Top Stories

  • House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney said her panel would open an investigation into Postmaster General Louis DeJoy following allegations that he unlawfully reimbursed employees at his former logistics company for campaign contributions to his preferred Republican politicians. In a statement, the New York Democrat said the U.S. Postal Service’s Board of Governors should suspend DeJoy. (The Washington Post)
  • The chief executive officers of nine pharmaceutical companies issued a public statement pledging to submit COVID-19 vaccines for clearance from federal regulators only when they’re shown to be safe and effective in large clinical studies. The unusual public letter comes amid concerns that President Donald Trump’s administration may be cutting corners in order to get a vaccine to market before the November election to benefit him politically. (Bloomberg)
  • Trump has discussed spending $100 million of his own money on his re-election campaign against Democratic nominee Joe Biden, according to sources familiar with the matter. Trump’s campaign apparatus has outspent Biden so far, but the Democrat broke records with a $365 million haul in August, raising concerns about the incumbent’s standing heading into the fall campaign. (Bloomberg)
  • The Lincoln Project, a group of current and former Republicans seeking to prevent Trump’s re-election, has released a new advertisement blaming the president for civil unrest that recently turned deadly in the critical swing state of Wisconsin. The minute-long spot, shared exclusively with Morning Consult, links Kyle Rittenhouse’s alleged killing of two people at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Kenosha, Wis., to Trump’s rhetoric and his elevation of Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who were awarded a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention after brandishing firearms at demonstrators outside of their home in St. Louis this summer. (Morning Consult)

Chart Review

Events Calendar (All Times Local)

09/08/2020
New Hampshire, Rhode Island hold primary elections
DHS officials speak at Billington CyberSecurity summit 9:30 am
Anthony Fauci participates in Research! America online event on science 1:00 pm
Trump delivers remarks on the environment in Jupiter, Fla. 3:00 pm
09/09/2020
Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Africa participates in AEI online event 9:15 am
Assistant Secretary of State participates in Brookings Institution online event on the Middle East 10:00 am
Andrew Yang participates in Texas Tribune Festival 12:00 pm
Brookings Institution hosts online event on health care prices 2:00 pm
09/10/2020
U.S. Ambassador to NATO participates in Washington Post online event 10:00 am
FDA Commissioner participates in The Economic Club of Washington, DC’s online event 12:00 pm
The Wall Street Journal hosts online event on the future of social media 8:00 pm
View full calendar

Watch the Webinar On Demand – The Gen Z Threat

Recently, Morning Consult hosted a webinar breaking down our latest report, Gen Z’s Most Loved Brands of 2020.

You can access a recording of the webinar here for insight into how the pandemic is transforming Gen Z’s relationship with brands, and how brands should adapt to meet the changing expectations of this generation of the future.

2020

How Trump’s Billion-Dollar Campaign Lost Its Cash Advantage
Shane Goldmacher and Maggie Haberman, The New York Times

Money was supposed to have been one of the great advantages of incumbency for President Trump, much as it was for President Barack Obama in 2012 and George W. Bush in 2004. After getting outspent in 2016, Mr. Trump filed for re-election on the day of his inauguration — earlier than any other modern president — betting that the head start would deliver him a decisive financial advantage this year.

What to watch in New Hampshire, Rhode Island primaries this week
Kate Ackley and Lindsey McPherson, Roll Call

Two of the nation’s final primary contests of the cycle will be decided Tuesday, in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, but one of the most interesting tests will be over the power of someone who’s not on the ballot: President Donald Trump. Republicans in the Granite State will pick their nominees to face two-term Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and freshman Rep. Chris Pappas in the 1st District.

Why Biden could still lose the suburbs to Trump
David Siders, Politico

A raft of recent polls suggest Donald Trump’s law-and-order rhetoric, amplified by the Republican National Convention and turmoil in Kenosha, Wis., is doing little to cut into Joe Biden’s lead. But in swing state suburbs, local party officials are meeting the Labor Day start of the fall campaign with an undercurrent of uneasiness about how quickly Trump shifted the focus of the campaign to public safety — and away from the more damaging discussion of his erratic response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 8 states where 2020 will be won or lost: A POLITICO deep dive
Politico

Minnesota’s Iron Range. Wisconsin’s “WOW” counties. Suburban Charlotte. The city of Philadelphia. Each is a shorthand for the building blocks of victory in the swing states that will determine the presidential election.

Pence and Harris Vie for Wisconsin as Trump Vents From the White House
Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns, The New York Times

For a few hours, the unofficial Labor Day start to the fall presidential campaign centered around Wisconsin, as Vice President Mike Pence tried to poach Democrats in this Mississippi River town and Senator Kamala Harris sought to rally the Democratic base in Milwaukee. But their dueling events at opposite ends of this increasingly pivotal state — as well as Joseph R. Biden’s visit to another battleground, Pennsylvania — were soon overwhelmed by a force as strong as any current: President Trump’s thirst for attention.

