FACT: The most essential read in any “newspaper” today is David Ignatius’ column about the “two days of intense meetings Wednesday and Thursday between national security adviser Jake Sullivan and top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi,” where sources say the pair found common ground in searching to tone down the rhetoric and get off the pathways to open conflict between their nations.
FAQ:
Q. Do Joe Biden and Jake Sullivan think there’s political room during the runup to a presidential election to pursue détente with Red China, even as the Republicans continue their nonstop search for evidence that the administration is “soft” on the regime?
A. Yes and no. The White House will try to lay the groundwork now behind the scenes, and then seek public breakthroughs in 2025. The Biden thought bubble, borrowing a line from his old boss: “This is my last election ... After my election I have more flexibility.”
****
FACT: Mr. Zelensky’s European adventure continues, with the latest stop in the U.K.
Q. Has there been a world leader in memory more media savvy about how to meld stagecraft with soulcraft, while doing more with less?
A. Nope, nobody else comes close.
****
FACT: Nothing is decided until everything is decided in the White House-congressional fiscal talks, as in, via the Associated Press:
President Joe Biden and congressional leaders will likely resume talks on Tuesday at the White House over the debt limit, the president said Sunday, as the nation continues to edge closer to its legal borrowing authority with no agreement in sight.
FAQ:
Q. What is President Biden’s schedule this week?
A. The White House says this:
…but don’t you believe it. Brace for a shocking development that will seem like the end, but will only be the beginning of the start of the introduction of the end.
****
FACT: Team DeSantis, breathing a sigh of relief about the all-important “narrative” in its contest to reinforce the media and donor notion that this remains a competitive two-person race for the nomination, has some New Hampshire tricks up its collective sleeve, to build off its boffo Saturday in Iowa.
FAQ:
Q. Is it Trump’s move next or DeSantis’?
A. Yes.
****
FACT: Michelle Obama will never, ever, ever run for elective office, including and especially the White House in 2024, despite this fantabulist Douglas Schoen and Andrew Stein Wall Street Journal oped:
FAQ:
Q. If, despite the closing hedge of the piece (“The most likely 2024 scenario is that Mr. Biden will see his re-election bid through to the end, win or lose.”), the Democrats ultimately need another candidate, who are the four most likely replacements?
A. Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Josh Shapiro, and Other.
****
FACT: House Republicans, despite the surprisingly careful work they are doing on the twin Hunter Biden strands (the intel letter about the laptop and the “follow the money” element), will never break through politically until they can move this from a New York Post story to a Washington Post story – and convince the Dominant Media that “it” doesn’t have to be illegal to be problematic.
FAQ:
Q. What’s the biggest reason to think that there is a there there on all this?
A. Four-way tie: (1) the Air Force 2 flights; (2) the beach house; (3) the body language of certain Biden allies; (4) the already known facts.
****
FACT: After the Ignatius column, this New York Times story is the most essential read du jour:
FAQ:
Q. Is that badass real?
A. Watch this!
****
Hey, millionaires, billionaires, and other well-off, regular consumers of Wide World of News.
Please consider joining your many fellow readers who chose this last week to become financial supporters of my daily work.
You can subscribe here:
Or you can contribute the amount of your choice through one of these methods:
* Buy me a cocktail (at Austin prices….), tax and server tip included, by clicking here.
* Buy me a cup of coffee (or a week’s worth) by clicking here.
* Check. Send a simple email to markhalperintalk@gmail.com and ask where you can send a check.
• PayPal. markhalperinnyc@gmail.com
• Venmo. Mark-Halperin-4 (telephone number ends in x3226)
• Zelle. markhalperinnyc@gmail.com
Wide World of News has no ads, researchers, corporate or institutional backing, or safety net.
It’s just me here.
Thank you for your consideration.
Mark