memeorandum: Democrats' Spending Fight Carries High Stakes for Their Candidates (Jonathan Martin/New York Times)

4:35 PM ET, September 25, 2021

Top Items:

Among Those Who Marched Into the Capitol on Jan. 6: An F.B.I. Informant — A member of the far-right Proud Boys texted his F.B.I. handler during the assault, but maintained the group had no plan in advance to enter the Capitol and disrupt the election certification.

Discussion: Insider, The Times of Israel, RedState, Slate, The Gateway Pundit and Althouse

Politico:
Jan. 6 committee seeks testimony from riot defendants who pleaded guilty

Discussion: New York Post and Joe.My.God.

Jonathan Martin / New York Times:

Democrats' Spending Fight Carries High Stakes for Their Candidates — Failure of moderates and progressives to reach a deal would fuel Republican attacks on their competence — with consequences as soon as November in Virginia, and in the midterms next year.

Discussion: Associated Press and Zandar Versus The Stupid

Jeff Greenfield / Politico:

The Roots of Democratic Disarray — If anyone tells you they know how the battle among congressional Democrats will be resolved, wish them a good day and walk away very quickly. They managed to pass an infrastructure bill in the Senate — with Republican support! — and are now in total disagreement …

Discussion: ABC News, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Bangor Daily News, New Republic, Washington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog and The Guardian

Politico:

Pelosi goes all in with domestic agenda on the line — Nancy Pelosi has never been in a bind like this before. — The speaker is on the cusp of muscling through a pair of bills that amount to trillions of dollars in investments that, if they make it to President Joe Biden's desk, will reshape both her and the president's legacies.

Discussion: Washington Times, Breitbart and Wall Street Journal

Politico:

As Dems race forward, Manchin pumps brakes: ‘There is no timeline’ — Democratic leaders and President Joe Biden are speeding up their work on Biden's massive jobs and families plan. Joe Manchin keeps throttling momentum back. — The president wants Manchin and other holdouts to find …

Discussion: Insider and Washington Examiner

Paul Starr / American Prospect:
The Real Trouble With the Sprawling Reconciliation Bill

Discussion: Associated Press

Paul Steinhauser / Fox News:
The Biden effect: GOP starts linking down-ballot Democrats to an increasingly unpopular president

Discussion: Washington Examiner

Susan Ferrechio / Washington Examiner:
Democrats set up spending showdowns next week

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo, Wall Street Journal, Talking Points Memo, CNN, Bloomberg, Right Side Broadcasting …, The National Interest, MyNorthwest.com and KION546

James Fallows / the:

The Next Real-Time Test for the Press — The “debt limit” is a serious threat. It's not a serious issue. This will be a chronicle of whether media can remain clear about the difference. — I believe in real-time chronicles of aberrant moments in our national life.

Discussion: Los Angeles Times

Sahil Kapur / NBC News:
Why the GOP is threatening to block a debt limit extension they say is needed

Discussion: Insider, Washington Post and Common Dreams

Jesse Byrnes / The Hill:

Trump on what would prevent 2024 bid: ‘I guess a bad call from a doctor’ — Former President Trump suggested in an interview Friday night that only a “bad call from a doctor” would prevent him from seeking another White House bid. — Trump, who has openly flirted with launching another …

Discussion: Insider

Dareh Gregorian / NBC News:
Biden likely won't shield Trump records from Jan. 6 investigators, White House says

Discussion: Insider, UPI, Crooks and Liars, Washington Examiner, One America News Network and The Guardian

Kaitlin Sullivan / NBC News:

I got the Moderna vaccine. Can I get a Pfizer booster? — Efforts to give a Covid-19 booster shot to certain adults in the United States have officially begun, following a week of intense deliberation from government advisory committees. — Early Friday, Centers for Disease Control …

Discussion: globalnews.ca, KION546, Associated Press, KVIA-TV, HotAir, Denver Post, NBC Chicago, Politico and WebMD Health

New York Times:
Biden Promised to Follow the Science. But Sometimes, He Gets Ahead of the Experts.

Discussion: Marginal REVOLUTION

Adela Suliman / Washington Post:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez apologizes after tearful ‘present’ vote on Israel Iron Dome funding bill — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) penned a lengthy and emotional open letter apologizing to her constituents on Friday for effectively abstaining in a vote over funding …

Discussion: Slate, CNN, The Times of Israel and UPI

Carla Marinucci / Politico:

Elder energizes California GOP but steers party against the tide — OAKLAND — California voters' staggering rejection of the Gov. Gavin Newsom recall was bad enough for the state's Republicans. Now the party has to navigate the meteoric rise of conservative Larry Elder …

Discussion: Los Angeles Times

New York Times:
‘Stop the Steal’ Movement Races Forward, Ignoring Arizona Humiliation

Geoff Duncan / CNN:
If my fellow Republicans want to win, they won't buy Trump's stolen election fantasy

Discussion: Fox News, The Dispatch, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Hill, The Philadelphia Inquirer, HuffPost and Raw Story

Associated Press:

Witness: Taliban hang dead body in Afghan city's main square — KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban hanged a dead body from a crane in the main square of Herat city in western Afghanistan, a witness said Saturday, in a gruesome display that signaled a return to some of the Taliban's methods of the past.

Discussion: The Hill, Al Jazeera, CNN, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Examiner, KION546, The Sun and Liberty Unyielding

National Review:

Biden's Shameful Attack on Border Patrol — After saying nary a discouraging word about the Taliban as they chased us from Afghanistan and held us to an exit deadline that meant abandoning American citizens, green-card holders, and Afghan allies behind enemy lines, Joe Biden has finally found …

Discussion: Fox News

Terry Jones / tippinsights:

I&I/TIPP Poll: Biden Voters Abandon Him In Droves — If an election were held today, a substantial number of those who voted President Joe Biden in November wouldn't do so now, a new I&I/TIPP Poll shows. This comes after a spate of recent polls from TIPP and others suggesting Biden's political support …

Discussion: New York Times, Breitbart and Raw Story

Wall Street Journal:

Mexican Government Seeks Arrest of Top Scientists in Funding Dispute — Prosecutors have asked a federal judge to jail 31 scientists on charges of organized crime and money laundering — Mexican prosecutors have asked a federal judge to jail 31 renowned Mexican scientists on charges …

Associated Press:

Federal judge deals blow to vaccine mandate for NYC teachers — NEW YORK — New York City schools have been temporarily blocked from enforcing a vaccine mandate for its teachers and other workers by a federal appeals judge just days before it was to take effect.

Discussion: Fox News, New York Times, Forbes, abc7NY, New York Post, PIX11 and CBS New York

governor.ny.gov:

In Preparation for Monday Vaccination Deadline, Governor Hochul Releases Comprehensive Plan to Address Preventable Health Care Staffing Shortage — Plan Includes Preparation of State of Emergency Declaration to Supplement Workforce Supply at Health Care Facilities

Discussion: CBS News, The Daily Beast and Bloomberg