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THE ULTIMATE APHRODISIAC in this city is the lure of running for president. Most members of Congress have fantasized about it; most are convinced they could do a better job than who’s in the White House.
THIS BRINGS US TO TUCKER CARLSON, the most popular conservative commentator in the nation, a celebrity with a base of GOP support second only to Donald Trump’s. Incredibly, the buzz is growing that Carlson may run for president.
POLITICO AND OTHER SOURCES are reporting this morning that the ousted Fox commentator might consider running against Trump, who turns 77 later this spring. Carlson, 53, would make age an issue — along with aid to Ukraine and potential Trump indictments this summer. And, lest we forget, Carlson stated last year that “I passionately hate Trump,” although the two reportedly have made up.
A TRUMP-CARLSON BRAWL would generate enormous publicity for the candidates, but could either win the general election? That could be an uphill fight for both of them. A Trump-Carlson race would be a clear plus for the sputtering Ron DeSantis campaign, and probably would help Joe Biden as well.
AS IMPROBABLE AS THIS SCENARIO SEEMS, Carlson clearly has enormous conservative support, is articulate and provocative, and would have plenty of financial backing. Our guess is that Carlson will run in 2028, after amassing a huge war chest and solifiding his support on the right. Could he run sooner? The health of Biden and Trump will be a wild card.
CRUCIAL WEEK FOR DEBT CEILING: As of this morning, it appears that Speaker Kevin McCarthy is several votes short of winning passage of a budget deal in the House; his own Republicans have reservations about some of the spending cuts.
IF THE HOUSE EVENTUALLY PASSES McCarthy’s plan, it would be viewed by the financial markets as a sign of momentum toward a final deal, but it’s highly unlikely that the Senate would then approve anything close to McCarthy’s package. And there’s the likelihood of a Biden veto if the bill made it all the way to the White House. There’s still a steep climb ahead; a final debt deal in May is unlikely.
Related: Spring of 2023: Washington Faces Five Enormous Issues
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