The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Where We Stand Tonight in the Speaker’s Race
Rep. Kevin McCarthy was unable to secure the 218 House votes needed to become Speaker during Tuesday’s vote, and some Republicans may be absent for another vote.
Today's Conservative News
Chad Pergram
The hitchhiker’s guide to the vote for House speaker
It’s far from certain that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., will become the next speaker of the House after murmurs from within his party.
Congress misses its deadline to fund the government again
Despite the sturm and drang about “funding the government before the deadline,” Congress punted, again, approving yet another interim spending bill.
Can Congress wrap a complete budget before Christmas, or will they need a New Year’s (continuing) resolution?
Congress is down to the wire in funding the government through the end of the year, GOP are deciding whether to pass a short-term spending bill or work with Democrats to pass full budget.
Milking the Clock — In Football, Futball, and Congress
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield may not know a lot about how to avert a government shutdown; but Mayfield knows this: you play until the end of the game.
Congressional Christmas crunch
Congress successfully avoided a government shutdown by passing bill to avoid a railroad strike.
Particle politics revisited
Republicans nominated House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to become Speaker of the House but it’s far from clear that he can attain the votes.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To What Tonight’s Win By Cortez Masto Means for the Senate
The win by Sen Catherine Cortez Masto over GOP challenger Adam Laxalt means Democrats have at least a 50-50 Senate, allowing Democrats to confirm President Biden’s nominees.
Time is running out
The Senate plan written by Marco Rubio of Florida is the closest Congress has come to implementing permanent Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. in decades.
The user’s manual to Trump’s congressional subpoena
It’s impossible to determine whether the former president will appear. There are also questions about how serious the committee is in its quest to hear from Trump.
Reporter’s Notebook: The Truman Show at the Capitol
A statue of President Truman replaced a sculpture of Alexander Hamilton in the Capitol rotunda this week, relegating the founding father to a basement with little-known figures.
Hurricane politics: The peril is Category 5
Hurricane Ian may not bear responsibility for the future of Republicans and Democrats, but Mother Nature holds the potential to undercut the savviest politicians.
Manchin learns about ‘paying the fiddler’ as his pipeline plan collapses in the Senate
Voters keep track and journalists document events. All politicians need to “pay the fiddler” eventually and this week was Senator Joe Manchin’s turn.
Queen Elizabeth’s funeral to delay formal rollout of House GOP agenda
Queen Elizabeth II’s death is impacting American politics. House Republicans will delay the rollout of their agenda for the November election to avoid a conflict with her funeral.
Reporter’s Notebook: What Palin’s loss in Alaska means for November
Alaska’s special election could illuminate an important trend to watch this fall as Democrats defend razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate
Reporter’s Notebook: A wrinkle in time
The end of Daylight Savings Time could be on the horizon, if the House takes it up this fall, but Congress doesn’t really change time
Reporter’s Notebook: Who’s really on the ballot in November?
President Biden is making the midterms about Trump and his supporters’ alleged threat to democracy, which could help Democrats.
Reporter’s Notebook: When Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev reunited to honor President Reagan
Mikhail Gorbachev was the last of a trio of world leaders — including U.S. President Ronald Reagan and U.K.
Reporter’s Notebook: Breaking the wave
Democrats see hope in using abortion to break the red wave that could push Republicans into power in the House and Senate, but the GOP’s chances still look good historically
‘Inflation Reduction Act’ passage not as simple as it appears for Dems: ‘It ain’t over till it’s over’
While the Democrats have seemingly secured passage of the landmark “Inflation Reduction Act” bill, the road ahead isn’t as simple as it appears. Especially for Senate Democrats.
Reporter’s Notebook: A shift in Democrats’ support of police
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Tuesday on protecting police as rising crime has become a hot-topic elections issue ahead of midterm elections.
Reporter’s Notebook: January 6 hearings are a summertime TV bonanza — a bit like Iran-Contra in the 1980s
Washington D.C. has a penchant for blockbuster summertime hearings, from Iran-Contra in 1987 to 2022’s Jan. 6 commission hearings — but Congress’ production quality has improved.
Republican lawmakers call out Rep. Schiff, ask Capitol police for info on arrests of Colbert show staffers
Two Republican lawmakers are requesting info from the U.S. Capitol Police on how Colbert show staffers gained access to a House office building last week.
Watergate and ‘E=MC2’ of politics
On the 50th anniversary of Watergate, it’s clear that leaks are the currency of Washington politics from Congress to the White House — for better or worse
Reporter’s notebook: ‘Heavy lifting’ in the Senate gun bill
Congress is closer to passing major gun legislation than it has been in 30 years, but whether the “heavy lifting” is done as Sen.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to holding sitting lawmakers in contempt of Congress
The decision to issue the subpoenas to sitting lawmakers is a new phenomenon on Capitol Hill.
Reporter’s Notebook: Supreme Court leak rattles Washington like an ‘October Surprise’ — in May
Democrats hope to weaponize the Supreme Court’s potential decision on abortion precedent in this fall’s midterms
The new COVID-19 epicenter might just be Capitol Hill
A surge of coronavirus cases is seizing the U.S.
The hitchhiker’s guide to confirming Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson next week
The Senate is on track to confirm Jackson next week. But the confirmation vote will likely be close.