Top Items:
Christopher Mathias / Talking Points Memo:
Chris Rufo — Known For ‘DEI’ and ‘CRT’ Panics — Tries to Make ‘the Indian Question’ a Thing — Rufo often gets treated as a “respectable” conservative. His latest podcast episode — framing Indian-Americans as a problem in need of solving — is more evidence that he shouldn't be.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Politico:
The reverend's run — With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco and Irie Sentner — Good Friday morning. We're kicking off today with some nastygrams you won't want to miss. Read on, and get in touch. — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) lashed out in private texts …
Discussion:
New York Post, Harper's and Wall Street Journal, more at Mediagazer »
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Elaine Godfrey / The Atlantic:
The GOP's Culture-War Hail Mary — Last week, as the war with Iran dragged into its seventh month, gas prices shot up to an average of $4.50 a gallon, and polling showed President Trump about twice as far underwater with American voters as he was at this point in 2018, Republican senators determined …
Megan Messerly / Politico:
Trump's ‘pitch perfect’ project announcements may be too late to help the GOP
Discussion:
New York Post, New Republic, The Korea Times and The Washington Sun
Alex Roarty / The Washington Sun:
The Democratic Brand Is a Mess. Some Democrats Are Taking Advantage.
Mychael Schnell / MS NOW:
Democrats are making huge gains in Trump country. The battleground states are a different story.
Discussion:
The Hill
Paul Blumenthal / HuffPost:
South Dakota Is Trump Country. Can This New Strategy Change That?
Discussion:
Vox
Victoria Balara / Fox News:
Fox News Poll: It's a Lone Star Senate showdown between Talarico and Paxton
Discussion:
The Hill, Washington Post, Daily Kos, LGBTQ Nation, Breitbart, The Texas Tribune, RedState and The Independent
Igor Bobic / The Washington Sun:
Red States Are Trending Blue. Is Mississippi Really on the Table?
Discussion:
Washington Post, Magnolia Tribune and Mississippi Today
Paul Wiseman / Associated Press:
US adds disappointing 29,000 jobs and unemployment ticks up to 4.2% in September — U.S. employers added a disappointing 29,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked up last month, the government reported Friday, a month before voters go to the polls in pivotal midterm elections …
Discussion:
New York Times, MS NOW, Washington Examiner, Straight Arrow, CBS News, The Hill, Reuters, Daily Kos, Politico, NPR, Breitbart, Bloomberg, Forbes, Washington Post, Fox Business, Mock Paper Scissors, WTOP News, The Independent, NewsMax.com, Casey Local, Deadline, Semafor and The American Conservative
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Konrad Putzier / Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Hiring Slows With 29,000 Jobs Added in September — Anemic hiring fell far short of expectations, but the unemployment rate remains near historic lows — The U.S. added 29,000 jobs in September, far short of expectations, in a sign that the labor market remains steady but may not be able …
Discussion:
HotAir, Washington Examiner, CNBC, Jared Bernstein, NewsMax.com, Bloomberg and CBS News
Jeff Cox / CNBC:
U.S. nonfarm payrolls increase by 29,000 in September, less than expected; unemployment rises to 4.2% … Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news. — CNBC Councils — Join the CNBC Panel — News Tips
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, RedState, OutsideTheBeltway and CBS News
New York Times:
As Prospects Dim, G.O.P. Pulls Money Out of North Carolina Senate Race — The Senate Leadership Fund is diverting money to Kansas, which has become a growing concern for the party as it seeks to hold its majority. — The top super PAC for Senate Republicans is canceling all the remaining ads …
Discussion:
WTOP News
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Burgess Everett / Semafor:
Top GOP group pauses Senate spending in N.C., goes up in Kansas — Senate Republicans' top super PAC is making a tactical change, pausing its ad campaign in North Carolina's Senate race and launching a new one in Kansas. — Senate Leadership Fund is plowing seven figures into Kansas …
Discussion:
Alternet.org
Kieran Healy:
Trump Tourism Effects — In the past day or two on social media I kept seeing this graph from a Semafor story on the declining volume of international visitors to the United States. — It seems to show, and was being remarked on as showing, that the second Trump administration …
Paul Krugman:
A “Who You Gonna Believe?” Election — If you're arguing, you're losing. Trump is arguing. — They're still doing it! Click on any White House press release and the image above pops up. The tone-deafness is almost surreal. Even if you're a Trump loyalist who really believes …
Discussion:
Alternet.org, The Associated Press and Axios
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Karine Jean-Pierre / New York Times:
This Mistake Doomed Biden. Trump Is Falling Into the Same Trap.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner
Politico:
Who was behind a $250K mystery donation to super PAC backing Ken Paxton? — Last year, a super PAC supporting Texas Senate hopeful Ken Paxton received a $250,000 donation from a man calling himself “Paul McLaren,” a supposed “entrepreneur” living in Plano, Texas.
Discussion:
Associated Press
The Washington Sun:
White House Officials Told the DOJ to Delay Action on Abortion Ahead of the Midterms — The White House has instructed the Justice Department to move slowly on any abortion-related actions ahead of the midterm elections, The Washington Sun has learned. — In a series of discussions …
Discussion:
Mock Paper Scissors
Brandy Zadrozny / MS NOW:
MAGA podcaster Benny Johnson sued for defamation over ICE ride-along videos calling protesters ‘terrorists’ — Johnson accompanied top DHS officials last year to an ICE protest, where he pointed out “left-wing terrorists” for his millions of followers across social media.
