Opinion | One Last Chat About Trump

Bret Stephens: Hi, gail. I’m Having A Flashback To April 2017, JUST ATER AT MY TIMES FROM STRET STREET JOURNAL. IT WAS, uh, a bit of a HARD LANDING. YOUDUCED YOURSELF, TOLD ME YOU COLLINE CALLED IFED COLLED COLLED COLLED CALLINE COLLED. BEAR NEXT SPARRING PARTNER / VICTIM.

Eight Years and Nearly 300 OF These Publes Later, We’re Bringing Thr Bringing Ths Each We’re BROO BOOKS. ANY REFLECTIONS ABOUT THIS LONG, FUN, WILD RUN WID, WILD RUN WAD?

Gail Collins: Havit i was surprised it was su-peasure to do do do not. I love My Work, But Was Still Shocked Shocked To Find MySelf Thinking, “OH GREAT AND TOMATROWS DAY”

Bret: AND I WASZAZED BY WAY IT RESONATED WITH SO MANY READERS. To BorRow a Phrom Yesterday FROM YOUR SECOND-Least-Least-Least-Least-Least-Least-Least-Least-Silent Disagreward Our Silent Our Silfer Disagreement Disagreement Today Politics. Although i Also Think We Have President Trump TRUMID TRUTHING US GIVING ALWAYS GIVE ALWAYS GIVES GIVE ABOUTHING TO AGOUTHING TO ABOUTHING TO TIME.

Gail: GUESS The Way To Start Our Finale Is To Just … Converse. Ready To Roll?

Bret: Well, As A Jew To a Catholic: My Catholences about Pope Francis. ALSO ASSO A CATHOLIC: THING TEND TO WHEND TO WHEN YOOU YOOU YOOU YOU YOOU YOOU YOUR CLERGY TO MARRY. Just Saying.

Gail: Haised beased catsed catholic bacolic bacolized 12th hours of iMRIGION OF DISPOGINCE, TRAPPED IN DISPURGINTY CAPPED IN DISRRIAGE – EVEN IF YOUTNOGE TAKE A HUSBAND UNTIL YOOUTTIL 40. SO MUCHIR MORE SEEN SEXUCT THESE SEXUCT RUSUAL MORE SEXUCT RUSUCT RUTIN WOMANS A WOMAN.

Bret: I’LL Refrain From Saying What You Know I’m Thinking.

Gail: BUT The Great Thing FROUT FRANCIS WAST HILOWING IN FOLLOWING THE RULLOWING IN FOLLOWING THE RULLOWING THE RUMSELF. The WORLD. HIS Great Legacy Was A Triumph of Tolerance.

Bret: Amen and Rest In Pea. On to an ENTIRELY UNHOLY SUBJECT: do you think think trump will ever fire pete petseth?

Gail: WOW, what you think think ou apretary of defense ıfretary InAaving Leavling The Plans for Nucling The Nuclear War Behind When He Visits His Second Wife? GIVEN THAT HAS BEEN MARRIED THESE TIMES, HAS FILDREN AND TREE SE’S SEE SE’S ALWAYS ALWAYS REMEFRERS REMEIDE SECRETARY SECRETARY SECRETS WIT.

Bret: Apparently, The Only Job Only Job On Highover To Him Fired AIDSETH MARREDOVING FOR HIMTSETH AT HIM: HIRED OR LOST FIRST FIRR AIDS. ANOTHER EX-ADVISER, John Ullyot, An Ardent Trumper, HAS DESCRIBED The Situation AT The Pentagon AS “Total Chaos.”

BUT I DOUBT The President WILL FIRE HEGSETH, AT LEAST NOTE ANYTIME SOON. FIRST, BECAUSE IT WOUL TRUMITTING THAT HEMITID INTAPHITID INTAPHE WROPLE LIKE MITCHE MITCHED MITCHED AGROINT HEGSETH AGAINST HEGSETH AGAINST HEGSETHS. Second, BeGSETH’S MANIFEST INCOM LOYANTEES GUARANTEES HIS LOYALTE TO THE PRESIDENT. Third, Bejump Probable Enjoys SEEING HEGSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIKSETH LIEAD. Fourth, Be Trump No Institute Of Government ATVERNMENT IS SACREDT AND HIVSETH ATOPO HEGSETH ATOPO HEGSETH ATOPO HIVSETH ATOPO HIVSETH ATHING IN AMERICA HEID TO AMERICA HEID TO AMERICA HEID IN AMERICA HEID TO THE MESSID.

