Chris Kelley
@kelusman.bsky.social
Political Science faculty at Miami University (OH) who researches the unitary executive theory of presidential power.
It seems that if Trump is going to be held accountable, it may have to come from the state governments and not the federal government. It should't surprise anyone that he is likely going to #pardon himself (and family) before he leaves office for any crimes he may be accused of.
November 7, 2025 at 8:56 PM
It seems that if Trump is going to be held accountable, it may have to come from the state governments and not the federal government. It should't surprise anyone that he is likely going to #pardon himself (and family) before he leaves office for any crimes he may be accused of.
I have spent a good part of my academic career talking about #DickCheney in one manner or the other. Every grad seminar on the presidency was (and still is) not complete without mentioning his warning about the "hub and spokes" of White House management.
November 4, 2025 at 2:49 PM
I have spent a good part of my academic career talking about #DickCheney in one manner or the other. Every grad seminar on the presidency was (and still is) not complete without mentioning his warning about the "hub and spokes" of White House management.
Now we get to see how good the PR Department at United Airlines actually is. Imagine in this hyper-polarized environment being comfortable enough as a CEO to show your whole ass to the country?
November 2, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Now we get to see how good the PR Department at United Airlines actually is. Imagine in this hyper-polarized environment being comfortable enough as a CEO to show your whole ass to the country?
I hope this is all I say about Trump's #ThirdTerm since it is an astoundingly idiotic conversation that our political press indulges. As I see it, Trump and his confederates keep bringing it up for a number* of reasons:
*The list is not exhaustive
*The list is not exhaustive
October 29, 2025 at 12:13 PM
I hope this is all I say about Trump's #ThirdTerm since it is an astoundingly idiotic conversation that our political press indulges. As I see it, Trump and his confederates keep bringing it up for a number* of reasons:
*The list is not exhaustive
*The list is not exhaustive
The End of History and the Last Man:
October 28, 2025 at 9:05 PM
The End of History and the Last Man:
KJP's current problem with her disastrous book tour is she is just not being honest, either with herself or her audience. She is trying to spin a reality where she can eat her cake and have it too. Right now her book just reads as naked opportunism.
October 28, 2025 at 2:20 PM
KJP's current problem with her disastrous book tour is she is just not being honest, either with herself or her audience. She is trying to spin a reality where she can eat her cake and have it too. Right now her book just reads as naked opportunism.
Looking at Trump's legal filing asking his hush money conviction to be overturned, I have the distinct feeling that they tossed out the attempt at making a qualitative case in favor of quantity in terms of the number of pages filed.
October 28, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Looking at Trump's legal filing asking his hush money conviction to be overturned, I have the distinct feeling that they tossed out the attempt at making a qualitative case in favor of quantity in terms of the number of pages filed.
Oof
...
October 27, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Oof
This is really a doozy of a story. Not only a government official not understanding the rules of attribution when speaking to a journalist--who the source identifies as a journalist--but the weird fixation on the "off-the-beaten-path" publication Lawfare.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
“Anna, Lindsey Halligan Here.”
My Signal exchange with the interim U.S. attorney about the Letitia James grand jury.
www.lawfaremedia.org
October 21, 2025 at 1:51 PM
This is really a doozy of a story. Not only a government official not understanding the rules of attribution when speaking to a journalist--who the source identifies as a journalist--but the weird fixation on the "off-the-beaten-path" publication Lawfare.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
Mike Johnson's refusal to seat Rep. Grijalvac for purely partisan reasons shows a total lack of understanding of recent history to how these hardball tactics backfire. In the 1984 midterm election, in Indiana's 8th District (thereafter referred to the "Bloody 8th"), GOP candidate Rick McIntyre...
October 19, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Mike Johnson's refusal to seat Rep. Grijalvac for purely partisan reasons shows a total lack of understanding of recent history to how these hardball tactics backfire. In the 1984 midterm election, in Indiana's 8th District (thereafter referred to the "Bloody 8th"), GOP candidate Rick McIntyre...
In the abstract, it would be an opportunity for an executive branch to join a social media platform filled with the opposition to engage and learn, and possibly change minds. Instead, this White House is the drunk uncle who ruins every Thanksgiving dinner.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/u...
White House and Government Agencies Join Bluesky, Then Attack Democrats
www.nytimes.com
October 19, 2025 at 1:42 PM
In the abstract, it would be an opportunity for an executive branch to join a social media platform filled with the opposition to engage and learn, and possibly change minds. Instead, this White House is the drunk uncle who ruins every Thanksgiving dinner.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/u...
You have to believe that the underlings doing Trump's bidding in the political prosecutions, the use of force against Americans, etc. believe that Trump will be in power forever and no one will ever hold them responsible for following orders. Bc these people are completely ignorant of history.
October 9, 2025 at 3:14 PM
You have to believe that the underlings doing Trump's bidding in the political prosecutions, the use of force against Americans, etc. believe that Trump will be in power forever and no one will ever hold them responsible for following orders. Bc these people are completely ignorant of history.
