The note: Trump frees Democrats from political traps



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Taking with Rick Klein

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This could well be the week of the most productive infrastructure to date. Nothing has been built, but something big has exploded.

Moving away from the negotiating table, President Donald Trump tried to punish the Democrats by ending the debate on a major package of infrastructure, which they support in principle.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump talks about the investigation of Robert Muellers in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 22, 2019 in Washington.
Mark Wilson / Getty Images
President Donald Trump talks about Robert Mueller's investigation into the Rose Garden of the White House on May 22, 2019 in Washington.

But the president has indeed imploded his own political agenda for the next year and a half. Infrastructure, immigration, trade agreements, any chance to take a step ahead of health policy – all this disappears into the political quagmire.

"You probably can not go two ways," warned Congress leaders on Wednesday.

Given this choice, Democrats would gladly choose to investigate the president rather than working with an unpredictable partner whom they consider untrustworthy. The possibilities of working with Trump were, and are, littered with potential pitfalls for Democratic legislators.

The president may think he missed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, but she once again got out of uncomfortable internal conversations and found a solid political ground for the Democrats: opposition to Trump.

The RUNDOWN with MaryAlice Parks

It was always difficult to pass big bills with this divided government, which has felt particularly toxic and dysfunctional lately, even for Washington.

Nevertheless, part of the Democrats' concern with investigations and surveillance was that they would not be able to talk about their own politics and government ideas before the presidential election.

Fortunately for them, 23 people came to the rescue. The deluge of presidential candidates in the 2020 presidential election, who all seem willing to try to oppose each other to a political proposal, means that, for the moment, Democrats have coverage.

The candidates for the primary race bring a serious wonk factor, with new positions and action plans deployed almost daily. The level of detail and nuance is different from what we normally see at this point.

It may be the overcrowded domain that is leading this "political" arms race, perhaps these particular candidates or a demand from voters, but whether Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, have not as much time to talk about health care, their party get help from those presidential candidates who do it.

PHOTO: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer hold a press conference at Capitol Hill, Washington on May 22, 2019, following a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer hold a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 22, 2019, following a meeting with the President of the United States. United States, Donald Trump, at the White House.

The TIP with Adam Kelsey

From time to time, a vote at Capitol Hill is important enough that presidential candidates will not drag in the background and reject their previously scheduled campaign plans. This is the case Thursday for Sens. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, who each postponed their travels to Iowa – Booker, one day; Harris, entirely – in favor of staying in Washington to vote on a long-standing disaster relief funding bill.

And while former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Washington Governor Jay Inslee will join McDonald's Strike Workers & # 39; In Illinois, North Carolina and Iowa, Booker and Senator Bernie Sanders will have to support remote rallies. of the capital of the nation.

This is a trap for Senators who may want to follow their jobless rivals, such as former Vice President Joe Biden and former Beto representative O & # Rourke, or the mayors and governors of the race who set their own calendars, but feel that they can not abandon legislation that is closely monitored. And, in this case, it's a package of help that could directly benefit Iowans hit by record floods and caucus early in 2020.

Ironically, the congressional inactivity that could result from Wednesday's White House deadlock between the president and Democratic leaders could help Washington's 2020 strategy candidates play the role of mediocre while 39, they continue to promote themselves for the Trump position.

PHOTO: Senators Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Left, and Cory Booker, DN.J., members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, arrive at the chamber for final vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh , Capitol Hill, Washington, DC October 6, 2018.
AP, FILE
Senators Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Left, and Cory Booker, DN.J., members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, arrive at the chamber for the final vote to confirm Supreme Court candidate Brett Kavanaugh at Capitol Building, Washington, October 6, 2018.

THE PLAYLIST

The podcast "Start here" from ABC News. The Thursday morning episode features Jonathan Karl, White House correspondent for the White House, and Mary Bruce, senior congressional correspondent at ABC News, describing Trump's response to the President's "cover-up" comments. from the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and what will follow between the White House and Congress. http://apple.co/2HPocUL

The podcast "Powerhouse Politics" ABC News. Chief Legal Analyst, Dan Abrams, questions the potential spinoffs of Democrats in the House who initiate impeachment investigations, claiming that it would be "unprecedented" to use them as "missions." d & # 39; investigation. " He also speaks with ABC News Policy Director Rick Klein and Congressional Correspondent Mary Bruce about his new book, "Theodore Roosevelt for Defense: The Battle in the Hearing Room." to save his inheritance. " https://apple.co/23r5y7w

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY & # 39;

  • President Donald Trump meets with Secretary of Energy Rick Perry at 11 am and delivers a speech on "Supporting American Farmers and Raisers" at 3:15 pm at the White House.
  • What 2020 candidates must do: Former Representative John Delaney, Senator Cory Booker and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio are in Iowa; Washington Governor Jay Inslee is in Chicago; the former Massachusetts governor, Bill Weld, is in New Hampshire; the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Julian Castro, is in North Carolina; and the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, attends a Washington Post Live event starting at 9 am

    Download the ABC News app and select "The Note" as an item of interest to receive the most cutting-edge political analysis each day of the week.

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