Scoop - Manchin: Delay Biden plan to '22  —  Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is privately saying he thinks Congress should take a “strategic pause” until 2022 before voting on President Biden's $3.5 trillion social-spending package, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.

Democrats unlikely to get immigration measure in $3.5 trillion budget proposal after Senate parliamentarian ruling  —  ‘Absolutely not acceptable’: Sanders on Manchin's push to cut Dems' $3.5T bill  —  Washington (CNN)Senate Democrats likely will not be able to include a pathway to legalization …

Scoop: Beto plans Texas comeback in governor's race  —  Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke is preparing to run for governor of Texas in 2022, with an announcement expected later this year, Texas political operatives tell Axios.  —  Why it matters: O'Rourke's entry would give Democrats a high-profile candidate …

Voters still don't like the GOP's answer to the coronavirus  —  (CNN)Republicans have been hoping to turn the political page from the coronavirus pandemic for over a year now.  —  We saw then-President Donald Trump try to do it in the lead-up to the 2020 election.  It didn't work.

Tate Reeves and the high cost of covid incompetence  —  When naming the poster child for irresponsible leadership on covid-19, there are plenty of governors to choose from.  You could make a strong case for South Dakota Gov. Kristi L. Noem (R) or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

Eric Adams' Townhouse Trouble: Tax Filing ‘Mistake’ and Blown-Off Buildings Inspector  —  Campaign says mayoral nominee will amend tax returns for a second time after THE CITY pointed out irregularities concerning filings on his Bed-Stuy residence.  Adams also overlooked …

Trump Looks for Challenger to Depose Mitch McConnell as Split Widens  —  GOP's most influential figure and its top elected official are divided on policy, politics and who should lead the party in the future  —  WASHINGTON— Mitch McConnell's record-long reign as Senate Republican leader …

In the Heart of Nashville, Rolling Parties Rage at Every Stoplight  —  As Nashville's popularity has grown, so has the “transportainment” business — a motley assortment including old buses, farm tractors and a truck with a hot tub.  Many think it has gotten out of hand.

The Exvangelicals  —  Even as evangelicals maintain their position as the most popular religion in the U.S., a movement of self-described “exvangelicals” is breaking away, using social media to engage tens of thousands of former faithful.  —  The big picture: Donald Trump's presidency …

US launches mass expulsion of Haitian migrants from Texas  —  DEL RIO, Texas (AP) — The U.S. flew Haitians camped in a Texas border town back to their homeland Sunday and tried blocking others from crossing the border from Mexico in a massive show of force that signaled the beginning …

Biden seeks a phone call with France's Macron to calm the waters  —  REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. — President Biden is pressing to set up a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron in coming days, U.S. officials said Sunday, hoping to end a frantic stretch of public snubs and behind-the-scenes exchanges between the two allies.

How the U.S. Helped, and Hampered, the Escape of Afghan Journalists  —  The secretary of state cites a “massive effort” by the government, but people involved in the evacuation instead describe bureaucratic snags.  —  As American news organizations scrambled to evacuate their Afghan journalists …

‘The pay is absolute crap’: Child-care workers are quitting rapidly, a red flag for the economy  —  Child care employment is still down more than 126,000 positions as workers leave for higher-paying positions as bank tellers, administrative assistants and retail clerks.

Why Wokeism Will Rule the World  —  The woke movement could be the next great U.S. cultural export — and it is going to do many other countries some real good.  —  I am decidedly un-woke.  As a professor of economics, I strongly favor a market-oriented approach.

The Indictment of Hillary Clinton's Lawyer is an Indictment of the Russiagate Wing of U.S. Media  —  The DOJ's new charging document, approved by Biden's Attorney General, sheds bright light onto the Russiagate fraud and how journalistic corruption was key.  —  A lawyer for Hillary Clinton's …

Bats in Laos Caves Harbor Closest Relatives to Covid-19 Virus  — Pasteur Institute scientists tested hundreds of horseshoe bats  — Finding moves researchers closer to pinpointing Covid origins  —  Bats dwelling in limestone caves in northern Laos were found to carry coronaviruses …

Inspiration4 and the quest to cure childhood cancer  —  The Inspiration4 crew has lifted off onboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon.  By the time the gentle reader sees that it will likely have already returned to Earth after one of the most unusual and heartwarming space missions ever undertaken.