RUMORS ABOUND about Republican Senators distancing themselves from President Trump, not because of the virus, but because they’re believing the polls and the media message that the president will lose in a blood bath.

Nebraska’s Sen. Ben Sasse, was taken in, and in a telephone townhall event with constituents, repeated the thought, echoing the anti-Trump position of former Sen. Jeff Flake. The New York Times viewed Senators McConnell, Graham and Cruz more interested in their own futures than the president’s and the Republican Party’s control of the Senate.  If true, they might as well get on board with the president’s reelection, because he’s lauding their support of his administration at every opportunity.

IN THE MEANTIME, President Trump is supporting the candidacy of John James, who is challenging Democrat Sen. Gary Peters in Michigan.  Trump was in Muskegon, Michigan Saturday to campaign, during which he touted James’ record.

Commenting on James, Biden’s campaign Tweeted: “Talk about a disaster, there’s a disaster.”  “Yes, Joe Biden,” James responded, “I am a disaster for national Democrats’ narrative.  A black man who thinks for himself.”

“You have some serious issues, Joe Biden,” James said.  “The biggest of which you were in power for 44 years and black folks continued to fall behind.” James also confronted Peters with the fact that he, too, failed Michigan blacks while in office for 30 years.

SIDEBAR – Remember during the first debate, when Chris Wallace asked Joe Biden if he had called the mayor of Portland to offer help with the rioting? I thought it was a pretty good question, but Biden answered, “I don’t hold public office now.  I am a former vice president.”  Like that makes a difference.

WHILE BIDEN ADDRESSED a meager gathering in Michigan of supporters in their cars in Oakland County, President Trump gave thousands of West Michigan supporters what they came for in a “peaceful protest” at Muskegon County Airport Saturday.

The president went on to the solid blue territory around Janesville, Wisconsin for a windy appearance before thousands of individuals, many of whom are said to be Democrats.

DITTO – Two letter-writers to the Wall Street Journal echoed the thoughts of many who believe the Durham report should be released prior to the election.

Both writers agree that the release of the report could affect the vote, but so be it, the left has conducted a four-year effort to unseat our duly elected president.

“Indictments of Democrat operatives will affect the voters’ minds,” wrote Don Copple of St. Louis, Missouri. “The chips should fall where they may.”

“Those guilty parties need to be brought to justice promptly and the American public demands it,” wrote Mike Sheedy of Scottsdale, Arizona. “Delaying the administration of justice thwarts proper accountability under the law; if this action changes some votes, so be it.”

“If Joe Biden prevails in November, along with a Democrat Senate takeover, justice won’t be served and this monumental abuse of power will go unchecked and ignored,” wrote Copple. “It would give license to the Democrats to do anything they want without fear of being investigated or ever brought to account for years to come.”  They’ve done just that for the past four years.

Sheedy reminded the Journal that “we now know the Obama-Biden administration was kept informed of the illegal activities and condoned them.” Adding that “an informed electorate is the ultimate goal,” going into Election Day.

FAIRNESS IN TAXATION – The left, not just Joe Biden, but his socialist friends – Sanders, Warren, and of course Harris – continue to spew the need for the wealthy to pay their fair share.  It’s been part of the Democrat class warfare mantra for decades.

In its review of Biden’s estimate that his tax increases would raise $92 billion in  “Biden’s Tax Whopper,” the editorial board advanced that’s what it would be “before they put their tax lawyers to work.”

The Journal says that the expected revenue wouldn’t even be “a modest down payment on this proposed new spending.”  Free this, and free that.

IN A SURPISING TURNABOUT for the elite East Coast columnist Peggy Noonan, who I have taken to task here frequently, she devoted a third of her Wall Street Journal column relating the exchange between Nancy Pelosi and CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

If you haven’t heard, Blitzer accused Pelosi of holding those seeking Covid-19 aid hostage because she doesn’t want to allow the president to claim credit prior to Election Day.  Unbelievably, Pelosi retorted, calling Blitzer and his colleagues, “apologists for the Republican position.”

Noonan agreed that it was “wrong to hold people hostage in this immediate crisis.”

Then, moving to her account of the hearing for Amy Coney Barrett, Noonan ridiculed Sen. Maize Hirono’s “bizarre questions” regarding any unwanted requests for sexual favors or anything else of a sexual nature. 

That followed criticism of Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who went on and on about dark money.

Republicans, she believed almost obscured the depth of Barrett’s intellect and the breadth of her command of the law with the repeated comments of the family she has raised.  “If Judge Barrett were single and childless like David Souter, she would still be a deeply impressive nominee.”

May God continue to bless the United States of America.