Biden’s flexibility on policy could mean fierce fights if he wins
Annie Linskey, The Washington Post

When Joe Biden released economic recommendations two months ago, they included a few ideas that worried some powerful bankers: allowing banking at the post office, for example, and having the Federal Reserve guarantee all Americans a bank account. But in private calls with Wall Street leaders, the Biden campaign made it clear those proposals would not be central to Biden’s agenda.

In battlegrounds, absentee ballot rejections could triple
Christina A. Cassidy and Frank Bajak, The Associated Press

Thousands of absentee ballots get rejected in every presidential election. This year, that problem could be much worse and potentially pivotal in hotly contested battleground states.

Welcoming voters, not fans: Sports teams push for stadiums to become polling sites
Allan Smith, NBC News

Professional sports teams and voting advocates want to make casting ballots this fall a slam dunk by turning stadiums and arenas across the country into polling places. But with the hubbub over newly offered stadium voting reaching a fever pitch, the question of how exactly this will work remains a question for many.

White House & Administration

Trump Hints at Vaccine ‘Surprise’ as Biden Demands Transparency
Jennifer Epstein, Bloomberg

President Donald Trump hinted Monday that the U.S. could approve a coronavirus vaccine in October, ahead of the November election, as Joe Biden demanded transparency from the government as it studies the shots. “This could’ve taken two or three years, and instead it’s going to be — going to be done in a very short period of time,” Trump said during a news conference in which he criticized Biden for his skepticism that the FDA is operating free of political pressure.

Trump launches unprecedented attack on military leadership he appointed
Barbara Starr and Ryan Browne, CNN

President Donald Trump launched an unprecedented public attack against the leadership of the US military on Monday, accusing them of waging wars to boost the profits of defense manufacturing companies.

White House has talked to VA secretary about taking Pentagon job if Trump fires Esper
Carol E. Lee and Courtney Kube, NBC News

President Donald Trump has long been unhappy with Defense Secretary Mark Esper, and White House officials have talked to Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie about taking the top Pentagon job should Trump decide to fire Esper, three senior administration officials said. Two senior administration officials said Trump discussed the position directly with Wilkie at the White House last month.

U.S. May Ban Cotton From Xinjiang Region of China Over Rights Concerns
Ana Swanson, The New York Times

The Trump administration is weighing a ban on some or all products made with cotton from the Xinjiang region of China, a move that could come as soon as Tuesday as the United States looks to punish Beijing over alleged human rights violations, three people familiar with the matter said. The potential ban, which could affect a wide range of apparel and other products, comes amid widespread concerns about the use of forced labor in Xinjiang, where China has carried out a crackdown against mostly Muslim minorities, including a campaign of mass detentions.

Regulation To Restrict H-1B Visas Moves Toward Final Step
Stuart Anderson, Forbes

In the Trump administration’s potentially most consequential action to restrict high-skilled immigration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has sent a new H-1B visa regulation to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for final review. The long-anticipated rule, which is expected to be published soon, is almost certain to be challenged in court.

Trump’s ‘plane loaded with thugs’ appears to be a Salt Lake City flight with Black Lives Matter protesters
Bryan Schott, The Salt Lake Tribune

President Donald Trump raised some eyebrows earlier this week when he stated a plane “loaded with thugs wearing dark uniforms” flew into Washington, D.C., recently as part of his claim that shadowy groups were controlling Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Turns out that conspiracy theory might have a connection to Salt Lake City.

Congress

Mnuchin says Trump administration, Pelosi have agreed on plan to avoid government shutdown Oct. 1
Erica Werner, The Washington Post

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday that he and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have agreed to work on a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown Oct. 1, weeks before the election. “The speaker and I have agreed we don’t want to see a government shutdown,” Mnuchin said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Senate returns with a path to nowhere on coronavirus aid
Marianne Levine and John Bresnahan, Politico

The Senate returns from its August recess Tuesday with no signs of progress on a new coronavirus relief package — and only days to reach a deal before lawmakers head back home to campaign. Despite weeks of high-level talks between the White House and Democratic congressional leaders, a bipartisan compromise is increasingly unlikely before the election even as millions of Americans remain unemployed and the coronavirus’ death toll continues to rise.

Emboldened Democrats haggle over 2021 agenda
Alexander Bolton, Roll Call

Senate Democrats emboldened by their electoral prospects are quietly haggling over what the agenda for next year should be if they gain control of Congress and the White House in 2021. The top priority of Democrats is to pour federal resources into combatting the coronavirus and the economic devastation it has caused, lawmakers say.

General

Jacob Blake, Rare Survivor at Center of Police Protests, Starts Telling His Own Story
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, The New York Times

Demonstrations against police violence have been filled with the chants of victims’ names: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner. In recent days, a new name — Jacob Blake — has been called out in protests across the country.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appears in U.K. court to fight extradition to U.S.
Yuliya Talmazan and Michele Neubert, NBC News

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeared in a British court Monday as he fought extradition to the United States where he faces up to 175 years in prison on espionage charges. Assange, 49, sat separated by glass and guarded by two men as he heard the case, answering “No” when asked whether he was prepared to consent to be extradited.

