Welcome to the online version of From the policy deskevening bulletin that brings you the latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill from the NBC News Politics team.
In today’s edition, reporter Curtis Bunn brings us an excerpt from Kamala Harris’ interview with members of the National Association of Black Journalists. Plus, national political reporter Ben Kamisar breaks down where third-party candidates are appearing on the ballot in key battlegrounds.
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NABJ reporters press Harris for Gaza policy details and compensation
By Curtis Bunn
PHILADELPHIA — Vice President Kamala Harris took questions from a panel of members of the National Association of Black Journalists on Tuesday — some tense moments as she laid out her thoughts on her administration should she win the November election.
For 45 minutes, Harris talked about a number of his economic plans, including encouraging new housing construction through tax credits and offering financial assistance for first-time homebuyers and expanding the child tax credit.
Reporters Tonya Mosley of NPR, Gerren Keith Gaynor of TheGrio and Eugene Daniels of Politico repeatedly pressed Harris for direct answers on other topics, repeatedly interrupting him when he drifted off topic or wandered off. He dodged a potentially controversial point when Mosley interrupted him during his response on gun control.
About 150 people, including 100 college students, began raising alarm when Harris avoided answering a question about whether he would order a commission to study the reparations. Ultimately, he said it would come to Congress, a response that irritated some of the attendees.
Some members of the audience also expressed displeasure when he gave an indirect answer about whether the Biden administration would continue its approach to the Israel-Hamas war.
“I absolutely believe that this war has to end and it has to end as soon as possible and the way to get it is to get a hostage agreement and a ceasefire agreement and we are working around the clock. to achieve that goal,” Harris said.
Harris emerged six weeks after former President Donald Trump questioned his ethnicity and clashed with a journalist at the organization’s national convention in Chicago.
The focus returns to Springfield: Harris too He repeatedly insulted Trump In an interview with the NABJ of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, he said he was “spouting lies based on the tropics.”
“It’s a shame to cry. Literally,” Harris said in his most extensive statement to date about Trump’s baseless claims.
Since the inauguration of Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, the city has been hit with dozens of bomb threats, some at elementary schools. false rumours said that the immigrants were eating the residents’ pet dogs and cats.
“I mean, my heart breaks for this community. You know there were kids, elementary school kids,” Harris said.
Separately, Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said at the press conference He said Trump’s visit would “extremely strain our resources.”
“So if they decide not to do this trip, that would be fine with me,” he said.
Where third-party candidates get on or off the ballot in key states
By Ben Kamisar and Jiachuan Wu
Third-party candidates have played a big role in deciding key presidential battleground states over the past few years — meaning that in a close election between Kamala Harris and The Donald, which (and how many) candidates end up on statewide ballots could be crucial. Trump.
This reality has led to a series of protracted legal battles over access to ballots across the country. In recent weeks, the Supreme Courts of North Carolina and Michigan have issued various rulings against former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removes itself from the ballot first but keeping it in the second ballot. After spending millions to run on state ballots, Kennedy tried to backtrack on his endorsement of Trump.
Descendant of one of the party’s most illustrious families, Kennedy initially sparked fears among Democrats that he could jeopardize their path to the White House. But Kennedy’s base of support became more right-leaning This year, it finally drew more than the people who might support Trump. There are other third-party candidates, including some familiar faces and some new candidates, whose presence on key state ballots could affect November’s results.
Michigan and Wisconsin are poised to have the most crowded presidential primaries, while Arizona and Pennsylvania (certification is still ongoing as of mid-September) will have only a few recognized third-party options on the ballots, and only one in Nevada.
Along with Michigan, Wisconsin is the other state where Kennedy failed to remove himself from the ballot. although he is asking the court to allow it.
Democrats need look no further to find an election where a strong third-party vote contributed to their defeat. In 2016, 6% of all voters voted for third-party candidates, this dynamic It helped reduce the vote share that Trump needed winning major battlegrounds. 2020 when a third party its share fell to 2%Joe Biden defeated Trump.
🗞️ The best stories of the day
- 👀 Eyewitness account: Trump’s longtime friend businessman Steve Witkoff, who was on the golf course with him on Sunday, described the dramatic moment he heard gunshots and saw Secret Service agents pounce on Trump during the assassination attempt. More →
- 💲 Emergency funding: Congress is considering increasing funding for the Secret Service after an apparent attempt on Trump’s life. More →
- 📢 Another departure: Speaker Mike Johnson said the House will vote Wednesday on a six-month stopgap funding bill related to legislation requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote — the same package he abruptly pulled last week amid growing GOP opposition. More →
- 🚫 don’t go: Senate Republicans have blocked another vote on in vitro fertilization protections, calling it unnecessary and politically motivated as Democrats try to make it a campaign issue. More →
- 📺 On air: The conservative group is running two starkly different Spanish-language ads in critical battleground states — first touting voting as patriotic, but then warning that it’s illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. More →
- 🗳️ Voting Battles: Arizona’s top elections official says he will file a lawsuit that could bar nearly 100,000 residents from voting in state and local races this fall, alleging they failed to provide citizenship documents required under state law. More →
- 🎤 Bringing the group together: Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas are the latest musicians to throw their support behind Harris for president. More →
- Watch live from the campaign trail →