The Atlantic Politics Daily: ‘I Do Think We Have Enough’
Nancy Pelosi is now a more forceful voice in the impeachment process, but she’s still careful with her words. Plus, what Obama says—and doesn’t say—about Trump.
It’s Wednesday, October 30. Our politics desk is preparing for the first official vote on the impeachment process, set for tomorrow.
In today’s newsletter: ¶ People. Pelosi, 44, 45. ¶ Places. D.C., Chicago. ¶ Things. “Democrats Playing Poker” (McNaughton, ca. October 2019)
(PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS / AP)
“I do think we have enough.”
Nancy Pelosi was for a long time less than full-throated in her support for an impeachment inquiry. Now, the speaker is more forceful on the issue—but still careful with her words.
Ahead of tomorrow’s formal vote on authorizing the inquiry, Ron Brownstein and a small group of other political columnists met with the speaker. Ron pressed her for clarity:
Brownstein: “But when you say, ‘All roads lead to Putin,’ what does that mean? Does that mean that you believe he is acting at the behest of Putin? Do you think he is trying to advance Putin’s interest?”
Pelosi: “I don’t know. All I know is the three things I mentioned in the room [with Trump], plus [a] fourth, the obstruction of our election … He is absolving Putin of any responsibility there ...
(Al Drogo / Reuters)
What happens when a president (the person) is equated with the presidency (the office)? Our writers are grappling with that question.
1. “Donald Trump, though he is president, does not define the presidency,” Peter Wehner argues, following the round of booing and “lock him up” chants at a World Series game in Washington:
It predated him, it will outlast him, and one day again voters can choose an American president as an expression of their highest ideals rather than of their basest instincts. [Read the full argument here]
2. “The notion that a president won’t step aside when the time comes has always been unthinkable. Now it’s a question that’s openly debated.”
Peter Nicholas, one of our White House reporters, takes a deeper look at how Trump is collapsing the line between self and country:
Perhaps the most extreme expression of Trump’s vaulting self-conception is his use of the word treason. [Read Peter’s reporting here.]
3. “America already knows what Barack Obama thinks about Donald Trump (the man) and Donald Trump (the president).” Our campaign reporter Isaac Dovere checks in from Chicago, where both 44 and 45 were speaking at separate events:
For the past four years, nearly everything in politics has seemed to be about just the two of them—and in a way, everything is. Each is an archetype. [Read Isaac’s reporting here.]
Today, our team was caught up in two dueling pieces on the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who seemingly sprung out of nowhere to become one of the top-polling candidates in Iowa.
¶ Is Buttigieg a neoliberal stuck in the past? Here’s a compelling questioning of “Mayor Pete’s” progressive credentials.
—Elaine Godfrey, who covers Democrats—and all things Iowa—for The Atlantic.
¶ Buttigieg particularly irks leftists—though he’s far from the most centrist Democrat in the race. This piece gives a good window into that derision.
—Saahil Desai, an editor on our politics desk
(From Twitter / @mcnaughtonart)
This odd little reimagining of the classic painting Dogs Playing Poker caught our newsroom’s attention as it floated around online.
An art historian, writing for The Atlantic, called its painter Jon McNaughton a court artist for the Trump times.
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Today’s edition of our daily newsletter of political ideas and arguments was written by Shan Wang, with help from Saahil Desai, and edited by Michael Owen.
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