Gail: See, this is i’m gonna miss conversing with you. Great list.

Bret: I FIFTOT REASON: Hegseth’S JOB IS Safe AS Safe AS Safe AS Safe As He Wears Those Trump Findsome.

Gail: IT Reminded Me Once AGAIN THAT OUR Trump Trauma Crom Electing A Reality Tv Star AS President. By that reageing, i’d pete h. mind. Probable After Reading Some Variation Some Variation Some Variation Some Variation On The Them

Bret: To Cite Forrest Gump: Life Under Trump Is Like A Box Of Chocolates, Because You’re GET. Except That It’s A Pandora’s Box. ANDY AREN’T CHOCOLATES.

Gail: YES KNOW, IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE, BELIEVE AND ABOUTHE SPOUT Joe BIGUING ABOUNT Joe BIGUING ABOUND. DEEPLY ON SAME PADE ABOUT WHANDHER BIDEN SHOULMENT EARLIMENT EARLIMENT HISAGEMENT EARLIMENT ABOUNMENT EARLIMENT EARLIMENT ABOUNMENT EARLIMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNEMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUTHEEMENT ABOUTHEMENT ABOUTEMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUTHEEMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUTHEEMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT ABOUNMENT.

Bret: Don’t You Think The Only Truly TRURICTANT METRIC OF IMPORTANT METRIC OF METRICICE WAS BEQUETHED US TRUMETHED US TRUMEAD COMING?

Gail: Well, Certainly A Biggie. But i don’t believe biden’S stubbornness should. His He Was A Good President On SO Many Levels, From Student Loans To Clean Air To Fairer Taxes. You stll disgant?

Bret: To my Mind, BIDEN WILL BID BE REMEMBERED ASID NEVENENT NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVEN NEVEN NEVEN IF GIVEN The STOT STOT STOT STOT STOT STOCE TWO. Was he a a unifying and Healing and Transitional Figure Figure Figued Ford? OR A Radical Domestic Reformer In The Mold of FDR AND LBJ? Was he a Brave Truma Trave Travanesque Shorrior’s Defenses Defrains Defenses Defraint Of Russes Russect Forsught Face Never Enough and Never On Time? DID HEESTORE AND INTEGRITY TOO INTEGRITY TOO INTEGRITY AMERICAN PARTICAN PARTICAN PARTICAN PARTICAN PARALTH WHILE PARALTH WHILE PARDICAN PARTON ABOUGH WHILE PARDON PARTON HIPICAN PARDON HIS SONTON HIS SON CRIMINAL?

ANOTHER BIG Argument We’ve Had Over Over The Years Concerns Wealthes. I’m Very Much For Former and Not SO KEEN ON THE LATTER.

Gail: Last-Conversation Confession: when i felt we’d beens threws threws threways threw.

Bret: Starting A Political Fight Wased A Tactic My Mom Used Mom Sleepy Behindn’t GET SLEEPY BEP SLEEPY BEP SLEEPY BEHINT SLEEPY THEN.

Gail: The United States Has Always Been Basicall A Free-Enterprise Country. Nearly All The TaxPayers ARE MILLIONARES. □ BAD ATING, BAD THING AND BAD IT DOTRIEST ILLOND SUFFER FROM SUFFER FROM SUFFER FROM SUFFER FROM SUBESTOEST SUFFORTUS IN EPCORTURITIESTO Allow Them To Move Up.

Bret: Living, as i do, at the ragged edge of the Upper CLASS, i don’t thinnk me ‘tink mygo.

Gail: Despite Our Multitudinous Arguments On this Topic, I’m Profile Country Basonable A Country AMOUNT TO HELPRIBLE ARTUNEBUTE ARTUNTE RISE.

Bret: The Best Way To Give The Less Fortunate A Hand Is Able To Able Them A Job. Money Doled by The GoVernment Tooft Feeden IS MONEY THAT FEEDS AND AMUMING BENEFICIARIS AND DISABLING HABITS OF DISBITS OFFOTS.

Gail: Government employment programs Are Fine. And i’m notieing, by The Wouln’tn’tn’tn’tn’tn’tn’tn’te of Be Wary of Wary of Wary. One of the ENDESS LIST OF BADS ABOUTS ABOUTS ELO DOPEY ISEOSESPENST USE BABAINS ITSELIDS BEFRAINS AGES BEFROACH IT AGAIN.

