"Who wants the New York Times opinion pages to turn into the New York Times agreement pages?" Politico's Jack Schafer traces the origins of a legendary op-ed page and argues that it never intended to be a "safe space" for progressives.
Politico Magazine: Why Claire McCaskill is Holding Her Fire
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/30/claire-mccaskill-senate-dems-2018-215556
“Our country does its best work in the center.” Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) is navigating the Trump era by listening to the voices of rural voters who put him in office.
The Hill: Trump, America still needs this monument to nonpartisanship
Former Reps. Lee Hamilton (D-IN) and Ralph Regula (R- OH) criticize the potential cut to funding of the Wilson Center,an institution they argue has been “a catalyst for getting Washington working together on pressing security matters.”
The Washington Post: Rural Divide
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/national/rural-america/?utm_term=.dde517b05bbd
A Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation survey finds nearly 7 out of 10 rural American residents believe their values differ from those of people living in big cities.
The Atlantic: What Would It Take for Democrats and Republicans to Work Together?
“The crisis that triggers bipartisan action, with both parties concerned about the national interest, would be Trump's reckless leadership.” Julian Zelizer sits down with fellow historian Morton Keller to consider whether we might be about to break up the partisan logjam.
Quotes from CtK.Campfire 2
“I will never approach my work the same way after this weekend.”
Ashley Allison, Senior Adviser, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
"You’ve got a Sessions attorney and an undocumented immigrant in the same room.”
Cameron Smith, VP and General Counsel for the R Street Institute
“You represent what my son could have been capable of. You’re that legacy. Don’t squander it please.”
Lori Brewer Collins, Founder and President of Cultivate the Karass
Quotes on Loyal Antagonists
“A loyal antagonist is trying to clear a path forward instead of just talking about the past.”
Tim Cameron, former Chief Digital Strategist at the National Republican Senatorial Committee
“If you want to be educated, then become a true student.”
Ashley Allison, Senior Adviser, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
“That was the first conversation I’ve ever had with an undocumented person.”
Tim Cameron, former Chief Digital Strategist at the National Republican Senatorial Committee
The New York Times: Shaken by Harvey, Congress Might Try Something New: Bipartisanship
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/03/us/congress-hurricane-harvey-aid-bipartisanship.html
Congress is unusually united in the effort to aid victims of Hurricane Harvey. Will this collaboration carry over into debates over health care, immigration, and taxes?
USA Today: Can Arizona’s John McCain and Jeff Flake change the U.S. Senate?
A way forward for the Senate is clear: it’s bipartisanship.
The New York Times: “I’m a White Man. Hear me out.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/12/opinion/sunday/identity-politics-white-men.html
“You must understand my experience, and you can’t understand my experience.” Frank Bruni cites Columbia University professor Mark Lilla in this essay on how identity politics hurt efforts to connect across class, race, and party lines.