Political Wire

Become a member to get many great benefits -- exclusive analysis, trending news, a private podcast, no ads and more!


The Arc de Trump?

By Leave a Comment

USA Today: “At a dinner to thank donors for contributing to his longtime passion project – a $250 million, 90,000 square-foot ballroom at the White House — President Donald Trump unveiled a new scheme.”

“Standing behind a podium in the East Room on Oct. 15, while guests sat at round tables, he picked up a 3-D model of a giant arch, reminiscent of Paris’s imposing Arc de Triomphe. He pointed to a table with a map showing its proposed location across from the Lincoln Memorial. The arch would serve as a gateway to Washington D.C. while entering through the Arlington Memorial Bridge from the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.”

Lawmakers Spend Big Money on Personal Security

By Leave a Comment

“Federal lawmakers and political committees have diverted millions of dollars of campaign contributions this year to cover the cost of security, with campaigns of political lightning rods such as Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reporting five- and six-figure security bills last quarter alone,” NOTUS reports.


You're reading the free version of Political Wire

Upgrade to a paid membership to unlock full access. The process is quick and easy. You can even use Apple Pay.




Town Hall on the Government Shutdown

By Leave a Comment

CNN will host a live town hall with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders tonight at 9 p.m. ET.

The studio audience will include people “who have been directly affected by the shutdown.”

Leave your reactions in the comments.

Brown Rejects White House Deal for Special Treatment

By Leave a Comment

“Brown University on Wednesday rejected a White House proposal to steer public money toward schools that aligned with President Trump’s priorities, defying the federal government it had negotiated with over the summer,” the New York Times reports.

“Brown was the second university to rebuff the government’s proposal of so-called compact, after M.I.T. did so last week. But Brown’s decision was likely to carry extraordinary weight in higher education because it had previously reached a settlement with the Trump administration to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research funding.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

By Leave a Comment

“I just want to speak directly to the president. I will not be a mayor like Mayor Adams who will call you to stay out of jail. I won’t be a disgraced governor like Andrew Cuomo who will call you to ask how to win this election. I can do those things on my own. I will, however, be a mayor who is ready to speak at any time to lower the cost of living. That’s the way I’m going to lead this city. That’s the partnership I want to build.”

— Zohran Mamdani, on Fox News.

JD Vance Downplays Racist Chat Group

By Leave a Comment

Vice President JD Vance downplayed bigoted messages in Young Republicans’ group chats, suggesting they were nothing more than “edgy, offensive jokes,” Politico reports.

Said Vance: “The reality is that kids do stupid things, especially young boys. They tell edgy, offensive jokes. That’s what kids do. And I really don’t want us to grow up in a country where a kid telling a stupid joke — telling a very offensive, stupid joke — is cause to ruin their lives.”

Trump Mulls Overhaul to Favor White Refugees

By Leave a Comment

“The Trump administration is considering a radical overhaul of the U.S. refugee system that would slash the program to its bare bones while giving preference to English speakers, white South Africans and Europeans who oppose migration,” the New York Times reports.

“The proposals, some of which already have gone into effect, would transform a decades-old program aimed at helping the world’s most desperate people into one that conforms to Mr. Trump’s vision of immigration — which is to help mostly white people who say they are being persecuted while keeping the vast majority of other people out.”

Kavanaugh Emerges as Key Vote in Landmark Case

By Leave a Comment

The Supreme Court heard nearly two hours of oral arguments in Louisiana v. Callais — a blockbuster case that could reshape how race can be considered in drawing congressional maps across the country.

At issue is whether Louisiana’s map, which includes a second majority-Black district, violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause.

Join now to continue reading.

Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more.

If you’re already a member, sign in to your account.

Trump Authorizes Covert CIA Action in Venezuela

By Leave a Comment

“The Trump administration has secretly authorized the CIA to conduct covert action in Venezuela, stepping up a campaign against Nicolás Maduro, the country’s authoritarian leader,” the New York Times reports.

“For weeks, the U.S. military has been targeting boats off the Venezuelan coast it says are transporting drugs, killing 27 people. American officials have been clear, privately, that the end goal is to drive Mr. Maduro from power.”

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

Praise for Political Wire

“There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them.”

— Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press”

“Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”

— Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report

“Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”

— Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report

“The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… What political junkie could ask for more?”

— Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia

“Political Wire is a great, great site.”

— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”

“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”

— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post

“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”

— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit

“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”

— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.