The Morning Dispatch: A Clunker of a Democratic Debate

Plus, Justin Amash asks: "Is there any better time to have a president who might be not from either party?"

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Happy Wednesday! Yesterday, for the first time ever, all 11 Dispatch staff were in the same room at the same time. We traveled from distant lands—Tennessee, Ohio, northeastern D.C.—to be together and map out all the great things we plan to build in the coming months and years (plus lots of trust falls, three-legged races, and other team-building exercises).

Quick Hits: What You Need To Know

  • The House of Representatives will vote on sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate today.

  • At the same time, House Democrats continue to release new information related to President Trump and Rudy Giuliani’s campaign in Ukraine, including evidence suggesting that Giuliani associates were tracking the movements of then-ambassador Marie Yovanovitch early last year as their campaign to have her ousted ramped up.

  • The Senate is expected to pass a Democratic war powers resolution disapproving of further military action in Iran, which President Trump will likely veto.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Ryan Woods

    We Stros fans can admit we screwed up. What our team did was indeed egregious. Like, probably deserving of a Billy Goat and/or Bartman curse kind of egregious (you can't have Bregman & Alvarez but maybe we'll consider the wiffle ball bats option).

    But seriously, the whole clubhouse should be repenting with sackcloth and ashes. Passan has a point in that a culture-change is needed within the organization. In fact, Crane might want to consider cleaning house even more, considering how deep this scandal seems to have gone.

    Of course, forgiveness is hard to come by among baseball fans who love to hold grudges. Then again, hardly anyone is talking about the steroid era anymore, which was not really that long ago. Maybe people will forget and move on after the next scandal rolls around in a few years. We're talking about the MLB, after all.

    In the meantime, I will try to hold on to the memories of how despite this gross scandal and its tainting effect on their title, the 2017 Astros brought joy to a community that had just been demolished by Hurricane Harvey.

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    1. Avatar photostaff-badge-circle
      Declan Garvey staff-badge Staff

      Think that's a great perspective to have. I struggled with similar feelings when the Cubs traded for Aroldis Chapman/kept Addison Russell around. Hard to reconcile fandom with something you know is wrong.

      Certainly seems like the Astros weren't alone in sign-stealing too, but their preceding reputation might have led Manfred to throw the book at them when he otherwise might not have.

      I *do* think the Cubs deserve Bregman and Alvarez though...

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  2. Avatar photo
    Kevin Durant?

    Can we please make it illegal to utter the phrase:

    “Nobody is above the law”

    Also, would that be a paradox or irony if you went to prison for saying “Nobody is above the law”?

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      Paul Montagu

      I say no, but at least a misdemeanor for the Clintonesque “he’s not below the law either!”

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  3. Ann G

    2016 would probably have been the best time for a president not from either party. With no credible third party on the horizon, it looks like all we get are some adjustments to the present parties for the near future presidential elections.

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  4. Avatar photo
    Pat Riot

    Combined with Trump's statement that "she is going to go through some things" you can theorize that they were prepared to remove Yovanovitch by whatever means necessary. Presumably somebody informed Trump he could just fire her and they would be able to weather the storm (which turned out to be *wrong*, which is scary for the next time Trump hatches one of these schemes--he could go "full measure" next time).

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    1. Avatar photo
      Pat Riot

      In seeing Parnas's testimony, I would judge this issue to be closed. Thank god.

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  5. Avatar photo
    Paul Montagu

    At the very least, CNN should bench Ms. Phillip for her horrendous "follow-up" question to Ms. Warren. You could see Bernie shaking his head after she asked it, with good reason.
    Ms. Warren unintentionally revealed her character when she didn't shake Bernie's hand. The woman has a vindictive streak.

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  6. Avatar photo
    Kevin Durant?

    “By design, it’ll be a boring affair, for the simple reason that the Republican Party has grown perfectly predictable.”
    ———————————
    As opposed to the savvy nuanced assemblage of thoughtful operators in the Democratic party...

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  7. Avatar photo
    Dave IL

    "They aren’t allowed to use signs at all." That's hilarious!

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    1. Avatar photostaff-badge-circle
      Declan Garvey staff-badge Staff

      What comes around goes around!

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  8. Avatar photo
    Rob W

    One vote for shipping Alvarez and Bregman to the Cubs!

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    1. Avatar photostaff-badge-circle
      Declan Garvey staff-badge Staff

      I think it's only fair!!

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