GEORGE BUSH IS BACK - WHAT HE JUST SAID ABOUT TRUMP WILL STUN YOU
Former President George W. Bush is stepping back into Republican politics to help raise money for a group of GOP Senate candidates fighting to preserve the party’s majority in November, marking a relatively rare campaign appearance for the former president.
Bush appeared as a special guest Monday evening at a Dallas fundraiser hosted by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, benefiting six Republican Senate candidates running in some of the country’s most closely watched races.
The fundraiser benefits Maintain the Majority, a new joint fundraising committee established to support Republican Senate candidates as the party battles to retain control of the chamber.
The committee is supporting Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Jon Husted of Ohio and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, all of whom are seeking reelection.
It is also raising money for three Republicans seeking open or Democratic-held seats: Rep. Ashley Hinson in Iowa, former Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan and former Sen. John E. Sununu in New Hampshire.
The event highlights the increasing focus on Senate fundraising with Election Day approaching and both parties directing money toward a relatively small number of competitive races.
Republicans currently hold the Senate majority, but contests across the country have created an expensive fight over control of the chamber.
Among the races drawing significant attention are Maine, Michigan, Ohio, New Hampshire, Iowa, Alaska, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia.
CBS News recently identified a dozen races as potentially significant in determining control of the Senate.
Cornyn has been particularly vocal about directing Republican resources toward races where he believes the money could have the greatest impact.
The Texas senator, a former chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, recently warned that Republicans face difficult decisions about how to distribute their resources during the final weeks of the campaign.
“Pouring another $100 million in Texas jeopardizes other races, and I think the most important thing in the end is that Republicans maintain the majority in the Senate,” Cornyn told Semafor.
One notable Republican was absent from Monday’s fundraising effort: Texas GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton.
Paxton, who was endorsed by President Trump, defeated Cornyn earlier this year following an expensive and contentious Republican primary. Although Cornyn subsequently said he would support the Republican ticket in November, Paxton was not included among the candidates benefiting from the Maintain the Majority fundraiser.
The omission is particularly notable because the Texas Senate contest has emerged as a major destination for Republican spending.
Paxton is running against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico. Trump-affiliated organizations and Republican Senate groups have committed tens of millions of dollars to advertising in the state, while Cornyn has publicly questioned whether that money might be more effective elsewhere.
Cornyn and Paxton fought one of the most expensive Republican Senate primaries in the country before Paxton secured the nomination.
Bush also had financial ties to Cornyn during the primary.
Federal campaign records previously showed the former president contributed $5,000 to Cornyn’s campaign.
The Texas Tribune reported that it was Bush’s first contribution to a federal candidate in Texas since the 2022 election cycle.
Bush has largely avoided day-to-day partisan politics since leaving the White House in January 2009, making his involvement in Monday’s event particularly noteworthy.
His appearance also underscored his longstanding relationship with Cornyn. Both men rose through Texas politics during the same period. Bush served as governor from 1995 until becoming president in 2001, while Cornyn served as Texas attorney general before winning election to the U.S. Senate in 2002.
The Dallas fundraiser also drew prominent figures from the Republican establishment. According to reporting on the event, participants and invitees included former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Republican donor Harlan Crow and Harriet Miers, who served as White House counsel under Bush and was briefly nominated by him to the Supreme Court.
Two other Republican Senate candidates facing significant contests — Michael Whatley in North Carolina and Rep. Mike Collins in Georgia — were also not included in the fundraising committee.
Republican leaders have acknowledged difficult strategic decisions are approaching as they determine where to concentrate resources.
💥 PRESS DEBUT DISASTER!
Katie Zacharia’s Awkward First White House Press Briefing Draws National Attention
Katie Zacharia’s first appearance behind the White House podium quickly became a major talking point after several uncomfortable moments overshadowed her debut as President Donald Trump’s new press secretary.
The October 13 briefing lasted approximately 14 minutes, with Zacharia answering questions from only three news outlets before ending the session. Her short appearance immediately attracted widespread media attention.
Zacharia had recently been selected to replace former press secretary Karoline Leavitt, stepping into a highly visible role responsible for communicating the administration’s positions to journalists and the American public.
From the opening minutes, observers noticed her reliance on prepared notes. She delivered a lengthy account of Trump’s accomplishments, frequently looking down at the script instead of maintaining eye contact with reporters.
Her delivery also attracted criticism, with commentators describing her voice as hesitant and her presentation as unusually stiff. Others questioned whether the administration had given its newest spokesperson enough preparation time.
Much of the briefing focused on praising Trump’s economic agenda, energy policies, rally attendance, and political achievements. The extended list of talking points left relatively little time for substantive exchanges with journalists.
One particularly awkward moment occurred when Zacharia discussed the challenge of balancing her demanding position with family life. She explained that spending evenings away from her four children was unacceptable to her.
She then accidentally referred to her husband as “my president” before immediately correcting herself with “my husband.” Recognizing the slip, she added a brief joke, creating the briefing’s most widely discussed moment.
The verbal mix-up spread rapidly through news coverage and social media, becoming a defining image of her first appearance. Critics treated it as evidence of nervousness, while others viewed it as an ordinary human mistake.
Her response to a question about U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine also drew attention. When asked whether Washington had stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv, Zacharia replied that she would have to get back to the reporter.
The exchange was brief, but it highlighted the difficulty of responding to sensitive foreign policy questions without immediately having the necessary information. Reporters continued seeking answers as the briefing moved forward.
Another significant announcement concerned Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece. Zacharia told reporters that the administration had asked Guilfoyle to resign, unexpectedly introducing a personnel development into the short briefing.
The announcement generated additional headlines and demonstrated that, despite the awkward delivery, Zacharia’s first appearance included consequential political news. Her handling of the announcement, however, also attracted scrutiny from commentators.
Questions about her readiness soon emerged among political observers and some administration allies. The Wall Street Journal described the debut as rocky, reporting that her nervous presentation prompted questions about the decision to put her before cameras so quickly.
The brief question-and-answer session was another unusual feature. After taking questions from Breitbart News, Fox News, and the Daily Mail, Zacharia announced that reporters could ask Trump questions directly as he prepared to leave.
Her decision to end the briefing after such limited questioning became another focus of criticism. Regular White House briefings often involve extended exchanges, making the short session particularly noticeable to journalists and political commentators.
Despite the criticism, Trump publicly defended his new press secretary. Asked about her performance, the president said he thought she had done very well, offering a clear show of support following the difficult debut.
The White House also presented the briefing positively, describing Zacharia’s performance as commanding. That assessment contrasted with critical media coverage, illustrating how differently supporters and detractors interpreted the same appearance.
Zacharia’s debut has therefore become an early test of her ability to manage a demanding communications role. Future briefings will offer a clearer indication of whether she can develop greater confidence and handle sustained questioning.
For now, the accidental “my president” remark remains the most memorable moment from her first appearance. Whether the incident becomes a brief viral embarrassment or a lasting political talking point will depend on what follows.
