海角大神

Today鈥檚 five hand-picked stories look at the history of presidents and the deep state, Israel鈥檚 concern about U.S. commitment to the Mideast, a different view of Brexit, the First Commandment in a modern context, and teaching moms to fight terrorism.

But first, in the stories about Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, , you鈥檒l see one phrase often repeated: 鈥淭rump target鈥� or 鈥淭rump foil.鈥� Yes, Mr. Cummings and President Donald Trump crossed swords. But what an inadequate picture of the man that is.

At a time when our partisan identities can tend to occlude everything else, Mr. Cummings is a reminder why it鈥檚 wise always to start with the 鈥渆verything else.鈥�

When Baltimore descended into racially charged riots in 2015, Mr. Cummings linked arm-in-arm with residents to walk through the streets singing, 鈥淭his Little Light of Mine.鈥� A day after freshman Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib accused Republican Rep. Mark Meadows of a racist stunt earlier this year, Mr. Cummings had them hugging.

How did he do it? 鈥淗uman interaction, that鈥檚 all,鈥� he said.

Famously, during congressional hearings into the Benghazi crisis in 2015, Mr. Cummings shouted at his Republican colleague, Rep. Trey Gowdy, 鈥淕entleman, yield! You have made several inaccurate statements.鈥�

But Mr. Gowdy held no ill will. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about politics to him; he says what he believes,鈥� Mr. Gowdy told The Hill newspaper. 鈥淎nd you can tell the ones who are saying it because it was in a memo they got that morning, and you can tell the ones who it鈥檚 coming from their soul. And with Mr. Cummings, it鈥檚 coming from his soul.鈥