Jessica Tarlov

“One of Pelosi's great strengths has been her willingness to give members free rein to be themselves, vote their conscience and campaign for their districts. This approach was surely critical to Democratic victories in 2018, when Democrats won over 35 seats in purple or red districts to regain majority control of the House.”

“We all know conflict sells. Click-culture bolsters extremist stories and brands moderates as dull and dispassionate.”

“Though not a 'Medicare for All'-style program, a public option is an oft-cited stepping stone towards the goal of universal coverage and offers primary care with no copays and auto enrollment for poor Americans.”

“I have a pretty thick skin.”

“The young mocking the old is nothing new. And why shouldn't they? Older folks have been criticizing younger generations for some 2,500 years.”

“It has always been a central plank of Donald Trump's approach to politics to make us doubt what the media tell us and, more often than not, what we hear and see ourselves.”

“I'm not going to pretend that Mother's Day suddenly became a legitimate holiday just because I had a kid. It remains a Hallmark holiday and always will be. But now it's a Hallmark holiday with a bit more meaning because I'll be in the 'mothers' category at our celebration.”

“The beauty of a Biden presidency is that you don't have to like him to know he will be good for America.”

“Through elections, the citizenry directs political decision-making. Their views are what informs campaigns and government decisions.”

“Political partisans are very good at certain things, including mental gymnastics. We can explain away almost anything that doesn't support our party, candidate or worldview. Hyperbole and 'whataboutism' are almost second nature. It's not always pretty, but that's the reality.”

“The Democratic Party is the Patriot Party.”

“I wasn't alive when President Nixon was impeached, but I know that public opinion changed over time and that there was very little support for it when the inquiry began.”

“We desperately need a president who acknowledges white privilege and seeks to equalize a system that is nothing short of a betrayal of American ideals.”

“The 2020 Democratic primary is a failure of politics. Too many candidates in concert with media, dedicated to serving the interests of all Americans, especially the underserved, are doing the opposite: propping up a system that prioritizes the preferences of white voters.”

“Trump's equivocation on Charlottesville can be seen as a microcosm of the various ways Trump has been a stain on the presidency.”

“Circumstances matter and I believe that decisions such as striking down Roe v. Wade will limit opportunities for some women to be happy and lead full lives.”

“I don't want to feel like I felt on election night in 2016 ever again, which was completely shell-shocked by the result.”

“Anyone who believes in good government and our Constitution should support coming together as a country to set some modern-day standards for not only what is an impeachable offense, but for how a trial in the Senate to consider removing the president from office should proceed.”

“In the deaths of figures such as George H.W. Bush there's another opportunity to prize the civility we lament as having passed.”

“No candidate is above close coverage and no analyst would claim Biden is a perfect candidate.”