Welcome to Tuesday’s edition of Washington Secrets. Today, we wonder whether the Founding Fathers would have been Milli Vanilli fans (originalists are welcome to weigh in on what the text tells us) in light of a new poll that suggests all is not well with their legacy. (The Founding Fathers’ legacy, not Milli Vanilli’s). And we lick our lips at the “revelations” in Jill Biden’s new memoir…
Is the U.S, about to get the semiquincentennial it deserves?
The capital’s 250th anniversary celebrations are in tatters. Eight of nine headline acts for concerts in Washington, D.C., have pulled out, leaving Donald Trump as the only big name expected on stage amid a welter of accusations that the nation’s big moment has been hijacked for political ends.
And a new poll suggests that there is perhaps no better reflection of the state of the nation as it turns 250.
So although some 68% of American adults say they are proud to be American, 69% believe the signers of the Declaration of Independence would be disappointed in the way American democracy turned out.
The survey of 1,000 adults, conducted by Elon University from April 30 to May 6, explores how Americans view the nation’s past, present and future ahead of the big party.
“As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans have complex and diverse feelings about America 250,” said Jason Husser, director of the Elon University Poll and a professor of political science and public policy.
“We found several points of optimism among Americans, including pride in being American and belief that the United States has a uniquely important role to play in world history.
“At the same time, many Americans expressed significant concern about the health of American democracy today, and the country is split on its outlook over the next 50 years.”
The results do not show a nation at ease with itself.
More than half of Americans (52%) said the United States was unsuccessful in meeting its founding ideals, compared with only 30% who said it had worked out. Nearly three-quarters of Americans (73%) rate the overall health of U.S. democracy as only “fair” or “poor.”
Some of those divisions played out in very public fashion at the weekend.
Freedom 250 announced the line up for its Great American State Fair concert series which included hip hop artist Young MC, Brett Michaels of Poison, and Morris Day and The Time.
But they quickly said they were not going to appear.
“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be part of,” Michaels wrote on social media.
Vanilla Ice was the only star still slated to appear as of Tuesday morning (when half of Milli Vanilli became they latest to drop out).
The White House is now distancing itself from planners at Freedom 250, which is run by Trump allies.
“You do realize it is a separate entity right?” a source told the Examiner’s Naomi Lim.
Mark Levin’s helpful intervention
On Monday, Axios’ Barak Ravid reported that Donald Trump had fumed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding he halt his attacks on Lebanon.
“You’re f***ing crazy,” he reportedly told him during a heated call.
Israeli officials seem to have denied that such sentiments were expressed.
But helpfully Mark Levin, the conservative broadcaster with deep administration links, is on hand to confirm it happened.
“Whomever leaked that story to Barack [sic] Ravid at Axios did a grave disservice to our country, to our president, to Israel, and to Israel’s prime minister,” he posted on X, saying it amounted to a breach of federal law.
“The Iranian regime will benefit from that leak, viewing us as weak and desperate for a deal – even coming to Hezbollah’s defense.”
He may not have intended it, but Levin managed to both denounce the story and confirm its veracity.
Quote of the day
There is plenty to enjoy in Jill Biden’s new memoir, which should have been titled like most political memoirs: It wasn’t my fault!
But let’s just savor the thread where she seems to suggest she had absolutely nothing to do with her husband’s political decisionmaking, his plans to run in 2024 and his ultimate decision to drop out.
“He said, you know, ‘What do you think, Jill? What do you think?’” she recalls in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, which suggests she and her husband didn’t discuss difficult issues. “I said, ‘No, Joe, I’m not giving you my opinion. This is a decision you have to make for yourself.’”
Right. Yeah.
Lunchtime reading
A congressman was suddenly absent. So we looked. And looked: Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) hasn’t been seen in three months. His name is on primary ballots today. His staff says he is dealing with a medical issue but has offered no further details. So is going on? Do send your theories to Secrets.
The goalkeeper who might lead the US to World Cup glory: Let’s be honest. The U.S. is not going to win the tournament. But this is a great read on Matt Freese, who once wrote a college research project on penalty kicks, and is now competing to be the starting goalie the World Cup.
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