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Wake Up To Politics - September 11, 2018

I'm Gabe Fleisher, reporting live from WUTP World HQ in my bedroom. It’s Tuesday, September 11, 2018. 56 days until Election Day 2018. 784 days until Election Day 2020. Have comments, questions, suggestions, or tips? Email me at gabe@wakeuptopolitics.com.

The Rundown

Tweet, Tweet: Today is the 17th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which led to nearly 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 additional injuries. And more than one million people in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina are being ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Florence nears Category 5 strength. Meanwhile... President Trump has already tweeted about the Russia investigation and complaints about the Justice Department three times this morning. He has tweeted twice about 9/11, including one tweet praising his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, who served as Mayor of New York City during the attacks.

Woodward book: Legendary journalist Bob Woodward's latest book, "Fear: Trump in the White House," will be released today. According to CNN, the publisher is printing one million copies of the book to keep up with reader demand; it is already No.1 on Amazon and Barnes & Nobles's online bestseller lists. The White House has already begun denying allegations in the book of different Trump administration officials degrading the president behind his back or refusing to follow orders.  

--- "Trump’s assault on Woodward riddled with contradictions" (Politico)

Polling roundup: Two polls released on Monday showed President Trump's approval rating dropping: Quinnipiac found 38% of voters approve of the job Trump is doing, down from 41% in August; while CNN found that 36% approve of Trump's job performance, down from 42% last month.

--- "Scary signs for Republicans" (Axios)

Primary preview: Voters head to the polls in New Hampshire today. The most closely-watched race is in the state's 1st District, where Democratic Rep. Carol Shea-Porter's retirement has created one of the top Republican pick-up opportunities this cycle. On the GOP side, state Sen. Andy Sanborn and former police chief Eddie Edwards have been engaged in a personal feud as they seek their party's nomination. On the Democratic side, the party establishment — including Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, plus Rep. Annie Kuster — have lined up behind Executive Councillor Chris Pappas. But nine other candidates are seeking the Democratic nod, including former Marine captain turned Obama Pentagon official Maura Sullivan, Shea-Porter's former chief of staff Naomi Andrews (who has the incumbent's endorsement), and Levi Sanders, the son of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (who has not even been endorsed by his father).

--- "N.H. congressional primary tests the prowess of the Democratic establishment as 2020 approaches" (Washington Post)

The Administration: National security adviser John Bolton delivered his first major policy speech on Monday, announcing plans to close the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) office in Washington and excoriating the International Criminal Court. (Washington Post)... The Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to release a proposal that would weaken an Obama-era regulation and "make it significantly easier for energy companies to release methane into the atmosphere." (New York Times)

Recommended read: "'We're the Only Plane in the Sky,'" an oral history of what it was like aboard Air Force One with President George W. Bush in the eight hours after the 9/11 attacks (Politico Magazine)

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White House schedule

POTUS: President and First Lady Trump travel to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania today. At 9:45am, the Trumps will attend a memorial service at the site, where one of the four aircrafts hijacked on September 11 crashed — resulting in the deaths of all 44 people on board.

The president will then return to the White House. At 2pm, he is scheduled to meet with Defense Secretary James Mattis. At 3pm, he meets with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Brock Long to receive a briefing on Hurricane Florence.

Congress schedule

Senate: The upper chamber meets in a pro forma session today, meaning no business will be conducted.

House: No votes are expected in the House today.

*All times Eastern