Republican strategist Rick Wilson, who would be just as apt to put "Trump critic" next to his name, has made no secret of his dislike for the president. In case he didn't make himself clear in his numerous TV interviews trashing the president's character, he wrote a book subtly titled, "Everything Trump Touches Dies." Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum was curious as to what that meant, so she invited Wllson on The Story Monday night.
"What I worry about is the impulsive nature of this president," Wilson said.
"I'm a conservative and I believe the power of the presidency is a sacred power and I believe the government needs to have a perspective from someone who is a mindful leader."
Trump, he said, simply "doesn't meet those standards."
MacCallum, who read Wilson's book, said it seems like he simply doesn't like Trump and is offended by him. She mentioned that to point out that other Americans often tell her that while they don't like Trump's personality, they "like what he's doing."
"I think you're right," Wilson responded, but noted that many of the policy things are "unfortunately very temporary."
"What has died?" MacCallum wanted to know.
"Everyone that has worked for Trump at some point is going to hit the wall," Wilson explained. One moment they're "at the top of the mountain," and then they are booted from the inner circle and their careers are ruined. He used Omarosa as an example.
What about businesses? the Fox anchor countered. Thanks to Trump's handiwork in the Oval Office, more business owners have fewer regulations to deal with and can expand their dreams. They "don't care" about the Omarosa controversy, the anchor suggested.
The GOP tax bill had a stimulative effect, Wilson conceded, "no doubt about it." But, "it's also going to come with a price tag."
MacCallum: "So, again, what died?"
Wilson: "The people who - "
MacCallum: "You said that, what else died?"
Wilson: "In fact, the Republican Party used to stand for the rule of law."
"This is a president who is at war with the FBI, at war with the Justice Department who believes he operates in an extra judicial fashion in a lot of different ways.
"And you see him frequently acting as if he is not a person who works for the people but he acts more in that sort of status and more authoritarian flavor and he's got a deal of affection for that kind of style and that kind of leadership overseas.
"And I will say this. Donald Trump he is a character that people bought into. And they love that character. They love the big broad acting of, you know, acting on his emotions and all of that other stuff. And I will say this. The people that have worked for him have come to grief almost all of them.
"All these people that were inside and once they move out, they become un-person."
An unconvinced MacCallum summed up the interview: "So far what I've got is you know, staffers who are unhappy and left and norms?"
And the Republican Party's failure to get the deficit under control, he added.
Wilson may be one of few Republicans who actually wrote a book about how they think Trump destroyed the GOP (another that comes to mind is Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ)), but there are others who are just as upset at the direction the president has taken the party. After 30 years, Steve Schmidt left the GOP because it is now "the party of Trump." Former House Speaker John Boehner regretted the same thing.
As MacCallum noted in her conversation with Wilson, however, a majority, 87 percent, of Republicans support the president.
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