Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has taken the “wall” offer off the table, as liberals respond with a huge sigh of relief. The White House, meanwhile, denies the offer — something like $25 billion for Donald Trump’s wall on the Mexico border— was ever offered. And so begins the next round of Dreamer negotiations, which is to say, very, very slowly. The next deadline, by the way, is Feb. 8. Via The New York Times.
John Cassidy writes in The New Yorker that the liberal attacks on Schumer for backing away from the shutdown after only three days are premature. Of course, many progressive groups are saying that Schumer’s move away from the shutdown was premature.
Twenty-five senators — the Group of One-Fourth of the Senate — are working not only to try to save immigration reform. They’re out to do something far more difficult — to save the Senate. At this point, the odds are probably against them on both points. Via The New York Times.
Remember the Clinton emails? Of course, you do. Well, now there are the missing FBI texts, which Trump, Republicans and Fox News have decided is the next big thing. They’re supposedly about, just maybe, possibly, but who knows, an anti-Trump conspiracy in the FBI. Or as Trump put it, “”the biggest story in a long time.” Via Vox.
In a story that may not be quite as big, Robert Mueller wants to question Trump about how and why he fired Comey and Michael Flynn. He has already talked to Jeff Sessions and Comey. Could it be something about a possible obstruction of justice? Via The Washington Post.
So here’s the latest Trumpian scandal: After firing FBI Director Jim Comey, Trump asked acting FBI chief Andrew McCabe whom he voted for in the presidential election. Yes, he did. Via The Washington Post.
Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins says evangelicals give Trump a “mulligan” on porn star Stormy Daniels. No wonder Trump’s golf handicap is so low. Via Politico.
From The National Review, Victor Davis Hanson writes of Trump’s midterm known unknowns, or why it’s possible that the November midterms might not be nearly as bad as anti-Trumpists hope.
Dana Milbank: The time may be coming, or maybe it’s already here, when women are ready to rain down fire and fury on the president. Via The Washington Post.
Why did it take so long for administrators at Michigan State to hear the women who kept telling officials that Larry Nassar was abusing them? For the same reason so many people in power are inclined to doubt female pain. Via The Atlantic.
If the Republicans screw Schumer again on February 8 I wonder if he’ll have no other recourse than to forcefully chastise them.