Talking head punditry and media adver-tainment are all part of the theatrics, its all part of the show.  What was the Trump admin and their House GOP counterparts doing while this petty insignificant squabble played out, breathlessy covered, in every sordid detail by all manner of "respectable" media? Oh, but we all know what Trump tweeted about some know-nothing news reader. 

Trump comes from the "They Don't Boo Nobodies" and "No such thing as bad publicity" schools.  As long as the media is focused on him, and solely on him and his antics, his opponents and viable replacements get no air time or visibility and his allies get plenty of cover to whisk controversial (and damaging) legislation through the house without the proper scrutiny. He does this kind of thing on purpose, and the media is eating it all up, happy to get ad clicks and tones of material for their think pieces. You are getting played, just like during the election where all eyes where on Trump and only on Trump.