Congratulations, Hakeem Jeffries. You played yourself.

That is the only conclusion to be drawn from Jeffries’ ill-timed meeting with Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and factotum. The backlash, particularly from Democrats, has raised the question of whether Jeffries, the House minority leader, has the right tactical skills to effectively lead his divided party in this fractious moment. This was a strategic misstep, a failure to read the anti-status-quo room.

The recent meeting, which was leaked to the New York Times, was held in secret, yet Jeffries and his allies are now suggesting that it was perfectly fine to hold such a meeting. This was just a nothing-to-see-here, business-as-usual, totally-above-board meeting.

Well, if that were true, why not announce that it was happening? Why not give a full readout after the fact?

Jeffries, who initially declined to go on the record with the Times about the existence of the meeting, has now been forced to go public about his conclave with Kushner.

The explanations have only made things worse.

“We have a responsibility to solve........

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