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Election Edition: It’s affordability, stupid! Sep 19, 2026

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If there’s one issue driving this election, it’s affordability. With prices for everything from gas and groceries to healthcare and childcare rising, many Americans feel the American Dream is slipping out of reach. Meanwhile, Democrats think this could be the key to their comeback, while President Donald Trump calls affordability a “hoax” — but is still pitching $5,000 payments for every voter if Republicans maintain control of the House and the Senate.

On Episode 2 of "Here’s the Scoop, Election Edition," NBC News chief White House correspondent Garrett Haake brings together NBC News senior policy reporter Shannon Pettypiece, former Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., and NBC News contributor Ashley Etienne, a former adviser to President Joe Biden, to discuss where voters are feeling the squeeze, why they don’t feel like the economy — or the government — is working for them and how the parties are responding on the campaign trail and beyond.

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Iran Government-Led Rally Sends Defiant Message to U.S.; How to Reset the AI Doomsday Clock Sep 18, 2026

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Hundreds of thousands of Iranians marched in the streets of Tehran today in a rally organized by the Iranian government to show a united front against the U.S. and Israel. NBC News international editor Babak Dehghanpisheh explains who those protesters are – and how Iranians are really feeling about the state of the war. Then, amid the recent rise of AI “doomerism,” Geoffrey Hinton, one of the so-called “godfathers of AI,” has said lawmakers have about a year to get the technology under control. But not everyone is in the doomer camp. Dr. Joanna Bryson, professor of ethics and technology at the Hertie School in Berlin, explains what the U.S. could learn from the E.U. and how government regulators could work collaboratively with companies to improve. Plus, a revealing new memoir by Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, is striking a nerve with the British royals. The Telegraph’s royal correspondent India McTaggart explains the allegations and Buckingham Palace’s highly unusual response.

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Why the House Packed Up After a 3-Day Workweek; Canada Cozies Up to Europe Sep 17, 2026

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House Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly canceled votes scheduled for today and sent representatives home early – ending the last session of Congress before the midterms. Johnson claims the House finished its business, but Democrats say it’s because Republicans are trying to sidestep a vote on a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. NBC News correspondent Julie Tsirkin breaks down why Massie’s resolution may have put the GOP on edge. Then, Canada is cozying up to Europe. Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke before the European Parliament this morning, after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the bloc’s first “associate member.” NBC News international reporter Matt Bodner explains what that designation would entail and what it could mean for the U.S. on the international stage. Finally, the animated sitcom “South Park” is back for Season 29 with its signature satire – and a new name. The Guardian’s Jesse Hassenger joins to talk about whether creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone will soften their political commentary after proving in Season 28 that a $1.5 billion deal with Paramount+ won’t tame them.

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Fed Raises Rates to Fight Inflation and Trump to Sell Heavy Bombs to Israel Sep 16, 2026

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President Donald Trump has been calling for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, but on Wednesday, new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh defied the president, announcing the first rate hike since 2023. NBC News business reporter Allie Canal explains why this decision came now and how American consumers could be affected. Then, the Trump administration is planning a $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel — including 40,000 heavy bombs — according to a U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter, which would be one of the largest deliveries of U.S. munitions to the country. NBC News chief White House correspondent Garrett Haake explains why the Biden administration had paused delivery of these bombs — and why Congress might not be able to stop it, despite changing public sentiment toward Israel.
Plus, all of Ed Sheeran’s supporting acts and his house band have left his tour after rapper Macklemore was dropped for making a pro-Palestinian speech. NBC News senior breaking news reporter Doha Madani breaks down how New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is involved and why this controversy might boost Macklemore’s sales.

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Supreme Court Allows Mail-In Voting; EPA Rolls Back Limits on Power Plant Emissions Sep 15, 2026

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After months of legal back-and-forth about mail-in voting, the Supreme Court has blocked President Trump’s executive order restricting the practice. NBC News senior political reporter Jane C. Timm shares how states are responding – and why this may not be the end of the story on mail-in ballots.

Then, the Environmental Protection Agency is rolling back a Biden-era rule placing limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, saying it will save the energy industry hundreds of billions of dollars. Bloomberg News Climate Reporter Zahra Hirji explains how this fits into the administration’s broader strategy of deprioritizing the fight against climate change – and what else could be coming down the pipeline.

And finally, the AI safety issue is making some strange bedfellows. NBC News AI reporter Jared Perlo joins us from the Pro-Human Assembly, an AI risk conference in Washington, D.C., to explain why Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Trump ally Steve Bannon were back-to-back headlines.

