Author profile

Follow author updates

Michael McKenna

Michael McKenna, a columnist for The Washington Times, is the president of MWR Strategies. He was most recently a deputy assistant to the president and deputy director of the Office of Legislative Affairs at the White House. He can be reached at mike@mwrstrat.com.

Columns by Michael McKenna

Forget Dems griping, if you have the votes Mr. McConnell, call the vote for Supreme Court nominee

There has been an excessive amount of talk about the U.S. Senate, Judge Merrick Garland, and the pending confirmation of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's replacement.

September 27, 2020

Ginsburg’s death punctures Biden’s carefully crafted ‘Seinfeld’ campaign

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death poses the most daunting challenge to the Biden campaign's careful and brilliant strategy.

September 23, 2020

Mike Pompeo deserves credit for the Abraham Accords

The Abraham Accords signed last week, normalizing relations between Israel and two more Arab states, are rightly considered a triumph for the Trump administration.

September 18, 2020

Donald Trump still has pathways to Electoral College victory

Despite President Trump's steady and durable deficit in nationwide surveys, a closer look at the Electoral College map indicates that his pathways to victory remain open.

September 16, 2020

Normalizing trade with China back in 2000 was a colossal mistake

Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of arguably the worst congressional vote in this century. On that day in 2000, the Senate approved Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with the People's Republic of China by a vote of 83-15.

September 11, 2020

Trump must give voters who drove him to victory in 2016 a roadmap for future

In the long run, it may not matter much who wins the presidential election. That is, of course, heresy among pundits, consultants and the political class, but it is at least as accurate as any other thing being said about the race at the moment.

September 9, 2020

Team Trump needs to pay more attention to Texas

For the first time since 1976, the sovereign republic of Texas is a toss-up in the presidential election, although you would never know it by the way the campaigns are acting.

September 4, 2020

Presidential race will come down to riots vs. COVID-19 pandemic

In the wake of the national political conventions, many are waiting for the traditional post-convention bounce for one of the candidates. It might be a long wait.

September 2, 2020

Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton’s scare tactics endanger the presidential election and the republic

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and the mob, each in their own way, last week increased the risk that we will face a fairly grave constitutional moment.

August 28, 2020

Don’t lose confidence in the election process

As we suffer through the most dismal and discouraging campaign cycle in recent memory, it is crucial to remain focused on why we fight and struggle to find the right course.

August 26, 2020

Chances of getting COVID-19 are slim, dying from it even slimmer

It is very unlikely that you will die from the coronavirus.

August 21, 2020

Reagan changed the world at 1976 GOP convention

Ronald Reagan, who had just lost a tough primary battle to President Ford, was invited by Mr. Ford to give an impromptu address to the delegates. He responded with the greatest speech in the history of conventions.

August 19, 2020

Death of the legislative branch: Presidents now make laws

In the wake of President Trump's somewhat aggressive executive orders on payroll taxes and unemployment payments this month, it is probably wise and useful to think about the nature of precedent.

August 14, 2020

The left’s scorched earth campaign against Susan Collins

Susan Collins is a consequential senator committed to the rule of law. For that reason, she has been targeted by Democrats in this election cycle.

August 12, 2020

Joe Biden losing momentum by playing prevent defense in presidential race

Mr. Biden has placed himself in a position in which the slightest mistake or hiccup on his part, or the slightest bit of good news for the president may touch off a surge, even a modest one, for the president that may be dispositive.

August 9, 2020

Portland rioters and Black Lives Matter demand our unconditional surrender

The protesters and their enablers in the media are not interested in intermediate concessions. They are interested in a grand bargain -- you vote for our crew or the disruptions continue indefinitely. That is the real demand.

August 5, 2020

Why Joe Biden’s vice presidential pick will matter so much

There is a good reason why former Vice President Joe Biden's selection of a running mate has become so freighted with emotion and expectation, and it is not just that the Democratic presidential nominee is not, shall we say, entirely and always there.

July 31, 2020