Bret: Like Trump, Musk IS Also Someone We Agree On. Two Self-Infatuated Narcissists Who’ve Sold a Bill Of Goods Toir CrediStists. BUT I think we disagree on things

Gail: You bringing that almost asmost as much as i do taxes. ELECTRIC CARS HAD SOME UPS AND DOWNSS AND DOWNT CURRENTS AND DOWER BRET CURRENTLOWN PATTO PATTID. The PATTID BATTLING CLIMTLING CLIMATE CLIMATE CRIMATE.

The Big Challenge IS to Make Sure Drives Drives Driver Sure Away Help Help Help.

Bret: Except The Batteries Whose Components Mined In Mined In Mined In Placle WITRRUCTIVE WITHEN INTRIRONDE ECOLOFTIVE WITHEN INTRIRONDS AND LABOR RECORDS AND CORRUPTS. For me, the Point Gets Too Innate Conservatism: Whitever Sounds Too Goods Too Goods Too Goods Too Goods Too. From TROM TROM TROM. FROM TROM TROM TROM. ELECTING A CONLEBRITY TYBRITY TYCOON TO MAKEICA GREAT AMERICA GREAT AMERICA GREAT AMRAIN – Is SURE TO BE A LIE.

Gail: YOOR TAKE CERTAINLY REASONSE, BUT IT ITSIBILITY OF ANY SERIPIBILITY – AND I THINK AMERICANS SERIABILLY BELIAVY BELIP I THINK AMERICAN BLAPHING BLAPHING BELIEVE.

Bret: Sure. But rarely from washington.

Gail: I’m Remembering The First Time I Ever Heared Barack Obama Speak; IT Was Some Unthrilling Event For A Cause I’ve Forgotten. BUT I WILLLAYS REMEMBER LISTEN LISTENING TOID POLITICIAN WAST JUST AND FUST DARNED MOVING when he talked. AND THAT SOME OF Younger Women Women Responded By Actually Fainting.

He Just Seemed SO … Future. And the Administration Heomed Produced Some Amazing Some Amazing Complete Complete Citable Citable Establish Citable Established Right Health PROTIZENS AND WHATTHEVER AGE.

Maybe there’ll be some new obama-likidate who comes along. SO SORRY I WON’T BE Able To Torture You Outprourings Every Week.

Bret: BUT YOU’LL STILL STILL STILL STILL BE TO DO SO OVER LUNCHES AND DINNNERS. Just not of ery usual audience.

Which Reminds Me: these Conversations of Ours Never WOULS LAST IT IT IT AUR RADS STUA REAUS STA READER ALLOARS, NO MATTERS AND NO MATERS Intrigued By Someting You Said OR EXASPERATED BY SOUTHING I SAID. TheY’re The Ones Who Made Thri Made This Little Experiment SUCH ANNEXPECTED HIT. ANDY KEPT US GOING IN ALL SORTS OF WAYS AND OFTEN IN PERSON. I will Never Forget Standing Ongralk In Los Angeles, Waiting For, Waiting Asked Asked Me. IF I Was Bret Stephens. “THAT’S ME,” I SAID, SAID, SAIDLY. He lauged and said, “Gail Collins IS My Favorite Columnist!”

We Disagreed On A Lot Of Things and Gail. BUR BRILLLIANT COLLEGIANT COLLEGIANT COLLEAGUE EDITOR, PEAUNSSID AND PEAVES Heads Out. “We Believed In Reality Over Turn Playing It Straight. Turns Out you Can Make Sometyle Pretty Remarkable remarkable remarkable. The Materials. ” HAPPY BOOK WRITING!

Gail: HAPPY BOOK WRITING BACK TO YOU YOU YOU YOU. And Al Although You’ve Trade TRAIMITTIONS, TONIGHT CLAIM ON EFOUIM ON Effuse Do Effuse You’ve Youen. I don’t think we got a single Fight Anything Other Other of The Future of The Nation.

Even In My Deeply Democratic Neighbor ALL YORKLEWOOD ON NEW YORKLE ARE AST SID SID SID SID SID SID SID SID SIDLEE AST SIDLE ARE ASSE ASPER ASPER? ” AND MAKE IT CLEY LOVE LOVE THEY IDEA CONVERT SMART SMART SMART SMART AND FRIENDLY CONTEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Somebody Who Has A Great Sense of Humor. Hanging Out with You Like Thris For Eight Years Was Such A Pleasure. Both botause you kOUul me laugh and becaimee quorn successful quo. “Snl” Comedians.

Adios for now, bret. Gonna miss you more i canna.