| The Chauvin trial produced a new liberal icon  The conviction last week of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd was undoubtedly a massive moment for Floyd's family, for the state of Minnesota and for the broader fight against unfair treatment of Black Americans by the police.
But it was also a major moment for Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the man tasked with prosecuting the case against Chauvin.
"There were many times I felt we were up against the odds, because, I mean, conviction of a police officer for murder is a very rare event," Ellison told CNN's Omar Jimenez in an interview Monday following the verdict. " ... you have these chronic enduring conflicts between police and community, they've got to come to an end, and this is the President's business."
For Ellison, the trial's verdict -- and the yearlong run-up to it -- turned him into a hero among liberals nationally desperate for leaders to stand up to what they believe to be the central issue of our time.
"Whatever future he wants to lay out for himself, there are many of us who would support him in that," Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who heads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told POLITICO, adding: "The recognition of him and what he did for our country — and it really is for our country, and for Black people across the country — is immeasurable."
Ellison isn't a new name to connected Democrats.
He lost a bid to chair the Democratic National Committee in the wake of the 2016 election -- running as a voice for the liberal left, empowered following Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential bid.
Then he decided to abandon a safe House seat to run for attorney general of Minnesota in 2018. Why? This from a MinnPost piece at the time gets at it:
"Why Ellison is making that risky move now is rooted in the realization that in the Donald Trump era, the best place to advance a progressive agenda might not be in Congress, but in the courts."
Of course, life is unpredictable. So, while Ellison may have run for the attorney general job in Minnesota to litigate the legal excesses of the Trump administration, Floyd's murder on May 25, 2020, fundamentally changed the AG's focus -- and maybe the trajectory of his political career.
The problem for Ellison, at least in Minnesota, is that there's no obvious next step for him politically. Gov. Tim Walz (D) is running for a second term in 2022. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) isn't up for reelection until 2024; Sen. Tina Smith (D) won't stand for another term until 2026.
That blockade may mean that Ellison will look beyond the Land of 10,000 Lakes for his next move. Perhaps a slot in President Joe Biden's administration? Or depending on what Biden does in 2024, Ellison could be a national candidate who liberals could get behind -- although, admittedly, that looks like a long shot as of now.
The Point: Ellison's profile has soared due to his central role in the prosecution and conviction of Chauvin. Now the question is, where does he want to go next?
-- Chris QUOTE OF THE DAY "This is the dynamic that led Warren Buffett to famously explain that he paid a lower tax rate than his secretary." -- Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese making the pitch for Biden's proposed changes to capital gains tax, says it will impact very few Americans. MONDAY'S MUST-SEE TWEETS  Twitter is the preferred medium of politicians -- and the media that covers them. And every single day, there are a few tweets -- amid the millions -- that matter most to people like you (smart, politically minded types!)
Some are serious. Many are ridiculous. But either way, you should see them. So I am going to start curating my five favorite tweets of the day in this space. Enjoy!
-- Chris
1. Ex-Georgia Rep. Doug Collins (R) isn't running for anything in 2022 2. Andrew Cuomo (still) isn't resigning 3. Ron DeSantis + pizza: A love story (I think) 4. Steph!!! 5. Wolf Blitzer's beard was a New York Times crossword clue. (And WaPo's Ashley Parker was in a crossword too. I am JEALOUS.)
CHRIS' GOOD READS Texas is the new political superpower, plus five more of my takeaways from all the new Congressional counts down for CNN.
Having been working from home for the past, well, forever, I bought a bunch of stuff on this Wirecutter list of ways to make your home office awesome.
I watched the first hour (or so) of the Oscars. But this Winners and Losers piece from The Ringer helped me catch up on what I missed. I wanted to know more about Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao -- and that Vulture piece (subscriber-only) helped me.
Having been the subject of plenty mean tweets, I LOVED this on "The Slander Industry."
And, Mel Kiper Jr. eats pumpkin pie for breakfast every morning. AMAZING.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE Two of my favorite rappers at the moment -- Earl Sweatshirt and Navy Blue -- just released a new song called "Nobles" with producer The Alchemist.
-- Chris  Today's episode: Pressure on Biden's Covid-19 diplomacy abroad. SUBJECT: 'WHERE ARE YOU?'  Lauren loved this weekend story on President Joe Biden's calls to his grandkids, expertly written by CNN's Maegan Vazquez:
The habitual check-ins with grandchildren, five of whom are of talking age, remain at minimum a text ("typically an 'I love you', or 'How are you?'" says one source) and at most a phone call.
"On a day where we're all busy, he texts us, 'Just tried calling you guys. Missed it,'" Maisy Biden said in an interview on NBC in January.
"He has this weird thing where he can put stuff in bold letters," granddaughter Natalie says.
Naomi adds, "He puts, like, 'SUBJECT: WHERE ARE YOU?'"
Maisy also recalled "Pop" staying up "until 10 p.m." to make sure his grandkids got to their family lake house safely, even though they say they have Secret Service traveling with them.
Read on about Biden's one strict rule: No matter what's happening, he always answers a call from one of his grandchildren.
LET'S GET QUIZZICAL  Question: Which 2020 Democratic presidential candidate was, and still is, a vegan?
a. Marianne Williamson
Send your answers to cillizza@cnn.com and lauren.dezenski@cnn.com!  ONE BIG 💉 60 million The number of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses the US will soon release to other countries, an administration official tells CNN. You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox.
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