At Least 37 Million People Have Been Displaced by America’s War on Terror
John Ismay, The New York Times

At least 37 million people have been displaced as a direct result of the wars fought by the United States since Sept. 11, 2001, according to a new report from Brown University’s Costs of War project. That figure exceeds those displaced by conflict since 1900, the authors say, with the exception of World War II.

The FTC Is Investigating Intuit Over TurboTax Practices
Justin Elliott, ProPublica

The Federal Trade Commission has been investigating Intuit and its marketing of TurboTax products, following ProPublica’s reporting that the Silicon Valley company deceived tax filers into paying when they could have filed for free. The FTC probe, run out of the commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, centers on whether Intuit violated the law against unfair and deceptive practices in commerce.

The Left Secretly Preps for MAGA Violence After Election Day
Sam Stein, The Daily Beast

Last week, a coalition of leading progressive groups gathered on Zoom to begin organizing for what they envision as the post-Election Day political apocalypse scenario. Put together by the Fight Back Table—an initiative launched after the 2016 election to get a constellation of lefty organizations to work more closely together—the meeting dealt with the operational demands expected if the November election ends without a clear outcome or with a Joe Biden win that Donald Trump refuses to recognize.

China imposes new visa restrictions targeting US media
Steven Jiang, CNN

In the latest round of tit-for-tat between Beijing and Washington targeting each other’s media outlets, Chinese authorities have imposed new visa restrictions on foreign journalists working for US news organizations in China amid growing bilateral tensions. In the past week, during the routine renewal of their press credentials — which are normally valid for a year — several journalists were handed a letter that said their applications were being processed, instead of a new press card.

Saudi Arabia hands down ‘final’ rulings in Jamal Khashoggi murder, sentencing 8 to prison terms
Kareem Fahim, The Washington Post

Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor said Monday that eight people had been sentenced to prison terms between seven and 20 years for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in what the prosecutors said was a “final” ruling in the case, according to a statement carried by the Saudi state-run news agency. The statement did not name the defendants.

States

With Washington Deadlocked on Aid, States Face Dire Fiscal Crises
Mary Williams Walsh, The New York Times

Alaska chopped resources for public broadcasting. New York City gutted a nascent composting program that could have kept tons of food waste out of landfills. New Jersey postponed property-tax relief payments.

Right-wing protesters gather outside Portland, adding to tensions
Samantha Schmidt et al., The Washington Post

More than 1,000 supporters of President Trump, including some aligned with white nationalist extremist groups, gathered in northwest Oregon on Monday night in a show of force against left-wing protesters, creating even more tension in a region that has been rocked by weeks of protests. On Monday evening, despite National Weather Service warnings of an extreme wind storm, hundreds of cars, trucks, tractors, motorcycles and at least one RV hoisted Trump flags and blasted “God Bless The U.S.A.” from truck bed speakers for a “cruise rally” through the suburbs of Portland.

How Covid-19 made New Jersey’s Phil Murphy the most powerful governor in America
Sam Sutton, Politico

New Jersey endows its governors with the most executive power in the nation. Chris Christie knew it and used that broad authority to become a hero of the Republican Party — a state-level strongman who forced Democrats to do his will or face his wrath.

DeSantis itching to reopen just about everything but Florida’s government
Gray Rohrer, Orlando Sentinel

Gov. Ron DeSantis is pushing to reopen Florida to help the state emerge from the coronavirus shutdown, but the government he oversees remains largely closed. There hasn’t been an in-person Cabinet meeting since February. The Capitol remains shut down to the public.

Advocacy

Lysol, Charmin keep new consumer brand group lobbyist busy during pandemic
Alex Gangitano, Roll Call

The Consumer Brand Association (CBA), which only recently rebranded, suddenly finds some of its member companies such as Lysol and Clorox in the national spotlight due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bryan Zumwalt, CBA’s executive vice president of public affairs, joined what was then called the Grocery Manufacturers Association last summer to help relaunch the packaged goods trade organization.

Opinions, Editorials and Perspectives

Put power back in workers’ hands
Joe Biden and Richard Trumka, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Fifty-five years ago, in a speech to the convention of the Illinois AFL-CIO, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. laid out with characteristic moral clarity the essential role of unions in American life.

Fair elections in 2020 are under attack. Here’s how we can protect the vote.
Dick Gephardt et al., USA Today

The freedom to vote is a foundation of our democracy. Preserving it depends on Americans being able to vote, knowing their vote will be counted and having confidence in the results. Free and fair elections are under attack by enemies both visible and invisible, and confronting them is necessary to avoid chaos.

Research Reports and Polling

Digital Media and the Surge of Political Outsiders: Explaining the Success of Political Challengers in the United States, Germany, and China
Andreas Jungherr et al., Social Media + Society

There has been a recent surge of political actors and groups challenging the legitimacy of established political institutions and mass media. We argue that this wave is no accident; rather, it is driven by digital media.

Morning Consult