Today’s notice: It’s full-time campaign season now. Senate Democrats put on a can-do attitude post-Kamala Harris’ econ speech. The House takes an ugly turn before recess. The government is staying open (for now).
Reality (probably) bites
For nearly an hour Wednesday, Kamala Harris laid out an economic policy vision in Pittsburgh. It was likely the high water mark for this vision, given that the best case scenario for it is to run into an intractable Congress and the worst case is for it to end up on the scrap heap because the close election goes to Donald Trump.
This is the kind of cynicism elected officials hate, rightfully. After all, if anyone anywhere should believe in legislative magic, it’s them. “There is a road,” Elizabeth Warren told NOTUS. “The road is, November 5, get rid of the Republicans who are obstructing investment in childcare and building opportunities for our families. That is a road, that’s what elections are about.”
Elected Democrats were not born the day before yesterday, so they were ready for journalists to point out Wednesday that many elements of Harris’ plan have been impossible to pass, but the mood was let’s not engage with that today. “I’m not going to be standing here talking about the Laffer curve and other kinds of policies until the media has a part acknowledging the crazy things the Trump campaign has become all about,” John Fetterman said.
The fact, of course, is that the uphill climb is likely just as steep for Trump’s recent flurry of policy suggestions, like bringing back the SALT write-offs he eliminated, making overtime taxless, repealing Obamacare and dropping taxes for tipped wages. There’d be a lot of backlash even within his own party he’d have to overcome.
The Harris campaign thinks voters are already clued in to this reality. An aide said the Pittsburgh speech was about presenting values rather than potential legislative language, “The tactic is driven by their internal polling that hearing her talk about the economy is more compelling than the details on paper,” NOTUS’ Claire Heddles and Katherine Swartz write.
—Evan McMorris-Santoro
An Explosive, and Racist, End to the House’s Session
The plan was for members to vote on spending bills and immediately leave town. But Rep. Clay Higgins chose to end the day by calling Haitian immigrants “wild,” “slapstick gangster” “thugs.”
Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford took to the floor to file a motion to censure Higgins. Well, sort of. It was a real education in Robert’s Rules before the House went into recess with Horsford issuing a notice that he would eventually move toward censure.
CBC members’ disgust is only swelling. Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries called Higgins “irresponsible.” Rep. Jennifer McClellan said Higgins’ tweet (which he deleted) “completely unacceptable.” And, the Congressional Black, Hispanic and Asian American Pacific Caucuses released a statement calling Higgins’ tweet “false, hateful and dangerous.”
—Tinashe Chingarande | Read more here.
Front Page
- Will Just Proposing Economic Plans Be Enough For Kamala Harris?: The campaign is hoping a vibes-heavy approach can close the gap on who voters trust most on the economy..
- Republicans Cave (Again) and Pass a Government Funding Bill They Hate: Plenty of problems could still come for Speaker Mike Johnson.
- Democrats Are Investing in Wisconsin House Races They Ignored Last Cycle: “Do we wish it came last time? For sure.”
Stop Trying to Make China Happen
“[Republicans] will do and say anything to misguide the voters on my record with China. I’ve been strong on China and it seems like they’re willing to do whatever to win an election, but above that, to create a distraction from the issues that people in eastern North Carolina talk about all the time.”
That’s Rep. Don Davis trying to shoot down GOP attacks on his China voting record. NOTUS’ Calen Razor reports that the GOP is trying to make a showdown Dave Wasserman deemed the “most fascinating Toss Up House race in the country” about China.
Davis has got his predecessor on his side: “[Voters] don’t give a damn about some Chinese company buying some land in eastern North Carolina,” former lawmaker G.K. Butterfield told NOTUS.
The Rapid De-Swaggening of NYC’s Mayor
Some days you’re the wheeled trash bin and some days you’re Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind” played at high volume. Wednesday was the former for Eric Adams.
Mid-morning, fellow Brooklynite Hakeem Jeffries was asked on Capitol Hill about the swirling scandals surrounding the mayor. The response was not what one would call a strong endorsement. “We need Eric Adams to be successful as mayor,” he told reporters, “because he is the mayor at this moment in time.”
In the mid-afternoon Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the most prominent NYC elected to call for Adams’ resignation. “The flood of resignations and vacancies are threatening gov function,” she posted. “Nonstop investigations will make it impossible to recruit and retain a qualified administration.”
In the early evening, my phone blew up with reporters whispering to reporters that an indictment was coming. “It’s 3rd hand as hell but it’s two 3rd hand sources, lol,” one veteran political reporter based in the city wrote.
Just a couple hours later, The New York Times first reported that Adams was indicted on sealed federal charges after so many months of investigation.
Shortly after that, Adams tried to swagger his way out of things. “I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target — and a target I became,” Adams told the New York Post. “If I am charged I am innocent and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”
—Evan McMorris-Santoro
Number You Should Know
47
Not so fast, members of Congress. Today may be your last day in D.C., but as far as politics goes, 47 days until you’re back in town goes by really fast. So don’t miss the Capitol Hill press corps too much!
Is a New Progressive Leader Emerging?
Texas Rep. Greg Casar is running for chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, his office confirmed to NOTUS. He’s currently the caucus whip. The caucus’ current chair, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, isn’t in the running.
Casar is the only candidate in the race so far, but caucus member Rep. Ro Khanna told NOTUS he’s not committing just yet. “I want to see if anyone else runs, but I like him and I think very highly of him,” he told NOTUS.
Rep. Delia Ramirez, on the other hand, is ready to ride for him. “I think Greg Casar is the embodiment of the kind of leadership that we will need once we — speak very prophetically — once we get back into the majority, and I am certainly going to be supporting him in every way possible,” she told NOTUS. She said she sees the caucus doubling down on immigration and housing as two priorities under a Chair Casar.
—Claire Heddles and Ryan Hernández
Not Us
We know NOTUS reporters can’t cover it all. Here’s some other great hits by … not us.
- The reporter who uncovered the Brett Favre scandal, Anna Wolfe, detailed the former quarterback’s appearance at a four-hour House Ways and Means hearing for Mississippi Today.
- Speaking of Wolfe, ESPN reported that Wolfe could face jail time for contempt of court unless she turns over her notes, emails and confidential sources.
- The Washington Post explored the weird — and getting weirder — world of political T-shirts.
- Rep. Tom Kean won’t take any reporter questions in New Jersey, according to Gothamist.
Be Social
Our Capitol Hill bureau chief bestows some wisdom.
OH in Longworth: “Dude, and then his ex-girlfriend liked my Instagram story. What the hell? Like, whose side do you think I’m on?!”
— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) September 25, 2024
Like I tell our reporters, there are stories all over the Capitol. You just have to walk around and find them.
Tell Us Your Thoughts
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