The Testing of John Thune

John Thune was going to miss his brother’s funeral.

Late on the last Thursday of January, the Senate schedule was crammed — a logjam of unorthodox nominees that needed to be confirmed to fill President Donald Trump’s cabinet, Democrats stalling and countering in the limited ways they could, the new president’s most vocal Republican supporters agitating for outright fealty and all but impossible speed. Thune, the new majority leader, had pledged to work weekends if needed, and this weekend was looking to be no different. His brother was dead — but he was prepared to have to put his job first. Then, though, and somewhat unexpectedly, Thune and top Democrat Chuck Schumer agreed to punt the tasks at hand to the week to come. That night, the Senate adjourned just before 8, and quietly, privately — unreported, in fact, until now — Thune the following morning got on a flight to California.