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Week In The News: Roger Stone Arrested, Shutdown Week 5, 2020 Presidential Candidates

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Roger Stone speaks to reporters after speaking at the American Priority Conference in Washington, Thursday Dec. 6, 2018. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)
Roger Stone speaks to reporters after speaking at the American Priority Conference in Washington, Thursday Dec. 6, 2018. (Jose Luis Magana/AP)

With David Folkenflik

Roger Stone indicted. Another missed paycheck for federal workers, and another week of missing federal services. The 2020 Democratic field grows. The roundtable takes up the week that was.

Guests

Sen. Michael Bennet, Democratic senator for Colorado. He serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee. (@SenatorBennet)

Sahil Kapur, national political reporter for Bloomberg Politics. (@sahilkapur)

Darlene Superville, White House reporter, Associated Press. (@dsupervilleap)

Jack Beatty, On Point news analyst. (@JackBeattyNPR)

From The Reading List

Politico: "Roger Stone arrested following Mueller indictment" — "Roger Stone, a longtime aide and confidant of President Donald Trump, was arrested Friday by the FBI after being indicted for allegations he lied to and obstructed the House Intelligence Committee's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

"The seven-count indictment suggests Stone misled lawmakers on the committee about his efforts to communicate with Wikileaks and his contacts with the Trump campaign. It also alleges he attempted to intimidate another witness: radio host Randy Credico, who was in contact with Wikileaks head Julian Assange in 2016.

"Special counsel Robert Mueller's office said Stone was arrested Friday morning and will make an appearance at 11 a.m. at the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale. A Washington D.C. grand jury approved the indictment Thursday."

Bloomberg: "Donald Who? Democrats Ignore President While Launching 2020 Bids" — "Donald Trump is an all-consuming force in American politics, yet the leading Democratic presidential contenders so far are choosing to mostly ignore the president as they launch their campaigns.

"Three top-tier 2020 hopefuls, Senators Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren, skipped talking about the man who fires up the Democratic base when they recently announced bids for their party’s nomination. For others who’ve announced or are considering runs, the president is at most a bit player in their pitches.

"The president’s absence from Democratic campaign rhetoric reflects a mix of Trump fatigue among some progressives and the more urgent need for candidates to distinguish themselves in a crowd of potentially more than a dozen contenders."

Associated Press: "Shutdown hits home for Trump; he lives in government housing" — "The partial government shutdown is hitting home for President Donald Trump in a very personal way. He lives in government-run housing, after all.

"Just 21 of the roughly 80 people who help care for the White House — from butlers to electricians to chefs — are reporting to work. The rest have been furloughed.

"Even so, the shutdown doesn't mean Trump is making his own bed or emptying the trash on the second floor of the White House, where he and the first lady live with their 12-year-old son, Barron.

"The pared-down White House residence staff typically still includes a butler and a chef. Basic housekeeping continues.

"But forget fresh flower arrangements from the White House florist — that's hardly considered an essential service."

New York Times: "Trump Says He’ll Delay Speech Until After Shutdown, as Democrats Draft Border Security Plan" — "President Trump said late Wednesday that he would deliver his State of the Union address once the federal government reopens, capping a day of brinkmanship with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who told the president that he was not welcome to deliver the speech in the House chamber while the government is partly closed.

"'As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address,' Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter shortly after 11 p.m., hours after he had said he would look for another venue for the speech. 'I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative - I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over.'

"The president’s seeming capitulation came even as House Democratic leaders said they were prepared to give him a substantial sum of money for border security — perhaps even the $5.7 billion he has requested — but not for a wall and not until he agreed to reopen the government. That figure is roughly double what Democrats had previously approved."

Anna Bauman produced this show for broadcast.

This program aired on January 25, 2019.

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