The looming indictment of a former U.S. president would set off an unprecedented national political drama. The legal complexity of the Manhattan hush money case further complicates the unpredictable path ahead.
In today鈥檚 issue, Washington Bureau Chief Linda Feldmann is giving us an (almost) front-row seat at the latest Monitor Breakfast 鈥 a conversation between Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia and members of the Washington press corps. Senator Warner, a Democrat, is chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence and also sits on the Senate Banking Committee 鈥 making the conversation particularly timely as Chinese leader Xi Jinping visits Moscow and banks continue to roil international markets.
It鈥檚 also particularly noteworthy in terms of approach. Politicians and journalists often see each other 鈥 but at a hearing, a press conference, or amid a scrum of rapid-fire questions. At the Monitor Breakfast, over plates of eggs and the like, things unfold a bit differently. Linda 鈥 who鈥檚 typically worked for weeks to get her top-level guests 鈥 starts by taking him or her around the large table and introducing each journalist by name and affiliation. She moderates 鈥 but aims to keep the tone conversational. She lets people pursue a specific point when appropriate: 鈥淵ou often get your most interesting information in the follow-ups,鈥 she says.
And, she adds, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 let one person dominate the conversation or be disrespectful; I promise our guests civility and respect.鈥
It鈥檚 all part of creating a distinctive forum where everyone has a chance to dig a bit deeper. 鈥淭he nature of what we do is unique. It鈥檚 not a webinar. It鈥檚 not a single reporter interviewing someone. Content is embargoed until the event ends; no filing is possible until things have wrapped up,鈥 Linda points out. 鈥淵ou get the character of a person, and learn something about their strengths and background.鈥 As she notes, they may even make some news.
For all those reasons, I hope you鈥檒l check out today鈥檚 Breakfast report.