Here. We. Go. These are the topics for today’s independent commentary:

• Senate Majority Leader
• Trump & Biden Meet
• Trump’s New Team
• One More Thing

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER:

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) was elected Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. The voting was secret. 

The race was between Rick Scott of Florida, John Cornyn of Texas, and Thune. Scott was a MAGA favorite but did not pass the first voting round. Then it came down to Cornyn and Thune with Thune winning.

The MAGAs complained about Thune being the winner. 

Thune is a good man. He served in the U.S. House for three terms and beat then-Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in 2004 to become U.S. Senator. 

Thune is very pro-military and saved Ellsworth AFB from closing in 2005. Thune was the catalyst behind the expansion of the Powder River Air Training Range which expanded it to 35,000 square miles over the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming in 2015. Montana’s congressional delegation came out against the expansion. They lost. 

Thune came to Montana in 2006 to campaign. I picked him up at the airport, took him to his hotel, and then picked him up the next morning and took him to some events.   

He will be a great Majority Leader. 

TRUMP & BIDEN MEET:

Donald Trump acted like a crybaby four years ago (2020), refusing to accept the results of the election and he did not invite Joe Biden to the Oval Office which had been a tradition. It shows the world there can be a peaceful transfer of power. Trump did not attend Biden’s inauguration. 

On January 6, 2021, we had the insurrection.

Yesterday it was a different story. Trump won the last election and Biden invited him to the White House. Melania Trump was too stuck up to attend. First Lady Jill Biden gave President-elect Trump a handwritten letter to give to Melania. (Source) 

The meeting lasted about two hours. I imagine they discussed the aches and pains of being 78 and 81 years old – both too old to be President.  Trump probably talked about Hannibal Lecter some. Fun fact: The White House has 35 bathrooms, so old guys like Biden and Trump can find one quickly when the need arises. 

Congratulations to Biden for being the adult in the room. 

TRUMP’S NEW TEAM: 

Donald Trump won the election and that gives him the right to select the people he wants for positions in his cabinet and other key positions. 

I have always felt that way about new Presidents and their administrations. 

With the U.S. Senate having a Republican majority, Trump’s picks should sail right on through, right? 

Then we have the recess appointment angle:

Article 2, Section 2, Clause 3, grants presidents the ability “to make temporary appointments when the Senate is not in session,” according to an annotation of the Constitution. These appointments can stay in place for up to two years. (Source)

All three people (Scott, Thune, and Cornyn) running for Senate Majority Leader agreed the President should be able to make recess appointments without input from the Senate. (Source) John Thune is the new Senate Majority Leader. 

I think the most “interesting” pick so far is U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida to be the Attorney General. Gaetz is 42 years old. He may have a hard time getting confirmed even with the Republican majority in the Senate. He may have to be a recess appointment. 

Even the Republicans in the Senate will only go so far. 

The Associated Press is reporting that Gaetz resigned from Congress Wednesday night. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating an allegation that Gaetz paid for sex with a 17-year-old, though that probe effectively ended when he resigned. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing. (Source)

You can see the Associated Press list of people Trump has picked so far HERE.

ONE MORE THING:

I did not make People’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2024 list. I had even lost some weight for it, but I was shut out again! 

The winner is John Krasinski. You may remember him from “The Office” or from the Amazon Prime Series, “Jack Ryan.” He is married to Emily Blunt, who is one of my favorite actresses. 

You can read the People article HERE.  

## THE END ##