Everyone is consumed with Trump drama at this moment. That means now is a great time to take a break and learn about who the Drudge Report believes is the Democrats most likely 2020 presidential candidate — Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.

That is how I interpret a July 26 Drudge Report headline that screamed, “McAuliffe Ready to Rumble” accompanied by a photo of Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe with President Trump.

Drudge’s headline was linked to a McAuliffe interview in USA Today with the headline:

“McAuliffe, Pelosi weekend travel project promotes governor races as ‘future of party.’ ”

Reading between the lines of the interview, McAuliffe’s real motives are revealed — HE is the future of the party — subtlety positioning himself to run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

Interestingly, Drudge knows this potential “mano-a-mano” matchup would be great for business evidenced by this week’s prominent headline, and other recent Drudge links exploring McAuliffe’s presidential prospects (including my “McAuliffe 2020” piece linked on June 13.) In fact, it appears that the influential conservative site is encouraging and anticipating a Trump vs. McAuliffe 2020 showdown.

The headline of my McAuliffe piece, (dated April 25 but Drudge linked in June) was, “Terry McAuliffe 2020? Name one Democrat who can stop him.” Months later, I still can’t name one because there isn’t one.

Furthermore, in response to McAuliffe’s headlines this week, a Twitchy headline said it best, “Having run out of Clintons to run for the presidency, Dems turn to Terry McAuliffe?”

All signs point to “yes,” and now let’s examine why the aforementioned “weekend travel project” headline in USA Today translated into Drudge’s, “McAuliffe Ready to Rumble” confirms that answer.

First, the “weekend travel project” is no casual road trip. Governor McAuliffe has teamed with House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, courting donors on behalf of former President Obama’s pet project the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) — first reported by Politico on October 17, 2016, with the headlines:

“Obama, Holder to lead post-Trump redistricting campaign.”

“The former attorney general heads up a new Democratic effort to challenge the GOP’s supremacy in state legislatures and the U.S. House.”

Currently, NDRC’s home page reads:

The most important turning point for the future of the Democratic Party will take place in 2021: when states redraw their Congressional and state legislative lines.

Chaired by former Attorney General Eric Holder, the NDRC is building a targeted, state-by-state strategy that ensures Democrats can fight back and produce fairer maps in the 2021 redistricting process.

McAuliffe and Pelosi are generals in this major offensive with the short term goal of electing governors in the 2018 midterm and 2020 election who will oversee the redistricting of Congressional districts in 2021 based on the data from the 2020 Census.

The success of the NDRC is so dear to Obama’s heart that on July 13 the former President stepped back into politics for the first time to headline an exclusive closed door NDRC fundraiser “at a private home” somewhere in the Washington area. (Homeowner’s name not revealed in any news reports.)

Second and most important, in the USA Today interview Governor McAuliffe said about the NDRC, “Politically, this is what I’m going to do, I’m obsessed.”

(Keep reading after the ad below.)

Third, here is why McAuliffe’s “obsession” with the NDRC is solid evidence that the Governor’s plans include a presidential run in 2020.

On January 13, 2018, McAuliffe, term-limited out, will step down as governor of Virginia. Additionally, his term as Chairman of the National Governors Association ended on July 15, 2017. Therefore, the NDRC provides McAuliffe with a perfect platform and operating vehicle from which he can travel the nation to raise millions for the cause, collect political IOU’s from the 2018 midterms, and promote himself as the future Democratic presidential nominee in front of donors and national leaders from whom he can gauge and solicit support.

Absent a current office title other than “former governor,” watch as McAuliffe turns the NDRC into his personal fiefdom and power base – a parallel Democratic National Committee (DNC). This should be an easy task for McAuliffe since current DNC chairman Tom Perez is a weak, lackluster leader and party fundraising is in the tank.  For the record, McAuliffe served as DNC chairman from 2001 – 2005 so he has all the skills and contacts needed to consolidate power.

A weakened in debt DNC, along with a significant leadership vacuum at the top of the Democratic Party presents an irresistible opportunity for someone as politically savvy and ambitious as McAuliffe — ultimately enabling him to consolidate power using the NDRC as his base.

In politics, power equals money, money talks, and McAuliffe talks money out of donor wallets better than any living Democrat except two former presidents named Clinton and Obama.

Finally, remember and file away McAuliffe’s words from the USA Today interview describing the NDRC: “Politically, this is what I’m going to do, I’m obsessed.”

Of course, McAuliffe is obsessed because the goals of the NDRC and his 2020 plans are intertwined!

As I wrote back in April, “Terry McAuliffe is ambitious, wealthy and power-hungry with nothing to lose.” To that, I will add, now more than ever, and I believe it’s possible that Matt Drudge of the Drudge Report thinks the same way.

Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of BizPac Review.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Myra Adams

Myra Adams is a producer & political writer. She was on the 2004 Bush campaign creative team and 2008 McCain campaign Ad Council.

Writing credits include National Review, World Net Daily, Washington Examiner, PJ Media, Daily Beast, RedState, Daily Caller, and Liberty Unyielding

Contact Myra at [email protected]
On Twitter @MyraKAdams

Latest posts by Myra Adams (see all)

• The most frequently asked question at CPAC 2018 couldn’t be answered in the ballrooms - February 25, 2018
• Amazing grace: Trump’s Thanksgiving proclamation thanks God – unlike Obama’s - November 22, 2017
• Clinton’s pastor violates ‘Thou Shall Not Steal’ – ‘Hillary’s daily devotions’ book pulled from shelves - September 7, 2017

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.