This is what President Trump seems to enjoy the most, holding court in the Oval Office,

Mar-a-Lago North, and hosting and sometimes lecturing world leaders, scenes projecting power,

potency, and his central role in the conduct of foreign affairs.

But there's a different reality outside the Oval Office, one in which polls are showing him unpopular with the majority of American voters,

one in which Democrats just swept key races, indicating people are impatient and unhappy with the

country's direction. Next.

This is Washington Week with the Atlantic.

Good evening and welcome to Washington Week.

The main topic of concern this week, for the practical-minded at least, is this.

Does the American air traffic control system still work?

And if it isn't working, who's to blame?

We'll talk about the government shutdown, now the longest in history.

And we'll talk about some other bad signs

for the president's political standing tonight with Leanne Caldwell, the chief Washington correspondent

at Puck. David Ignatius is a foreign affairs columnist at the Washington Post. Mark Leibovic

is a staff writer at the Atlantic, and Jeff Zellini is the chief national affairs correspondent for CNN.

Chief. Be careful the way you address him. Thank you all for being here. Leanne, let me start

with you. So America, our country is the world's sole remaining superpower. It can project force

into any corner of the world. It has the world's largest economy.

But we can't seem to get people to work in the air traffic control system so the flights are being canceled left and right. I guess this is because the government doesn't work. But what I need to

know from you is who to blame. Who do we blame? Well, that's a good question. If you ask the Democrats, it's the

Republicans' fault. I'm asking you. I'm asking you. Ask the Republicans at the Democrats' fault.

...