DNC Chairmanship
The Democratic Party base may feel betrayed because the Bernie Sanders-back candidate, congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN), wasn't elected as DNC Chair, but in the practical sense and demographic sense, Tom Perez as DNC Chair makes more sense.
Chuck Todd outlined the decimation of the Democratic Party's influence in all levels of government, especially during the Obama years. That was on Debbie Wasserman Schultz's watch, who was a terrible party chair, at least partly because she was doing congressional and party double duty (and because she was prone to making political statements more than getting things done). Neither got the deserved attention and performance suffered... Hence, descriptions like 'decimated' and 'gutted.'
Democrats need Mr. Ellison, who is the deputy chair, in Congress and a full-time leader of the DNC. The mistake that Democrats would make is to let this disagreement linger - get over it, get together, and get on. Really, Trump isn't motivation enough?
Russia
The New York Times Helene Cooper clarified the two key points: 1) That when a new Russia story comes out that is when President Trump is at his most confrontational with the press, and 2) this is going to be a long drawn-out investigation and series of stories as things come to light.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) clearly said that Russia is not the friend of the United States, which matters. And his explanations about it being premature to appoint a special prosecutor are politically prudent, which is understandable so one gets the feeling that if this investigation turns south for the Trump Administration and they contact with Russia, the senator will be on the right side of it. The town hall meetings have had an effect on him. Senator Cotton did, after all, drop the dime as it were that his committee had a hearing with FBI Director James Comey about the Russia investigation.
Chief of Staff Reince Priebus made a mistake of inexperience when he spoke to the FBI about the Russia investigation, and he SHOULD NOT be given a pass. That contact was clearly violated the independence of the Justice Department, and its integrity. How many times does someone in the Trump Administration get a pass for violating ethics laws or breaking established rules before it's no longer tolerated by the party in control of Congress?
And Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) of all people called for the appointment of a special prosecutor which means the protesters and his narrow reelection win in his district have made him apprehensive about standing pat on his ideological stubbornness and that he'll roll the dice on this one.
One things for sure - certainly there is a there there.
Healthcare
Fmr. Speaker of the House John Boehner spoke the truth about the Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare and it sent Republicans rhetorically scrambling. The 'repeal and replace' is actually going to be an Obamacare repair but repackaged as the conservative solution.
Again, because of the town hall meetings, you can tell that's what Senator Cotton is wishing for. However, how it will really go is what Mr. Boehner outlined, but added to it will be a bit of pain inflicted on Americans with many losing coverage in the name of reeling in spending. Republicans are always inclined to do this, but they get away with it. So why not?
The only way it's not a political loser for Republicans is if they do it how the fmr. speaker said, but that not what they've been promising for the past 6 1/2 years. They promised repeal, not repair. And if they repeal, millions of people will lose their coverage. And Americans are wise to the rhetoric that when Speaker Paul Ryan says access to coverage that's not the same as actually getting covered.
Muhammad Ali Jr.
The son of the most famous athlete, perhaps ever, who is an American was stopped at the airport and questioned for two hours about how he got his name and whether or not he was a Muslim. The despicable consequence of despicable xenophobic executive orders. Frankly, this sucks.
Panel: Eliana Johnson, Politico; Helene Cooper, The New York Times; Gerald Seib, The Wall Street Journal; Ramesh Ponnuru, Bloomberg
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