Editor’s note: The views expressed by guest columnists are not necessarily those of The Costa Rica Star, its advertisers, or its staff. 

Hot-shot political commentator Tomi Lahren has entered the national media arena. So has White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. These two women are making waves in similar ways.

Fox News announced Sept. 30 the 25-year-old Lahren will join Fox News as a regular contributor and will appear frequently on ‘Hannity’ hosted by Sean Hannity. She will be moving from her home in Dallas to New York City – the Big Apple.

“It’s a freakin’ amazing day! Thanks to all of you who supported me and had my back through all the BS!,” Lahren posted on her Facebook page last week. “I can’t wait to bring the concerns, passion and heart of the Silent Majority to Fox News. It’s gonna be YUGE! I’ll be on with Sean Hannity tonight! P.S. Haters, thanks for the motivation.”

Ever since Lahren first appeared on the horizon right out of college – only 3-years ago — on the One America News Network there has been a parade of young, attractive female commentators across mainstream media attempting to copy Lahren’s machine-gun style comments and equal her social-media audience of more than 4.4-million followers. None have come close. Lahren is one-of-a-kind and she speaks for millions of Americans tired of politics as usual — men and women – many who vote.

Earlier this year, Fox News fired long-time political heavy-weight Bill O’Reilly after his legal troubles involving sexual harassment law suits and accusations brought by former female associates led to his demise.

Most of O’Reilly’s faithful following will love Lahren and her brand of rapid-fire commentary in support of President Donald Trump, law enforcement, the military and secure borders, etc. She will either sink or swim amongst mainstream media sharks and other liberals that will circle around her looking for ways to discredit her. She knows how to bite back, too. She will garner a lot of attention in the coming months that should result in a ratings bonanza.

Fox News has made a good choice by bringing Lahren aboard a network that for a while seemed to have lost some of its conservative flavor. Liberal Democrats loathe Lahren. They believe she’s just another attention-seeking dumb blonde.

This girl grew up in rural South Dakota in a military family that went to church and prayed. She attended public schools. Her foundation as a level-headed adult is grounded in faith, family and love of country. She speaks up for millions of people across America that have been forgotten – the same people that elected President Trump. She speaks against corruption in government at all levels. She describes herself as a “constitutional conservative.”  She will be a force against liberal government in the upcoming 2018 mid-term national elections and beyond if she survives.

Lahren’s rise to big-time-TV is an interesting political news story right now away from Washington, but inside the White House another woman is showing the right stuff.

Under fire, White House Press Secretary Sanders is cool as a cucumber. She took over from Sean Spicer who resigned last month. At 34 years she is displaying amazing political skills far beyond her age as she takes on one of the toughest jobs in the West Wing of the White House.

The real West Wing of President Trump’s White House is far different from what was portrayed in NBC’s serial-political-drama ‘The West Wing’ starring Martin Sheen as president that ran from 1999 into 2006. Although this show did well in the ratings and won awards, those TV portrayals are far from the reality of how the White House communicates their mission to worldwide mainstream media, the U.S. Congress and the American people.

Reading the official White House transcript of a recent press briefing held by Sanders is quite revealing. In this 25-minute briefing Sanders was quick with her answers to reporter’s questions. Her answers made sense. When she could not comment she didn’t. When she had incomplete information she said so. If she had not discussed a topic directly with the president she made no further comment. One after another questions kept coming from a relentless media looking for ways to trip up President Trump and find discrepancies. She was having none of it. Over and over she had to say “I’ve already answered that question several times.” And she’d move on to other questions that resulted in answers like, “I’m not going into the weeds with that question.”

Sanders grew up in political circles. Her father is former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a two-time presidential candidate and former FOX News talk show host who frequently is interviewed by mainstream media. He is also an ordained Christian minister. No stranger to rough and tumble politics, Huckabee served as governor from 1996 to 2007. As lieutenant governor, he took over for previous Gov. Jim Guy Tucker who was forced to resign following his fraud conviction involving the infamous ‘Whitewater controversy.’ Huckabee went on to win two 4-year terms as governor. His daughter had the perfect upbringing that has evolved to her becoming White House press secretary.

Lahren and Sanders have similar jobs. Lahren doesn’t take questions from the media like Sanders has to. Sanders doesn’t speak her mind because she can’t. It’s easy to see Sanders withholds a lot. But she takes no abuse from aggressive reporters. Lahren does speak her mind. What comes out of this South Dakota girl truly is beautiful and well received.

 

P.S. President Trump will have a busy week dealing with the U.S. Congress to approve $7.9-billion in emergency aid for Texas and Louisiana hurricane damage, an increasingly hostile North Korea defiantly testing another nuclear weapon and Hurricane Irma bearing down on mainland USA from Florida to the Carolinas. No wonder he called for a National Day of Prayer on Sunday.

About the Author

Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for the Palatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.

Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.