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RNC National Committeeman
RNC National Committeeman from Massachusetts; former White House political director and adviser to George H.W. Bush; former senior advisor to Mitt Romney during his 2012 presidential campaign
PROFILE
Ron Kaufman
Guest
FROM Ron Kaufman
To the Point
Ebola: Public Health and Public Relations Ten thousand people – 70% of those infected -- have died of Ebola in West Africa, but experience in this country shows the virus is not a death sentence after all. In this country, one man died after a Dallas hospital failed to implement federal guidelines for treatment. All seven of the others who’ve been infected have recovered. Nevertheless, eight states have gone beyond federal guidelines to establish mandatory quarantines for those who’ve treated patients with the disease. The President says that might discourage healthcare workers from going to West Africa while there’s still time to prevent a worldwide epidemic. Are the governors taking prudent precautions or playing politics with public health?
To the Point
Will New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Answer for "Bridgegate"? A landslide re-election made New Jersey Governor Chris Christie a presidential prospect. Now he faces a question every American voter can understand: Why was a 30-minute trip across the busiest bridge in the world extended to four hours for commuters, school kids and first responders—for 4 days in a row? Christie’s first news conference about those 4 days of lane-closures on the George Washington Bridge went on for two hours, and Christie insists he doesn’t know what went wrong. But the lawyer for one of Christie’s former aides has hinted that the decision did go all the way to the top. Today, we’ll update what has been revealed, what’s being speculated about and the potential consequences for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.
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To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.