Back at the Broadmoor
 
I’m writing this at the Broadmoor, where I’m speaking to a couple of dozen Republican State Attorneys General (or Attorney Generals, if you prefer an incorrect but perhaps more colloquial formulation). My sense from the reception last night is that most are unhappy about Donald Trump–but as state officials who can avoid, to some degree, being involved in federal campaigns, they’re keeping their heads down and hoping just to muddle through the next few months and have the Republican Party emerge okay at the other side. I’m dubious (as I discuss below), but we’ll see.
 
Of course at this kind of gathering of elected officials, staff and supporters, there’s endless gossip about the question of the day, Trump’s VP pick. There seemed to be a consensus among those are in touch with senior Trump aides, or have seen Trump himself at small gatherings, that his staff–ranging from Paul Manafort to Kellyanne Conway to Corey Lewandowski– want Trump to take Indiana governor Mike Pence as a safe pick who will help bring conservatives home. Trump is reportedly resisting, and is intrigued by the idea a general (Mike Flynn or Stanley McChrystal) or some other “bigger” pick like Newt Gingrich. I wonder if Texas Governor Greg Abbott wouldn’t hit the sweet spot between these two concerns…though of course I’m not in the business of giving Donald Trump advice on his vice presidential pick.
 
Being at the Broadmoor of course brings back fond memories of this spring’s Summit, one of our best ever, I think. And it allows me to point out that you should save the date for next spring’s Summit, which will take place May 18-20, 2017. (Registration will be open soon!) And it reminds me to remind you to sign up for our December Caribbean cruise, which will feature nice weather, a chance to look forward after the election, and a stellar cast of guest speakers, including Mary Katharine Ham, Mollie Hemingway, Matt Continetti, and Kirsten Powers, as well as the terrific cartoonist Michael Ramirez, who will both speak and cartoonize (or whatever the verb is). They’ll of course be joined by TWS regulars like Fred Barnes, Steve Hayes, Jonathan Last, Mark Hemingway, Mike Warren, John McCormack, and me.

 
The cruise will be taking place at an interesting moment, to say the least. When we depart Ft. Lauderdale on December 4, the battle for the White House will have been decided, but a new era requiring fresh thinking and acting will be just beginning. So this cruise will be a little different from some of our past ones–less focused on short-term politics, and more about big ideas and future challenges. I do hope you can join us. For more information, and to register, go to weeklystandardcruise.com.