Tag: Vann R. Newkirk II

Robert Bowers, the suspect in Saturday’s mass shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue, pleaded not guilty to all 44 counts against him and requested a jury trial. Billionaire Oprah Winfrey campaigned in support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams in Marietta, Georgia, but swatted down rumors of a 2020 presidential run. In an interview, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman said he has Stage 1 cancer. Today on The Atlantic The President’s Closing Argument: In the final week before the midterm elections, Trump has warned of an immigrant “invasion” and released a racist ad. To understand this thinking, you have to understand the mind of a close adviser, Stephen Miller. (McKay Coppins) Tolkien Knew About Power: What can The Lord of the Rings teach us about the Trump moment? “The height of wisdom is to fear [one’s] own drive for power,” writes Eliot A. Cohen. Now, students there allege they’re facing voter suppression again. (Vann R. Newkirk II and Adam Harris) An Endangered Species: Ideologically moderate candidates are increasingly rare.

Written by Olivia Paschal (@oliviacpaschal) and Madeleine Carlisle (@maddiecarlisle2) Today in 5 Lines The Trump administration announced that the United States will reinstate sanctions on Iran that had previously been lifted under the Obama administration. Eight countries will receive temporary waivers allowing them to keep importing some oil from Iran. In a reversal from his comments Thursday, Trump said that U.S. troops will not shoot at migrants heading to the southern border if they throw rocks. The U.S. economy added 250,000 jobs in October, and the unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent, a near 50-year low. Today on The Atlantic Mothers for Medicaid: In Georgia, where the mortality rate for black mothers and babies is one of the highest in the country, gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is promising to expand Medicaid. Her embrace of the issue could make the difference in the governor's race. (Vann R. Newkirk II) What Voters Want: Health care is the single most important issue in the midterm elections, writes Annie Lowrey. How the Midterms Could Change North Carolina: The state’s Republican-controlled legislature is trying to change the constitution. (Susie Armitage, ProPublica) An Endless War: Earlier this week, the Trump administration called for a ceasefire in Yemen’s civil war. See which are likely to go Republican and which are likely to go Democratic.

Written by Madeleine Carlisle (@maddiecarlisle2) and Olivia Paschal (@oliviacpaschal) Today in 5 Lines At a White House press conference, national-security officials warned that Russia is still targeting U.S. elections. Pope Francis made opposition to the death penalty an official teaching of the Catholic Church. The National Archives told Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley that it can't fill his request for documents related to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh until the end of October, which could significantly delay his confirmation. In a reversal of Obama-era policies, the White House announced a plan to freeze some of the strictest federal regulations on automobile fuel efficiency. Apple’s stock-market value briefly hit $1 trillion, making it the first company ever to be worth that much money. Today on The Atlantic “Insane”: An immigration lawyer explains how the reunification process works for families separated by the administration’s zero-tolerance policy—and how it doesn’t. (Ashley Fetters) ID This: Earlier this week, President Trump claimed that you need a photo ID to buy groceries. That gaffe was even more baseless than it seems. (Vann R. Newkirk II) Not Bothered: Rumors of an imminent report from Robert Mueller are floating around Washington. (Politico Magazine) Midterms Preview: An upcoming special election in Ohio functions not only as a referendum on the two parties, but also on their top leaders: Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi.

Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey) Today in 5 Lines President Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen reportedly recorded Trump before the 2016 election discussing payments to an ex-Playboy model who claimed they’d had an affair. The White House said Trump “is not considering supporting” a referendum on independence for eastern Ukraine that was suggested by Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Helsinki. Ohio State University announced that more than 100 former students have made sexual-misconduct allegations against Richard Strauss, a former wrestling-team doctor. Police said at least 17 people were killed after a duck boat capsized during a storm in Branson, Missouri. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly told Republicans that if Democrats continue demanding records about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, McConnell will wait to hold a confirmation vote until right before the midterms. : A spat between Daily Show host Trevor Noah and French Ambassador Gérard Araud reveals a divide between the French and American conceptions of identity politics. (Rachel Donadio) Everything Is Fine: White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders has emerged as a warrior in President Trump’s culture war, operating under a shocking assumption: “There are things that are more important than truth.” (Megan Garber) Obama Doesn’t Have the Answer: The former president continues to offer hopeful solutions to America’s problems. Not anymore. (The New York Times) Finding a Third Way: Centrist Democrats really want a 2020 candidate who can offer a moderate alternative to Trump’s and Bernie Sanders’s economic visions. The problem is, they can’t find one.