Playbook: Scoop: The mystery woman at Feinstein's side  —  Presented by With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  THE VIEW FROM THE U.S. — “For Biden, Crisis at Home Complicates Diplomacy Abroad,” news analysis by NYT's Peter Baker

DeSantis expected to enter 2024 presidential race next week  —  Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to enter the 2024 presidential race next week, two Republicans familiar with the matter tell CNN.  —  DeSantis will file paperwork next week with the Federal Election Commission declaring his candidacy …

Christiane Amanpour voices dissent over Trump town hall, says she had ‘very robust exchange’ with CNN chief  —  Editor's Note: A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter.  Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here.  —  CNN —

ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED … NATIONAL RESULTS  —  Recent midterms have typically involved national waves that favor one party over the other, particularly when there's backlash against a party that controls the presidency and both chambers of Congress.  —  Figure 1.  Two-Way Democratic Support in General Elections (1976 to 2022)

Pete Buttigieg Loves God, Beer, and His Electric Mustang  —  Sure, the US secretary of transportation has thoughts on building bridges.  But infrastructure occupies just a sliver of his voluminous mind.  —  The curious mind of Pete Buttigieg holds much of its functionality in reserve.

Florida Democrats think the unthinkable: We're in play  —  The Jacksonville win was just one election.  But the party hopes it represents something more.  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Democrats, long under the thumb of Ron DeSantis, are giddy the mayoral victory in Jacksonville could be the end to a long, long losing streak.

F.B.I. Revokes Security Clearances of 3 Agents Over Jan. 6 Issues  —  At least two of the three agents are scheduled to testify on Thursday to a House panel investigating what Republicans contend is the “weaponization” of federal agencies against conservatives.

Supreme Court rules for Google, Twitter in closely watched cases  —  The Supreme Court ruled for Google and Twitter in a pair of closely watched liability cases Thursday, saying families of terrorism victims had not shown the companies “aided and abetted” attacks on their loved ones.

North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum likely to run for president  —  As potential Republican contenders Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott move closer to announcing their entries into the GOP presidential fray …

Trump's Dominance in the GOP Isn't What It Seems  —  He's presiding over a movement, not a party.  —  When Donald Trump won the presidential nomination in 2016, it was widely regarded as a “hostile takeover” of the Republican Party.  Prominent Republicans ripped his lack of conservative values …

Axios-Ipsos poll: Gun violence soars as public health concern  —  Gun violence has surged ahead of the opioid crisis as Americans' top public health concern, according to the latest edition of the Axios-Ipsos American Health Index. … - 25% said the biggest threat is opioids and fentanyl, virtually unchanged since the last poll.

Ex-Biden Nuclear Official Sam Brinton Arrested As ‘Fugitive From Justice’  —  Sam Brinton, the “nonbinary” activist tapped by Joe Biden for a key nuclear role before he was fired for repeatedly stealing women's clothes, was arrested Wednesday night as a “fugitive from justice,” The Daily Wire has learned.

Democrats race to avoid a Biden embarrassment in New Hampshire  —  Democrats are searching for ways to get the president on the New Hampshire ballot after he pushed for changes to the nominating calendar.  —  NASHUA, N.H. — Top Democrats are scrambling for ways to avoid a catastrophe …

New federal lawsuit says Florida book bans are unconstitutional  —  Since December, Popular Information has detailed the extraordinary number of book bans being pursued in Escambia County, Florida.  Much of this activity is being driven by one woman, high school English teacher Vicki Baggett.

Why the Supreme Court Is Blind to Its Own Corruption  —  The scandal surrounding Justice Clarence Thomas has further eroded the already record-low public confidence in the Supreme Court.  If Chief Justice John Roberts wonders how such a thing could have happened, he might start looking …

They Watched Jordan Neely Die.  Did They Have a Duty to Intervene?  —  New York does not require bystanders to act when someone is in danger, but the killing on the F train has residents debating when they should step in.  —  As Jordan Neely struggled to free himself from a chokehold …

GOP Rep. Nancy Mace Warns Republicans Will ‘Suffer’ For Strict Abortion Laws  —  The GOP South Carolina lawmaker told CNN's Jake Tapper there would be election consequences for Republicans if they promote restrictive abortion bills.  —  Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) said Wednesday the Republican Party …

Taking down loathsome lefty pol Dan Goldman  —  In all the craziness of politics these days, it's worth freezing the action and focusing on a wonderful moment in the House the other day.  —  A moment of truth and clarity and a delicious takedown of one of the most loathsome Democratic politicians ever to darken its doors.

Ginni Thomas Has Donated More Than $20,000 To Republicans  —  Conservative activist Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, has contributed at least $20,000 to Republican political committees, according to state and federal records.

NYC hospital ‘Karen’ paid for Citi Bike at center of viral fight with black man: lawyer  —  The lawyer for a Manhattan hospital worker accused of taking a Citi Bike from a young black man — who claimed that he paid for the two-wheeler — provided receipts he says shows she was the one who purchased …

Daniel Penny Wasn't a Vigilante  —  Calling him one is part of a progressive smear.  —  Pretty much everything you need to know about the Daniel Penny case you can learn from the Death Wish movies.  —  Or so you might conclude if you took seriously the Left's analysis of the tragic incident …

Ron DeSantis Signs Law Allowing Trans Kids to Be Taken From Their Families  —  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a horrifying bill Wednesday that will let the state take transgender minors away from their families if they are receiving gender-affirming care.

Heat Will Likely Soar to Record Levels in Next 5 Years, New Analysis Says  —  Global temperatures are likely to soar to record highs over the next five years, driven by human-caused warming and a climate pattern known as El Niño, forecasters at the World Meteorological Organization said on Wednesday.

A Little Optimism in the Middle of a Lot of Mess  —  A First Amendment lawsuit got filed in Florida today.  It's not a First Amendment lawsuit over the new Florida law we discussed earlier this week—the one where Governor Ron DeSantis stripped academic freedom out of the classroom …

Antiabortion Group Used Cellphone Data to Target Ads to Planned Parenthood Visitors  —  Wisconsin group used precise geolocation data until last year to direct ads to women it suspected of seeking abortions  —  A Midwest antiabortion group used cellphone location data to target online content …

Queen Elizabeth II's funeral cost UK government $200 million  —  Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and lying-in-state last year cost Britain's government an estimated 162 million pounds (around $200 million), the treasury said Thursday.  The state funeral for the late monarch, held on Sept. 19 …

New House bill would block pay for members of Congress if the U.S. defaults  —  The bipartisan legislation by Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., comes amid growing fears about a debt ceiling breach ahead of a June 1 deadline.  —  WASHINGTON — A bipartisan bill set …

Janet Yellen is wrong about bank mergers, and we could all pay the price  —  The banking system is in crisis.  This year, the collapses of Silvergate Bank, Signature Bank, Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic Bank sent shockwaves throughout the U.S. financial system, underscoring …

McCarthy Says Debt Deal Is Close, Predicts House Vote Next Week  —  House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that negotiators on the federal debt limit may reach an agreement in principle as soon as this weekend and that he expects his chamber to consider a deal by next week.