WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch - Paul Gigot, The Wall Street Journal

Matt Gaetz Pulls His Nomination as Trump's Attorney General Nov 21, 2024

Donald Trump will need a new AG, after Gaetz drops out amid skepticism from Senate Republicans. Gaetz's resignation from the House prevented, at least for now, the release of an ethics report on his alleged conduct, but liabilities were piling up. Plus, GOP absences help confirm more of Joe Biden’s judicial nominees, as Sen. Dick Durbin pushes a bill to regulate credit cards.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With GOP Senators Missing, Another Biden Judge Gets Confirmed Nov 20, 2024

Chuck Schumer wants to use Congress's lame-duck session to approve more lifetime appointments for President Biden's judicial nominees, and this week one went through on a 49-45 vote. Republicans might have blocked it, but five were absent, including JD Vance and Marco Rubio. Plus, Donald Trump makes more cabinet picks, including Linda McMahon for education secretary.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All Things with Kim Strassel: Project 2025 and Conservatism During Trump’s Second Term Nov 19, 2024

Where does the Heritage Foundation and its Project 2025 stand after Kamala Harris Democrats made the think tank and its policy paper the bogeyman of the 2024 campaign? On this episode of All Things, Heritage President Kevin Roberts talks about the upsides of the attacks, walks through his favorite Trump cabinet picks so far, breaks down the big potential of Elon Musk's and Vivek Ramaswamy's Department of Government Efficiency, and engages in a thoughtful debate with Kim Strassel over the future of the conservative movement.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey Won't Concede to Dave McCormick Nov 19, 2024

He's down by nearly 20,000 votes in a race that was called long ago, yet the Democratic incumbent is still fundraising and trying to get more ballots counted, even as the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rebukes several counties that tried to tally undated mail votes. Plus, Gov. Josh Shapiro seems unwilling to take a stand, while some Democrats start telling Casey to move on.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Biden Finally Allows Ukraine to Hit Certain Targets Inside Russia Nov 18, 2024

As Donald Trump is about to take control of the United States’ role in the Ukraine/Russia conflict, Joe Biden approves of Ukraine using long-range missiles on military targets inside Russia. What took him so long and how will the incoming administration respond? Plus, more questions about the nominations of Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth, and Matt Gaetz to prominent roles inside Donald Trump’s cabinet.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can RFK Jr. Get Confirmed as Trump's Health Secretary? Nov 15, 2024

Donald Trump names Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, but the GOP Senate will have questions about his views on vaccines, Wi-Fi, genetically modified foods, abortion, single-payer healthcare, and more. Plus, Sen. John Thune is elected Majority Leader to succeed Mitch McConnell, after a MAGA challenge from Sen. Rick Scott.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Did Trump Pick Gaetz and Gabbard? Nov 14, 2024

Donald Trump has roiled Washington by nominating Matt Gaetz to be Attorney General and Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence. Both are controversial and could face trouble in the Senate, so what was Trump thinking? Plus, will the Senate agree to recess appointments without confirmation votes?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump, Biden and Ukraine / Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon Nov 13, 2024

Donald Trump meets with Joe Biden at the White House, while the U.S. says every dollar of allocated Ukraine aid will get out the door by Jan. 20. But after Trump promised a quick deal to settle Russia's invasion, what are his options if Vladimir Putin won't go along? Plus, Pete Hegseth of Fox News is tapped to lead the Department of Defense, if he can win Senate confirmation.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All Things with Kim Strassel: Trump’s Cabinet and the Race to Replace Mitch McConnell Nov 12, 2024

One week post-election, the political landscape is still rapidly shifting. RealClearPolitics co-founder Tom Bevan joins Kim Strassel on All Things to dissect the latest. What do Donald Trump's fast pace (and first) picks for cabinet positions (Sen. Marco Rubio, Rep. Elise Stefanik, former Rep. Lee Zeldin) say about his agenda? What faces emerge from the Democratic ashes, and what approach? Who comes out on top in Wednesday's Senate leadership race to replace Mitch McConnell--John Thune, John Cornyn, or a surprise Rick Scott? And will Trump in the White House provide Speaker Mike Johnson more ability to corral what will again be a slim majority?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump's Cabinet Considerations: Rubio, Waltz, Noem and Zeldin? Nov 12, 2024

