This email from a Political Wire reader sums up politics today:

I swear, I remember a time when you could take a day off.

And this made my day:

I have been a multiple-times-per-day visitor to the site for as long as I can remember. I’m embarrassed it took me this long to become a member and to support your work. You and your great site are deeply appreciated.

This one too:

The mere thought that I would “cancel my subscription” is laughable. Political Wire is easily the best $50 I spend all year.

If you’re a regular reader, please consider becoming a member. You’ll get exclusive analysis, new features, no advertising and more.

An annual membership is $50 or a monthly membership is $5.

Thanks for your support!

This weekend traditionally marks the beginning of summer. We’ve also been busy this year celebrating our oldest son’s graduation from college.

But let’s never forget the real purpose of this holiday. We should be forever grateful for the men and women who died while serving our country in the armed forces.

Thanks to them — and their families — for their tremendous sacrifice.

If you’re a Political Wire member and see advertising on the site this morning, you may have been logged out.

Just log in and the ads will disappear again.

If you’re not yet a member, sign up for an annual or monthly plan and you’ll be amazed how clean and fast Political Wire is for members.

Thanks for supporting Political Wire!

This piece is only available to Political Wire members.

Your support makes this site possible. Join today for the complete Political Wire experience and get exclusive analysis, new features and no advertising.

Sign in to your account or join today!

Join for just $5 a month or $50 a year.

I joined Charlie Sykes on the Bulwark Podcast to discuss the recent arrest of Julian Assange, the indictment of Michael Avenatti, how Florida and “Medicare for All” is going to factor into the 2020 Democratic primary.

We’re living through truly extraordinary times.

The President of the United States may be a Russian asset. The U.S. government is paralyzed. The Western alliance is cracking. The 2020 presidential election promises to be epic.

It’s my honor to help you follow these stories and hopefully provide context and make some sense of them.

But I need your help.

If you’re a regular Political Wire reader, please become a member to support the site. You’ll also get many member benefits, including exclusive analysis, new site features and no advertising.

If you’re already a Political Wire member — thank you! — please let your friends know about the site and perhaps buy someone a gift membership.

Now, back to the news…

Our final stop in Southeast Asia was Saigon — or Ho Chi Minh City, depending on which side of Vietnam’s civil war you were on. Although Vietnam’s government portrays the country as “reunified,” there are still many in the southern part of the country who feel like they were invaded and occupied. Continuing to call the city Saigon is one small way of showing resistance.

The photo below is the rooftop where CIA operatives helped evacuees up a ladder onto the last helicopter in April 29, 1975, shortly before Saigon fell. It was just one of many sightings that brought back so many memories from the Vietnam War era.

It will take months to process all I’ve learned, but we’re finally headed home. Political Wire will return to full speed this weekend.

After one of the most interesting years in politics, it’s hard to imagine 2019 can top it — but that’s one prediction that seems safe to make.

Thanks so much for spending part of your day here. I wish you all love and happiness in the new year.

We’ve spent the last few days in Luang Prabang, a beautiful mountain town in northern Laos where many residents have stories of meeting President Obama when he visited in 2016.

A highlight of our visit was crossing the Namkhan River on elephants. It was amazing.

We leave for the airport later today for the final leg of our trip.

Folks, I’m exhausted. The crushing amount of political news over the last three years has just about worn me out. The next two years promises to be even crazier.

So for the next week or so, Political Wire will not be updated at the normal pace.

Thanks for your patience — and for reading!

Whether you’re celebrating today or not, I hope that you have a wonderful time with your friends and family.

Thanks so much for spending part of your day here!

To buy a one year membership to Political Wire as a gift, please click here.

Here’s how it works:

• You will be asked for the recipient’s name, email address, the day on which you wish the gift to be delivered, and a personalized message.
• You will then be asked for your name, email address, and payment information.
• On the day you selected, the recipient will automatically be sent an email with your message and a link to activate their membership (they can choose a different email address at that time). If the recipient is already a Political Wire member, then the gift will be added on to the end of their current subscription.

You do not need to be a Political Wire member to buy a gift, but consider buying a monthly or annual membership for yourself.

Political Wire members get exclusive analysis, new features and no advertising. See all of the member benefits here.

Thanks for your support!

It’s been a wild last few years in politics and I’m grateful that you choose to spend part of your day here.

I’m especially thankful to those who support the site as members.

Thanks for making Political Wire possible!

A Political Wire membership is the perfect gift for the political junkie in your life.

It’s really easy: Enter the person’s email address and the date you want your gift delivered.