memeorandum: The Education Department has a plan for canceling student debt — if Biden gives the word (Michael Stratford/Politico)

7:40 PM ET, July 28, 2022

Top Items:

Jonathan Nicholson / HuffPost:

Susan Collins: Democrats' Climate Deal May Doom Bipartisan Efforts On Same-Sex Marriage — The GOP senator said the surprise move by Democrats could make it harder to convince fellow Republicans to get on board. — WASHINGTON — Sen. Susan Collins, one of a handful of GOP senators working …

Discussion: NBC News, PoliticusUSA, Wall Street Journal, The Mahablog, Raw Story and Political Wire

Politico:

Splitsville: McConnell and McCarthy break on big votes — Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell regularly meet to coordinate their management of Republicans in the House and Senate. You wouldn't know it from their voting records. — Congress' two GOP leaders split yet again this week …

Politico:

Biden enters the Always Be Closing phase of his first term — Somehow, someway, Joe Biden is back in the game. — After enduring a brutal year dominated by economic angst, legislative setbacks and sinking approval ratings, the president is suddenly on the verge of a turnaround that …

Discussion: Twitchy, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post

David Dayen / American Prospect:

Joe Manchin and Chuck Schumer Have a Surprise for You — An 18-month odyssey culminates in a smaller-than-promised, bigger-than-expected agreement to lower health care costs, tax corporations, and protect the planet. — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is met by reporters outside the hearing room …

Giulia Carbonaro / Newsweek:

These 41 Senate Republicans Voted Against Veterans' Healthcare—Full List — A bill aimed at protecting veterans exposed to toxic materials during their service was shut down yesterday in the Senate, in a 55 to 42 vote that failed to meet the 60-vote threshold necessary to advance the legislation.

Discussion: The Hill, The Guardian, Insider, Roll Call, The Wrap, Iowa Capital Dispatch, Daily Kos, Democrats and TMZ.com

Punchbowl News:
7/28/22 ☀️ Punchbowl News AM.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Insider, Washington Post, CNN, HotAir and Axios

Allahpundit / HotAir:
CHIPS bill at risk as some House Republicans bail in order to punish Manchin over BBB

Discussion: Fox News, Talking Points Memo, Politico, The Atlantic, Washington Post, The Dispatch and Daily Kos

Arthur Delaney / HuffPost:
Joe Manchin Says He Wasn't Trying To Trick Republicans

Discussion: ABC News, HotAir, CNN, Reuters, New York Times, Vanity Fair, New York Post, E&E and Joel Mathis

Mychael Schnell / The Hill:
House passes chips and science bill, sending measure to Biden's desk

Discussion: CNN, CBS News, USA Today, CNBC, Bloomberg, NBC News, Roll Call, The Verge and Forbes, more at Techmeme »

Josh Israel / The American Independent:
41 Republican senators break their promise to protect veterans' health

Discussion: The Hill, CBS News, NBC News, CT Mirror and Iowa Capital Dispatch

Washington Post:
House passes bill to subsidize U.S.-made semiconductor chips in win for Biden

Discussion: Associated Press, Fox News, UPI, National Review, Washington Times, Plain Dealer, E&E, Townhall, The Daily Caller, Blue Virginia, The Daily Wire, Ground News and ArkansasTimes

CNN:

EXCLUSIVE: Prosecutors prepare for court battle to force former White House officials to testify about Trump's January 6 conversations — Justice Department prosecutors are preparing to fight in court to force former White House officials to testify about then-President Donald Trump's conversations …

Discussion: Raw Story

Carol E. Lee / NBC News:

Biden to host Obamas in September for White House portrait ceremony Trump shunned — President Joe Biden will host former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the White House in early September for the unveiling of their official White House portraits, according to an Obama spokesperson.

