Greetings! Out of touch: Trump slithered out of his White House lair yesterday to make his first appearance after the GOP’s midterm election debacle.  In a jaw-dropping display of not reading the mood of the country, he spoke to the press at the site of his controversial, unfinished ballroom where workmen installed the final steel beam.  He praised the ballroom as if it were the most important topic for Americans battered by inflation. (Associated Press)... Hegseth in the crosshairs: In my October 16 newsletter, I predicted in that Pete “Hairgel” Hegseth would take the fall for Trump’s floundering war with Iran.  That may now come to pass soon.  Foxnews.com, quoting an unnamed source, said that the oily Sec. of Defense “is on the chopping block.” Sounds about right to me, despite Trump signaling he might retain Hegseth. Worth noting: The Daily Caller reports that Hegseth’s wife Jennifer has a “swampy side hustle” working for the Trump-connected consulting firm Watchtower Strategies. Why am I not surprised?... Dept. of Unintended Consequences: The Castro regime of Cuba might be one of the unexpected winners in the wake of the GOP's midterm collapse Tuesday night.  The American Spectator says that the communist Caribbean nation won new life because “hard-left Democrats will be in no mood to crack down on Cuba’s communists”...Dept. of Bad Timing: Amazon Prime Video’s second authorized documentary about Melania Trump debuts later this month.  It’s the absolute worst time for the First Lady to stick her coiffed head out of whatever gated fortress where she’s holed up. Her shallow preoccupation with fashion and her $40 million payday from the e-commerce giant is a turn-off for most Americans, especially now. Not a good look for Amazon either, post-midterms...If you keep reading, I’ll keep Righting. Howard