Wake Up To Politics - November 1, 2019
I'm Gabe Fleisher, reporting live from WUTP World HQ in my bedroom. It’s Friday, November 1, 2019. 4 days until Election Day 2019. 94 days until the 2020 Iowa caucuses. 368 days until Election Day 2020. Have comments, questions, suggestions, or tips? Email me at gabe@wakeuptopolitics.com.
Friday Roundup
Impeachment: "A bitterly divided House of Representatives voted Thursday to endorse the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry into President Trump, in a historic action that set up a critical new public phase of the investigation and underscored the political polarization that serves as its backdrop."
"The vote was 232 to 196 to approve a resolution that sets out rules for an impeachment process for which there are few precedents, and which promises to consume the country a little more than a year before the 2020 elections. It was only the third time in modern history that the House had taken a vote on an impeachment inquiry into a sitting president." (New York Times)
--- "A former top White House official confirmed that military aid to Ukraine was held up by President Donald Trump’s demand for the ally to investigate Democrats and Joe Biden but testified that there’s nothing illegal, in his view, about the quid pro quo at the center of the Democrat-led impeachment inquiry." (Associated Press)
--- "'We think we’re ready': Democrats near end of closed-door impeachment testimony" (Politico)
--- "Americans sharply divided over whether to impeach and remove Trump from office, Post-ABC poll finds" (Washington Post)
--- "'Fireside chat on live television': Trump says he wants to read Ukraine call transcript to American people" (Washington Examiner)
2020 Central: "Elizabeth Warren rolled out a wide-ranging menu Friday to fund her multi-trillion-dollar Medicare for All plan, a defining moment for her campaign that fleshes out her vision to remake one-fifth of the U.S. economy."
"The plan would redirect most employer-based health care spending to the government so it can put all Americans into Medicare, while slapping a wave of taxes on large corporations and the wealthy, cracking down on tax evasion, reducing defense spending, and putting newly legalized immigrants on the tax rolls."
"Her advisers also lower the estimate of Medicare for All from the $34 trillion the Urban Institute predicted to $20.5 trillion over 10 years, by using the new Medicare-for-All negotiating power to slash administrative spending, drug prices and provider payments." (Bloomberg)
--- "The top Democratic presidential candidates are locked in a close race in the 2020 Iowa caucuses, with Senator Elizabeth Warren slightly ahead of Senator Bernie Sanders, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., according to a New York Times/Siena College poll of likely Democratic caucusgoers."
"Ms. Warren appears to have solidified her gains in the first voting state while Mr. Buttigieg has climbed quickly to catch up with Mr. Sanders and overtake Mr. Biden, the onetime front-runner. Ms. Warren is drawing support from 22 percent of likely caucusgoers, while Mr. Sanders is at 19 percent, followed by Mr. Buttigieg at 18 percent and Mr. Biden at 17 percent." (New York Times)
Trump Administration: "President Trump on Thursday nominated Stephen Biegun, currently the top envoy for North Korea, for the post of deputy secretary of state, the White House said." (Wall Street Journal)
--- "The White House plans to name Homeland Security official Chad Wolf acting secretary, according to three people familiar with the situation." (Politico)
--- "Paula White, Trump’s Personal Pastor, Joins the White House" (New York Times)
Economy: "The economy added 128,000 jobs in October, beating expectations of 75,000 new positions added last month. The surprising figure comes despite a 40-day strike at General Motors and increasing economic anxiety that continues to weigh on business investment amid President Donald Trump’s trade war."
"The unemployment rate ticked back up to 3.6 percent, according to the monthly employment data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics." (NBC News)
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Today at the White House
--- At 1:30 p.m., President Trump receives his daily intelligence briefing. He then travels to Tupelo, Mississippi, where he will hold a campaign rally at 8 p.m. Mississippi voters will choose their next governor on Tuesday; Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves faces Democratic state Attorney General Jim Hood.
--- Vice President Mike Pence travels to Kentucky today. The state is also holding a gubernatorial election on Tuesday: Republican incumbent Matt Bevin faces Democratic state Attorney General Andy Beshear. At 12:45 p.m., the vice president participates in a meet and greet. At 2:05 p.m., he participates in a meet and greet with first responders. At 3:50 p.m., he delivers remarks at a Get Out The Vote rally.
Today in Congress
--- Neither chamber of Congress is in session today.
Today at the Supreme Court
--- The Supreme Court justices meet for their Friday conference today.
Today on the trail
--- 14 Democratic presidential candidates are scheduled to attend the Iowa Democratic Party's Liberty and Justice Fundraiser in Des Moines, Iowa, today, one of the biggest party events before the state caucuses in February. Barack Obama's speech at this event in 2007 (then called the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner) helped propel his candidacy and paved the way for his eventual victory in the caucuses.
The candidates scheduled to attend are: Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gov. Steve Bullock (D-MT), South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former HUD Secretary Julián Castro, former Rep. John Delaney (D-MD), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), former hedge fund manager Tom Steyer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. Many of the candidates will also hold pre-event celebrations to rally their supporters ahead of the fundraiser.
*All times Eastern