Discussion: CNN, Associated Press, CBS News, The Hill and New York Post

New York Times:

2016 Campaign Looms Large as Justice Dept. Pursues Jan. 6 Inquiry — Top officials at the department and the F.B.I. appear intent on avoiding any errors that could taint the current investigation or provide ammunition for a backlash. — As the Justice Department investigation into the attack …

Discussion: Fox News

Katelyn Polantz / CNN:

First on CNN: Trump DOJ official cooperating with Justice Department's criminal Jan. 6 probe — (CNN)Former Justice Department staffer Ken Klukowski, who worked with Jeffrey Clark at the agency, is cooperating in the DOJ's January 6 criminal investigation, after investigators searched …

Discussion: The Hill

Daniel Desrochers / Kansas City Star:

Josh Hawley is writing book on masculinity. Senator's ‘Manhood’ goes on sale next May. — Missouri U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is writing a book called Manhood: The Masculine Virtues Americans Need, building off a speech he gave at a conservative conference claiming the political left is waging a war on masculinity.

Discussion: HuffPost, Jezebel, Lawyers, Guns & Money and The Hill

Dana Blanton / Fox News:

Fox News Poll: Oz supporters lack enthusiasm in Pennsylvania Senate race — The GOP is struggling to gain a foothold in Pennsylvania — Majority of Pennsylvania voters disapprove of Biden, poll says — Democrats hold the advantage in battleground Pennsylvania, as GOP candidates haven't closed the sale with Republican voters.

Tara Palmeri / Puck:

Oz's Great Escape — Republican Party insiders are increasingly frustrated with what they perceive as a certain laissez-faire attitude from the poorly-polling G.O.P. Senate candidate, who has spent nearly as much time on vacation as on the campaign trail. — To the G.O.P. establishment …

Discussion: New York Times

Lawrence Hurley / Reuters:

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Alito mocks foreign critics of abortion ruling — Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has brushed off criticism from prominent figures around the world of last month's blockbuster ruling he authored that overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 abortion rights decision.

Discussion: HuffPost, Washington Examiner, Politico, Insider, The Western Journal and Uniic Media

NewsNation:
Kavanaugh suspect wanted to kill three justices

Discussion: The Hill and The Daily Wire

Jennifer Smith / Daily Mail:

Trump tees off in front of Ivanka and Jared at Saudi-backed LIV Golf Pro-Am at his NJ course despite fury from 9/11 victims over ‘blood money’ tournament - just 40 miles from Ground Zero — Trump is hosting the LIV series at his golf club in New Jersey this weekend to the disgust of 9/11 families

Discussion: The US Sun

David Waldstein / New York Times:
Trump Criticizes PGA Tour and Praises Saudis for Backing LIV Golf

Discussion: Insider, Forbes, Associated Press, Raw Story, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, CNN, Daily Kos, Washington Examiner and Axios

Andrew Morgan / The Federalist:

Democrats Are Dangerously Close To Changing Laws So Our President Is Elected By Popular Vote — The left's push for a popular vote for the presidency directly undermines the electoral system established by our Constitution. — The left is at it again, and conservatives need to be on high alert.

Rebecca Leber / Vox:

What's in the “game changer” climate bill nobody saw coming — $369 billion new reasons to have renewed hope on climate change. — Democrats may be on the verge of passing historic climate legislation after all. — The $369 billion of climate spending in the Inflation Reduction Act …

Discussion: Washington Post, CNBC, HuffPost, USA Today, Florida Politics, Commentary Magazine and Politico

Robinson Meyer / The Atlantic:
Manchin and Schumer's Astonishing Climate Deal

Discussion: Washington Post, Substack, Associated Press and Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Washington Post:
What's in and what's out of Manchin's surprise climate deal

Discussion: The Hill, Fox News, Outside Online, Associated Press, NPR, Houston Public Media, CNBC, National Review and Vox

Jordan Fischer / wusa9.com:

‘Stop the Steal’ speaker Brandon Straka gave FBI info on rally organizers, more than a dozen others as part of plea deal — Newly unsealed filings detail aspects of the “significant information” Brandon Straka provided the DOJ in a deal to avoid a felony charge from the Capitol riot.

