The Terrifying Learning Curve Facing Mike Johnson

When Republicans drafted Paul Ryan into the speakership eight years ago, it was head-spinning. The magnitude of the task and sheer volume of responsibilities were jarring, even for someone with more than 15 years of legislative experience. Experience, it seems, is no longer an attractive attribute for a Republican speaker. It was perhaps Mike Johnson’s short tenure in the...

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Bernie Sanders opposes Biden's pick to lead the NIH, putting her confirmation in jeopardy

President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health will need at least one Republican vote to advance after Sen. Bernie Sanders — angry that Biden isn’t doing more to lower drug prices — said Tuesday he’d oppose her. "Dr. Monica Bertagnolli is an intelligent and caring person, but has not convinced me that she is prepared to take on the greed and power...

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White House press secretary says she misheard question on antisemitism during briefing

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre misheard a question about concern over the rise in antisemitism amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas during Monday's press briefing, she told POLITICO in a statement. “I did mishear the question,” Jean-Pierre said. “As I have footstomped many times from the podium and on the air, antisemitism is an abomination that this President has fought against his entire life; and I feel strongly about...

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Off-duty pilot tried to shut off engine mid-flight

An off-duty pilot attempted to shut down the engines of a Horizon Airlines flight on Sunday night and was charged with 83 counts of attempted murder after the flight was diverted and landed without incident. Joseph David Emerson, an Alaska Airlines pilot from California, was arrested by Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office in Portland, Ore., after Alaska Airlines Flight 2059...

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Former Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown on what's changed with China

HONG KONG — Gov. Gavin Newsom is in China this week trying to preserve relations between the world's two largest greenhouse gas emitters. He's following in the footsteps of his Democratic and Republican predecessors, Govs. Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who also sought to leverage California's economic and cultural might to bridge geopolitical gaps on climate change. But...

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Larry Hogan withdraws from Harvard fellowships over campus' 'anti-Semitic vitriol'

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday that he is withdrawing his offer to participate in two fellowships at Harvard University after the campus has been embroiled in controversy over its response to the Israel-Hamas war. Hogan offered to participate in fellowships at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health months...

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Argentina presidential vote: Economy Minister Massa grabs surprise lead over right-wing populist

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Economy Minister Sergio Massa held the lead Sunday night in early results from Argentina’s presidential election, a surprise reflecting voters’ reluctance to hand the presidency to his chief contender, a right-wing populist who has pledged to drastically overhaul the state. With 86% of the votes counted, Massa had 36.2%, compared with the anti-establishment...

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