There were plenty of reasons why the stock market plunged this week — a disastrous press conference by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, fears of a decelerating economy, continued anxiety over a trade war, etc. But there's a wild card that cannot be overlooked: the increasingly erratic behavior of President Donald Trump. Addicted to Fox TV and its talking heads, Trump has parroted their rants and has had, arguably, the worst week of his presidency. They were blindsided by Trump's impetuous decision to pull troops out of Syria and Afghanistan, as were many of Trump's top advisers. And the deep antipathy toward Trump from college-educated suburban women will make a big difference in the next election.

Source: CNN December 21, 2018 14:37 UTC