Everything now must be evaluated in terms of how it affects the odds of defeating Trump in 2020. Consider two nuggets from this Politico piece today.

Important piece by Politico. I’ve posted links to it twice today, but I’ve decided to pull out particularly important points as well. 1/14

‘This is risky’: Trump’s thirst for Mueller revenge could land him in troubleTeam Trump’s bellicose tweets and public statements in the last few days could expose the president to fresh charges of witness intimidation and obstruction of justice.https://politi.co/2Ps87Vn

Trump’s actions since the release of the Mueller Report provide further evidence of obstruction of justice. But the only remedy for that is impeachment and conviction (removal by the Senate) and that isn’t going to happen. 2/14

So Trump has decided that he has nothing to lose and everything to gain by stonewalling and trying to run out the clock. 3/14

(There will be no quick resolution for any of his stonewalling, but some issues will get resolved, and in favor of the House, sooner than others.) 4/14

But beyond that there are the two outstanding points. They are important because they underline the supreme importance of viewing everything now in terms of how it helps or hurts the odds of defeating Trump in 2020. 5/14

First, consider this footnote taken from Mueller’s Report: 6/14

and Politico’s comment on it: 7/14

Second, let us consider and take to heart these comments by Republican Michael Caputo: 8/14

Caputo is right about the dangers of the “briar patch strategy” (fortunately, House Dems are not taking the bait), but Caputo also goes on to say: 9/14

“Risky opportunity” is an extreme understatement, in significant part because the polling data (Reuters/Ipsos and Daily Consult) shows clearly that Caputo is dead wrong to think that the Resistance and the investigations have “crumbled into rubble.” 10/14

If the Dems continue to keep their heads about them, they can deliver a body blow to Trump through the HEARINGS. 11/14

Republicans in Congress have lashed themselves to the Trumpian mast and have no choice now but to to stick with him, even if that increases the likelihood that they will go down with him in the next election. 12/14

So Trump isn’t worried about Congress. He IS worried about 2020 — and he should be. The news for him recently in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and other Midwestern states, and Florida should have him terrified. 13/14

And his approval rating nationwide is at 39–42% — well within the death zone. And it can only get worse for him — IF we play our cards right. 14/14