NOMINATIONS/TRUMP PEOPLE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/VA: “When President Donald Trump named White House physician Ronny Jackson as his choice to be the next head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, it caught lots of people — inside and outside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — by surprise. After all, Jackson had never run an agency even close to the size of the VA. And, it appeared that Jackson’s main appeal to Trump was their personal rapport — as well as the clean bill of health Jackson had given Trump after his annual physical…Trump didn’t pick Jackson because of his depth of management experience in big organizations. (Jackson doesn’t have that.) He didn’t pick him after a long and deliberative process that included consultation with Republicans (and Democrats) on Capitol Hill. He didn’t vet Jackson fully to ensure that he could even be confirmed…Trump picked Jackson because he liked him. Because he thought Jackson did a good job at that news conference announcing the results of Trump’s physical. Because it felt like the right move. All of that means that where the White House finds itself today with Jackson — dead in the water unless something changes — was entirely predictable. Governing by the seat of your pants is rarely a recipe for success; there’s a reason, after all, that things like vetting exist. Trump wanted Jackson because he liked him. Well, he got him. And I bet he wishes he didn’t right about now.”
-Chris Cillizza, “The Ronny Jackson debacle is entirely and completely predictable,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, April 24, 2018 3:07 pm