It’s Friday! How are we already halfway through August!? Here’s what’s happening: -
We have a preview of Harris’s plans for her first 100 days in office if she’s elected president.
- Former President Trump is keeping his potential transition team tight.
- Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks will continue into next week.
I’m Liz Crisp, filling in for Cate with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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Vice President Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, will outline her major policy proposals in an address from battleground state North Carolina today. What can we expect?: She’ll likely address high costs Americans have been facing since the coronavirus pandemic hit the nation in 2020.
What else?: Harris is also set to talk about the plans for her first 100 days in office if elected, including efforts to “cut taxes for the middle class, reduce grocery costs, take on price gouging, lower the costs of owning and renting a home, continue to bring down the costs of prescription drugs and relieve medical debt for millions of Americans. She’s also expected to propose expansions to child tax credits.
“Vice President Harris has made clear that building up the middle class will be a defining goal of her presidency. She will deliver for Americans who are demanding a new way forward towards a future that lifts up all Americans so that they cannot just get by, but get ahead,” the campaign said in a memo received by The Hill. |
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Democrats are trying to temper their hopes as Harris continues to soar. They’ve seen this film before. (The Hill) |
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Harris’s Big Tech dilemma: |
Vice President Harris is facing a fight between major Democratic donors and progressive activists over how to treat Big Tech companies, a topic that has become something of a political lightning rod.
The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports:
“Big donors are pressuring Harris to replace Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, who has led the Biden administration’s anti-trust agenda.”
But: Progressives warn that Harris will face a “furious” response from the party’s left wing if she pushes Khan out from the FTC or pulls support from the agency’s aggressive efforts to block what it views as anti-competitive mergers.”
A Harris campaign spokesperson would not comment on possible personnel decisions, but Harris could face backlash from the left if she lets big donors push Khan and other officials favoring restrictions on Big Tech’s powers. |
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Who runs the Democratic National Convention in Chicago? Women of color, duh.
USA Today’s Deborah Barfield Berry reports: “For the first time, a woman of color will be a presidential nominee for a major political party and Black women will play most of the key roles in leading the Democratic convention – the party’s premiere national showcase.”
Vice President Harris is the first Black woman to top a presidential ticket for either party. The first Black woman to serve as vice president, Harris clinched the Democratic presidential nomination after President Biden announced last month that he would drop his reelection campaign in a rematch against former President Trump. Berry reports that convention officials noted that interest in the convention has increased since Harris replaced Biden at the top of the ticket.
From Berry’s reporting: “We’re seeing these prominent leadership roles in the hands of African American women,’’ said Wendy Smooth, a professor of Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies and Political Science at Ohio State University. “It really comes as no surprise because they have certainly put in the work and have been pivotal contributors.” (USA Today)
A poignant anniversary: Harris’s crowning convention comes six decades (!) after civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer addressed the DNC, highlighting the plight of Black Mississippians. (Mississippi Today) |
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Top allies heading Trump’s hypothetical transition team: |
Former President Trump has tapped his sons and influential donors to lead his transition if elected to another term this fall. The newly announced Trump transition team will guide policy and personnel plans ahead of the former president’s potential return to the White House.
Linda McMahon, who was Trump’s head of the Small Business Administration during his time at the White House, and Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick will take the lead.
Donald Trump Jr., and Eric Trump will also play major roles, according to a news release from Trump’s campaign, along with vice presidential running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance. All three have been named honorary co-chairs. “We will restore strength, competence and common sense to the Oval Office,” Trump said in a statement. “I have absolute confidence the Trump-Vance Administration will be ready to govern effectively on Day One.” |
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Takeaways from Medicare drug price negotiations: |
Seniors could see their pharmacy bills drop soon. The Hill’s Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi have taken a deep dive into President Biden‘s efforts to lower drug costs for Medicare patients.
Lawmakers have been trying for a long time to cut down costs for older Americans, but it’s been tangled in red tape despite widespread support. The White House unveiled the first round of Medicare negotiated prices for 10 drugs Thursday. It’s been years in the making and comes as Biden is rounding out his presidential tenure. According to the Biden administration, the changes will translate to $6 billion in savings to taxpayers and about $1.5 billion in savings to seniors’ out-of-pocket spending in 2026. |
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Gaza cease-fire agreement delayed: |
The ongoing Gaza cease-fire talks will extend into next week, according to officials involved. The negotiations over the Israel and Hamas conflict are extending with the goal of concluding the deal, the U.S., Egypt and Qatar said in a joint statement Friday.
The Hill reports: Mediators from the three governments presented to the warring parties a “bridging proposal” to overcome gaps in the cease-fire deal, with the goal of setting up by next week an agreement on all sides to implement the deal as soon as possible. |
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🤣 Knock! Knock! Who’s there? National Tell a Joke Day! If you’re looking for a good SFW (safe for work) joke to round out your week, here’s a list! 🏆 Father-son bonding time: Actors Eugene Levy and son Dan Levy, both of whom starred in “Schitt’s Creek” will host the Emmys next month.
🎤️ ‘Don’t be all like, uncool’: Bravo’s Andy Cohen (a St. Louis native) has some thoughts about Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and his reelection campaign. 📺 So sad: Two doctors and a woman dubbed the “ketamine queen” have been charged in actor Matthew Perry’s death. |
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The House and Senate are still out of town for the month. President Biden is at Camp David for the weekend, and Vice President Harris will hold a rally in battleground North Carolina today. (all times Eastern)
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Noon: Trump vice presidential nominee JD Vance is rallying Republicans in Milwaukee. (Watch here)
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2 p.m.: President Biden departs the White House enroute to Camp David.
- 2:45 p.m. Vice President Harris holds a rally in North Carolina to unveil her economic platform for president.
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Coming up: Trump will hold a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, and Harris will rally supporters in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
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