This Week With George Stephanopoulos

“Republicans called President Joe Biden a ‘liar’ for pardoning his son, who was convicted on gun charges and pleaded guilty to tax fraud this summer,” Politico reports. “The decision comes after the president said that he would ‘abide by the jury’s decision’ in an interview ahead of his son’s conviction in June, when Biden still topped the Democratic ticket.” Said House Oversight Chairman James Comer, in a post on X: “Joe Biden has lied from start to finish.

Jane Mayer: “A whistle-blower report and other documents suggest that Trump’s nominee to run the Pentagon was forced out of previous leadership positions for financial mismanagement, sexist behavior, and being repeatedly intoxicated on the job.” Said one person: “I’ve seen him drunk so many times. I’ve seen him dragged away not a few times but multiple times.

Peter Baker: “His first selection for attorney general collapsed in spectacular fashion. His choice for defense secretary is awash in scandal. His picks for intelligence, health and other posts are being panned. But if anyone thought that President-elect Donald Trump might be chastened, he has quickly demonstrated otherwise.” “Even with so many appointees already under fire, Mr.

George Packer: “For two and a half centuries American politics alternated between progressive and conservative periods, played between the 40-yard lines of liberal democracy. The values of freedom, equality, and rule of law at least received lip service; the founding documents enjoyed the status of civic scripture; the requisite American mood was optimism.” “Although reaction has dominated local or regional (mainly southern) politics, it’s something new in our national politics—which explains why Trump has been misunderstood and written off at every turn.

Washington Post: “Over the years, Musk has repeatedly cut ties with outside firms that were brought on to improve relations with government officials and advocate for policies that would be beneficial to his companies…” “Instead, Musk has sought to form personal relationships with regulators at the Federal Communications Commission, members of Congress — and now the president-elect.

“Karoline Leavitt, President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming White House press secretary, deleted two social media posts she shared after the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol — including a retweet praising then-Vice President Mike Pence for certifying the 2020 election,” CNN reports.