The Morning: The House speaker is safe (for now)

Plus, Israeli women on the front lines, Hunter Biden and travel trends.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 19, 2024 Congress averted a government shutdown yesterday afternoon. In today's newsletter, Carl Hulse, The Times's chief Washington correspondent, explains why conservative Republicans folded. — David Leonhardt By Carl Hulse Good morning. We're also covering Israeli women on the front lines, Hunter Biden and travel trends. Speaker Mike Johnson Kenny Holston/The New York Times A calculation Speaker Mike Johnson yesterday did exactly what got his predecessor fired last year: He pushed through legislation to keep the government open with mainly Democratic votes. So is Johnson about to lose his job? Almost certainly not. Ultraconservative House members were sputtering mad that Johnson, the novice speaker, didn't drive a harder bargain with Senate Democrats on a short-term funding bill to prevent a shutdown this weekend. But they aren't yet ready to depose him as they did with Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October. The main reason is that the right sees him as an honest broker who listens to his members even if they don't like the deals he ultimately brokers. They trust him as a true conservative. They're reassured by his deep and public evangelical Christianity. So they felt better about swallowing a spending agreement that seemed inevitable anyway — since it had to be negotiated with Senate Democrats and the White House. Because of the resistance from the hard right, Johnson faced a choice. He could shut down the government and risk public ire or lean on Democrats to help him to keep it open. He chose the latter, calculating that a shutdown would hurt Republicans politically and that he was simply following through on a spending agreement previously struck by McCarthy. Republicans said it wasn't enough to fire Johnson. "It's not going to happen," said Representative Ralph Norman, a hard-liner from South Carolina who opposed the measure. "No one will put the country through that." The legislation that averted a government shutdown this week was a classic congressional Band-Aid. It keeps the spigot on into early March so lawmakers from both chambers can work on 12 spending bills. Importantly, Johnson won a "majority of the majority" — meaning most Republican votes, which is a marker that congressional observers follow — but just barely. In the end, 107 Republicans backed the bill and 106 opposed it, exposing the depth of his party's division over the bill. On the Democratic side, 207 supported it, with two opposed. It was not ideal for Johnson. The measure brought grumbling from his allies. "Our speaker, Mr. Johnson, said he was the most conservative speaker we've ever had," said Eli Crane, a Republican from Arizona. "Yet here we are putting this bill on the floor." The fight to come A bigger challenge is yet to come for Johnson, when Congress takes up border security and aid to Ukraine. It remains unclear whether the two parties can find a compromise on immigration — and whether Donald Trump will urge other Republicans to defeat any bill as a way to prevent President Biden from claiming a bipartisan victory on border policy. Johnson will be under duress from both sides. The White House and even some Senate Republicans will pressure him to allow a vote on a package being negotiated in the Senate. If he does, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican of Georgia, has said she will bring up the motion to topple him. Whatever happens, Johnson does have a plan to restore faith in his conservative bona fides in coming weeks. He has pledged to push provisions restricting abortion rights and purported government overreach. He's letting committee chiefs pursue investigations of Hunter Biden and other Biden appointees. Democrats have the votes to resist these efforts in the Senate, but the fights could cause a difficult six weeks in the House until the next shutdown deadline. Johnson's good standing with his caucus wasn't the only reason that the House passed a spending bill yesterday. The weather also played a role. Members wanted to finish the deal so they could leave Washington before an expected snowstorm. For more President Biden yesterday. Pete Marovich for The New York Times The debate over immigration has hurt Biden's approval rating. Now, it threatens to damage his foreign policy legacy in Ukraine. Biden said he believed there weren't any "sticking points" left in negotiations over the southern border and aid for Ukraine, but he added that "a small minority" could try to block a deal. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE LATEST NEWS Israel-Hamas War Israeli Army soldiers. Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times Israelis debated for years about whether women should fight in the military. Now, female soldiers are on the front lines. Israel has reduced the intensity of its military campaign in northern Gaza. Residents there say the sounds of gun battles and explosions are becoming less frequent. A member of Israel's war cabinet criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on television, exposing a rift in the government. A map of the "Arab world," omitting Israel, put a public school in Brooklyn in a political firestorm. More on the Middle East The Houthi militia leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. Yahya Arhab/EPA, via Shutterstock The Houthi militia leader vowed to continue attacking ships in the Red Sea. He said a conflict with the U.S. would only strengthen the group. Iran has become the producer of some of the most sophisticated weaponry in the Middle East. Read why Iran is the common link in conflicts from Gaza to Pakistan. Politics Hunter Biden will testify behind closed doors next month as part of House Republicans' impeachment inquiry into his father, top Republicans said. Republicans are racing to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden's homeland security secretary, despite no evidence that he committed offenses. Dennis Kucinich, a former Democratic congressman who previously managed Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign, is running for Congress in Ohio as an independent. 