Politics Daily

The Atlantic Politics & Policy Daily: Eulogy for a President

The funeral for former President George H. W. Bush, who died Friday at the age of 94, was held Wednesday at the Washington National Cathedral.

By Madeleine Carlisle, Olivia Paschal, and Elaine Godfrey
Former President George W. Bush fights back tears as he speaks during the State Funeral for his father, former President George H.W. Bush, at the National Cathedral in Washington. (Evan Vucci / AP)

Written by Madeleine Carlisle (@maddiecarlisle2), Olivia Paschal (@oliviacpaschal), and Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey).

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Today in 5 Lines

  • The funeral for former President George H. W. Bush, who died Friday at the age of 94, was held Wednesday at the Washington National Cathedral. Several former lawmakers gave eulogies at the funeral, including former President—and eldest son—George W. Bush.

  • The GOP-controlled Wisconsin state legislature passed measures to limit the powers of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general.

  • Faced with 100 lawsuits from former team doctor Larry Nassar's sexual-assault victims, USA Gymnastics has declared bankruptcy.

  • A U.K. parliamentary committee released hundreds of documents as evidence that Facebook cut deals with app developers in exchange for more access to data. Facebook said that the documents are misleading.

  • Global carbon emissions are projected to reach the highest levels in recorded history by the end of 2018, according to an annual report released by the international research group The Global Carbon Project.

Today on The Atlantic

  • ‘Significance and Usefulness’: In a highly anticipated sentencing memo filed Tuesday night, Special Counsel Robert Mueller offered a warning to current and future witnesses involved in the Russia investigation. (Natasha Bertrand)

  • In Case of Emergency: When a president declares a state of emergency, many of the constitutional limits on his or her power go out the window. In the latest issue of The Atlantic magazine, Elizabeth Goitein asks what President Trump could do with more power.

  • The Parties Are Asymmetrical: The Democratic Party is too ideologically and ethnically diverse to support a Democratic version of Donald Trump, argues Adam Serwer.

  • Separate Sovereignty: Can state and federal governments simultaneously sentence a person for the same crime? Garrett Epps breaks down the latest case facing the Supreme Court.

  • Designed to Win: For years, the Democratic Party has lacked a coherent climate strategy. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal aims to change that. (Robinson Meyer)

Snapshot

President Donald Trump; Melania Trump, the first lady; former President Barack Obama; Michelle Obama, the former first lady; former President Bill Clinton; and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listen during the funeral for former President George H. W. Bush at the Washington National Cathedral. (Alex Brandon / AP)

What We’re Reading

They’re Running!: No fewer than 30 people might run in the Democratic presidential primary. Damon Linker lays out seven categories of potential candidates. (The Week)

‘A Legend in Our Caucus’: California Representative Barbara Lee is a progressive icon—and soon, she’ll be part of House Democratic leadership. (Ella Nilsen, Vox)

Trump’s Mirror Image: Richard Ojeda, the fiery West Virginia Democrat who lost his House race but outperformed Hillary Clinton in his district by 30 points, is running for president. Could he tap into the left’s populist impulses? (Hunter Derensis, The American Conservative)

Inside the Machine: A North Carolina man faces serious allegations of absentee-ballot fraud. BuzzFeed News investigates the developing scandal. (Brianna Sacks and Otillia Steadman)

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