![]() ![]() But think of MEADOWS much more like MIKE POMPEO than MICK MULVANEY or JOHN KELLY: He’s not going to lecture TRUMP, but he’ll work to try to channel his impulses into some version of reality. This is his fourth chief of staff in a little more three years. MUCH INK HAS BEEN SPILLED about the revolving door at the White House, and how it’s impossible to keep power in TRUMP’S White House. Will TRUMP view him as an aide in the White House who is there to serve him, or as a quasi-principal who still has independent power of his own? TRUMP viewed MEADOWS as the keeper of his creed on Capitol Hill - a man who controlled two dozen votes in the GOP majority, and thereby had veto power over almost anything TRUMP didn’t like. THERE ARE BIG QUESTIONS that need to be answered before understanding whether this is the right fit for MEADOWS. For example, MEADOWS was quite public with us for our book about the fight for the border wall: In his mind, it was the opening clash between NANCY PELOSI and TRUMP that would set the stage for the rest of his first term. MEADOWS, more than anything, understands Washington’s power games, how to play them to maximum impact and what they actually mean. ![]() His relationship with KEVIN MCCARTHY is, well, how to put this lightly? It’s complicated, but at this point it’s functional. MEADOWS has a relationship with STENY HOYER, which will be useful for him. But the late Baltimore Democrat saw MEADOWS for what he was: an operator who was open for business. That relationship is instructive of his across-the-aisle bonds. People make a lot of MEADOWS’ relationship with the widely respected ELIJAH CUMMINGS. PERHAPS MOST NOTABLY FOR TRUMP, he has relationships with Democrats. He understands the small tokens that can be distributed to win lawmakers’ support and loyalty - and can find his way to temporarily trading or loaning his ideology to achieve a larger end. Even people who don’t like him acknowledge his deep relationships in Washington, and his uncanny understanding of how the levers of power work. MEADOWS DOES HAVE considerable talents he can deploy here. And, to be fair, he has never managed a crisis like this, so he’s starting with quite the challenge staring him down. MEADOWS’ DETRACTORS - and, yes, there are some, mostly in the GOP - see this job as the ultimate moment that will finally reveal the North Carolina Republican as a top-notch fraud who couldn’t find his way out of a wet paper bag. It’s long overdue that TRUMP made this move, since he’s been listening to MEADOWS over PAUL RYAN and other party stalwarts for years. It’s made for a savvy strategist who can operate behind the scenes, manage a Game of Thrones-like environment and occasionally burst into the limelight to defend the president and blast his enemies. WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF for TRUMP is a job that is perfectly suited for how MEADOWS sees himself. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP faces a nasty trio of problems: a virus outbreak spiraling out of control, an economy that’s flagging and, all on top of that, a re-election campaign that’s getting into full swing. NOW, MEADOWS is entering a job where his problem-solving mettle will be put to the absolute test. YOU MIGHT SAY he has sometimes played both the arsonist and the fire brigade. The catch is, his time in Congress has seen problems at least partially of his own making: government shutdowns he egged on, health care bills he scuttled and leadership brawls that he, at least tacitly, encouraged. MARK RANDALL MEADOWS, the new White House chief of staff, has a knack for hatching plans to solve problems. | Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images DRIVING THE DAY Mark Meadows is entering a job where his problem-solving mettle will be put to the absolute test. ![]() I finished the cake with a message in white lettering on black to mimic the game's logo.Rep. While the colors in the game were darker and unsaturated, I went with some brighter colors to avoid the risk of the images blending together.
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