, who can be seen giving him a bro-hug when welcoming Trump to see the damage from the deadly fires. I guess you know you have to publicly suck up to Trump if you want him to come through for your constituents. But this is the same Trump who turned on the imaginary California spigots he claimed would solve the Southern California fire problem, along, of course, with constant raking.

But it gets worse for Newsom. Long a champion of transgender rights, Newsom invited conservative personality Charlie Kirk on the governor’s podcast and told him that it was “unfair” for transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. This shocked many Democrats, particularly those who seem to think Newsom has an authenticity problem.

And though he’s a smart guy, he may have a political-strategy problem, too, as we saw when Newsom was recently asked about Kilmar Abrego Garcia. He said the illegal deportation of Abrego Garcia to an El Salvador gulag was “the distraction of the day.” He had to backtrack on that one, too, but not before Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who had just visited Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, would say, “I  think Americans are tired of elected officials or politicians who are all finger to the wind,” adding that, “anyone who can’t stand up for the Constitution and the right of due process doesn’t deserve to lead.”

Pritzker, the Illinois governor, also took his shot. Along with other potential candidates like AOC and Bernie Sanders and Cory Booker, Pritzker has worked to turn himself into the voice of resistance.

In a speech in New Hampshire, Pritzker got a standing ovation for saying, “Never before in my life have I called for mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption. But I am now. These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace. They must understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have. We must castigate them on the soap box and then punish them at the ballot box.”

You might have noted that, aside from Pritzker, many of those who say they can work with Trump are governors. We remember when Maine Gov. Janet Mills stood up to Trump, and how he has ever since come after her and Maine in the usual Trump retributive style.

But has there ever been a more critical, or more likely, time to resist?

☀️ MORE FROM MIKE LITTWIN

Littwin: The first 100 days were horrible, but the next 100 days are bound to be even worse

Littwin: The resistance is growing, just as Trump’s poll numbers are rapidly shrinking

Littwin: Rep. Jason Crow says it’s time for Democrats to simply do the right thing

In the time of tariffs, of tanking markets, of cratering Trump polls. In a time when Trump gives his hypocritical version of the Jimmy Carter malaise speech, saying children don’t need 30 dolls made in China for Christmas and should be happy with two higher-priced dolls made in the United States. At the same time, we can see photos of Trump’s Midas-ization of the Oval Office. Maybe he should settle for a little less gold tackiness in his stocking.

Mostly, though, this is the time when Trump has introduced his new budget, with the ugly cuts listed for all to see, that would tear a giant hole in much of the country’s social safety net — I guess the parts Elon Musk hadn’t gotten to yet — and particularly those meant to protect children.

There’s no normal here. There’s only cruelty, trading off cuts in necessary money for kids in order to add obscene billions in tax cuts for billionaires. It’s not fair. It’s not acceptable. 

Anyone who wants to be the next president must, first and foremost, oppose Trump in the strongest possible terms. And stop pretending that the cruelty can be accommodated.

Mike Littwin has been a columnist for too many years to count. He has covered Dr. J, four presidential inaugurations, six national conventions and countless brain-numbing speeches in the New Hampshire and Iowa snow. Sign up for Mike’s newsletter.

The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy. Learn how to submit a column. Reach the opinion editor at [email protected].

Follow Colorado Sun Opinion on Facebook.

Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Littwin: Does anyone really think Jared Polis can be president? )

Also on site :

• Catholic Bishops Issue Direct Response to Trump's Polarizing Pope Photo
• ‘Saturday Night Live’ Opens With Donald Trump Signing Executive Orders, Including The “Belichick Law”: “Old Men Can Now Date Far Younger Women”
• More man-portable air defence missile systems on the way amid India-Pak tensions