20 Years of Covering Checks and Balances

We are living through a period in our government whereby if reporters were not reporting we would be seeing our government running amok instead of the "flawless" execution this administration and congress is delivering. Of the two quotes most remembered from the past campaign thanks to reporters and the free press were these. Likely you remember them as well, First: "I am the only one who can fix it." by the current president. The other was by Michaiel Bloomberg, three term mayor of New York when he said in simple, understandable words: "I know a 'con' when I see one." If we didn't have reporters we would be living in a large banana republic.

The five of you -- and other support staff and colleagues -- are so important to us. Thank you for your dedication.

I was very disappointed in how the reporter allowed Ryan to dodge his questions; get away with half answers, nay quarter answers; and spout out his carefully crafted narrative without challenge. I expected more, much more. Pity.

Ryan's perpetual half smirk is infuriating. Is nothing going on behind the eyes? How did it happen that the constant repetition of discredited economic nonsense has been branded as thoughtfulness? This is a person with apparently low levels of empathy.

Thank you thank you for this.
If the branches of government won't balance the powers as they should, it's up to the free press to call them on it. Else we fall into a path that can only lead to a government that will eventually ban the free press.
Perhaps one of the editors could write about how the executive branch can override a contemp decision by the courts.

Split impression, on the one hand I agree with ejk that it was refreshing to allow meaningful discourse at the same as Karen states, for such an experienced reporter, the questioning was lacking on pressing. Would have preferred to have had the opposite side of the issues as well, whether a dem or simply questions with more forceful piercing

The Times and her reporters are at the eye of this stormy time in our history.

Many thanks for playing your part.

How you reporters can manage interviews with so many hypocrites is beyond my own tolerance. Kudos for being able to carry it off!

" ...but most of them work for newsletters and pricey trade outlets catering to Washington lobbyists and insiders."

Interesting! As an ordinary working citizen (not in political circles), its been difficult to find straightforward news about what is going on in Washington and this explains why. Thank goodness for the NY Times. Please keep up the good work and keep improving where you can.

Mr Weisman, I really appreciated listening to your interview with Speaker Ryan. With Trump as president I feel I have become more entrenched in my own (left-leaning) views and less open to hearing the other side, and I felt this interview was a very civil and thoughtful discussion. In many news sources I feel like no one gets past spouting rhetoric, but this interview allowed Speaker Ryan to share his knowledge about the tax code and plans for reform, some of which seem to make sense and hopefully stimulates actual economic growth (and not just the 1%'s bank accounts).

This fellow, Paul Ryan, the Republican Speaker of the House is also an avid long distance runner and sport's enthusiast. He has massive energy and ambition but is not wise enough to deal with the jungle that is the House and the volcano that is the Trump W.H. It will be only a matter of time before he is vanished as Speaker by the Republican extremists in his own party, to whom he owes his allegiance. He also cannot handle Trump and is differential to him on most issues.

i just watched your interview with Paul Ryan. He walked all over you. He said short term extensions of the debt limit are bad for the credit market, yet he proposed and accomplished the exact same thing in 2013 under President Obama. He artfully dodged your question referencing trickle down economic benefits, and the historical evidence to the contrary. You seemed unprepared to respond to his monologue advertising his agenda. It was underwhelming.

I am daily thankful for The NY Times coverage of Congress and our Bizarro President. I find it impossible to feel sympathy for the Speaker of the House, however, as his idea of Tax Reform is the traditional Republican voodoo snake oil; huge windfall savings for the upper 1%, massive deficits for the nation.

You can keep that...

Physician. Heal thyself.

`The Reporter Interviewing Ryan Is No Stranger to Congress '

That's comforting.

Wow!

I hope that there are many other reporters like Mr. Weisman working for the Times.

We, the public and the American citizenry and democracy, need them, depend upon them, and are grateful for their presence.

Spare us from the The Speaker-of-the-Obstructionists. To have so much power for an individual who never had a meaningful job in the work place is unfathomable. He has visions of idealism that doesn't translate to reality. Whatever he says in this interview will be akin to reading a bedtime story to a toddler. All fantasy.