Violence at work
Violence at work Lines that separated campaign activities from official ones are being erased.
September 2, 2020, 10:01 AM
6 min read
The TAKE with Rick Klein
It’s long been said that good policy makes good politics.
Something of an inverse proposition is being tested by President Donald Trump and his administration now. With two months before the election, the lines that have long separated campaign activities from official ones are being erased, as politics drives policy in both perceptions and reality.
An unprecedented intermingling of taxpayer-funded functions and political events came into view at last week’s Republican National Convention. The White House was transformed into a rally site, the Secretary of State beamed in from Jerusalem and government officials starred in overtly political material — sometimes without civilian participants even knowing the purpose.
Trump is using White House press briefings to blast away at his Democratic rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. On Tuesday, Trump used an official visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin, to amplify campaign messaging about the federal response to protesters’ violence, with Attorney General William Barr along for the trip.
Wednesday morning brings a fresh revelation: In early July, a Trump administration bulletin warned law-enforcement agencies of a Russian scheme to promote “allegations about the poor mental health” of Biden, according to a draft document obtained by ABC News.
Trump’s own Department of Homeland Security blocked the warning from going out. Unfounded allegations about Biden’s mental acuity have been a Trump campaign staple all summer; on Tuesday, the president said, “Biden doesn’t know he’s alive.”
It’s easy to become numb to the repeated ways in which the Trump White House tramples rules and norms. Every new piece of information could cut both ways — helping the president, perhaps, though also helping make a case against him.
The RUNDOWN with Benjamin Siegel
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin urged Congress on Tuesday to take up a new round of coronavirus relief legislation, after weeks of stalled negotiations between House Democrats and the Trump administration on the size and scale of the package.
“Let’s not get caught on a number. Let’s agree on things we can move forward on a bipartisan basis now,” he said in a House hearing, pointing to small-business funding as a potential area of limited compromise.
With Congress set to return to Washington next week, Senate Republicans are hoping to release their own relief proposal for consideration — though it’s unlikely to garner the Democratic votes needed to clear the chamber.
While Mnuchin said he was eager to restart conversations with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn told reporters that Democrats are unlikely to budge on many of their core demands — even as they have shown willingness to bring down their overall spending figure.
“Not having support for state and local government on the table is not going to cut it,” he told reporters after the hearing with Mnuchin.
The TIP with Kendall Karson
Incumbency reigned supreme on Tuesday night in Massachusetts.
Three elder lawmakers — Sen. Ed Markey, 74, Rep. Richie Neal, 71, and Rep. Stephen Lynch, 65 — all withstood clashes from younger challengers in a year that has tested the strength and energy of the party’s left wing.
While Neal and Lynch delivered wins in races in which progressives sought to unseat the incumbent, in Markey’s case, the left was defending him.
Markey’s triumph over Kennedy brings a stinging loss for the family that has never run an unsuccessful campaign in the commonwealth, but still Kennedy told supporters Tuesday night, “Always spend your life in the ring, it is worth the fight.”
As for the progressive movement, split results for the night, which include a major victory statewide against a storied political dynasty, means they aren’t going anywhere. It also previews the pressures that lie ahead for the Democratic establishment as the party continues the push-and-pull over its direction with the White House on the line.
“The progressive movement knows how to fight, we will not surrender. We know our work is not done,” Markey said in a victory speech from Malden.
THE PLAYLIST
ABC News’ “Start Here” Podcast. Wednesday morning’s episode features ABC News’ Alex Perez, who joins us from Kenosha, Wisconsin, after President Donald Trump surveyed protest damage there Tuesday. New York City public school teacher Odalis Santana tells us how the teacher’s union worked to persuade city officials to delay the start of the school year over coronavirus concerns. And ABC News’ Fergal Gallagher explains how Facebook is dealing with new Russian election meddling efforts. http://apple.co/2HPocUL
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY
The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the day’s top stories in politics. Please check back tomorrow for the latest.