First Draft on Politics: A Pledge From Kim

It was a confidence-building gesture ahead of a proposed summit meeting with President Trump. View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Monday, April 30, 2018 [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, right, toasting on Friday with Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, center, and Mr. Kim’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, in the border village of Panmunjom.]( President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, right, toasting on Friday with Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, center, and Mr. Kim’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, in the border village of Panmunjom. Pool photo Good Monday morning, Here are some of the stories making news in Washington and politics today: - The South Korean government said that North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, had told President Moon Jae-in that [he would abandon]( his nuclear weapons if the United States agreed to formally end the Korean War and promise not to invade his country. - President Trump [capped a volatile week]( of progress and setbacks with a long, angry blast at Democrats, the news media and immigration laws. During a rambling, stream-of-consciousness speech at a campaign rally, supporters chanted “Lock her up” at the mention of Hillary Clinton and booed every reference to a Democrat. - Mr. Trump [called for the resignation]( of Senator Jon Tester and threatened to spread allegations about the Democratic lawmaker in retaliation for helping to thwart his effort to install the White House physician in the cabinet. - Mr. Trump is [privately rejecting]( the growing consensus among Republican leaders that they may lose the House and possibly the Senate in November, leaving party officials and the president’s advisers nervous that he does not grasp the gravity of the threat they face in the midterm elections. - Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s abrupt decision [to dismiss]( the House chaplain triggered an uproar over religion, pitting Republican against Republican and offering Democrats a political opportunity in a year already moving their way. — The First Draft Team HAVE A CONFIDENTIAL NEWS TIP? Do you have the next big story? Want to share it with The New York Times? We offer several ways to get in touch with and provide materials to our journalists. [Learn More »]( ADVERTISEMENT Reader Center [Is Your U.S. Senator or Representative Retiring? We Want to Hear From You]( Tell us what issues you care most about and how you view what’s been happening in Washington. [• Share Your Thoughts »]( [What to Keep in Mind When Thinking About the Midterms]( By NATE COHN [Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, a Democrat, lost a special election in Arizona's Eighth Congressional District last week. But her loss was surprisingly narrow, considering how strongly Republican the district has been.]( Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, a Democrat, lost a special election in Arizona's Eighth Congressional District last week. But her loss was surprisingly narrow, considering how strongly Republican the district has been. Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press With less than 200 days until the midterm elections, Democrats are generally thought to have a slight advantage in the fight for control of the House. That doesn’t mean they are going to prevail. The polls could be wrong, as all should understand by now, and there’s more than enough time for the national political environment to turn in favor of the Republicans. But these four indicators, for now, are consistent with a Democratic edge. Here’s what they are and what they’re telling us. Generic Ballot: O.K. for Democrats, Worrying for Republicans One of the best measures of the national political environment is the generic congressional ballot, a poll question asking voters whether they intend to support Democrats or Republicans in the next election. The final generic ballot numbers typically perform well in approximating the House popular vote. Even this far ahead of an election, the generic ballot can do a decent job of predicting the final results. And Democrats can reasonably hope for their lead to grow, given the tendency of the measure to break toward the party out of power. [Read more »](  [The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, last week during his summit meeting in Panmunjom, South Korea. Mr. Kim may see a cautionary tale in the demise of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya.]( News Analysis [Libya as a Model for Disarmament? North Korea May See It Very Differently]( By PETER BAKER The violent end of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, an unexpected turn of events after he gave up his nuclear program, is likely to serve as a cautionary tale for Kim Jong-un. [It is unclear if Dr. Ronny L. Jackson, a Navy rear admiral, will remain in the White House in any capacity or if he will retire from the military.]( [Ronny Jackson, Failed V.A. Pick, Is Unlikely to Return as Trump’s Doctor]( By NICHOLAS FANDOS AND MAGGIE HABERMAN It was unclear if Dr. Jackson, who withdrew from consideration for secretary of veterans affairs, would stay in the White House or retire from the military. [The 33-floor building in Baku, Azerbaijan, once a Trump-branded tower, is the second property linked to President Trump to catch fire this month, after a blaze in New York killed an art collector.]( [Former Trump Tower in Azerbaijan, Dogged by Controversy, Catches Fire]( By ANDREW E. KRAMER It was the second blaze at a property linked to the American president this month, after one in New York killed an art collector. [US-CRIME-SHOOTING-PROTESTS - Majory Stoneman High School student Cameron Kasky addresses area High School students as they rally at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after participating in a county wide school walk out in Parkland, Florida on February 21, 2018. A former student, Nikolas Cruz, opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School leaving 17 people dead and 15 injured on February 14.]( Retro Report [Do Stronger Gun Laws Stand a Chance? It’s Been an Uphill Battle.]( By CLYDE HABERMAN Efforts to curb gun violence have stalled in part because of the power of the N.R.A. The movement inspired by shootings in Parkland, Fla., aims to change that. LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up [here](. ADVERTISEMENT HOW ARE WE DOING? We’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to [washington-newsletter@nytimes.com](mailto:washington-newsletter@nytimes.com?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback). 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