The Point: Mitch McConnell wins (again)

View this email in your browser   January 7, 2020  | by Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski Mitch McConnell wins (again) On Tuesday, Mitch McConnell did it again. Won, that is.   Less than 24 hours removed from the bombshell from former national security adviser John Bolton that he would testify in President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial if subpoenaed, McConnell announced that he had the votes to begin the trial without any decision on whether witnesses can be called.   And he had those votes because the potential renegade Republicans among his colleagues -- Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Mitt Romney (Utah) and Susan Collins (Maine), among others -- had stayed in line, refusing to break with him on what is one in a series of high-pressure and high-profile votes.   The simple fact, reaffirmed by McConnell's show of force so soon after Bolton's bombshell, is that the Kentucky Republican is incredibly effective at keeping his GOP colleagues in line when he (and Trump) need them most.   The most recent high-profile example, of course, was the confirmation vote to make Brett Kavanaugh a Supreme Court justice. On both the vote to end unlimited debate (aka cloture) and final confirmation for Kavanaugh, McConnell got the exact number of votes he needed -- 50.   (Murkowski voted against invoking cloture on Kavanaugh and then voted "present" on final confirmation, canceling out the planned "yes" vote by Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who wasn't at the vote.)   But on a variety of other measures -- most notably the confirmation of a slew of federal judges -- McConnell has simply checked off box after box, thanks to his uncanny ability to keep his conference loyal to him.   How does he do it? Well, McConnell has always understood that what senators (or, really, all politicians) care most about is themselves and their reelections. And he has spent decades, literally, doing favors of the policy and political varieties for Republican senators. As a result, they are loyal to him. And perhaps more importantly, they trust him to look out for them and keep them as safe as any Republican can be in the age of Trump.    That loyalty to McConnell from Republican senators makes Democrats crazy. McConnell may well be Democrats' most hated man -- this side of Trump, of course. That dislike actually works to McConnell's advantage when it comes to wrangling his Republican colleagues. That he is more than willing to take all the slings and arrows -- and, more importantly, protect them from being hit -- makes him all the more beloved.   The Point: Trump, because he is Trump, gives no one credit for his success because he has to take all the credit for it. But if Trump survives this Senate trial and has a decent shot of getting reelected in November, he should say a very big "thank you" to McConnell.   -- Chris QUOTE OF THE DAY "We are not looking to start a war with Iran, but we are prepared to finish one." -- US Defense Secretary Mark Esper in an interview with CNN. REMEMBER USMCA? The President's rewrite of NAFTA is another step closer to becoming law -- but first the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement needs a vote in the Senate.   The bill is expected to pass the Senate with bipartisan support, but its vote is being delayed (big league) by the chamber's impeachment trial, which would halt debate on USMCA.    But once it's through the Senate, it's on to Trump's desk to sign into law.     Today's topic: What's happening with impeachment? Only Pelosi knows. LAUREN'S GOOD READS Mike Bloomberg: Florida (gambling) man   Meet the resistance socialites   The future of American skiing lives in a New Jersey mall   I will live forever (as a hologram)   OG Wiggles to the rescue! MUSICAL INTERLUDE Can't get enough of Post Animal's latest, "Fitness." TITLE CHANGE! Pete Buttigieg's title has changed, slightly. He's now *former* Mayor Pete.   Buttigieg's term as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, ended at the beginning of the new year, when his successor was sworn in on January 1.   Buttigieg was first elected mayor of South Bend at age 29 and served two terms before announcing he wouldn't seek reelection in late 2018. He announced his presidential bid on April 15, 2019. LAUREN'S CAMPAIGN TRAIL LATEST     Michael Bloomberg: Will spend an estimated $10 million on an advertisement airing during the Super Bowl.   Elizabeth Warren: Rolled out a new plan on bankruptcy that takes a direct shot at Joe Biden.   Pete Buttigieg: Will participate in his second Fox News town hall on January 26.   HOW THE IOWA CAUCUSES ACTUALLY WORK Why does Iowa get to vote first in 2020? Chris explains it all in the newest of The Point's YouTube episodes. Subscribe!  ONE BIG RECOMMENDATION 6 The maximum number of months in jail Michael Flynn should be sentenced to for lying to the FBI, prosecutors say. Flynn will be formally sentenced on January 28. You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Unsubscribe from this list Check out other CNN Newsletters Share the Point Newsletter Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski. You can follow Chris and Lauren on Twitter and connect with The Point on: Our mailing address is: One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303 Copyright © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., All rights reserved.