Don’t Mention Trump

Republicans are opting to protect their own personal status by staying quiet on the President, and Democrats still have nothing to say to independent voters. Alexandra Hall Hall reports

The McCain Institute’s annual Sedona Forum usually brings prominent Republicans and Democrats together to discuss the challenges facing America without partisan rhetoric or cheap political point-scoring. This year’s event pulled off the same feat, only by avoiding any mention of Donald Trump wherever possible and soft-pedalling questions to GOP attendees.

Most Republicans present avoided addressing political controversies head-on. “Today’s difficult environment” was one of the euphemisms employed.

I was informed privately by board members that they had been having tough internal discussions about how to handle this moment – whether to actively oppose Trump and pitch themselves as one of the last bastions of Reaganite conservatism; or avoid overt criticism, in the hope of retaining links to the administration and being able to influence its agenda.