The NPR Politics Podcast

Six million Americans have been diagnosed with coronavirus and more than 185 thousand have died. Cases nationally are trending downward, but the Midwest is seeing a youth-driven surge. And while the number of people seeking unemployment money has continued to tick downward, the absolute numbers of folks out of work remain high when compared to January. This episode: political reporter Danielle Kur...

Republicans' internal divisions, and divisions with President Trump, made legislating nearly impossible during Trump's first term. There's little sign that thing would be different should he be re-elected. And Sen. Ed Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, won his primary against Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Congressman Richard Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means committee, also held-off a insurgent c...

The president is in Kenosha, Wis., today , a city that has been rocked by protests after police shot a black man several times in the back a little over a week ago. Despite some incidents of looting, crime appears to be on par with recent years and near a three-decade low. This episode: campaign correspondent Scott Detrow, campaign correspondent Asma Khalid, and White House correspondent Tamara Ke...

Biden's remarks come after several days of unrest in cities, including the shooting deaths of two protesters in Wisconsin, allegedly by an armed white vigilante, and a fatal shooting in Portland, Ore., where a man was killed during a night of confrontations between Trump supporters and racial justice demonstrators. Also, how activists at the March On Washington are talking about voting this electi...

Protests continue after police in Kenosha, Wisconsin shot Jacob Blake repeatedly in the back on Sunday. A young white man is said to have murdered two demonstrators on Tuesday. What do continuing racial justice demonstrations and sporadic violence mean for Trump and Biden? And, a new report shows how the demographics of eligible voters have changed since Trump's 2016 win. What does that mean for h...

President Trump accepted the nomination for a second term onstage at the White House, in front of 1500 people — where the was little social distancing and few masks. The president touted accomplishments and unleashed harsh, often misleading, attacks on Joe Biden who Trump said would destroy "American Greatness." Read our recap . Subscribe to our newsletter . This episode: congressional corresponde...

Mike Pence formally accepted the vice presidential nomination on the third night of the Republican National Convention. As racial justice protests continue across the country after a shooting in Wisconsin, Pence touted Trump as a president who stands up for "our heritage." Read our recap of the night. Sign up for the newsletter . This episode: congressional correspondent Susan Davis, White House c...

Melania Trump gave her Republican National Convention address from the Rose Garden of "the people's house." Campaign videographers were there as Donald Trump issued a presidential pardon and presided over a citizenship ceremony, relying on the constitutional powers of his office to generate slick videos for his re-election effort. It was unprecedented. Catch up on all that happened with our live b...

President Trump and his allies portrayed Democrats as "radical" and decried "cancel culture." The first night of the Republican National Convention attempted to rewrite history on the pandemic response while softening Trump's image with stories of compassion and empathy. Overall, though, the night felt gloomy, highlighting a key point of agreement with Democrats: the stakes of this election are ex...

President Trump and the Republican party will lay out their vision for Trump's re-election all week. The NPR Politics Podcast breaks down what to watch and listen for. This episode: congressional correspondent Susan Davis, White House reporter Ayesha Rascoe, and senior editor & correspondent Domenico Montanaro. Connect: Email the show at nprpolitics@npr.org . Join the NPR Politics Podcast Facebook...

The head of the United States Postal Service testified before the Senate today about controversial changes that good governance watchdogs say undermine election infrastructure. Louis DeJoy denied he was responsible for most changes, that he now says won't be implemented until after the election. Steve Bannon, who oversaw President Trump's 2016 election effort, was arrested on fraud charges tied to...

Joe Biden has accepted the Democratic party's presidential nomination. In his acceptance speech, closing out the convention's final night, he pledged to be a president for all Americans. This episode: White House correspondent Tamara Keith, campaign correspondent Asma Khalid, campaign correspondent Scott Detrow, and national political correspondent Mara Liasson. Connect: Email the show at nprpolit...

