Tornado Alley (PROG)

[janice shell]

I don't know much about Kirk's background, but while he made a (very well-paying) career of mostly-political debate, he himself doesn't appear to have been openminded, though he hoped to change the opinions of others.

And in the past few years, he'd struck up friendships with people like Don Jr, JD Vance, and others close to the president. He had no incentive at all to consider objectivity. He was probably thrilled by what he no doubt thought of as his growing importance.

He was quite young. Maybe he'd have learned something growing up. But then maybe not. His most deplorable beliefs--the racism, the misogyny, the isolationist tendencies--were the kind that often become stronger, not weaker.

As for Bessent, I doubt anyone has thought of him as a brawler, but I suppose you never know. He's pretty tall, and seems solidly built.