Morning Reads – Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Trump defenders argue what the Dems are doing is all politics.

https://www.cjr.org/analysis/trump-ice-raid-immigration.php

“The national immigrant roundup that is reported to take place this weekend is a wretched, disturbing, cynical thing: a campaign event for the re-election of Donald Trump, aimed at generating a highlight reel for the fringiest edges of his base. That woman and her kids will be rendered as PR props for Team Trump, the same as red MAGA hats and chants of “Lock her up!”

“It is telling that, twice now, word of an immigration crackdown has “leaked” to the press in advance. The first time, last December, it was used as a negotiating ploy with Democrats in the hope of landing on an immigration compromise suitable to Trump’s fans. The Art of the Deal as applied to unaccompanied minors. This time, with no deal at hand, the early leaks, which came on Thursday, seemed like a memo to TV assignment desks: call people in from their summer homes, prep the satellite trucks, and get ready to shuffle the story list on the A-block—bumping Jeffrey Epstein (not a good look for the administration, given the connections) and women’s soccer (ditto, since the winning World Cup team has made Trump look like a loser). If Trump knows anything at all, it’s how to play the media, and he’s well-trained at applying his expertise to the lives of immigrant families, who are now living in terror.”