The Daily Folgen

A seven-word tweet in support of Hong Kong’s antigovernment protests by Daryl Morey, general manager of the Houston Rockets, triggered a furor in both China and the United States. The ensuing controversy revealed the unspoken rules of doing business with Beijing. Guest: Jim Yardley, the Europe editor of The New York Times and author of “Brave Dragons: A Chinese Basketball Team, an American Coach, and Two Cultures Clashing.” For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background coverage: An exhibition game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets in Shanghai this week was nearly canceled because of China’s dispute with the league. At the game, even longtime fans said they would choose patriotism over the N.B.A.President Trump declined to criticize China’s handling of the controversy, instead opting to publicly condemn two basketball coaches who have spoken out against him in the past. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The White House response to the impeachment inquiry has been to dismiss the allegations, deflect the facts and discredit the Democrats. It’s the same approach that Republicans used in 2018 to push through the Supreme Court nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh.The New York Times reporters Kate Kelly and Robin Pogrebin, the authors of “The Education of Brett Kavanaugh,” talk to the Republican strategist who wrote the political playbook used — then and now.Guest: Kate Kelly, a reporter for The Times covering Wall Street and Robin Pogrebin, a reporter on The Times’s Culture Desk, spoke to Mike Davis, a Republican strategist. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background coverage: The White House’s declaration of war against the House impeachment inquiry this week has set the stage for a constitutional clash with far-reaching consequences.Mr. Davis crafted a “brass knuckles” approach to help confirm conservative Supreme Court justices.Here’s the latest on the impeachment inquiry. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Days after moderate House Democrats announced they would support an impeachment inquiry against President Trump, a recess began and they returned home to their swing districts. Now they would face their constituents. Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin of Michigan went to three town halls last week. We went with her. Guest: Representative Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background coverage:Democrats face a tricky balancing act in battleground districts: protecting political gains from 2018 while selling voters on an inquiry into the president. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.