Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news of the moment.
This week, From and Fuller discuss the muted resistance in Washington as the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) make sweeping policy changes in the federal government. This video podcast is approximately sixteen minutes in length.
To listen to the audio podcast version, please use this link:
Background
While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.
The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.
Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.
From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”
Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”
For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.
Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine. He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.
With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.
0 Responses
I’m disappointed in Fuller and Froms broadcast today. I saw, or didn’t see, no angry reaction to the chaos in our government today. Where is a leader who we can stand behind to show how we feel? I would rather see an angryElizabeth Warren “screaming” her anger than both F & F’s “lets wait til summer to see how this will turn out” then we’ll see some reaction? My only protest will be is joining the Harris Tidewater Inn meeting next week. At least I can hold my handmade sign in front of him which is more than any solution F&F gave us today.
Marian, one place I-now watch/read daily is The Contrarian. Both Jenn Rubin, who resigned from the Washington Post as a suburb opinion writer and Norm Eisen, who is leading 75% of the lawsuits against this administration, give daily briefings and lots of interviews. 500,000 plus are subscribers.
We are lucky to have Fuller and From, just recommending another vibrant community.
Agree
Oh boy, I have to take issue with Al From’s description of Senator Elizabeth Warren “screeching in front of a building of some agency that nobody really understands or cares about.”
First, I don’t think you would describe a male politician voicing objections to bad policy as “screeching.” Dave introduced the podcast lamenting the lack of resistance. Sen. Warren should be celebrated for speaking out, not disparaged.
Second, the agency in question that the Musk-Trump Administration had closed down is the Consumer Financial Protection Board, set up after the 2008 financial meltdown which cost Americans dearly. It has been working successfully to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse in the financial industry and protect people’s hard-earned money. Closing it or even just gutting its workforce will allow banks and other financial institutions to run rampant over our money, fattening themselves and millionaires at our expense. I’m thrilled to see Sen. Warren doing her job to call out the Adminstration on this injustice which at some point will be ruled unconstitutional. In the meantime, all the worthy regulatory checks and balances are off, hurting us all.