“The Senate Republican campaign arm sent a memo to donors touting Rep. Ashley Hinson’s potential strength in the Iowa Senate race, while stopping short of fully endorsing her to replace outgoing Sen. Joni Ernst,” NOTUS reports.
“Senate Democrats have been looking for ways to expand their difficult 2026 map to take back the majority, eyeing red states like Iowa and Alaska as potential places to do so.”
“Facing hostile questions from senators in both parties, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dug in Thursday on some of his most controversial actions since taking office in February, fiercely interrupting senators on both sides to push back on their onslaught,” Punchbowl News reports.
“Eleven of the 13 Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee called for Kennedy to resign or be fired before the hearing even began, a very clear signal about how contentious the session was going to be. And it then lived up to that preview, with Kennedy and numerous senators getting into angry exchanges…”
“Yet Kennedy continued to push conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 vaccine, spurring sharp criticism from even Republican senators.”
“Federal Reserve nominee Stephen Miran, a senior White House economic adviser, told Senate lawmakers Thursday that he does not plan to resign from the Trump administration if confirmed to the Federal Reserve’s board of governors — an unusual arrangement likely to raise concerns about the central bank’s independence,” the Washington Post reports.
“If confirmed, he would be the first modern-day Federal Reserve Board member to maintain such close ties to the White House.”
“Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Thursday that former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Susan Monarez lied to Americans when she said she was fired for refusing to endorse vaccine recommendations not supported by science,” Axios reports.
“Kennedy’s public rebuke will likely cause additional turmoil at the CDC.”
Said Monarez, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed: “The CDC can’t fulfill its obligation to the American people if its leader can’t demand proof in decision-making. That isn’t reform. It is sabotage.”
“The District of Columbia’s attorney general said that he was suing to end the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, two days after a federal judge ruled the Trump administration’s use of troops in Los Angeles had been unlawful,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the world during Donald Trump’s second presidency has entered a period of danger, The Guardian reports.
Said McConnell: “I think this is the most dangerous period since before World War II. There’s certain similarities right now to the 30s.”
He added: “Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley tariff bill in 1930, widely believed by historians and economists to have taken the depression worldwide. Those who were totally anxious to stay out of all of what was going on in Europe were called ‘America First’. Sound familiar?”
More: “So what do we have today? North Korea, China, Russia, Iran and Iran’s proxies. They’re very different kinds of countries, but they have one thing in common: They hate us.”
Twelve Democratic members of the Finance Committee and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) called on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign minutes before he was testify before them, the Washington Post reports.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) did not sign on to the statement.
“Federal judges are frustrated with the Supreme Court for increasingly overturning lower court rulings involving the Trump administration with little or no explanation, with some worried the practice is undermining the judiciary at a sensitive time,” NBC News reports.
“Some judges believe the Supreme Court, and in particular Chief Justice John Roberts, could be doing more to defend the integrity of their work as President Donald Trump and his allies harshly criticize those who rule against him and as violent threats against judges are on the rise.”
Tom Bartlett: “The health secretary is showing this week what he’s willing to do with his power.”
“The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, issuing subpoenas as part of an inquiry into whether she submitted fraudulent information on mortgage applications,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The initial scrutiny has centered on Cook’s properties in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Atlanta, with investigators using grand juries as part of the probe.”
Chuck Todd told Chris Cillizza that President Trump “has some health issues” and is not being transparent with the American people about them.
Said Todd: “He’s clearly hiding something about his health.”
“French politics are so paralyzed that the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron — an idea once only whispered in the corridors of power — is now being openly debated,” Politico reports.
“But while Macron’s departure would be an earthquake on the European diplomatic stage, there’s increasing doubt it would fix the gridlock stalling the Fifth Republic.”
“France’s problems appear to be deeper.”
A new Pew Research poll finds 50% of Americans currently hold an unfavorable opinion of the Supreme Court.
“Although opinions of the court have been relatively stable over the last few years, favorable views remain close to a three-decade low.”
“Today, the court’s favorable rating is 22 percentage points lower than it was in August 2020, when 70% of Americans had a positive view.”
“U.S. private sector hiring rose less than expected in August, offering the latest indication of trouble in the labor market,” CNBC reports.
“Donald Trump added a branch to the U.S. military in his first term and kick-started a $175 billion missile defense initiative in his second with the same impetus in mind: Future wars will be waged from space,” Axios reports.
“The U.S. is poised to pour hundreds of billions of dollars into a zone of warfare few Americans understand, but that the world’s biggest powers are racing to dominate.”
Michael Scherer: “Laura Loomer has become the Joseph McCarthy of the Trump era.”
A new CBS News poll finds 74% of Americans think the federal government should make vaccines more available, while only 4% say they should be made less available.
Taegan 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.
