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 look closely at the significant defeats in the Senate on Wednesday for the Biden Administration when the John Lewis Voting Rights Bill and a bill to end the 60 member majority filibuster rule were unable to pass. Al and Craig discuss President Biden’s possible strategy in mind by letting these doomed pieces of legislature go to a vote despite the inevitable results.
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 five years, where now serves on the boards of the Academy Art Museum, the Benedictine School, and Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors.
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.
Stephen Schaare says
Thank you From and Fuller for your sane and sober analysis.
So refreshing to have Biden’s failings NOT attributed to a former President. Steve
Robert Parker says
I always appreciate the insights presented by Mr.s From & Fuller and frequently agree with them. However, I do think that the political climate and calculus has changed from when they were active in the W.H. and Hill. Biden is being pushed by both his Progressive wing, and their supporters in the electorate, and by the Republicans’ refusal to consider any compromise as well as by the conspiracy theorists, all while having to deal with Manchin & Sinema in his own party. It has been clear that neither Manchin nor Sinema were going to give on the Filibuster reform and that none of the Republicans, including the 16 who voted for the renewal of the Voting Rights’ Bill, would vote for the John Lewis voting bill. Everyone knew this but the Progressives and their voters continued to criticize Biden for the “failure” to get voting rights protection and the BBB passed. Well, this was the only thing he could do to show everyone that the votes were not there. Failure in these votes was calculated to be less damaging than failure to bring the bill to the floor as the Progressives would not be satisfied with a “the voted aren’t there” explanation. In essence, Biden has now cleared the decks to enable him to work on a slimmed down BBB and/or put individual parts of the bill with potential bipartisan support out there – on this point I absolutely agree with Mr.s From & Fuller. Whether a new voice is needed in the W.H. is above my pay grade, but I think another voice might be beneficial.
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Robert, Very well stated.
Please keep in mind that the current ” voter’s rights legislation ” bears little resemblance to past renewals.
This new proposal tries to Federalize elections, forbids photo ID, and signing the ledger on election day. Big changes.
Also, Delaware is quite restrictive with their rules, a matter which does not seem to have been a concern of Joe Biden throughout 36 years in the Senate, and 8 years as VP.
Just sayin’-Steve
Robert Parker says
Stephen,. Thanks for the compliment. However, any Republican who desires to prevent some of the states’ efforts to nullify votets’ wishes wanted to address these efforts, they could propose such a bill, but their silence says volumes about their position. Additionally, the argument regarding “federalizing” elections is somewhat a distraction as the Constitution clearly gives the Congress the authority to do so.