Hans Nichols / Axios:
Democrats put $3.4M behind Susan Collins allegations — The Democrats' main Senate super PAC is turning an explosive ProPublica investigation into Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) into a 30-second, $3.4 million attack campaign in one of the closest Senate races of the midterms.
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William Kristol / The Bulwark:
Not To Alarm You, But Trump's Brain Is Melted — Just how bad has Donald Trump's leadership been for the Kennedy Center's financial health? CNN reports that, after Trump slapped his name on the building late last year, donation pledges plunged more than 100 percent compared to the previous three-month period.
Discussion:
Alternet.org and Wall Street Journal
Sarah Fitzpatrick / The Atlantic:
Is There Anything Kash Patel Won't Do for Trump Before the Midterms? — Earlier this year, FBI Director Kash Patel vowed before God, Fox Nation, and Donald Trump that he would punish the “deep state” for its manifold transgressions, especially the (actually nonexistent) conspiracy to steal the 2020 election.
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Heather Hollingsworth / Associated Press:
Justice Department finds UCLA law school illegally used race in admissions — The Justice Department found Thursday that the law school at the University of California, Los Angeles, illegally considered race in admissions. — The announcement follows a similar finding …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times and New York Times
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Sarah K. Burris / Alternet.org:
Kennedy Center moves to sell all of its Steinway pianos — This story has been updated to include comments from Democracy Defenders, Mr. Lewis. — Photos show piano movers rolling massive Steinway grand pianos through the red-carpeted halls of the Kennedy Center this week …
John Light / Talking Points Memo:
JD Vance Says Black, Socialist Candidate for Senate Doesn't ‘Belong in America’ — A New Chapter in Vance's Effort to Police Who's American — JD Vance visited Florida yesterday, stumping for candidates in races that for a few cycles have been safely red.
Discussion:
The Washington Sun, twitchy.com, Florida's Voice, National Politics and Washington Examiner
David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
Bill Pulte Guts the IG Office That Investigated Him — Cuts Would Put IG Office Out of Business — In a move that smacks of retaliation, Federal Housing Finance Agency director Bill Pulte is moving to slash next year's budget for the agency's inspector general's office by more than 60% …
Scott Nover / Washington Post:
Trump administration is paying $1.6 million a week to keep Voice of America staff on leave — Hundreds of VOA staffers have been on paid leave since the agency sidelined them in March 2025. — SummaryLoading... More than a year after the Trump administration attempted to dismantle Voice of America …
Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Trump accuses fellow Republican of denying Americans extra hour of daylight: ‘Have to get moving’ — WASHINGTON — President Trump said Friday that a lone Senate Republican is blocking Americans from gaining an extra hour of daylight on winter evenings — as he ratcheted up pressure on senators …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Hill, The Gateway Pundit, Newsweek and Trump's Truth
Lisa Needham / Public Notice:
The mendaciousness of the latest DOJ attack on judges — Ahead of PN's 5th anniversary next week, we're offering paid subscriptions at the special yearly rate of $40 (or about 16¢ per edition). This newsletter is only possible thanks to the support of paid subscribers.
Discussion:
Fox News, MS NOW, Townhall, Talking Points Memo and The Federalist
Jim Saksa / Democracy Docket:
The Postal Service is slowing delivery. Will your mail ballot be affected? — The Postal Service is implementing broad cost-saving measures that will slow pick-up and delivery times that now cover more than 42% of the continental United States. — That puts tens of thousands …
Discussion:
Council on Foreign Relations, Politico and Reuters
Washington Post:
MLB drops proposal to host a baseball game at Grand Teton National Park — After The Washington Post reported on the proposal, local leaders sent letters to the Trump administration and the MLB commissioner expressing strong opposition. — SummaryLoading...
Discussion:
Bleacher Report, Front Office Sports, Associated Press and The Washington Sun
Adrian Carrasquillo / The Bulwark:
Trump Turned His Beloved Golf Hub Into a Ghost Town — In Doral, there are empty tables, shuttered businesses, and families struggling to survive after their loved ones have been thrown in detention. — Doral, Florida — THE ICONIC EL AREPAZO RESTAURANT IN DORAL is so central …
Media Matters for America:
Who's calling for the Trump administration to send federal agents to polling places? — Right-wing media personalities have pushed for the Trump administration to send federal agents and the military to polling places and interfere with vote counting, but voting rights groups are pushing back
Discussion:
Associated Press
HuffPost:
How The GOP's Signature Law Is Fueling One Of Its Biggest Political Problems — Republicans are scrambling to deal with a data center boom they cheered on not long ago. — WASHINGTON — When Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year, they knew Democrats would hit …
Lowkell / Blue Virginia:
Friday (10/2) News Roundup: Trump “Is Not Well”; Russ Vought, “Shadow President”; Hegseth Needs to Be Impeached ASAP — DOJ “Trying to Recast Richard Nixon as the Victim of Watergate”; National outrage over Cornell rape case, barbaric botched execution — Here are a few international …
G. Elliott Morris / Strength In Numbers:
Amid rising diesel prices, Republicans turn against Trump for first time on handling inflation — It's election season. Here's my pitch to you to support this work with a paid subscription. — The next four weeks are like an extended Super Bowl for election analysts.
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