The Interview: Why Won't Senators Stand Up to Trump? We Asked 3 Who Called It Quits. [View all]

The Interview: Why Won’t Senators Stand Up to Trump? We Asked 3 Who Called It Quits.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/13/magazine/senators-manchin-flake-smith-interview.html

I want to start by asking you all to give me a word or a sentence that describes the state you think the Senate is in right now.

Tina Smith: Broken.

Jeff Flake: Retreat. The presidency, just by virtue of the system, gains more power over time. But what has been frustrating is to see the Senate just willingly give up Article I authority.

Joe Manchin: Abdication. They’ve abdicated their responsibilities. The Senate is the most unusual body in the world. Our framers designed it to be that way, and it was ingrained in me that the filibuster is the holy grail, keeping us talking and working and becoming friends. They’ve abdicated that type of responsibility.

-snip-

A good but short interview continues.