| | | | 'I just don't see a pathway forward' |  | | On this, the 20th day of the partial government shutdown, all hope was lost.
At least for Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. Graham is a surprisingly strong ally of President Donald Trump, but also someone with a demonstrated track record of working across the aisle.
"I see no way forward," Graham told CNN's Sarah Mucha Thursday afternoon after the collapse of the skeleton of a deal he was working on with a handful of other GOP senators. "I was hopeful last night, not hopeful today."
Graham's public frustration -- and dejection -- was a common theme on Capitol Hill on Thursday. With less than 24 hours remaining before this shutdown eclipses the 1995-1996 shutdown as the longest in modern political history, it appears as though the two sides were further away than at any point since the government closed its doors late last year.
Trump spent the day blasting away at Democrats' alleged recalcitrance and hinting strongly that he planned to declare the US southern border a national emergency if no compromise with Democrats could be reached. He did all this while traveling to Texas for a visit at the border that he himself had told reporters off-the-record would do no good earlier in the week.
Later Thursday, Graham said Trump should just go around Democrats to fund his wall. "It is time for President Trump to use emergency powers to fund the construction of a border wall/barrier," Graham said in a statement.
Democrats, on the other hand, held fast to their consistent position: Trump should agree to reopen the government -- and then they would talk about border security. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been adamant throughout this shutdown that Democrats will listen to no proposal that includes money for a border wall.
Which leaves us, well, absolutely nowhere. And with no votes expected in the Senate Friday, there won't even be the possibility of any real movement until next Tuesday or so.
"This is like a circus," Republican Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby told CNN on Wednesday. So say we all.
The Point: Settle in. This shutdown might be measured in months, not weeks.
-- Chris | | "And I find China, frankly, in many ways, to be far more honorable than Cryin' Chuck and Nancy. I really do."
-- President Donald Trump on his ongoing negotiations with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, which clearly aren't going well. Chris tallies 28 other outrageous Trump lines from today's scrum on the White House lawn. | | | MEET YOUR CONGRESS: CAROL MILLER | | West Virginia Rep. Carol Miller is in an incredibly unique position: She's the sole freshman Republican woman elected to the US House of Representatives this year.
In November, the Trump-backed Miller beat Democrat Richard Ojeda (who is now running for president). The small-business owner and bison farmer shares with Lauren why she believes the country needs a border wall, the importance of values and her love of pie.
Lauren Dezenski: In five words, describe how you felt being sworn in.
Carol Miller: Honor, accountability, respect, humbling and family.
LD: What's your top priority in your first term?
CM: Fighting for important issues like diversifying our economy, creating new jobs, developing our infrastructure, protecting our borders, and supporting West Virginia's energy industries like coal, oil and natural gas.
LD: What's your expectation on what happens with the current partial government shutdown?
CM: We must come to an agreement to fund our government and build a border wall to keep our country safe. We have a crisis at the border and it's too important an issue to play politics over.
LD: What was your biggest lesson from your campaign?
CM: Always stick to your values. Many people give you advice, but at the end of the day you have to stay true to who you are.
LD: Do you have a favorite pump-up song? What is it?
CM: It all depends on the day -- anything from Rocky or Gnarls Barkley to old-school R&B or classics like "Phantom of the Opera."
LD: Tell me about your favorite food from your district.
CM: I try to eat healthy, like a salad from The Fuel Counter, but never turn down a slice of pie from Shonet's or Jim's.
The House member interviews are still rolling! Is there someone we should talk to from your district? Email lauren.dezenski@cnn.com with your suggestions -- and thanks to all of you who have already reached out! | |  | 5 Democrats who can make Trump's life miserable | | With Democrats now in control of the House of Representatives, a new batch of leaders and committee chairs has the potential to make life miserable for the Trump administration.
Hey! You there! Have you subscribed to The Point on YouTube yet? | | | Lauren just discovered Charlie Burg's "Instead of My Room" and is hoping the song's serious Vampire Weekend vibes can tide her over until their new album is out (seriously, where is it?!). | |  | | Today's topic: It turns out that Mexico is NOT cutting us a check for the wall. | | Mark it down: February 7 🗓🖋
That's the day Michael Cohen has agreed to publicly testify before the House Oversight Committee -- the first move by House Democrats, newly in the majority, to bring in someone formerly in Trumpworld and tied to Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.
And President Trump has already weighed in.
"No, I'm not worried about it at all," Trump said during a stop on the border, in answer to a reporter's question. | | Jay Inslee: The Washington governor mulling a presidential bid is headed to New Hampshire for a fundraiser and a pair of public events later this month.
Kirsten Gillibrand: The New York senator is reportedly looking at the upstate city of Troy, New York, as a base for her 2020 presidential campaign -- if she runs.
Beto O'Rourke: Got his teeth cleaned on Instagram live (seriously). More on that from CNN's Eric Bradner below ⬇️⬇️⬇️ | |
A DENTIST APPOINTMENT WITH 2020 IMPLICATIONS | | Beto O'Rourke's live-streamed dentist visit today wasn't just about the importance of flossing, CNN's Eric Bradner tells us:
"Beto O'Rourke set Twitter ablaze late this morning when he Instagrammed videos of himself at the dentist's office getting his teeth cleaned. Gross, I know. But there's a strategy behind it.
"The biggest conundrum facing Democrats in 2020 is finding a way out of the box Trump's incendiary presidency puts them in. Every day, they'll have to decide between responding forcefully to Trump (and therefore getting dragged into a fight on the President's terms), or ignoring Trump and staying on message (but being ignored).
"O'Rourke is showing them a third option. Without spending money, talking to reporters or going on TV, he got everyone to tell a story in his frame -- not Trump's.
"Lately, the story O'Rourke has been telling on social media is of life on the border. There was this walk from Ciudad Juarez to El Paso and this one from the El Paso side. This conversation in Spanish with women seeking asylum. This video about the geography of the border. This chat with close friends about the safety of their border city, where he showed views of Mexico from the hilly streets of El Paso.
"This morning's Instagram video started with a close-up of Beto's teeth. But what followed were six more short videos featuring his dental hygienist, Diana, discussing having a mother from Mexico and a father from the United States: 'It's a beautiful community. We all support each other. We love each other. And it's not what everybody else thinks, sadly, about us. It's actually a wonderful place to live and grow up,' she said.
"It was the story O'Rourke wanted to tell, from his point of view -- not Trump's. And that, as Chris and Lauren say, was The Point." | | | | | | |
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