A.G. Gancarski
The President of the United States is again extolling the “most powerful woman in the world,” offering a narrative as only he does.
During comments to Congressional Republicans in Doral Monday, Donald Trump gave props to Susie Wiles, lauding her campaign record and her ability to run the White House, as well as some words about her legendary father Pat Summerall and how he managed longtime broadcast partner John Madden.
Here are some highlights from Trump’s remarks about the Northeast Florida political legend now known, improbably, as “the ice maiden” due to the President’s comments in past speeches:
“When I came to Florida, Florida was a Democrat state. They had a Democrat Governor. They had one Democrat Senator. It was largely a Democrat state. And through various reasons, I ended up with Susie running the campaign and she was unbelievable,” Trump said.
“We won in a landslide and then the second time we won in an even bigger landslide. And when it came time to choose somebody to run the campaign, the whole campaign, I said, ‘What about Susie from Florida?’ She never lost. I won every Primary. I didn’t lose anything. And again, it was a Democrat state and it was a landslide both times, and all of the Republican stuff, it was almost like it didn’t even exist. It was amazing,” Trump said, discussing how Wiles rose in the ranks.
“Do you know that there has never been a woman Chief of Staff, but there is now,” Trump said. “I’m so surprised. I’m very surprised, but it came time to run the campaign and I said, ‘Well, I’ve never had a loss with Susie. She comes from great stock, you know, Pat Summerall is her father.'”
Trump then held forth on the most significant broadcast partnership (and most significant broadcast team) in NFL history, arguably, with unique insight into how that played out.
“Pat Summerall was a football player, a great football player, but a really great announcer and the voice of the NFL for 27 years or something. He was great and a leader, he worked with John Madden. And he was able to get John Madden to do things that nobody else could do. They’d call him and say ‘Pat, John is really difficult,'” Trump related.
“John was a difficult guy, but he got big ratings and he was good. And Pat would go up, ‘Come on, John, let’s get this done. Come on. I know you don’t like the heads of the company, just that they’re paying you a lot of money. Come on, John, let’s get it done,’ and he’d go and do it. And this went on for what, 27 years, right? But he was a leader, her father, and this is somebody that has the gene,” Trump added.
The understanding of the Summerall-Madden dynamic gleaned from informed parties was that they were a team, and while Summerall played the straight man to Madden’s at times comic foil, saying Summerall “managed” Madden may be a bit hyperbolic.
But what’s clear is the President has tremendous respect for his Chief of Staff and longtime friend.
12 comments
MH/Duuuval
January 27, 2025 at 9:33 pm
Susie grew up In NJ, so icey is a good descriptor in many ways.
Peachy
January 28, 2025 at 8:27 am
Cleaning up the mess by the absolutely incompetent Biden administration.
MH/Duuuval
January 28, 2025 at 10:02 am
No facts, just fat mouth.
Peachy
January 28, 2025 at 1:03 pm
Really? Have you forgotten the last four years? Inflation, fuel prices, wars, immigration chaos, Afghanistan withdrawal debacle.
MH/Duuuval
January 28, 2025 at 8:51 pm
Biden had to deal with these subjects when he took office and made satisfactory progress in improving the situation and the numbers prove this.
Immigration could have been solved a year ago, but MAGAs wanted to campaign on the subject. This is a fact, so try to live with this anti-American, partisan move by MAGAs.
Afghanistan withdrawal began on Trump’s watch when he made a deal with Taliban. MAGAs just want to Benghazi the withdrawal, as if it were worse than our evacuation from Vietnam. Again, your memory is selective.
Where Biden went WAY wrong — beyond trying to stand for a second term — is giving a blank check to Bibi, another autocrat that Peachy embraces.
Peachy
January 29, 2025 at 8:30 am
Immigration would have been solved? Hilarious. How many illegals did that bill allow daily and monthly? Better refill that gaslight, it running low on BS.
MH/Duuuval
January 28, 2025 at 8:53 pm
Trump: The moon is made of green cheese.
Peachy: The moon is made of green cheese. I was there on an early Space Force flight and tried the green cheese, which was not as good as American cheese.
Peachy
January 29, 2025 at 8:31 am
Like Rick Whitaker, I see I live rent free in Duuuval’s head. Like Rick, I might need to start charging you for rent.
MH/Duuuval
January 29, 2025 at 9:50 am
You and most MAGA plebs claim to be captains of your fate but are little more than galley rowers once Trump assumed control of the ship.
Maybe you’ll get some rhythm.
MH/Duuuval
January 29, 2025 at 12:55 pm
I do reflexively recall with pleasure Peachy’s meltdown after Biden stepped aside.
Peachy
January 29, 2025 at 1:09 pm
You recall wrong, but having Kammy step in there was great comedy with her word salad and gaffs. Dumb as rocks comes to mind for that DEI hire. Thanks Willie.🤣
Skeptic
January 29, 2025 at 11:30 am
What psychotropic meds is he on? When he came to Florida we had a Democratic Governor? Last time that happened, both he and Biden were in diapers. I thought Trump was born in NY.