This newsletter is called the “Wide World of News,” and the first three letters of “news” are “n,” “e,” and “w,” and I am professionally obligated in any given news cycle to tell you when there is no new news, and to thus declare the moment a moment of status quo.
To paraphrase the bromide, in our fast-moving world, no news is no news.
On the war, European leaders are still dropping into Kyiv to show support for the Ukrainian people, Tom Friedman is still marveling at (and explaining) the failures of Putin’s attack, the foreign policy establishment across the board is calling for the West to aid Zelensky in whatever ways necessary to win, and the Biden administration says President Biden doesn’t always speak for the Biden administration.
On Joe Biden’s political health, his team is still putting forward the premise that a couple of short out-and-back presidential events a week can turn around the Democratic Party’s fortunes (while Karl Rove is still skeptical), and Quinnipiac still has the Biden job approval rating (33%) significantly below the average of averaging lots of different polls on the matter.
On the economy, red-hot demand is still driving some of the inflation (including for air travel), Jamie Dimon is still doomsaying in that now-familiar Dimonesque manner, Steve Rattner is still doomsaying in that now-familiar Rattnerian manner (and, truly, trying to help his friends in the White House see the error of their ways, past, present, and future), and the White House economic team still seems two or three beats behind where the arc of the narrative is at any given moment.
On the pandemic, Team Biden is still torn about running through the tape, arms outstretched in victory – or doing things like keeping the mask mandates for travel in place.
The White House’s relationship with the Secret Service remains fraught (with potential implications still for the Hunter Biden saga).
We still don’t know the motive of the Brooklyn subway shooter.
Ron DeSantis still hasn’t met a fight he doesn’t want to have.
Democrats are still concerned about Senator Feinstein’s capacity to serve. (Ok, this one is a bit new….and newsy…)
Iowa might still lose its place in the Democrats’ 2024 presidential nominating queue.
So I will see you tomorrow…with new news.
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