No Trump pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio today, @PressSec tells the WH travel pool on Air Force One.
— Steve Holland (@steveholland1) August 22, 2017
NEW
Just talked to Joe Arpaio about AF1 gaggle on pardon.
"He didn't say he's not going to do it," Arpaio told VICE. "He said *tonight*"
— E McMorris-Santoro (@EvanMcS) August 22, 2017
Unless, of course, Lord Smallgloves changes his mind once he’s in front of the cameras and a mob of his biggest fans. DADDY NEEDS ANOTHER HIT OF THAT SWEET, SWEET EGO BOOSTER, BABY!
Trump + a senator he doesn't like + a big story on McConnell questioning his competence + 107 degrees in AZ. What could go wrong?
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) August 22, 2017
I miss not having a feeling of dread about the President speaking: GOP on eggshells as Trump storms into Phoenix https://t.co/rxP1l2610q pic.twitter.com/47qbcRi6Wh
— Greg Pinelo (@gregpinelo) August 22, 2017
… White House officials won’t say exactly what’s on Trump’s agenda when he holds a campaign-style rally here. But it’s widely expected he will go after GOP Sen. Jeff Flake, a loud critic of the president who recently published an anti-Trump manifesto, “Conscience of a Conservative.”
Whatever he says about Flake, the president is clearly determined to send a message. State Treasurer Jeff DeWit, who is weighing a primary challenge against Flake, will join the president on Air Force One on Tuesday, according to two people briefed on the plans. And the daughter of another potential GOP candidate, former state GOP Chairman Robert Graham, is slated to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
In the days leading up to Trump’s Arizona trip, Senate GOP leaders have implicitly warned Trump that attacking Flake, who faces a treacherous path to reelection, would only serve to further rupture his relationship with a congressional GOP wing that he’s grown increasingly isolated from in recent weeks. It came after Trump, in a tweet after the Phoenix event was announced, called Flake “toxic.” The president had earlier threatened to spend as much as $10 million to take out the incumbent Republican…
Trump’s decision to venture to Flake’s home state goes to what senior Republicans say is a much deeper concern: that the president seems more interested in exacting revenge against members of his own party than defeating Democrats. It is highly unusual for the president to openly campaign against a sitting member of his own party, let alone someone as vulnerable as Flake…
You knew what Trump was when you hugged him to your bosoms, Repubs.
Pardoning Arpaio would give Trump some juice w voters who like him already while giving Ds a Latino voter talking point for ages.
— Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) August 22, 2017
Joe Arpaio used racial profiling to tear Arizona families apart. That's why I sued him. https://t.co/diLKkujNGM
— Tom Perez (@TomPerez) August 22, 2017
NEW THIS AM: My defense for a presidential pardon for former Maricopa Co. Sheriff Arpaio can be read at @USATODAY: https://t.co/pxrSKFVKWh
— Rep. Trent Franks (@RepTrentFranks) August 22, 2017
