Usually the Sunday shows focus on one key theme in their news chatter but this week there are two — and Chuck Schumer’s at the center of both. Theme one: Deals, deals, deals between the incoming Trump White House and Congress. Are Senate Democrats ready to play ball with our new centrist president on policies of mutual interest or will Schumer obstruct at every turn to make Trump’s presidency a failure, starting with his SCOTUS pick early next year? He’ll be on “This Week,” “Meet the Press,” and “Fox News Sunday” to discuss that while Trump’s new chief liaison to Congress, Reince Priebus, will appear on those first two shows plus “State of the Union.” Theme two: How does the Democratic Party crawl out of the rubble and rebuild? And who leads the rebuilding? In addition to Schumer fielding those questions, Rep. Tim Ryan — Nancy Pelosi’s challenger for minority leader in the House — will be on “State of the Union” while DNC hopeful Rep. Keith Ellison will guest on “Face the Nation.” Will Ellison get any pushback on his own record when he inevitably attack Trump as racist and divisive? Probably not, no.
Mike Pence will be on “Face the Nation” as well, along with “Fox News Sunday,” to discuss the cabinet that’s shaping up and what it’s like to be booed at a Broadway musical. And keep your eye on Rand Paul, who’ll follow Pence on “Face the Nation” to explain his opposition to John Bolton or Rudy Giuliani at the State Department. He may provide a clue from his conversations with Senate colleagues whether there’s likely to be 51 votes to block any of Trump’s nominees. The full line-up is at the AP.
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