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Why Congress Isn’t Meeting the AI Moment; And, Why Saudi Arabia’s Oil Is a New Iran Target Sep 14, 2026

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AI industry leaders like the CEOs of Anthropic and OpenAI have been responding to recent warnings about AI ending humanity by calling for collaboration among top companies and government regulators. NBC News chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles explains why Congress — just back from summer recess — is unlikely to pass meaningful AI legislation anytime soon. Then, Saudi Arabia has become a new target in the Iran war. Last week, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of parts of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, opening up another front in the war — and cutting off alternative routes for oil exports in the region. NBC News international correspondent Matt Bradley explains how the economic and military pressure on Saudi Arabia could lead it to negotiate an independent deal with Iran. And finally, “The Pitt” and “Hacks” are among the shows expected to win big at this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards. But concerns about AI’s role in the industry – including whether it will replace screenwriters, animators or even actors – hangs over it all. NBC News entertainment correspondent Chloe Melas explains why AI actor Tilly Norwood may not be ready for primetime.Why Congress Isn’t Meeting the AI Moment And Why Saudi Arabia’s Oil Is a New Iran Target

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Election Edition: Can Dems Retake Congress – or Will the Trump Effect Help the GOP Defy History? Sep 12, 2026

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Midterm elections usually shake up power in Washington – and Democrats are hoping that will hold true in November. But will the "Trump effect" change that calculus?

Welcome to Here’s the Scoop, Election Edition. Every Saturday until Election Day, NBC News Chief White House Correspondent Garrett Haake will bring on newsmakers to discuss the themes, issues and key players shaping the 2026 midterms.

This week, Garrett’s looking at how Republicans and Democrats are positioning themselves to keep or take control of Congress next year, respectively, and he's speaking with two people at the crux of those decisions: former White House deputy chief of staff James Blair and California Democratic congressman Pete Aguilar.

Blair left the West Wing to run President Donald Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc. He’s got $400 million to spend, a president itching to hit the campaign trail and a plan to keep Republican majorities in Washington for two more years. Meanwhile, Aguilar’s role as chair of the House Democratic Caucus means he’s in charge of crafting the party's message as it faces tough polling, deeper GOP coffers and new congressional maps.

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How the 9/11 Generation Is Passing Down Their Shared History Sep 11, 2026

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Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11 attacks, a generation has grown up in the shadow of the event. To commemorate the anniversary, our guests reflect on how 9/11 affected their childhoods and how becoming parents or interacting with a younger generation has shifted their perspective.

When Matthew John Bocchi lost his dad, an employee at Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center, on 9/11, he was just 9 years old. In the aftermath, Bocchi became fixated on learning every detail of his dad’s death, and his trauma spiraled into drug abuse. He wrote about all of it in his memoir "Sway." Bocchi, now a father himself, reflects on how he celebrates his father’s life, why the historic event affected his childhood, and what his children and others struggling with mental health challenges and addiction can learn through his experience.

Slate magazine writer Aymann Ismail was an 11-year-old at an Islamic private school in northern New Jersey when the Sept. 11 attacks happened. Now a father of two, Ismail talks about how his community reacted and was treated and how the post-9/11 experience has shaped his life and the lives of generations of Muslim Americans.

At least a third of Americans alive today are not old enough to remember the events of 9/11. As we look to the future, Megan Jones, vice president of education programming at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, explains how her group helps a new generation of students and teachers understand why 9/11 has shaped the culture and politics of the world they have inherited.

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The Texas ‘Trumpapalooza,’ And Will AI ‘Kill Us All’ Within A Decade? Sep 10, 2026

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The first ever Republican midterm convention is taking place this week in Texas. The GOP is hoping to motivate President Donald Trump’s base and less engaged voters to turn out in November — including by asking supporters to pretend Trump is “on the ballot.” NBC News chief White House correspondent Garrett Haake breaks down whether the convention is more likely to help or hurt the GOP’s chances of keeping their congressional majorities. Then, AI researcher Jacob Coxon went viral this week when he announced his resignation from Anthropic on social media by warning that the people building AI systems believe that they could lead to human extinction in the next decade — and are charging ahead anyway. NBC News AI reporter Jared Perlo explains why the “AI could kill us all” doomsayers could finally lead lawmakers in the U.S. to implement regulations on the industry. And the U.S. Open is headed to the semifinals with four Americans still competing across the men's and women’s tournaments. Can the American men finally end a decadeslong Grand Slam drought? And could there be an American sweep? Hall of Fame tennis coach Rick Macci previews what it will take.

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More Strikes, Higher Oil Prices in Iran War; Why an Algorithm is Cutting Disability Benefits Sep 09, 2026

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The U.S. and Iran continue to trade attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent oil prices to about $100 a barrel. The U.S. and Iran are both dealing with domestic economic pressure, but NBC News international correspondent Matt Bradley explains why it’s not enough to get them back to the negotiating table. Then, hundreds of people with disabilities in Nebraska have had their Medicaid benefits slashed after the state began using an algorithm to assess financial need. NBC News senior investigative reporter Mike Hixenbaugh lays out the potential toll of these cuts on the families who rely on government funding to care for their loved ones. And Apple has a new phone — and a new chief. NBC News business and data correspondent Brian Cheung has the deets from the annual fall reveal, including the new foldable iPhone Duo and whether CEO John Ternus is ready to follow in the footsteps of Tim Cook.

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