Nov 20, 2018

Obama calls Pelosi an "extraordinary partner"

Obama and Pelosi in 2014. Photo: Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images

Former President Barack Obama called Nancy Pelosi an "extraordinary partner" and "one of the most effective legislative leaders that this country's ever seen" on the "Axe Files" podcast, hosted by his former chief strategist, David Axelrod, per CNN.

Why it matters: This vote of confidence in Pelosi comes as she is attempting to regain the gavel as House speaker. Obama also praised Beto O'Rourke, who narrowly lost a Senate bid to Ted Cruz, as one of "a number of" strong potential Democratic candidates in 2020. He said O'Rourke ran a race that "didn't feel constantly poll-tested."

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Axios
Updated 8 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

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Ursula Perano
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Romney calls Stone commutation "historic corruption"

Sen. Mitt Romney. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Saturday tweeted a scathing response to President Trump's Friday night commutation of former associate Roger Stone's prison sentence, calling the move "[u]nprecedented, historic corruption."

Why it matters: Romney has emerged as the party's most prominent Trump critic. He sent shockwaves through Washington after announcing he would vote to convict Trump in the impeachment trial — becoming the only Senate Republican to break ranks and vote for the president's removal from office. Now he is the first major GOP lawmaker to condemn Trump's Friday night call regarding Stone.

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Sam Baker
4 hours ago - Health

We're losing the war on the coronavirus

Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios

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