The latest reports say Donald Trump will name Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state, Rep. Mike Waltz as national security adviser, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of homeland security, and former Rep. Lee Zeldin as EPA director. Plus, as votes keep being counted, the GOP inches toward another small House majority, and thank gerrymandering for the frozen outcome.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Second Trump Administration Begins to Take Shape Nov 11, 2024

Donald Trump has announced the first members of his incoming administration, including former acting ICE Director Tom Homan being named “border czar” and promising mass deportations. Plus, Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo will not have roles in Donald Trump’s second term, leading to questions about who is advising the incoming president about his choices, and the future of funding Ukraine will be discussed when Joe Biden meets with his successor in Washington.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ballot-Measure Results: Crime, Voting, Abortion and More Nov 08, 2024

Voters this week passed judgment on a range of policy questions via roughly 150 statewide referendums, and is there hope for California yet, after it stiffens penalties for shoplifting, while rejecting an $18 minimum wage, rent control, and noncitizen voting in local races? Plus, several states refuse to adopt ranked-choice voting, school choice falls short in Nebraska and Kentucky, and what to make of abortion initiatives that get majority support in red states like Florida.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s Victory Triggers the Blame Game by Democrats Nov 07, 2024

Democrats are slowly coming to grips with Donald Trump taking office in January, but that hasn’t stopped the party from pointing fingers at who’s to blame for Kamala Harris’s loss. Plus, Democratic pundits blame the voters for an outcome the journalists never expected.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s Historic Comeback Ends with a Decisive Victory Nov 06, 2024

Donald Trump will return to the White House for a second term after his resounding election victory on Tuesday. He defied previous defeat, multiple indictments and two assassination attempts. Wall Street Journal editors explain why he won and how Democratic failures propelled his comeback.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Trump-Harris Coin Flip, as Voters Go to the Polls Nov 05, 2024

Election analysts say the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is a true tossup, but what if anything can be gleaned from the data on early voting and mail-in ballots? Meantime, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tells his supporters not to vote for him in states where RFK is on the ballot, though could the Green Party's Jill Stein siphon off some progressive voters?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All Things with Kim Strassel: Election Day is Finally Here Nov 05, 2024

The final hours of the 2024 campaign have arrived and it’s now time to count those millions of early and Election Day votes. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump come into Election Day at a statistical polling tie, both nationally and among most of the key battleground states. Will there be a winner by the end of the night, or could this drag on for days or weeks? Kim Strassel is joined on All Things by political analyst and journalist Matthew Continetti to discuss the polls, the meaning of all that early voting data, what Donald Trump and Kamala Harris did right (and wrong), as well as what a victory for each candidate might mean for the direction of the country.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lessons of 2024 on Election Day Eve Nov 04, 2024

After a presidential campaign that featured many twists and turns along the way, neither Kamala Harris or Donald Trump have a clear advantage the day before the polls close on Election Day. What is the mood of the country and what are some of the takeaways from a campaign season with so many uncertainties about the House, Senate, and White House?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 22 House Races That Could Decide Control of Congress Nov 01, 2024

Only about 5% of House seats are true "tossup" races, according to one election analyst, and while Republicans currently control the chamber with a historically small margin, whichever party wins next week might not do much better. Where are the elections to watch, and why is one Democratic ad attacking a Republican incumbent because he voted to impeach Donald Trump?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Critical Senate Races That Could Define the Next Presidency Oct 31, 2024

Control of the Senate will influence how much gets done whoever wins the White House on Election Day, and states like Montana, Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania all have close Senate races that could change the balance of power in Congress. So which party will have a majority come January?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kamala Harris's Jan. 6 Closer / The Supreme Court's Voting Cases Oct 30, 2024

The VP gives a speech at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., as a final campaign reminder of Donald Trump’s rally in the same spot before the Capitol riot. But did her remarks offer much new for voters who want change? Plus, the Supreme Court lets Virginia remove 1,600 suspected noncitizens from its voting rolls, while a case from Pennsylvania on rejected mail ballots is still pending.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch – Paul Gigot, The Wall Street Journal

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected