WHITE HOUSE & ADMINISTRATION
Zelensky sounds alarm on air defense shortfall as US announces more military aid
Haley Britzky, CNN
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged international allies on Friday to speed up deliveries of promised air defenses, warning of a “significant” shortfall in vital aid.
US, allied nations accuse Russia of cyberattacks against Ukraine and NATO
Maggie Miller, Politico
Hacking efforts as part of this campaign began in 2020, and included attacks on Ukrainian groups ahead of Russia’s invasion, along with critical infrastructure organizations in NATO member states.
Blinken indicates he would decline any offer to stay on under Harris
Michael Birnbaum, The Washington Post
The secretary of state says he is looking forward to spending more time with his children.
Blinken visits Haiti in show of U.S. support for struggling government
Michael Birnbaum and Widlore Mérancourt, The Washington Post
The trip was a gamble for the Biden administration, calling attention to an unresolved crisis that, if mismanaged, could cause a flood in migration.
Hunter Biden pleads guilty to federal tax charges, in surprise move on brink of trial
Marshall Cohen et al., CNN
Hunter Biden pleaded guilty Thursday to all nine charges in his federal tax case, in a surprise move on the day that an agonizing weekslong trial was supposed to begin.
CONGRESS
Harris and Walz face swarm of House GOP probes, hearings
Andrew Solender, Axios
House Republicans are set to devote much of their last three weeks in session before the election to targeting Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz with investigations, hearings — and potentially more.
Bryan Metzger, Business Insider
Rep. Byron Donalds failed to file timely disclosure reports for stocks he traded in 2022 and 2023.
GENERAL
Employers Added 142,000 Jobs in August, and Unemployment Ticked Down to 4.2%
David Uberti, The Wall Street Journal
U.S. job growth rebounded slightly in August after a mid-summer scare, keeping the Federal Reserve on track to begin cutting interest rates at their meeting in two weeks.
Father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect arrested, GBI says
Caroline Silva and Rosana Hughes, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Colin Gray, father of Colt Gray, is facing several charges, including second-degree murder.
FBI raids homes of top aides to New York City Mayor Eric Adams
Jeff Coltin et al., Politico
The two deputy mayors are the highest-ranking Adams administration officials yet to be ensnared in the federal probe into Adams’ 2021 campaign.
Trump to attend oral arguments Friday in E. Jean Carroll judgment appeal
Olivia Rubin et al., ABC News
Oral arguments are set to begin in his appeal of the E. Jean Carroll verdict.
Former 2016 Trump campaign adviser is charged over his work for sanctioned Russian TV
Eric Tucker and David Klepper, The Associated Press
The Justice Department has charged a Russian-born U.S. citizen and former adviser to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign with working for a sanctioned Russian state television network and laundering the proceeds.
‘A huge mistake’: Trump’s crypto allies cringe over family’s startup
Jasper Goodman, Politico
The crypto venture is attracting what appear to be hacks and attempted scams ahead of its launch.
CAMPAIGNS
How Harris dodges scrutiny
Mike Allen and Alex Thompson, Axios
With 60 days left in the race, and at the very moment she's presenting a different ideology than four years ago, Vice President Kamala Harris isn't getting subjected to the media scrutiny typical for a presidential nominee.
Harris abandons 2019 pledge to ban plastic straws
Alex Thompson, Axios
When Vice President Kamala Harris ran for president in 2020, she said plastic straws should be banned. On Thursday, her campaign says that's no longer her position.
Trump deputy campaign manager identified in Arlington National Cemetery dustup
Stephen Fowler et al., Politico
One of two staffers involved in the altercation at Arlington National Cemetery is a deputy campaign manager for Donald Trump’s reelection bid, NPR has learned.
Trump Praises Tariffs, and William McKinley, to Power Brokers
Jonathan Weisman, The New York Times
In an address about the kind of economy he hopes to build for the 21st century, the former president harked back to the end of another century: the 19th.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abandons plan to seek votes in uncompetitive states
Michael Scherer and Meryl Kornfield, The Washington Post
The independent candidate now wants all his supporters to vote for Donald Trump, as he seeks to take his name off red-state ballots and add it to blue-state ballots.
STATES
Start of early voting in North Carolina could be delayed after ruling in RFK Jr. ballot challenge
Ethan Cohen, CNN
The first ballots in the nation are scheduled to start going out Friday in North Carolina, but that could be delayed after a judge ordered a temporary pause on ballot distribution.
Alaska Democrats sue to remove imprisoned out-of-state Democrat from U.S. House ballot
James Brooks, Alaska Beacon
Eric Hafner doesn’t meet the U.S. Constitution’s requirements for a candidate, the party argues, but time is short for a lawsuit.
Judge blocks Ohio from enforcing 2 more laws restricting abortions
The Associated Press
Two more Ohio laws restricting abortions have been blocked by the courts as the legal impact of a 2023 constitutional amendment guaranteeing access to the procedure continues to be felt.
Texas sues to block Biden rule protecting privacy for women who get abortions
Brendan Pierson, Reuters
Texas sued the Biden administration in an effort to block a new rule that seeks to protect the privacy of women living in states that ban abortion who travel out of state for the procedure.
This Doctor Had To Leave Her State To Learn How To Perform Abortions
Alice Miranda Ollstein, Politico
Abortion has been heavily restricted in many states post-Roe — and abortion training has all but disappeared, too. Inside one doctor’s journey to obtain that education at any cost.
ADVOCACY
Eighty-eight corporate leaders endorse Harris in new letter, including CEOs of Yelp, Box
Megan Cassella, CNBC
Eighty-eight current and former top executives from across corporate America have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president in a new letter shared exclusively with CNBC.
Harris to meet with Teamsters as union weighs endorsement
Lawrence Ukenye, Politico
It’s the only major union not to endorse Harris and has been roiled by internal divisions since its leader addressed the Republican National Convention.
OPINIONS, EDITORIALS AND PERSPECTIVES
How the quiet war against press freedom could come to America
A.G. Sulzberger, The Washington Post
Some foreign leaders have ruthlessly curtailed journalism. U.S. politicians could draw from their playbook.
Jonathan V. Last, The Bulwark
This one weird trick does not actually predict election results.
RESEARCH REPORTS AND POLLING
The Race for the Senate: Democrats Still in the Game, but Republicans Have the Upper Hand
Kyle Kondik and J. Miles Coleman, Sabato’s Crystal Ball
Republicans remain favored to flip the Senate majority this year. Democrats are still in the game, but they need to win all the closest races just to get to 50-50, and they are likely behind in at least one of those races, Montana.