After almost three many years on Capitol Hill, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) reached the apex of his profession as the brand new Senate majority chief and head of the Republican caucus. However he’s additionally reached a private crossroads — and the way he navigates it should decide his legacy and the way forward for the American experiment.
There’s no query that Thune is a conservative who helps President Donald Trump’s agenda, regardless of his earlier opposition to Trump changing into the GOP nominee. However temperamentally, he’d appear to be at odds with Trump’s aggressive, norm-breaking strategy to the presidency.
“In a move-fast-and-break-things period of anti-government ardor, he’s nearly a public-sector lifer, an easy-does-it institutionalist,” writes Michael Kruse on this week’s Friday Learn. “The topic of nary a scandal and scant few prolonged profiles for someone of his stature, John Randolph Thune — by upbringing, expertise and disposition — is the utter antithesis of Donald John Trump.”
The query for Thune is whether or not he desires to be remembered as the person who tolerated Trump’s worst excesses in service of his political venture, or because the institutionalist who drew a line within the sand. And to this point — to the delight of MAGA skeptics and the chagrin of Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans who respect Thune — he’s selecting the primary path.
“I might hope there’s a bit inside turmoil,” mentioned longtime John McCain adviser Mark Salter. “You’re watching the manager department usurp all the facility and authorities given Congress beneath Article I,” he continued. “Perhaps he thinks, ‘I’ll protect my affect, and down the street, when one thing worse comes alongside, I’ll be capable to cease him from doing it’ — but it surely’s going to get tougher to oppose him, not simpler.”
Learn the story.
“WTF? @SenSchumer please develop a backbone. And rapidly.”
Are you able to guess who tweeted this at Democratic Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer? Scroll to the underside for the reply.**
How the Media Missed the Lacking Congresswoman … The primary notable factor in regards to the information that Texas Rep. Kay Granger had been dwelling in an assisted-living facility with dementia for months was {that a} sitting member of Congress was unable to hold out her duties. The second notable factor was that nobody had seen. Washington most likely has the very best journalist-to-everyone-else ratio of any metropolis within the nation, and but it was a small conservative web site known as The Dallas Categorical that bought the inside track. A Congresswoman vanished — and never one D.C. outlet reported it. Why? On this week’s Capital Metropolis column, Michael Schaffer digs into the story of how the media missed the story.
Wait, was one thing presupposed to occur on Saturday? Why are all of your Democratic buddies mad at Chuck Schumer? Nobody must know that you just missed one of the vital dramatic authorities shutdown showdowns in historical past. Simply use these speaking factors and everybody will suppose you had been virtually glued to C-SPAN this week. (From Affiliate Editor Dylon Jones)
- Share a little bit of context to telegraph that you just bear in mind how shutdown negotiations sometimes go — and why this time was completely different: “When the bulk occasion wants votes from the opposite aspect, they used to succeed in out to attempt to make a deal. Typically the president himself would become involved. However the GOP didn’t even attempt. As POLITICO put it, ‘the White Home’s posture smacks of over-confidence bordering on vanity.’”
- You received’t appear to be a eager White Home observer except you convey up simply how ugly and private the president bought because the deadline for averting the shutdown loomed: “Trump was in a gathering with the Irish prime minister when he determined to say that Schumer, the very best rating Jewish elected official within the nation, is ‘not Jewish anymore. He’s Palestinian.’ He’d beforehand mentioned Schumer is a ‘proud member of Hamas.’ One thing tells me Trump didn’t precisely seek the advice of a rabbi on that one. And yeesh, should have been awkward for the prime minister. ”
- Drop a element that signifies you had been refreshing Hill reporters’ Twitter pages as Democrats debated their place this week: “Did everybody see that reporters may hear Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand arguing towards the shutdown by means of a closed door on Thursday? You’d suppose they’d have improved the sound-proofing on the Capitol during the last 231 years or so.”
- Everybody will likely be speaking about progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders condemning Schumer’s choice to assist the Republican spending invoice to keep away from a shutdown. However as a pointy political observer, you’ll be capable to level out that the criticism isn’t simply coming from the occasion’s leftmost flank: “A number of Biden advisers threw stones at Schumer as well. Extra importantly, so did Rep. Nancy Pelosi, one of the vital efficient wielders of energy the occasion has ever seen, albeit considerably obliquely. ‘Let’s be clear: neither is an efficient choice for the American folks,’ she posted on X, referring to the selection between the invoice and a shutdown. ‘However this false selection that some are shopping for as an alternative of combating is unacceptable.’”
The 5 Most Trendy Males in Congress … Congress could also be dysfunctional, however that doesn’t imply it could actually’t be modern. There are a handful of members who know the right way to flip a glance — if not the right way to flip a invoice into regulation. Menswear critic Derek Man highlights the 5 most trendy males in Congress, and what makes them stand out from their frumpy colleagues.
The Navy SEALs Take Congress … One group of Individuals has just lately achieved larger illustration in Congress than ever earlier than: Navy SEALs. There are seven Navy SEAL vets in Congress, and their ascension marks a notable shift each within the army and in politics. In comparison with previous veteran lawmakers, “the present technology of ex-SEALs, who largely got here of combating age throughout the Gulf Battle and the conflict on terror, have eagerly embraced a extra combative model of politics,” writes Ian Ward, “one which favors partisan warfare, legislative brinkmanship and an open embrace of Trump.”
D.C.’s Massive-Greenback Eating Habits Uncovered … When members of Congress use marketing campaign or PAC funds to wine and dine, they need to report that spending. So Senior Knowledge Reporter Jessica Piper crunched the numbers to search out out the place Democrats and Republicans wish to crunch on grub — and located a feast of insights. Any guesses which occasion prefers steakhouses and which one likes European bistros? How about what consultant spent $155,563.09 at The Capital Grille alone? Your smorgasbord of scrumptious D.C. eating particulars is served.
Congress Spills Secrets and techniques on Congress … Final week, we bought 25 members of Congress to present us their unvarnished view of insider life on the Hill — and they didn’t maintain again. We’re speaking intercourse, ingesting and dementia — which colleagues they cannot stand and the way they’d change the establishment if given an opportunity. Get able to see Congress such as you’ve by no means seen it earlier than.
From the drafting desk of editorial cartoonist Matt Wuerker.
Who Dissed? Reply: That might be one among former President Joe Biden’s old advisers, Susan Rice.