It is a shame. There was a time where Congress took its oversight responsibilities seriously. Maybe it was the decision to allow cameras into the committee rooms? But the sheer contempt displayed today by Bondi, without any redress by the Committee Chair, is galling.
October 7, 2025 at 9:27 PM
It is a shame. There was a time where Congress took its oversight responsibilities seriously. Maybe it was the decision to allow cameras into the committee rooms? But the sheer contempt displayed today by Bondi, without any redress by the Committee Chair, is galling.
Its funny how Mike Johnson and the GOP leadership have learned all the wrong lessons from Indiana's "Bloody 8th". You can trace a through line from the 8th to the GOP Revolution in 1994. Not seating Grijalva is idiotic.
September 27, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Its funny how Mike Johnson and the GOP leadership have learned all the wrong lessons from Indiana's "Bloody 8th". You can trace a through line from the 8th to the GOP Revolution in 1994. Not seating Grijalva is idiotic.
Traditionally, this has been the overarching point of each president since Reagan--leave the White House in better shape than what was inherited. The point is institutional power--not personal. Trump seems to believe his successors will honor him by not changing anything. Good luck with that.
September 1, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Traditionally, this has been the overarching point of each president since Reagan--leave the White House in better shape than what was inherited. The point is institutional power--not personal. Trump seems to believe his successors will honor him by not changing anything. Good luck with that.
From the #StrategicFraming files, @politico.com does not disappoint. Rather than focus on the decision by a sitting US President to militarize DC, Rachel Bade instead gives us the horse race, where Trump wins.
August 26, 2025 at 1:37 PM
From the #StrategicFraming files, @politico.com does not disappoint. Rather than focus on the decision by a sitting US President to militarize DC, Rachel Bade instead gives us the horse race, where Trump wins.
Ajit Pai said this without any irony regarding the antitrust division in the Trump Justice Department. First, does antitrust currently have any employees? If so, I bet they are not targeting Republican media barons.
August 22, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Ajit Pai said this without any irony regarding the antitrust division in the Trump Justice Department. First, does antitrust currently have any employees? If so, I bet they are not targeting Republican media barons.
No reason at all to believe that our President is a Manchurian Candidate
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08...
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08...
Trump Administration Live Updates: President Says He’ll ‘Lead a Movement’ to Eliminate Mail-In Ballots
www.nytimes.com
August 18, 2025 at 1:54 PM
No reason at all to believe that our President is a Manchurian Candidate
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08...
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08...
The Trump administration's decision to shutter key offices aimed at countering disinformation campaigns by foreign adversaries is making America Great how?
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
Russia is quietly churning out fake content posing as US news
A pro-Russian propaganda group is taking advantage of high-profile news events to spread disinformation — and they’re spoofing reputable news outlets to do it.
www.politico.com
August 17, 2025 at 1:55 PM
The Trump administration's decision to shutter key offices aimed at countering disinformation campaigns by foreign adversaries is making America Great how?
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
The literature on the rhetorical presidency underscores the importance of the White House Rose Garden, where the president's comms team would often stage presidential press conferences or press events because of the rhetorical value of the garden.
August 6, 2025 at 1:24 PM
The literature on the rhetorical presidency underscores the importance of the White House Rose Garden, where the president's comms team would often stage presidential press conferences or press events because of the rhetorical value of the garden.
Right after the Enron meltdown in Bush 43's first term, Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley meant to bring greater transparency to the financial sector, including an attempt to break up the relationship between regulators and industry.
July 30, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Right after the Enron meltdown in Bush 43's first term, Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley meant to bring greater transparency to the financial sector, including an attempt to break up the relationship between regulators and industry.
Bush 43 exerted executive privilege to protect the communications in the Clinton administration involving the pardon of Marc Rich and Clinton's brother right before Clinton left office. Bush 43, looking forward, wanted to make sure a future Democratic president would do the same.
July 16, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Bush 43 exerted executive privilege to protect the communications in the Clinton administration involving the pardon of Marc Rich and Clinton's brother right before Clinton left office. Bush 43, looking forward, wanted to make sure a future Democratic president would do the same.
A lot has been made about congressional Republicans ceding Article I powers to the president, but the way that the Republican appointees at SCOTUS are letting Trump control the narrative of their decisions via the emergency docket is just as bad:
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/u...
Supreme Court Keeps Ruling in Trump’s Favor, but Doesn’t Say Why
www.nytimes.com
July 16, 2025 at 12:46 PM
A lot has been made about congressional Republicans ceding Article I powers to the president, but the way that the Republican appointees at SCOTUS are letting Trump control the narrative of their decisions via the emergency docket is just as bad:
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/16/u...
All of the literature on presidential administration tells us that cabinet departments have complained the opposite is the case. Once nominated, they are sent into exile to their departments, distrusted by the president and the West Wing staff.
July 2, 2025 at 2:19 PM
All of the literature on presidential administration tells us that cabinet departments have complained the opposite is the case. Once nominated, they are sent into exile to their departments, distrusted by the president and the West Wing staff.