| | | | This is the week Trump's hubris caught up to him |  | | President Donald Trump has lived his life, in and out of politics, on one simple principle: I make the rules -- and I can break them.
In his life as a real estate developer/marketer/reality TV star, Trump would steer into controversy purposely, so deeply did he believe in his ability to make lemonades out of lemons every single time.
As President, he's taken a similar sort of damn-the-torpedoes approach.
"Let me tell you, the one that matters is me," Trump said in an interview that aired on Fox News in November 2017. "I'm the only one that matters."
Asked recently how the decision was made to invite the Taliban to Camp David for peace talks -- an invite that was later rescinded -- Trump said this: "Actually, in terms of advisers, I took my own advice."
While Trump has had a few close calls -- the Taliban invite being right near the top of that list -- he had, generally speaking, been able to navigate his way through the briar patches he has thrown himself into over the first three years of his president. And every time Trump survived by charging into controversy, he became a little more certain that he was teflon, that there was simply nothing that could truly hurt him, that, in his own words, "I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and wouldn't lose any voters, OK?"
That hubris may, finally, have caught up with Trump this week. Specifically in his decision to authorize the release of a rough transcript of a July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that paints, in clear terms, the effort by an American President to pressure a foreign leader to look into corruption allegations against a potential 2020 opponent in former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter. (There is no evidence of wrongdoing by either Joe or Hunter Biden.)
The transcript sent a shockwave through official Washington, forcing most Republicans in hiding (for fear they would be forced to answer questions about Trump's behavior) and emboldened Democrats who, the day before the transcript was released had announced their plans to conduct a formal impeachment inquiry.
Trump, as is his style, seemed to go about his regular business -- blasting Democrats, calling the call "perfect" and insisting this (all of it, I guess) was and is a "total hoax." But the reaction by most of his party, and even the reported nervousness within some elements within his White House, reminded me of nothing so much of this scene from "Anchorman."
In it, anchorman Ron Burgundy reads a curse word on air that has been surreptitiously put into the Teleprompter by his rival/love interest. (What a film!) Burgundy reads it because, well, he reads whatever is on the prompter. And as the lights go down and the show ends, Ron acts as though nothing is out of the ordinary even as everyone around him is paralyzed with shock.
Trump, right now, is Ron Burgundy in that moment. He's stepped way too far out on this limb but, thanks to the very hubris that led him to think the transcript wasn't a problem, he is wholly unaware of that fact. The next few weeks will be a very rough wake-up call.
The Point: Pride comes before the fall. Always.
-- Chris
And now, the week in 25 headlines:
Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: | | "I think we're getting involved in the coverup of the coverup, and that may be something that will take some time to investigate."
-- Nancy Pelosi on the unknown course of the impeachment investigation. | | | NOT ALL IS HALTED IN THE HOUSE | | Much of Washington's oxygen may be occupied by the impeachment investigation, but Congress is still working on other things, including President Trump's USMCA trade deal.
The nine-member House Democratic USMCA working group met with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Friday morning. Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal told reporters afterward that he gave Lighthizer the Democratic counter-proposal to Lighthizer's most recent offer, per CNN's Haley Byrd.
In the wake of the Ukraine scandal, passing the USMCA has become even more urgent for trade-friendly Democrats in moderate districts who want a tangible achievement to point to on the campaign trail.
When members return from recess in two weeks, Neal suggested negotiators might be able to see "the goal line." | | Merriam Webster: Trump troll
This is a super helpful timeline of Trump pushing the Biden-Ukraine story
Congress already doesn't work right. So how's it going to handle impeachment?
This guy REALLY likes politics
Andy Cohen, ringmaster
Inside the Bills Mafia | | | Josh Ritter playing tunes from his newest album backed up by Amanda Shires and Jason Isbell? This is literally tailor-made content for Chris. | |
LAUREN'S CAMPAIGN TRAIL SCHEDULER | | Coming over the next week: Expect a final fundraising blitz ahead of the Q3 deadline on Monday, Cory Booker visits the GM picket line in Maryland and 10 candidates attend a gun violence forum in Nevada.
Saturday, September 28 - Cory Booker: Joins UAW workers striking at the GM White Marsh facility in Maryland
- Andrew Yang: Meets with voters in New Hampshire
- Kamala Harris: Hosts a fundraiser in San Francisco, with $46 tickets (for the 46th president)
Sunday, September 29 Monday, September 30 - Q3 Fundraising Deadline: Look for candidates to make major fundraising pitches to pad their campaign accounts as much as possible ahead of the filing deadline. We won't officially know just how much money these campaigns pulled in until the October 15 filing deadline (unless the campaign releases numbers ahead of time)
- Amy Klobuchar: Hosts a meet-and-greet in Seattle
- Bernie Sanders: Finishes his second of two days in New Hampshire, including rallies at Dartmouth and UNH
- Marianne Williamson: Speaks at Drake University in Iowa
Tuesday, October 1 Wednesday, October 2 Thursday, October 3 | |
ONE BIG(ISH) GOP PUSHBACK | | | 2
Two GOP governors have voiced support for the impeachment investigation: Vermont's Phil Scott and Massachusetts' Charlie Baker. | | | | | | |
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