Democrats are heading into this week's confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett with one overarching goal: protect Joe Biden's election.
Why it matters: They have little chance of stopping Barrett's confirmation unless more Republican senators test positive for the coronavirus or there's a truly unexpected disclosure, which sources from both parties say is unlikely.
In the following passage from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's new book, "American Crisis"— out Tuesday — he details his morning routine ahead of those daily 11:30am pandemic briefings that became must-see TV for so many Americans:
Democrats are so convinced that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo could be considered for Joe Biden's attorney general that aides at the National Governors Association, which Cuomo chairs, are looking into contingencies for replacing him, two sources familiar with the situation tell Axios.
What we're hearing: Some Democratic donors in Cuomo's orbit tell Axios that the governor is being pushed for the job and that Biden would consider him, based on their long friendship.
President Trump has asked his campaign to put him on the road every single day from now until Nov. 3.
Behind the scenes: His team is in the process of scheduling events to make that happen, two sources familiar with the discussions tell Axios. But not everyone thinks this is a good idea. One adviser said, “He’s going to kill himself.”
NIAID director Anthony Fauci told CNN on Sunday that he did not consent to being featured in a Trump campaign ad, which uses his comments out of context.
Context: The Trump campaign released an ad on Saturday that features a clip of Fauci saying, "I can't imagine that ... anybody could be doing any more." The campaign edited the clip to make it appear as if Fauci was talking about Trump. In reality, Fauci says he made the comments months ago and was speaking broadly about the efforts of federal health officials.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) will participate in Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearing virtually, the vice presidential nominee's communications director Chris Harris tweeted Sunday.
What they're saying: Harris won't attend the hearings in person because of Judiciary Republicans' "refusal to take commonsense steps to protect members, aides, Capitol complex workers, and members of the media," Chris Harris wrote.
Leonard Schleifer, the founder and CEO of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, said on Sunday that President Trump's successful treatment with the company's antibody cocktail is "the weakest evidence you can get" on whether the drug is a cure.
Driving the news: Since leaving Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday, Trump has repeatedly claimed that he is "immune" from COVID-19 and said he views the antibody cocktail as a "cure."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Sunday called on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett to commit to recusing herself from cases involving the Affordable Care Act and the 2020 election if confirmed.
Why it matters: Barrett wrote in 2017 that Chief Justice John Roberts betrayed the tenets of conservative legal analysis when he upheld the Affordable Care Act. The law will be back before the court in November. Democrats have made it central to their messaging that Barrett will try to invalidate the law if she is confirmed to the court.
Joe Biden’s widening lead in polls is providing a bullish cue to investment strategists: Wall Street now sees less chance of a contested election and more chance of a "blue wave" — Democrats taking the House, Senate and White House — and the hearty stimulus that could follow.
Why it matters: A clear-cut Democratic win would "provide certainty to markets that have been nervous about election risks," Bloomberg reports, citing strategists from Citigroup to JPMorgan Chase.
"The Luckiest Man: Life With John McCain," out Tuesday, is a fascinating reminiscence by Mark Salter, who was the late senator's closest aide for 18 years and collaborated with him on seven books.
"For all his chronic impatience," Salter writes, Sen. McCain "would persevere for years, decades in pursuit of a goal [including comprehensive immigration legislation] he believed was right and just. And he was drawn to people who did likewise, people who refused to accept permanent defeat, who held on to hope when experience taught them hope was for fools."
In her opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee, Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett will say that "policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the People," according to prepared remarks obtained by Axios' Alayna Treene.
Why it matters: Hearings for Barrett's nomination kick off in the Senate on Monday, and Republicans are hoping to confirm her before Election Day. Democrats are expected to press Barrett on issues like health care and abortion — as Barrett is a conservative who will undoubtedly move the court to the right.
The White House refused to allow Anthony Fauci or any of the medical experts on the coronavirus task force to appear on ABC's "This Week," host Jon Karl said Sunday.
Eric Trump said on ABC's "This Week" Sunday that his father, President Donald Trump, "got hit hard" by COVID-19 the day his diagnosis was announced.
Details: The younger Trump said his father "sounded 100%" the following day thanks to the medicines he was given at Walter Reed. He also mistakenly said Trump had been given a "vaccine" when in fact the president had taken several experimental therapeutics to help his recovery.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that President Trump may propose a coronavirus stimulus package with an even larger price tag than the $2.2 trillion legislation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has offered.
Why it matters: It's highly unlikely that a bill in the neighborhood of $2 trillion, let alone more than that, would win the support of Senate Republicans. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday that a stimulus deal is "unlikely" before the election.
South Carolina Senate candidate Jaime Harrison's campaign announced Sunday it raised $57 million in the third quarter of 2020, shattering the quarterly fundraising record for a Senate race set by Beto O'Rourke in 2018 by almost $20 million.
Why it matters: Harrison's massive fundraising hauls have fueled his run to unseat Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Trump who is now facing the most competitive re-election race of his career. The outcome of the South Carolina contest could be pivotal in determining control of the Senate.
While Facebook continues to take heat over being a tinderbox for conservative media, data shows that liberal, civically engaged voices are winning out on Instagram — and the engagement is even higher there than on Facebook.
Why it matters: The politics playing out on Instagram reflect a younger, more progressive generation. Many have left Facebook to their parents.
The "Saturday Night Live" cold open recreated the viral vice presidential debate moments Sen. Kamala Harris said "I'm speaking" and when the fly landed on Vice President Mike Pence's head, but with a couple of twists.
Details: In the "SNL" reimagination, Beck Bennett's Pence faced two flies: Jim Carrey as Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden chaneled Jeff Goldblum in the 1980s sci-fi movie "The Fly" to transform into the insect in order to help Maya Rudolph's Harris.
President Trump meets "CDC criteria for the safe discontinuation of isolation" and "is no longer considered a transmission risk to others," White House physician Sean Conley said in a memorandum published Saturday.
Of note: The memo does not mention when Trump's last negative coronavirus test was nor whether he's continuing to be treated for COVID-19, but Conley stated that the president has been "fever-free for well over 24 hours and all symptoms improved."
President Trump's campaign on Saturday firmly rejected the Taliban's endorsement of him ahead of next month's U.S. presidential election.
Driving the news: Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told CBS News the militant Afghan group admires the president's "America first" focus and that "Trump might be ridiculous for the rest of the world, but he is sane and wise man for the Taliban."
