This week, President @realDonaldTrump continued to hold the federal government hostage, in a seemingly futile effort to get Democrats to agree to fund the border wall that Mexico was supposed to pay for.
While hundreds of thousands of government employees are forced to work for free, Trump—who may or may not be working on behalf of Russia (spoiler: he is)—has tried (unsuccessfully) to make the case that there's a crisis at the Southern border—one that he alone can fix.
To that end, he has employed the bully pulpit, photo-ops, and his purported skills as a dealmaker, all to no avail.
Inspired by his authoritarian idols, Trump has even gone so far as to threaten to take the unprecedented step of declaring a "national emergency"—a move that would bring him closer to realizing his goal of becoming a dictator.
During his first two years in office, Trump has eroded a lot of institutional norms—but if he were to succeed in this latest gambit, it might very well be time to say "bye bye" to democracy itself.
Morning lineup:
Meet the Press: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA); Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX); Michael Schmidt (New York Times); Benjamin Wittes (Lawfare); Roundtable: TBA.
Face The Nation: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA); Former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson; Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro; Roundtable: Michael Crowley (Politico), Jeffrey Goldberg (The Atlantic), David Nakamura (Washington Post) & Seung Min Kim (Washington Post).
This Week: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL); Rp.Steve Scalise (R-LA); Former Rep. John Delaney (D-MD); Roundtable: Jonathan Karl (ABC News), Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), Former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Alicia Menendez (PBS) & Reihan Salam (National Review).
Fox News Sunday: Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE); Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Roundtable: Republican Strategist Karl Rove (Fox News), Former Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), Republican Strategist Josh Holmes & Juan Williams (Fox News).
State of the Union: Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA); Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI); NYCMayor Bill de Blasio (D); Roundtable: S.E. Cupp (CNN), Democratic Strategist Karen Finney, Former Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) & Republican Strategist Scott Jennings.
Evening lineup:
60 Minutes will feature: an interview with Kai-Fu Lee, a pioneer in artificial intelligence and venture capitalist based in China (preview); and, an interview with blind architect Chris Downey (preview).
Late night shows:
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Monday: Actress Allison Williams; Actor Ryan Eggold; Actor Sam Richardson; Musician Jason McGerr.
Tuesday: Actor James McAvoy; Actress J D'Arcy Carden; Comedian Janelle James; Musician Jason McGerr.
Wednesday: Actor/Comedian Jim Gaffigan; Actress Frankie Shaw; Rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie; Musician Jason McGerr.
Thursday: TV Host Michael Strahan; Magicians Penn & Teller; Musician Jason McGerr.
Friday: TBA.
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Monday: Actor Derek Waters; Tuesday: Writer Tressie McMillan Cottom; Wednesday: Actor Keegan-Michael Key; Thursday: Actor Don Cheadle.
Elsewhere...
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) wondered when it became racist to be a white supremacist.
"White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?" King asked the New York Times in an interview published on Thursday. "Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?"
In the New York Times interview, King reiterated that he was not a racist. He told the newspaper his Twitter account demonstrated how he frequently welcomed constituents of all backgrounds to his Washington office, which once showcased a Confederate flag. But the Iowa Republican said he wanted immigrants to assimilate with "the culture of America."
"It's true that like the Founding Fathers I am an advocate for Western Civilization's values, and that I profoundly believe that America is the greatest tangible expression of these ideals the World has ever seen," he wrote. "Under any fair political definition, I am simply a Nationalist. America's values are expressed in our founding documents, they are attainable by everyone and we take pride that people of all races, religions, and creeds from around the globe aspire to achieve them. I am dedicated to keeping America this way."
Meanwhile...
Donald Trump Jr. left no question that he's a racist.
Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday compared immigrants to zoo animals in a controversial Instagram post regarding the wall his father wants to build along the US-Mexico border.
Trump Jr.'s post said, "You know why you can enjoy a day at the zoo? Because walls work."
A spokesman for Trump Jr. defended his Instagram post and said he was simply advocating for safety.
"Don's post was strictly about illustrating the danger and violence that comes with unsecured borders, a danger I may add that far too many angel moms know too well," the spokesman told INSIDER on Wednesday. "Anyone insinuating otherwise is simply attempting to create a phony controversy out of thin air to distract from Don's point that walls equal safety."
Lock him up!
– Trix