Discussion: Political Wire

Scott Bauer / Associated Press:

Judge: Wisconsin probe found ‘absolutely no’ election fraud — MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin judge said Thursday that a Republican-ordered, taxpayer-funded investigation into the 2020 election found “absolutely no evidence of election fraud,” but did reveal contempt for the state's open records law …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Political Wire

Elahe Izadi / Washington Post:

How local journalists proved a 10-year-old's abortion wasn't a hoax — Many doubted the story of a young rape victim who had to cross state lines for an abortion. But journalists on the ground kept reporting. — It felt like half the country doubted the case existed.

Discussion: Eschaton, Townhall and Ohio Capital Journal

Jeff Cox / CNBC:

GDP fell 0.9% in the second quarter, the second straight decline and a strong recession signal — U.S. economy shrank for second straight quarter at 0.9% in second quarter — The U.S. economy contracted for the second straight quarter from April to June, hitting a widely accepted rule …

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Gross Domestic Product, Second Quarter 2022 (Advance Estimate)

Discussion: Axios, Noahpinion, RedState, CBS News, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Reason, Mackinac Center …, HotAir, TheBlaze, Townhall, The Federalist and Independent Women's Forum

The White House:

Readout of President Biden's Call with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China — President Joseph R. Biden Jr. spoke today with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The call was a part of the Biden Administration's efforts to maintain and deepen lines …

Discussion: Politico, Breitbart, New York Times, The Daily Caller, The Guardian, The American Conservative, Foreign Affairs and TASS

Reuters:
In call with Biden, China's Xi warns against ‘playing with fire’ over Taiwan

Michael Stratford / Politico:

The Education Department has a plan for canceling student debt — if Biden gives the word — Senior department officials are preparing the mechanics of how the agency would operate a mass loan forgiveness program. — Top Education Department officials have developed detailed plans to carry …

Discussion: Insider and Forbes

Politico:

California Ballot Tracker: Interest groups prepare for expensive 2022 fights — We're tracking spending on 7 ballot measures that could break records this fall. … Californians were inundated with campaign ads in 2020 as businesses, unions and other wealthy interests shelled out record-shattering sums on ballot measures.

Discussion: Sacramento Bee

Patrick Marley / Washington Post:

Wisconsin anti-voting-fraud activist commits voter fraud to make a point — MADISON, Wis. — A Wisconsin man this week ordered absentee ballots for himself in the names of a mayor and top state lawmaker in what he says was an attempt to expose vulnerabilities in the state's voting system.

Henry J. Gomez / NBC News:

Tim Ryan's GOP-friendly campaign unsettles Republicans in Ohio — AKRON, Ohio — A once largely unimaginable scenario has been rattling around Ohio's political scene all summer. — Can Rep. Tim Ryan pull off an upset in the state's U.S. Senate race? — The Democrat is airing ads on Fox News …

Discussion: Raw Story and Washington Post

Kyle Kondik / Sabato's Crystal Ball:

House Rating Changes: More Movement Toward Republicans — KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE — We are making 10 House rating changes, 9 of which benefit Republicans. — Our overall best guess at the net change in the House — a GOP gain somewhere in the 20s — remains unchanged.

Discussion: The Indianapolis Star, The Daily Caller, Florida Politics and Opinion Today

ABC News:

Jan. 6 committee deepens probe into Trump cabinet: Sources — Ex-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin recently sat an interview, sources said. — The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is working to secure testimony from a growing number of officials …

Discussion: HotAir, CNN, Daily Kos, Mediaite, Raw Story and HuffPost

Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:

Where Do Trump's Donations Go? — He can't spend his PACs' millions on 2024 and isn't using much in midterms. — 1x — What will Donald Trump do with his campaign cash? — The former president controls four political-action committees—Save America; Make America Great Again, Again!

Discussion: HotAir, Washington Examiner, Vanity Fair, New York Post, Election Law Blog and The Hill

Michael Anton / Compact Magazine:

They Can't Let Him Back In — The people who really run the United States of America have made it clear that they can't, and won't, if they can help it, allow Donald Trump to be president again. In fact, they made this clear in 2020, in a series of public statements.

Discussion: Democracy Brief