PROFILE
FROM Alex Isenstadt
Blame game at the White House after healthcare bill fiasco In the aftermath of Friday's Obamacare-repeal debacle, President Trump first blamed the Democrats , then tweeted angrily at the conservative Republican Freedom Caucus and the Heritage Foundation. Alex Isenstadt is following the action for Politico .
A White House shakeup after less than a month in office Washington is on fire with charges and counter-charges, reports and rumors in the aftermath of Michael Flynn's departure as President Trump's National Security Advisor. Trump asked for Flynn's resignation because he "lost his trust" in him. White House officials were reportedly told "weeks ago" that Flynn lied to Vice President Pence about conversations with Russia's ambassador. Democrats are demanding to find out what the President knew and when he knew it — and even some Republicans are calling for an investigation. Washington is fully preoccupied with Russian meddling in the election, Obama Administration sanctions and President Trump's ties to Vladimir Putin.
Did the debate help undecided voters decide? What did undecided voters think of the candidates’ performances in Monday’s debate? Well, CBS News filmed a focus group of undecided voters reacting to the debate, and there was plenty of disappointment all around. As many as 15 to 20 percent of voters are still deciding between Clinton and Trump, or plan to vote for a third-party candidate. And it’s a close race, with Clinton ahead by just two percentage points in the latest surveys of likely voters, so those undecided voters could make a big difference this election.
Trump and Clinton Widen their Lead Yesterday's presidential primaries have altered the landscape for both political parties. The principal casualty was Florida's Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who dropped out of the race for the White House after Donald Trump crushed him in his own state. John Kasich is hanging on by his fingernails, with Ted Cruz still strong enough to help prevent Trump from securing the GOP nomination. With Hillary Clinton taking claiming victory in several states, it was a bad day for Bernie Sanders. We hear about the narrowing field of candidates and what's facing those still standing.
Sugar Daddies, Super PAC's and Winning the White House The US Supreme Court has taken the lid off political spending, so presidential candidates are lining up billionaires to finance next year's campaigns. It's not just the South Carolina and New Hampshire primaries any more. There's the "Adelson primary" and the "Koch primary" facetiously named for Republican mega-donors. Hillary Clinton is cozying up to super-rich Democrats. That's giving enormous power to a tiny group of billionaires – a Florida car dealer , a New York hedge fund operator and others . What do they want — what will they get -- for their money?
Without Limits, Will Campaign Contributions Dominate Politics? There’s just nine weeks left before the mid-term elections—and there’s more money than ever for Senate and House campaigns. In April, Alabama businessman Shaun McCutcheon gave his name to a US Supreme Court decision to eliminate legal restrictions on how much an individual can give in total to candidates and committees. McCutcheon says it’s great to have more money in politics—putting it this way: “we’re just spreading speech.” What’s the likely impact of more money in politics—this year and in years to come?
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Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?