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 most recent approval poll numbers that show only marginal approval with voters despite receiving high markets for his Ukraine crisis management. Al and Craig also talk about the mainstream media’s renewed interest in Hunter Biden’s business dealings and the possible negative impact of his father’s political viability.
This video podcast is approximately fifteen 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
All my greatest appreciation and gratitude to “The Spy”, and Dave Wheelan for mentioning the infamous laptop of Hunter Biden.
To Mr. From, the laptop IS a big deal. To Mr. Fuller, yes, the laptop debacle “has legs”, very long ones in my opinion.
The recent acknowledgment of the laptop by both The New York Times and Washington Post is a curious matter. Only explanation I can see is that they are softening up the public for something just up ahead. Methinks the “second shoe is about to drop”, a revelation of God awful proportion.
Just musing aloud.
Bob Parker says
The comments regarding Pre. Biden’s “approval” numbers are on point. Today’s political climate is so polarized it is unlikely that any President could garner an approval of much more than 50% and only then if he/she had the full support of all voters in his/her party. Much of concern of voters on economic issues is driven by the steady call of “inflation” by trump and his supporters, forgetting that inflation is largely driven by factors out of the President’s control in the best of times and certainly affected by supply chain issues from the worldwide economic disruption caused by Covid and the current war in Ukraine. I muse what would the inflation message be by trump supporters if he were in office – “nothing to see here”? The return to the Hunter Biden laptop is the newest/continuing chapter of Republicans diverting attention away from their own failings. First it was Hillary’s emails and now Hunter’s laptop. If the Republicans are so concerned with the business activities of the President’s family, then I guess they will move on to investigate the 35 trademark agreements given to Ivanka by China shortly after trump’s election and they would be in complete support of the NY State Atty Gen’l investigation into the Trump Family’s possible real estate dealings. Their silence on these issues is deafening. It is time for teh Republicans to come up with an agenda that goes beyond Hunter’s laptop.