The Atlantic Politics & Policy Daily: One NAFTA Another

Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey)

Today in 5 Lines

• The White House has reportedly authorized the FBI to interview anyone necessary in its investigation into sexual-assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, after the administration previously limited the scope of the agency’s probe.

• In a wide-ranging press conference, President Trump said he wants the investigation to be “comprehensive” and, contradicting earlier White House talking points, said that it “wouldn’t bother” him if the FBI speaks with Julie Swetnick, who has accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct.

• Trump also praised the revised trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, which was announced late Sunday, as “a great deal for all three countries.” Trump said he will sign the new deal, called the “United States Mexico Canada Agreement,” by late November.

• Trump, speaking on the first anniversary of the mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas, said he expects his administration to ban so-called “bump stocks” in a matter of weeks.

• Former FBI Director James Comey rejected a request from the House Judiciary Committee to attend a private hearing as part of the panel’s probe into allegations of political bias at the Justice Department, but said he’d participate in a public hearing.

Today on The Atlantic

• A Threat to the Court’s Legitimacy: If Brett Kavanaugh is confirmed by the Senate, it will be a nightmare for Chief Justice John Roberts, argues Ronald Brownstein.

• Just Ask Bill Gates: In recent years, Facebook has become increasingly unpopular, just like its founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. But if history is any guide, “you, and most everyone else, will end up loving him.” (Alexis C. Madrigal)

• A Growing Problem: The Kavanaugh allegations will not improve the GOP’s relationship with women, writes Neil J. Young. “For decades, many women may have seen little difference between the two parties when it came to sexual misconduct, allowing them to prioritize other concerns,” Young writes. “Now there’s a bright line.”

• More Norms Out the Window: One of the biggest tragedies of the Kavanaugh drama? Passionate members of the political left have alienated many of their would-be allies on the right. (Seth Mandel)

Snapshot

What We’re Reading

He Said, She Said: Rachel Mitchell, the outside prosecutor hired by Republicans to question Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh last week, released a memo explaining why she wouldn’t bring criminal charges against him. (Seung Min Kim, The Washington Post)

‘Brett Kavanaugh Is Lying’: When considering the testimonies of Kavanaugh and Ford, it’s impossible to escape that conclusion, argues Nathan J. Robinson. Here’s why. (Current Affairs)

Dogged by the Past?: Former Vice President Joe Biden is exploring a 2020 presidential run. But his role in the 1991 Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings could hold him back. (Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin, The New York Times)

‘Devin Nunes Has a Secret’: Reporter Ryan Lizza traveled to northwest Iowa to find out why Nunes’s family sold their farm and moved out of state. Things got weird. (Esquire)

Visualized

Who, What, Where?: There are three points of inconsistency between Ford’s and Kavanaugh’s testimonies that an FBI investigation might be able to clear up. (Karen Yourish and Troy Griggs, The New York Times)