The Atlantic Daily: Liz Cheney Knew What She Was Doing
The Republican representative barely contested her ousting today. She’s plotting for a post-Trump GOP.
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House Republicans demonstrated their fidelity to the former president once again by ousting Liz Cheney from congressional party leadership. Cheney’s primary sin was continuing to condemn Trump’s election lies and the attack on the Capitol building perpetrated by his supporters.
In some ways, our reporters point out, today’s move is practical: A political party simply rejected being represented by someone whose beliefs didn’t match its mainstream ideology. And that ideology is loyalty to Trump.
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Liz Cheney broke the GOP’s cardinal rule. “Thou shalt not speak ill of Donald Trump” is the party’s new commandment, Russell Berman writes. (It’s still selectively enforced, he points out.)
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She has only herself to blame. “Cheney’s courageous stand against the party of Trump is a stand against a party she helped build, a monster she helped create,” Adam Serwer argues.
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The leading contender for her replacement bet big on Trump. Elise Stefanik, a 36-year-old representative from New York, continues to rise in the ranks. “The sky is really the limit for where Elise ends up,” the chair of the New York GOP told Russell last year.
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The new GOP is a threat to American democracy. Peter Wehner argues: “The Trump presidency might have been the first act in a longer and even darker political drama, in which the Republican Party is becoming more radicalized.”
One question, answered: Why are U.S. vaccinations slowing down?
Daily shots have fallen 50 percent from their April peak, our staff writer Derek Thompson reports. He considers three possible explanations for the trend:
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Blame the Johnson & Johnson pause.
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Blame the wall of vaccine hesitancy.
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Blame both: Vaccination rates were likely destined to slow down in May, but the J&J pause wiped out a great chance to convert the remaining vaccine skeptics.
What to read if ... you’re reflecting on Ellen DeGeneres’ 19-year run on daytime television as it comes to an end:
Last year, amid a scandal over the alleged mistreatment of workers on Ellen, our critic Spencer Kornhaber reflected on the comedian’s place in pop culture: “To look back over her career now is to wonder whether the secret, bitter ingredient in her success has been revealed.”
Today’s Atlantic-approved activity:
Looking for a new 30-minute TV series? Our critic Sophie Gilbert recommends Apple TV+’s Trying, a recent “installment in a glut of British sadcoms poking at tragedy within a comedic setup.”
A break from the news:
Pay no attention to that cat inside a box.
Every weekday evening, our editors guide you through the biggest stories of the day, help you discover new ideas, and surprise you with moments of delight. Subscribe to get this delivered to your inbox.