Gloomy landscape for Democrats for midterms as Biden's approval drops to 38%: USA TODAY/Suffolk poll  —  A year before the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans hold a clear early lead on the congressional ballot as President Joe Biden's approval rating sinks to a new low of 38%.

Russiagate has no rock bottom  —  The indictment of the Steele dossier's key source newly humiliates the Clinton campaign, FBI, and US media.  —  It did not seem possible for the Steele dossier - the collection of Trump-Russia conspiracy theories funded by the Clinton campaign …

Eric Adams says he wants to end NYC's school mask mandate, calls himself ‘conservative’ on crime  —  Mayor-elect Eric Adams took to the airwaves Sunday and declared he wants to nix mask mandates in the classroom and called himself “conservative” on public safety.

Report from Las Vegas: Some Jewish Republicans have Trump fatigue, but they just can't quit him  —  LAS VEGAS (JTA) — The Republican Jewish Coalition conference was about 2022, and also 2024.  It was about how a near Republican sweep in state and local races last week revealed a way back to GOP control of the federal government.

Sen. Josh Hawley defends speech on porn and video games  —  Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told “Axios on HBO” he'll make masculinity a signature political issue, because he claims “the left” is telling men: “You're part of the problem. ...  Your masculinity is inherently problematic.”

A love letter to Kabul  —  This summer's Taliban takeover was a seismic moment for Kabul.  Those who call this city their own wonder if life has changed forever.  Much of what made Kabul special is now a cultural battlefield - evocative street murals have been painted over with Islamic verses …

Trump bashes Senate Republicans, McConnell over infrastructure bill  —  Former President Trump on Sunday doubled down on his criticism of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other Senate Republicans who voted in favor of passing a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Covid-19 Vaccines and Myocarditis Link Probed by Researchers  —  Several theories are under investigation seeking to explain heart-inflammation conditions among small numbers of vaccinated  —  As U.S. health authorities expand use of the leading Covid-19 vaccines, researchers investigating …

Ted Cruz Talks About Joe Rogan Being ‘President’ Of Texas If State Secedes From U.S.  —  “If there comes a point where it's hopeless, then I think we take NASA, we take the military, we take the oil,” Cruz told an audience at Texas A&M University.  —  Video

For Whom Do the Covid “Fact Checkers” Really Work?  —  I recently came across two tweets that caught my eye.  —  Here is the first one from the CDC director: … And here is the second one, from a couple months back: … Together they got me thinking.  What do they have in common?

Hackers have breached organizations in defense and other sensitive sectors, security firm says  —  (CNN)Suspected foreign hackers have breached nine organizations in the defense, energy, health care, technology and education sectors — and at least one of those organizations is in the US …

Columbia Campus Cleared After Bomb Threats At Ivy Schools  —  Columbia University said its buildings have been cleared for re-entry after bomb threats on Sunday were deemed “not credible” by the New York City Police Department.  —  Two other Ivy League universities — Cornell University …

Countries' climate pledges built on flawed data, Post investigation finds  —  Malaysia's latest catalogue of its greenhouse gas emissions to the United Nations reads like a report from a parallel universe.  The 285-page document suggests that Malaysia's trees are absorbing carbon four times faster …

Terry Bradshaw unloads on Aaron Rodgers: “You lied to everyone”  —  Fox viewers won't see the Kansas City defense try to sack Aaron Rodgers on Sunday.  Before the games began, however, Fox viewers got a chance to see a quartet of Hall of Famers verbally give him the business, from the Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on Nicaragua's Sham Elections  —  What Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, orchestrated today was a pantomime election that was neither free nor fair, and most certainly not democratic.

Northern Ireland health minister to sue Van Morrison over Covid remarks  —  Legal action comes after singer hit out at Robin Swann over handling of Covid restrictions  —  Northern Ireland's health minister is suing Van Morrison after the singer accused him of being “very dangerous” over his handling of Covid restrictions.

Ted Cruz leads right-wing attack on Big Bird for promoting ‘propaganda’ after the Sesame Street character got the COVID-19 vaccine  — Sesame Street's Big Bird tweeted that it had got the COVID-19 vaccine.  — Right-wingers, including Sen. Ted Cruz, criticized the character for promoting “propaganda” to children.

CORRECTED: Guardian op-ed says Trump is likely 'Biden's best hope for re-election'  —  CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misidentified the author of the Guardian op-ed. The author is Michael Cohen, the author of “Clear and Present Safety: The World Has Never Been Better and Why That Matters.”

Democrats can't keep ignoring the culture war.  They should fight it — and win  —  One bit from the great satirical newspaper-turned-website The Onion that has stayed with me more than any other is searingly funny, of course, but also the best-ever summary of the ugly turn that American politics has taken over the last 40 years.

POLITICO Playbook: What happens in Vegas ...  DRIVING THE DAY  —  MOVE OVER ALEC, THERE'S A NEW DONALD — You know you've arrived as a national political figure when you get impersonated on “Saturday Night Live.”  Last night, GLENN YOUNGKIN got the SNL treatment in a sketch …