Axios

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said Sunday that he thought the news surrounding his treatment for clinical depression would be the end of his political career.

The big picture: The Pennsylvania Democrat, who was discharged in March from Walter Reed Medical Center, has been vocal about his mental health struggles.

Anne Ratchford Kearns — who lived for 60 years in the Pennsylvania house at the root of President Biden's "Scranton Joe" lore, and hosted him several times when he visited his hometown — died on Christmas Eve at 88.

The big picture: Biden loved to visit the house and schmooze with Kearns when he returned to Scranton, where he was born in 1942.

Former President Trump has repeatedly said undocumented immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country," language echoing the rhetoric of white supremacists and Adolf Hitler.

Why it matters: The phrase "poisoning the blood of our country" has a deep racist and antisemitic history, and the comments come as some Republicans have openly endorsed the once-fringe and racist "white replacement theory."

A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked parts of a law banning books from public school libraries that depict a "sex act."

The big picture: The bill, signed into law in May by Iowa's Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and set to take effect on Jan. 1, also barred educators from teaching "gender identity" and "sexual orientation" at or below sixth grade in public schools.

The Biden administration went around Congress on Friday for the approval of an emergency weapons sale to Israel that includes "projectiles and related equipment," per the Defense Department.

Why it matters: This is the second time in December that the administration has done so, and the move comes as Israel continues its war against Hamas and faces criticism for its military actions in Gaza.