Political Wire

‘Zero’ Indication RFK Jr. Is Planning Departure

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“When it comes to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s future, two things are clear: He hasn’t finished what he set out to do, and President Trump has his back,” Axios reports.

“It was a popular assumption a few months ago that Kennedy would be out after the November elections. Now, the question is why he would leave.”

”Though he’d surely be a target if Democrats take control in Congress, Kennedy still could wield considerable power upending vaccine policy and redefining the government’s role in the health care system.”

Quote of the Day

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“If I have anything to say about it … the agenda of the Democratic Party is going to be extremely bold. We’re going to do what the American people want.”

— Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), quoted by Politico.

Democrats Aim for More Deep Red Seats

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Punchbowl News: “House Majority PAC, a Democratic leadership-aligned super PAC, is going up on TV in more deep red seats, spending $380,000 against GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz in Indiana’s 5th District and $2.2 million against GOP Rep. Brad Finstad in Minnesota’s 1st District. President Donald Trump won Spartz’s district by 17 points and Finstad’s by 12 points.”

Trump Weighs Ultra-Processed Food Definition

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“A heated debate over how to define what qualifies as an ultra-processed food contributed to the resignation of Trump administration health adviser Calley Means ahead of the midterm elections,” Semafor reports.

“People familiar with his exit say he was frustrated with a lack of progress toward the release of a white paper with a proposed definition. Means blamed ultra-processed foods for the ‘chronic disease crisis’ in the U.S..”

The Trump Show Is Back, Perhaps for a Final Time

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Wall Street Journal: “Trump has returned to the rally stage in force, hoping to energize his supporters and defy the polls predicting deep Republican losses in November. Crowds are generally smaller than they were when he was on the ballot, but the president is reveling in the attention, touting his agenda, stirring the pot and veering off script.”

“Some Republicans fear the spectacle will motivate Democrats and give his opponents plenty of fodder to paint the president as out of touch. But at the arenas, gyms and airport hangars where he has been holding court, the Trump show is unabashedly back—perhaps for a final time as his decadelong dominance in politics begins to sunset.”

Obama and Trump Made Their Cases in Dueling Speeches

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“Former President Barack Obama returned to the campaign trail on Saturday for midterm rallies in Cleveland and Detroit, setting up a rare split screen with President Trump, who staged a rally in the evening in a small city in central Georgia,” the New York Times reports.

“Their pitches offered a contrast in style and substance. Mr. Obama prosecuted his case against the Trump administration in two tightly scripted, roughly 40-minute bursts on Saturday.”

“Mr. Trump, who has been crisscrossing the country for weeks in a midterm push to save his party’s congressional majorities, defended his administration in a rambling and at times profane hour-and-a-half speech Saturday night.”

The Billionaire Tax Became a ‘Hot Mess’ for Democrats

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“The idea seemed simple at first: a one-time tax on California’s billionaires to counter looming cuts to Medicaid,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Instead, the proposed wealth tax has exposed deep divisions among Democrats and created strange bedfellows on both sides working to defeat or pass the proposal.”

“Drama surrounding the measure includes a fight among labor unions worried their own priorities will suffer, tech elites putting down hundreds of millions to defeat it and allegations of extortion and harassment by the tax’s architect.”

How Trump’s Trade War Has Hurt GOP Candidates

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Washington Post: “Often, presidents suffer from events they didn’t cause — the coronavirus pandemic in Trump’s first term, for example. This year, by contrast, Trump has seen some of the lowest presidential approval numbers ever recorded, and his decisions have driven the plunge.”

“The tariffs of up to 50 percent on Canadian goods that Trump announced in July provide a prime example.”

“At a time when voters are acutely focused on the cost of living, tariffs are a visible step that drives prices higher. And the trade war with Canada has hurt residents of border states especially hard.”

Lula Wins Record Fourth Term in Brazil

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“President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva came from behind to win Brazil’s runoff election, halting a right-wing wave sweeping Latin America and defying predictions that the 80-year-old political veteran had finally reached the end of his extraordinary career,” Bloomberg reports.

