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Snapshot

What We’re Reading

Who Is Christopher Steele?: On Wednesday, the president-elect blasted claims made against him in a dossier published by BuzzFeed, but why did American intelligence agencies feel the need to show its contents to President Obama? It might have something to do with the credibility of the dossier’s alleged author. (Nick Hopkins and Luke Harding, The Guardian)

Notes From Trump Country: Trip Gabriel spoke with Iowa Trump supporters who aren’t following the “hour-by-hour developments of the presidential transition”—and generally feel pretty optimistic about the incoming administration. (The New York Times)

Safety Comes at a Price: By the time Trump takes office, his security team will have cost New York City up to $35 million—an amount that could be underestimated, writes Polly Mosendz. The expenses for this may change after Inauguration Day, but Bloomberg breaks down the projected numbers.

A Word on Obamacare: Vox’s Sarah Kliff spoke with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi about the Affordable Care Act’s record. Her one regret about the law? “That other Democrats didn't step up to the plate to defend it—leading to what she called a sea of misinformation about her signature legislative achievement.”

A Survival Guide for Trump: Veterans of the Obama White House explain what the transfer of power actually looks like. According to one former senior adviser, “You walk in and there’s a computer there with a Post-it note with your password, and you’re in charge of the government. Full stop.” (Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, Time)

Visualized

Checking Resumes: See how Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees compare to those of Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. (The Los Angeles Times)

Question of the Week

Senate confirmation hearings for President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees began on Tuesday. What’s the one question you’d be afraid to answer honestly at your own confirmation hearing?

Send your answers to hello@theatlantic.com, and our favorites will be featured in Friday’s Politics & Policy Daily.

-Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey) and Candice Norwood (@cjnorwoodwrites)

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Elaine Godfrey is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where she covers politics. Connect Twitter