| | | | Mueller Week was more a whimper than a bang |  | | One week ago, we found out that special counsel Robert Mueller had concluded his 22-month investigation into Russian interference.
Five days ago, we got a four-page summary letter of Mueller's report authored by Attorney General William Barr that made clear no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russians had been established and that Mueller did not reach a conclusion as to whether Trump obstructed the investigation.
And now, so closely removed to those two massive developments, which everyone -- me included -- expected to fundamentally alter Trump's presidency and the course of the 2020 race, it appears as though most people have, well, moved on.
For his part, Trump has taken on two new high-profile fights: joining a suit to repeal Obamacare wholly and pledging, on Twitter on Friday, to close our southern border totally if and when two migrant caravans moving through Mexico make it there.
He's already moved into weaponizing the Mueller report -- its full nearly 400 pages are yet to be released, though they're expected to be sent to Congress in mid-April if not sooner -- as an example of the broad-scale conspiracy by the so-called "deep state" against him. (He offers no evidence for those claims, of course.)
Democrats are divided as to the best next steps.
Some (many?) argue that until the full Mueller report is released, there can be no definitive conclusion about what Trump did (or didn't do). And there are those, such as Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who insist evidence of collusion already exists.
Others in the party believe that short of exposing a cover-up by Barr of what is really in the report, the main message to the American public will be that Mueller didn't find collusion -- and, therefore, Democrats need to focus on health care, immigration and other issues a) that voters care more about and b) on which voters tend to favor Democrats.
There's no question that when the Mueller report comes out (which will likely be sometime next month) there will be another bump of interest. But if Barr's summary hit the main points -- and no collusion or obstruction is proven -- then it's uniquely possible both parties won't be spending nearly as much (or any) time on the Mueller report in six months.
The Point: Predicting how something like the Mueller report lands with the public is a tricky thing -- particularly when we don't know for sure what's in it. And it's possible that once we do know more of what Mueller found -- as opposed to just Barr's top lines -- perceptions could change. But the most likely outcome today is that the report goes out with more of a whimper than a bang -- in political terms.
-- Chris
Below, the week in 25 headlines.
Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: | | "Most days I am."
-- Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' response today when asked whether she is glad to be education secretary. This week DeVos defended her department's funding cut to the Special Olympics before being overruled by President Trump. | | | President Donald Trump has doubled down on his threat to shut down the United States' southern border if Mexico doesn't do more to stem border crossings.
"If Mexico doesn't immediately stop ALL illegal immigration coming into the United States throug (sic) our Southern Border, I will be CLOSING the Border, or large sections of the Border, next week," he tweeted this afternoon.
"Closing" the border is a significant undertaking -- depending on what is actually closed.
It's unclear whether the closure be limited to individuals crossing into and out of the United States, writes CNN's Maegan Vazquez. If it includes cross-national trains and trucks importing and exporting goods with Latin America, a closure could pose a major threat to international commerce. | | | Craig Finn (of The Hold Steady) is Chris' single favorite musician. Here's his new one -- Craig's not Chris' -- called "Something To Hope For." | | HE'LL ALWAYS HAVE THE COAT | | Paul Manafort may be serving a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence, but he could have his infamous python coat waiting for him once he is released.
The coat and ostrich vest, worth $18,500 and $9,500 respectively, were not among the items Manafort agreed to forfeit to the government.
But the former Trump campaign chairman still had to give up a lot -- Manafort turned over property and assets worth at least $36 million to the US government and to his debtors and victims, which are mostly banks, as part of his criminal sentences. | |
LAUREN'S CAMPAIGN TRAIL LATEST | | John Delaney: Has rolled out a 23-point plan to improve rural American living that he calls the "Heartland Fair Deal."
Bernie Sanders: Is aiming to have 1 million individual donations by Sunday's quarterly FEC fundraising deadline, per a campaign fundraising appeal.
Seth Moulton: Is calling for the creation of a Federal Green Corps in a Des Moines Register op-ed ahead of his latest Iowa visit today.
Kamala Harris: Has announced five new endorsements out of prominent South Carolinians.
Amy Klobuchar: Has introduced a "bold, trillion-dollar plan" to address the nation's infrastructure.
Jay Inslee: Has released 12 years of tax returns. | |
YOUR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SCHEDULER 🗓 | | | Keep an eye on some key events on the campaign trail over the next week... Saturday, March 30: Sunday, March 31: Tuesday, April 2: - Kamala Harris: Delivers a keynote speech at the Battle Born Progress Summit in Carson City, Nevada.
Wednesday, April 3: Friday, April 5: | | | | | | |
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