2024 Election In a social media post, Trump said that presidents should be immune from criminal charges for anything they do in office. The judge overseeing Trump's Georgia criminal case ordered Fani Willis, the district attorney, to respond to accusations that she had an affair with a lawyer she hired. A judge said that Trump's name could stay on Washington State's primary ballot. After Ron DeSantis accused Fox News of protecting Trump, a host called for DeSantis to leave the primary. The former presidential candidate Andrew Yang campaigned in New Hampshire for Representative Dean Phillips, who is challenging Biden for the Democratic nomination. Policing The Justice Department condemned the police's delayed response to the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. A report gave clear direction: Officers must confront a shooter. An officer ticketed drivers despite their connections to the N.Y.P.D. He says he was punished for it. Other Big Stories Spelman College in Atlanta received a $100 million donation, believed to be the largest single gift to a historically Black college. Macy's announced plans to cut more than 2,000 jobs and to close five stores. Snow is likely from the Midwest to the Northeast today. But warmer weather is on the way. Opinions HBO and Netflix have lost their nerve, Peter Biskind writes. DeSantis wanted to give voters someone who could go further right than Trump but misunderstood what they were looking for, Katherine Miller writes. Here are columns by Paul Krugman on China's economy and David Brooks on higher education's administrators. Discover more of the insight you value in The Morning. The Times is filled with information and inspiration every day. So gain unlimited access to everything we offer — and save with this introductory offer. MORNING READS Chanelle Nibbelink Falling fares and A.I.: Read what travelers can expect in 2024. A TikTok miner: A woman made headlines after building a tunnel under her home. She is the latest in a long line of people who made a hobby of digging. Newspapermen: Billionaires like Jeff Bezos wanted to revive the news industry's fortunes. Instead, they're losing a fortune. Sex education: Emily Nagoski wrote a best seller about women's sex lives. Then her own fell apart. Modern love: "I have no moral objection to infidelity." Lives Lived: Peter Schickele composed symphonies, film scores and musical numbers for Broadway. To his resigned chagrin, he was best known as a musical parodist, the supposed discoverer of the fictional P.D.Q. Bach. Schickele died at 88. SPORTS College football: Ohio State hired the former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, a big swing in a desperate moment for the Buckeyes. N.C.A.A.: The Department of Justice joined a lawsuit against the collegiate athletics organization over its transfer rules. Fraud: The Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer is suing a former family friend, charging that he swindled Palmer out of nearly $1 million. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ARTS AND IDEAS Some cast members of a German version of "Last One Laughing." Frank Zauritz/Prime Video Make 'em laugh: On the Amazon Prime show "LOL: Last One Laughing," 10 comedians gather in a room with a goal of making one another laugh; the last one to keep a straight face wins. Despite the simple premise, the show has been a hit, spawning spinoffs in Canada, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico and many more countries. (One place that hasn't had its own version yet? The U.S.) "The comedy antics — some prepared, some improvised — are often amusing," Calum Marsh writes. "But it's the contestants' strained efforts to suppress their laughter that are really compelling." More on culture The Brazilian police arrested a man in connection with the killing of Brent Sikkema, a New York art dealer stabbed 18 times in Rio de Janeiro. South Africa's government is trying to block Nelson Mandela's daughter from selling his belongings, appealing a court order allowing an auction to go ahead. "He can't even control an umbrella": Late-night hosts chided Trump for a lack of self-control. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times Stir peas into mushroom risotto for a luxurious vegetarian meal. Make the most of a short workout. Swap out these everyday household essentials. Buy a low maintenance humidifier. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was homepage. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku and Connections. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. P.S. Listen to David Leonhardt debate Michael Strain, an economist, about the resolution, "The American dream is in decline." (It's also available as a podcast on Apple and Spotify.) Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Lauren Jackson, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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