By Clay Wirestone | opinion editor
Good morning! Sometimes, you just have to slow down and listen to what a person is saying. That was the thought behind my column today, which offers several excerpts from President Donald Trump’s speech in Kansas. He offered abundant verbiage, and as for deeper meaning … well, see for yourself.
Sherman Smith / Kansas Reflector
OPINION
Straight from Trump’s lips: Support for Roger Marshall of Kansas and digressions aplenty
By Clay Wirestone
Kansas was honored with the presence of the president of the United States on Monday night.
Donald Trump traveled to Park City, just outside Wichita, to voice his support for Republican incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall in his unexpectedly tight race against Democrat Adam Hamilton. I’ve written about that contest at length. You’ve heard my takes.
You might not have heard Trump’s opinions. As an epoch-defining leader, Trump carried unique importance that October evening as he urged Kansas voters to vote for Marshall as through they were voting for him.
Trump’s unique approach to political rhetoric has been a longstanding fascination of mine, from the time that I first saw him in person in Nashua, New Hampshire, more than a decade ago. In 2015, I wrote: “The actual content of his short stump speech was a series of digressions, touching on his proposal to build a White House ballroom, China’s currency valuation and reheated GOP talking points. In one brief passage, he managed to mash together Benghazi, the IRS investigation of conservative groups, the president’s golf game and executive orders.”
Trump’s speeches have only lengthened and deepened since then, offering the kind of profundity only achievable by those with uncommon wisdom or catastrophic head injuries.
Sherman Smith / Kansas Reflector
Trump affirms endorsement of Ty Masterson in Kansas governor’s race, belittles Cindy Holscher
TOPEKA — President Donald Trump renewed his endorsement of Republican Ty Masterson in the Kansas governor’s race, while repeatedly heckling Democrat Cindy Holscher during a political rally near Wichita.
Sherman Smith / Kansas Reflector
Kansas congressional candidates lean on prominent supporters in 2nd District race
TOPEKA — Democrat Don Coover and Republican Derek Schmidt stood with partisan allies as their congressional race in Kansas’ 2nd District entered the stretch run.
USDA offering $8B in farmer relief payments
Farmers will be eligible to receive one-time payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide relief for high fuel and input costs.
Birth centers are linked to better health outcomes, research shows, but 10 states have none
Birth centers are an option for those with low-risk pregnancies and are correlated with more positive health outcomes, but 10 states do not have any birth centers at all, and more could be built with certain state policy solutions and different models of care, a new report suggests.
KANSAS REFLECTOR PODCAST
Long shot candidate connects with disaffected voters
Democratic U.S. House candidate Lauren Reinhold talks with Kansas Reflector editor Sherman Smith about her campaign, affordability, immigration enforcement and her fondness for green bean soup.
Follow Kansas Reflector wherever you get your podcasts. Browse all episodes.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Kansas Reflector staff will participate in the following free public forums.
6 p.m. Oct. 22, Red Fern Booksellers in Salina. Opinion editor Clay Wirestone speaks and answers questions about his new book, “Opinionated.”
3 p.m. Oct. 25, Cox Communications Heritage Education Center in Topeka. Clay Wirestone speaks about his book. Host: Shawnee County Historical Society.
1o p.m. Nov. 14, Constitution Hall in Topeka. Clay Wirestone speaks with veteran journalist Jim McLean. Host: Kansas Oral History Project.
2 p.m. Nov. 15, Volland Foundation Alma. Clay Wirestone in conversation with editor Sherman Smith. Host: Volland, A Place for Art and Community.
6 p.m. Nov. 21, Flagship Books, Kansas City, Kansas. Clay Wirestone speaks and answers questions about his book.
6 p.m. Dec. 3, Prairie Star Restaurant in Manhattan. Host: League of Women Voters of Manhattan and Riley County.
If you're interested in having us talk in your town, email Sherman Smith at [email protected].
Thanks for reading Read & Reflect. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.