• Ryan Lizza in The New Yorker:

“The sacking of Scaramucci signals that Kelly, a retired Marine general, may actually be empowered to be a true chief of staff.”

In almost every account of Mr. Scaramucci’s dismissal, his profanity-laden interview with Mr. Lizza serves as a turning point, if not a nail in the coffin, in his 11-day tenure as the White House communications director. Here, Mr. Lizza offers his view on the dismissal and the man he can be sure read his article, Mr. Kelly. Read more »

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• Heather Digby Parton in Salon:

“Frankly I think he’s better off working at the White House scheduling the president’s time and refereeing the dysfunctional Trump family circus than overseeing that vast police agency.”

Ms. Parton is not as confident as Mr. Lizza that the appointment of Mr. Kelly is a positive sign for this administration. As pundits across the political spectrum express “breathless excitement” over the “swashbuckling military man” sent into whip the White House into shape, Ms. Parton has her doubts. If Mr. Kelly is the “square-jawed” man of integrity the media has been making him out to be, she predicts “the general’s not long for Trumpworld.” Read more »

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• Erik Wemple in The Washington Post:

“There’s nothing clean about the slate that Kelly inherits.”

The White House’s reasoning for Mr. Scaramucci’s departure echoes something included in Sean Spicer’s letter of resignation: wanting to give a new administration official a “clean slate.” According to Mr. Wemple, the very notion of a clean slate in this administration is laughable on its face. Read more »

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• Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone:

“I already miss Anthony Scaramucci. Of course, he hasn’t officially been fired yet (checks Twitter). [...] But it sure seems like he’s not long for this earth.”