Check is not the same thing as checkmate.

Yeah. Republicans won this round. Don’t get too excited though. Victories like this are supposed to put losing politicians on the defensive. You know, the ones who play by the rules. Clinton, Bush, et al.

But what if you don’t play by the rules? Many years ago, I was moved to investigate how Napoleon played chess. Not because I’m a fan of chess, which always struck me as a pretentious show of would-be intellect. How did the greatest general of the early 19th century play chess?

He cheated. Took pieces off the board when his opponent wasn’t looking. And how do you accuse Napoleon Bonaparte of such a low act?

Where we are. Long days and nights and months ahead of us.