Caught My Eye…

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Thanks for ending your week with The Western Word. Here are the topics for today’s independent commentary:

  • The Third Stooge
  • Daines’ Exit Interview
  • LeBron & Wichita
  • Drive-By Accounts
  • One More Thing

THE THIRD STOOGE:

The final member of what critics might call the GOP’s “Three Stooges” roadshow is hitting Montana next week.

Vice President JD Vance is set to campaign in Belgrade this coming Monday for Western District U.S. House candidate Aaron Flint. His visit rounds out a trio of high-profile Republican appearances, following separate campaign stops for Flint by President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson. (Source)

A shadow of dread is creeping over the MAGA movement as the 2026 midterms approach, signaling what many fear could be the beginning of the end for their total grip on power. Panic is spreading like wildfire through the ranks as they face the very real, catastrophic prospect of watching the U.S. House slip through their fingers, with the U.S. Senate poised to fall right along with it.

For more information, click HERE.

DAINES’ EXIT INTERVIEW:

NonStop Local News did what they call a “Legacy Interview” with outgoing U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT).

Daines, who was born in California, spent about 14 years in Congress. He spent two years in the U.S. House and will have 12 years in the U.S. Senate when his term expires.

Daines has had a less-than-remarkable career. History will not be kind to him.

The one thing that Daines will be remembered for is the events on March 4, 2026, when he abruptly withdrew his reelection bid just three minutes before the filing deadline. The move was secretly coordinated with Donald Trump and others to hand the uncontested Republican nomination to Daines’ hand-picked successor, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who filed his paperwork just five minutes prior.

Other than that backroom deal, Daines is the undisputed champion of the political “yes-man” circuit. Daines isn’t just an ally of Donald Trump; he’s a fully operational puppet whose strings are pulled directly from Mar-a-Lago.

Daines is probably not done being Trump’s puppet.

You can watch the interview HERE.

LEBRON & WICHITA:

President Donald Trump is upset at NBA basketball player LeBron James. Trump has the following to say on Truth Social:

While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country! I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE. LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for! President DONALD J. TRUMP

James was stretching, practicing shooting motions, and mimicking a golf swing while the national anthem was playing.

Then we have Trump’s speech in Wichita. While attempting to tout the economic successes of his administration to the Kansas crowd, Trump made a highly publicized gaffe regarding minority economic indicators:

African American poverty, Hispanic American poverty, and Native American poverty rates are the highest and the best numbers ever recorded by far.

The travel is getting to the old guy.

DRIVE-BY ACCOUNTS:

Have you noticed all the new social media accounts popping up lately to play politics?

It happens every election season! But while those drive-by accounts close up and go home after November, The Western Word (TWW) isn’t going anywhere. TWW was here before the noise started (Jan. 2005), and it will be here long after it fades, giving you the steady, common-sense perspective you need.

Let’s stay prepared together—subscribe to the TWW blog on the homepage, catch my quick updates on X @TheWesternWord, and follow my Facebook page HERE.

ONE MORE THING:

Next time you shop, ask the cashier what kind of candy bar they like and buy it for them.

I did this today. Granted, it was self-checkout, but it’s the thought that counts.

## HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND ##

6 thoughts on “Caught My Eye…”

  1. Comparing a “score” difference between Daines and Tester –

    Tester is an honest, hard-working, compassionate man who accomplished a tremendous amount for Montana and the country at large.

    Daines isn’t.

  2. Senator Daines had a 74 Liberty Score, meaning he voted conservative 74% of the time.

    Compare to Tester who had a Liberty Score of 8.

    Since you’re so attuned to the political makeup of Montanans, which score better represents us?

    • You can find groups to score elected officials any way you want. In this case, “Liberty” is a conservative group. They would not score a moderate/liberal like Tester very high.

      Those numbers tell you how Daines and Tester scored under one organization’s definition of liberty. They don’t tell you which votes were counted or whether those votes benefited Montanans. A scorecard is a measuring stick, not the whole record.
      -JmB

    • Liberty Score is generally rated far wingnut right, so Daines probably lost those 26% for supporting public lands and preserving public access and the CSKT water compact and the like.

    • Here are some highlights:

      -He talks about working for 14 years and the travel back and forth to DC and the toll it takes.
      -He mentions wanting to spend more time with his kids and grandkids.
      -He says he is healthy and doesn’t have a new plan yet, but he wants more time for fishing, hunting, reading, and family. He said his father’s death this year, and wanting to be there for his 84-year-old mother, was also part of the decision.
      -He does not rule out some other public service.
      -He defends the way Kurt Alme was picked.
      -On data centers, he says they are both good and bad for Montana. He worries about higher electricity bills, but he says the US can’t avoid building them because of competition with China.
      -JmB

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