Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

For some reason, I have not opened this department lately, even though there has been a lot of fuel for my fire.

I correct my oversight with this post.

This is one of five departments I run with a free hand to manage as I see fit.  Just call me a management guru.

From the Washington Post:  “Trump says he sees shooting [the one at the Correspondents Dinner] as a reflection of his impact.  “I hate to say I’m honored,” the president says of his repeated brushes with violence.

Comment:  Of course.  No matter what happens, it’s all about Trump all time.  And, he added that, the shooting, represents a reason for him to be able to finish his new White House Ballroom, another honor he wants for himself.

From Michelle Goldberg in the Post:  “For those of us who have spent the past 10 years horror-struck at the mass delusion that Trump is a great man rather than a singularly rapacious and volatile charlatan, Tucker Carlson’s words might seem cathartic – [the words he used to distance himself from Trump].

“Over the past decade, conservatives have been angrily insisting that our mad emperor is elegantly clothed rather than obscenely naked.  Now, finally, there’s growing agreement about his obvious unfitness.  Indeed, some former Trump superfans are suddenly wondering if he might be the Antichrist.”

Comment:  I agree with Goldberg when she says it is hard to trust anything Carlson says, given his aggressive support for Trump for years.  Goldberg’s criticism — Trump acolytes believe “the mad emperor is elegantly clothed rather than obscenely naked” – are worth remembering.

From hill.com:  GOP senators are losing confidence in Pete Hegseth at the Department of Defense amid Pentagon turmoil. Several have said, “we’d like to see him move on.”

Comment:  It’s about time, given all the stupidity Hegseth caused, illustrating that he has no qualifications for the job he holds.

From Frank Bruni in the New York Times:  “President Trump may not be Jesus, but he’s performing a resurrection — of the Democrat Party.  It’s enough to give an agnostic like me religion.”

Comment:  As always, Bruni puts it succinctly.  For reasons beyond this, I hope he finds real hope in the real resurrection.