The Point: What Mitch McConnell is betting on

View this email in your browser   October 4, 2021  | by Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski What Mitch McConnell is betting on  Two weeks out from a dangerous debt default with broad consequences for the American economy, Mitch McConnell isn't budging.   "Republicans' position is simple," wrote the Senate minority leader in a public letter to President Joe Biden on Monday. "We have no list of demands. For two and a half months, we have simply warned that since your party wishes to govern alone, it must handle the debt limit alone as well."   Biden stormed against that view Monday afternoon, insisting that Republican recalcitrance at helping to pay for debts rung up under former President Donald Trump was the height of irresponsibility.   "Republicans say they will not do their part to avoid this needless calamity," Biden said. "So be it. But they need to stop playing Russian roulette with the US economy." And Biden -- rightly -- noted that Democrats had voted with Republicans several times during the Trump years to raise the debt limit.   So what is McConnell doing? Simple: playing politics.   McConnell knows -- he's a very smart dude -- that his party's current stance on the debt limit is utterly hypocritical.    But what he's betting on is this: Democrats control the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Knowing that, voters will put blame on Democrats if the debt ceiling isn't raised.   That's the calculation McConnell is making -- that complete opposition to anything and everything that happens in Washington between now and November 2022 will best position Republicans to retake the House and Senate majorities.   What McConnell is banking on is that total Democratic ownership of power up and down Pennsylvania Avenue means that they have to answer for every single negative thing that comes out of the nation's capital -- from the social safety net legislation to the debt ceiling.   The Point: Cynical? Yes. Purely political? Yes. But, as is often the case with McConnell, also potentially very effective in terms of election outcomes.   -- Chris QUOTE OF THE DAY "Breaking up with the Democratic Party feels like the right thing to do because I believe I can have a greater impact this way." -- Andrew Yang, who unsuccessfully sought the 2020 presidential nomination and the New York mayoralty as a Democrat, said Monday in registering as an independent. MONDAY'S MUST-SEE TWEETS 1. So that's a "no" 2. Wait, Christmas is in jeopardy? 3. A good new ad in the Virginia gov race 4. Solid trolling by Twitter here 5. Ryan Zimmerman: all class CHRIS' GOOD READS The great Mark Z. Barabak of the Los Angeles Times absolutely nails the most important storyline of all the Kyrsten Sinema drama: This is good for her politics back in Arizona.   The Facebook whistleblower goes public. And she does so in the Wall Street Journal, which has broken numerous stories on the social media giant thanks to her information. Covid is in retreat. Finally. The New York Times' David Leonhardt explains the numbers and why there is reason for optimism.   Sally Jenkins in The Washington Post perfectly summed up my feelings watching the Bucs-Patriots game: It was way awkward. MUSICAL INTERLUDE Think you know all there is to know about Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters"? Think again. This cover of the song by Mon Laferte will blow your mind. TRUMP'S MESSAGE TO DESANTIS Donald Trump may be waiting to announce his (seemingly inevitable) run for his old office in 2024 but he's already sending a warning shot at a potential rival for the nomination: Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, Chris writes. What did he say? "If I faced him, I'd beat him like I would beat everyone else," Trump told Yahoo Finance about the possibility of facing DeSantis. "I think most people would drop out, I think he would drop out." Why did he say it? Trump is sending a very clear shot across DeSantis' bow, making sure the newest and biggest star in the national Republican firmament knows that he can't possibly hope to beat the former President -- and shouldn't even try. ONE CONCERNING TALLY 19 Nineteen states have passed 33 news laws this year that make it harder to vote, according to an updated analysis released Monday by the liberal Brennan Center for Justice. You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Unsubscribe from this list Check out other CNN Newsletters Create your CNN Account Share the Point Newsletter Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox.   Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski. You can follow Chris and Lauren on Twitter and connect with The Point on: Our mailing address is: One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303   Copyright © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., All rights reserved.

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