Each day we wake up to some new assault on our democratic institutions.

Another setback to the idea of the rule of law.

An offense to common decency.

Every day you wake up to.

To things you just didn't think were possible.

Hi again, everyone.

It's 5 o'clock in New York. From the sheer honesty that President Barack Obama's reflections represent in a trust and respect

for the American people, he said those things at the funeral today for Reverend Jesse

Jackson, to the head scratching disdain for the American people that

Sarah Longwell was talking about in the last hour, the public posture that Donald Trump has

taken on the topic of the sacrifices we may be making as a country in this war with Iran.

We will chalk it up to an important lesson in contrast today.

Because when Trump this week suggested, American lives, quote, may be lost and we may have casualties, that often happens in war, end quote,

he invited those comparisons. He's refused over and over and over again since one in the morning

on Saturday to take to a stage or a podium and speak directly

to the American people to engage the country, people that voted for him and people that may not have

in a conversation about what we are doing in Iran, how we will achieve his goals in Iran,

and how long it will take for us to

achieve success and how will he judge success in the ever-widening war in the Middle East.

It is something that all of his predecessors, especially in including President Obama,

spent a great deal of time thinking about and doing, offering clarity,

trying to provide reassurance and context and gratitude to the American people out of respect.

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