Kamala Harris, in her speech on the third night of the Democratic National Convention, accepted the vice presidential nomination with a nod to her mother and tied the death toll of the pandemic to structural racism. Barack Obama attacked Trump directly, fretting about the impact another term could have on democracy in the United States. Hillary Clinton called for a landslide win for Biden. Want mo...

The Democratic National Convention's second night featured speeches from Colin Powell, Bill Clinton, Jill Biden, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — another eclectic political mix designed to bolster Joe Biden's credentials as a unifier. Activist Ady Barkan gave a speech about his struggle with ALS that laid bare how central health care and health coverage are to the Democratic political brand, despite...

Those were the dual messages of the first night of the Democratic convention from former Republican governor of Ohio John Kasich and progressive firebrand Sen. Bernie Sanders. There was a heavy focus on the pandemic, including a powerful speech from Kristin Urquiza, the daughter of a Trump supporter who died after contracting the virus. And, Michelle Obama wants people to make a plan about how the...

Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and others will speak at the mostly-virtual Democratic National Convention. And, will conventions ever be the same? Want more? Sign-up for the NPR Politics Newsletter . This episode: campaign correspondent Scott Detrow, campaign correspondent Asma Khalid, senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro, and national political correspondent Don Gonyea. Connect:...

If you're planning to vote this fall, you can probably mail in your ballot instead of voting in person. NPR's Life Kit put together this guide for how to do that. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

President Trump opposes funding for the U.S. postal service because he believes it will make voting by mail easier. Led by a major donor to the president's campaign, the postal service has made a number of changes that appear likely to slow election results. The president continues to advance baseless fraud allegations, as a new NPR/Marist/NewsHour poll shows him down double-digits to Joe Biden. T...

President Trump announced an executive action last weekend to grant an additional $400 in employment benefits after the White House and Congress failed to strike a deal. But, like the three other pronouncements that came at the same time, it is unclear how the order will be implemented and what the president actually has the power to do. READ: In Executive Actions, Trump Extends Some Unemployment...

Kamala Harris came out swinging, forceful in her critiques of President Trump at her first appearance on the campaign trail since Joe Biden selected her to serve as his running mate. How effective will she be in that role during the campaign? And what will President Trump's attacks look like while running against a woman of color? READ: Harris, As Biden's Running Mate, Says Case Against Trump Is '...

Who is Kamala Harris and why did Joe Biden select her to serve as his vice president and running mate? The NPR Politics team sits down to discuss the California senator's record, experience as a prosecutor, and how she might fit into the Biden campaign. READ: - In Historic Pick, Joe Biden Taps Kamala Harris To Be His Running Mate - Who Is Kamala Harris? This episode: congressional correspondent Su...

Who will win Arizona, Trump or Biden? How is the coronavirus being handled in the state? Who is to blame? NPR and Marist College held a virtual focus group with voters of all stripes in this new battleground. READ: Arizona Focus Group Sees Trump's Crime Attack On Biden As 'Far From Reality' This episode: campaign correspondent Scott Detrow, political reporter Juana Summers, and senior political ed...

Coronavirus stimulus package negotiations are stuck at "no deal." Meanwhile, tens of millions of Americans remain jobless . Trump may accept the nomination at the White House , a violation of norms and maybe laws. And in a rare big interview, Joe Biden talked China and put his foot in his mouth. On Consider This from NPR: Trump signs TikTok Executive Order This episode: campaign correspondent Asma...

Republican strategists worry that the party may not be able to win a Senate majority again, and they almost certainly will not be able to significantly expand their seat total in the chamber. And in the House, a historic seven incumbents have lost their primary races. What's behind the wave? READ: Senate Republicans Face Uphill Fight To Hold Majority This episode: campaign correspondent Asma Khali...

As Congress stagnates on aid and Biden's convention duties go virtual, states are feeling the pain of the coronavirus. More than 150 thousand Americans have died and that number is growing by more than a thousand a day. In Georgia, schools are reopening — many in person. In California, disagreements abound about the best path forward. And, what will the election look like under these conditions? T...