“The electoral court declared Lula the winner with 51.76% of the vote to Flávio Bolsonaro’s 48.24% on Sunday, after a messy election day marked by allegations of voter suppression and a last-minute extension of voting hours.”

Greg Abbott Says Gina Hinojosa Supports Sharia Law

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“Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ripped state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee in the Lone Star State’s gubernatorial race, for an endorsement she received from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a group designated in Texas as a foreign terrorist organization,” The Hill reports.

Said Abbott: “Gina supports that endorsement that she got from them because she supports Sharia law, she supports Sharia communities. What I’m focused on doing is making sure that we ban Sharia law, Sharia cities, Sharia compounds.”

Trump Attacks Abdul El-Sayed Over Muslim Faith

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“President Donald Trump used a campaign rally to intensify his attacks on Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, his Muslim faith and his Egyptian heritage, repeatedly portraying the Michigan-born Democrat as sympathetic to Islamic extremism without offering any evidence for his allegations,” Bloomberg reports.

Said Trump: “Michigan needs to stand up and fight. Stop a jihadist from walking into the Capitol.”

Washington Sun: Trump says El-Sayed is a “jihadist” who must go through a metal detector if elected.

Trump Rips Norway Over Nobel Prize Beef

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“President Donald Trump is still upset he didn’t get the Nobel Peace Prize, and he’s blaming Norway for it,” Mediaite reports.

Said Trump: “I’m not in love with Norway. Frankly, Norway sucks.”

He added: “Norway has become a shithouse country, actually.”

Todd Blanche Doubles Down On Alaska Lawsuit

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“Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday defended the Justice Department’s lawsuit — filed at President Donald Trump’s request — seeking to block Alaska from certifying its election results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses,” MS NOW reports.

Said Blanche: “There could be a crime. But the real wrong here is that Alaskans are going to be confused and will not have their vote heard.”

CNBC: Blanche defends Trump-ordered lawsuit over Alaska Senate election certification.

Trump’s Election Attacks Enter New Pre-Emptive Phase

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“For months, President Trump has mounted a sustained effort to attack the integrity of U.S. elections while using the federal government to try to assert more control over the voting process overseen by states,” the New York Times reports.

“Last week, Mr. Trump opened a new front.”

“Rather than simply push false claims at his rallies or target voters his administration claims should not be on the rolls, Mr. Trump moved to pre-emptively challenge the certification of Alaska’s Senate election if the Republican candidate narrowly loses.”

“In doing so, Mr. Trump harnessed the power of the federal government to try to interfere in the voting process before Election Day — essentially trying to nullify an opponent’s potential win before the game has been called.”

Mary Peltola in Car Crash During Final Sprint

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“Alaska Senate Democratic hopeful Mary Peltola suffered minor injuries in a car crash Saturday, temporarily sidelining her campaign,” the New York Post reports.

“Peltola, 53, was en route to the Alaska Federation of Natives Annual Banquet when her vehicle was hit by another car, forcing her to reschedule her campaign events slated for Sunday and Monday.”

Voting in Brazil Extended Hours as Tensions Rise

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“Brazil’s Supreme Court issued a last-minute extension of voting hours across the nation Sunday, while its electoral authorities began — and then suddenly paused — counting ballots in one of the most tightly contested elections in its history,” Bloomberg reports.

“The order from Judge Cristiano Zanin came minutes after polls were due to close at 5 p.m. local time, and allowed voting to continue until 7 p.m. It followed requests from both candidates, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and challenger Flávio Bolsonaro.”

Obama and Trump Wage One Last Battle

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Stpehen Collinson: “Two decades ago, Barack Obama stormed battleground states rebuking a Republican president over a deeply unpopular war and an economy that was crushing working Americans.”

“He’s at it again. But his updated critique is more searing, contemptuous and urgent than during the George W. Bush era as he tries to push Democratic midterms candidates over the line to finally thwart the political momentum of his nemesis Donald Trump.”

“The ex-president’s swing Saturday through Ohio and Michigan — states both men won twice en route to the White House — coincided with Trump’s latest midterm stop in Georgia, where Obama is expected next week.”

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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