Keller @ Large: President Trump's Wishlist
BOSTON (CBS) - The White House Christmas tree arrived on a Clydesdale-drawn carriage Monday, and as the President and First Lady inspected it and greeted onlookers, you had to wonder if Mr. Trump is looking forward to a very merry Christmas.
On the plus side, he can expect Santa to rule his administration has been nice for the consumer economy. The retail industry is projecting robust holiday sales, as shoppers take advantage of near-full employment and wage increases.
But there's also concern over the impact of the president's ongoing trade war, which may force prices up and take the edge off demand in the near future.
Santa knows when you've been naughty, too, and Mr. Trump must be worried that Saint Nick may have been conferring with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. The president says he loves coal, but surely, not in his stocking.
The festive tree, a 20-foot fir from North Carolina, is a reminder of sorts of Mr. Trump's bad election day, where Republicans lost the House, Orange County went all blue, and even deep red North Carolina saw Democratic gains.
But the president may see internal Democratic upheaval over Nancy Pelosi's future as an early Christmas present. Disunited Democrats could be the gift that keeps on giving.
And as Mr. Trump prepares for Tuesday's annual pardoning of the turkeys, he must be wondering who will still be working with him in the new year.
After all, he can get rid of his Homeland Security secretary and chief of staff. But who can he get to replace them that isn't just leftover turkey?
All kidding aside, this could be a very eventful holiday season in Washington, with a distracted public and a lame-duck congress creating a perfect environment for political mischief-making. After a year of economic successes undermined by uncertainty and political failures, perhaps the best the president can hope for is that Santa is a Red Sox fan, and his good mood overwhelms any doubts.
