Washington Today Weekend Edition: Congress Ends Government Shutdown, Midterm Elections, the Epstein files, and Veterans Day.
Nov 15, 2025
Tom Bevan, co-founder of RealClearPolitics, dissects the winners and losers of the recent government shutdown and its minimal impact on upcoming elections. Ankur Khodori, a legal affairs expert, discusses the controversial Epstein files and stresses the importance of victim privacy in the face of potential disclosures. Finally, Paul Rieckhoff, veteran advocate, highlights the significance of Veterans Day and the negative effects the shutdown has had on veterans' services and morale, urging support for independent veteran candidates.
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Shutdown's Limited Electoral Impact
- Tom Bevan says the public largely blamed Republicans for the shutdown, giving Democrats a PR edge.
- He doubts the shutdown will shift the national 2026 election outcome, saying the economy will matter more.
Health Care Framing Over Policy Wins
- Bevan argues Democrats sought ACA subsidy attention and a filibuster fight as political wins.
- He thinks the promised Senate vote won't likely produce durable policy gains for Democrats.
Filibuster Politics Are Situational
- Bevan says threats to end the filibuster helped break Democratic unity to end the shutdown.
- He predicts both parties use filibuster tactics situationally depending on control of government.