That expression transports Americans of a certain age back to 1969-70 and Vice-President Spiro Agnew's diatribes against Democrats and the media. Mr. Agnew used that phrase to describe critics of the Nixon administration, the implication being that the criticism was not justified, even petty. You might say history proved him wrong and the critics right since Mr. Agnew went on to resign from office in 1973 after pleading no contest to tax evasion and Mr. Nixon resigned in 1974 under the weight of public opinion and the threat of near-certain impeachment. This post is not intended to disturb Messrs. Nixon and Agnew's rest. Rather, it is about the current crop of nattering nabobs. Listening to Republicans in Congress and their supporters in the media you would think the economy is in dire straits and headed for worse. In reality, most indicators of the economy's health are on the upswing - inflation is tending towards the Federal Reserve's goal, unemployment is down, wages are going up and the recession which these nattering nabobs have been eagerly anticipating and even praying for all along has stubbornly refused to materialize. What is a nattering nabob to do? The national debt seemed like a convenient issue. As it happens though, $8 trillion of the $34 trillion debt accrued during the Trump administration's 4 years. Consider the implication of the fact - and it is a fact - that almost 25% of the national debt can be attributed to their preferred nominee for President in the coming election: not a good optic for the party of fiscal responsibility. Add to that his moral bankruptcy, constant lying, the seemingly endless list of indictments and the recent jury verdict in the defamation case in New York and it is no wonder they are grasping at anything that looks like a straw. Abortion as an issue to tip the balance appears to have lost its appeal based on the outcome of votes in several Red states since 2020. What about national security, another GOP claim of strength? Hard to do that when your leader declares his affinity for dictators like Putin, Xi, Orban and Kim and wants to hold aid to Ukraine and Israel hostage to his political goals. Another tactic they appear to have latched on to is to try to keep the issue of immigration on the front burner. Speaker Mike Johnson declared the compromise on immigration recently worked out in the Senate DOA - "dead on arrival" - before any details were out when former President Trump yanked his chain. At first, I wondered why Senate Republicans would cooperate with Democrats and Independents to resolve the impasse on immigration. Then I realized that Sen. James Lankford who represented Republicans in the negotiations is not up for re-election till 2029. Moreover, there is the possibility that enough voters may see through the ruse of blaming President Biden for inaction on the issue while blocking any action in the House. Of course, any sign of courage or pragmatism on the part of Senate Republicans will likely wither before Mr. Trump's overt opposition to any compromise. What is a Republican nabob to do under the circumstances except natter? By the way, if you are wondering what a nabob is - look it up. Nabob is a corruption of the Urdu word nawab - a princeling of a small state in pre-Independence India or an Englishman who returned after a tour of duty in the "Raj" with a large fortune. The alliterative and, admittedly, catchy phrase was created by William Safire, author and speech-writer for Nixon and Agnew. Mr. Safire, who died in 2009, could not have known that his words would be used against his beloved Republican Party after so many years. As the saying goes, what goes around, comes around.
In conclusion, middle-of-the-roaders should be wary of the nattering on the Right as this election year wears on. It will only get more shrill and desperate.