CNN Inside Politics

President Biden will deliver a speech this evening with several new pandemic initiatives, including the requirement for all Federal workers to be vaccinated, with no option for frequent testing in order to avoid the mandate.

The Los Angeles Unified School District is expected to mandate Covid-19 vaccines for eligible students, with a full vaccination required by December 19.

The big fight for Biden’s Agenda begins. Democrats are divided on the price tag and scope of the Biden Agenda with 5 committees working on the massive spending plan. Senator Ed Markey thinks the Democrats will come together on the budget.

Donald Trump is keeping a high profile ahead of a possible 2024 Presidential candidate run, raising eyebrows by praising Confederate General Robert E. Lee, who lost the civil war, saying he would have won in Afghanistan. The former President is also backing challengers to GOP Reps who voted to impeach him.

The Biden Administration has purged Trump officials from Military Service Academy Advisory Boards, including Kellyanne Conway and Sean Spicer.

With just 5 days to go until the California recall election, Vice President Kamala Harris spent Wednesday rallying for Governor Gavin Newsom in San Leandro. Former President Obama has urged Californians to vote ‘No’ on the recall, while conservative talk radio host Larry Elder has baselessly raised the possibility of ‘shenanigans’ in the election.

On today’s panel: The New York Times’ Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Politico’s Laura Barron-Lopez and The Daily Beast’s Jackie Kucinich.

Plus: Jen Psaki, Rep. Jim Clyburn, Tanya Ortiz Franklin, Senator Ed Markey, Dr. Carlos Del Rio, CNN’s Jeff Zeleny, CNN’s Stephanie Elam, CNN’s Manu Raju and CNN’s Dan Merica.

Hosted by John King.

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President Biden is set to deliver a major speech on the next phase of pandemic response as the infection rate spikes, with 1 in 4 of the weekly U.S. Covid-19 cases now in children. Hospitalizations among children are approaching 2500 across the country.

Many hospitals are being pushed to the brink with critical ICU staff shortages. Kentucky has called in FEMA Strike Teams, The National Guard and has deployed nursing students all over the State.

A source tells CNN that Senator Joe Manchin has been privately suggesting to his colleagues that $1.5 trillion is the price tag he could accept in the Democrats’ reconciliation bill. Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CNN earlier today, that she and many others would not vote for the bill unless it is tied together with the Build Back Better Act.

House Democrats are urging Attorney General Garland to use the full power of the DOJ to defend a woman’s constitutional right to choose an abortion, which is now under assault by Texas’ restrictive abortion bill.

The sober new reality in Afghanistan - The U.S. has no choice but to negotiate with the new Taliban caretaker government as a number of Americans still remain in the country. Its members include several Taliban hard liners the state department labels terrorists, including one with a $10 million bounty on his head.

On today’s panel: CNN Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash, CNN Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins and National Politics Reporter Eva McKend.

Plus: Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, Craig Whitlock and Rep. Mondaire Jones.

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The Taliban has formed a new caretaker government in Afghanistan, but President Biden says reconizing it diplomatically is ‘a long way off’. The Secretary of State Antony Blinken is relying on assurances from former enemies that it's bureaucracy, not a hostage drama delaying flights for Americans waiting to get out of Afghanistan. The Taliban says Americans with travel documents can leave the country.

President Biden arrived in New Jersey today to tour hurricane Ida storm damage. There have been at least 52 storm related deaths across six northeast states. The President said the losses he witnessed today are profound, adding, “global warming is real, we must act now”.

As kids head back to school the U.S. surpasses 40 million confirmed Covid-19 cases. 1 in 8 Americans have had the virus with the 7-day average nearly 4 times higher than a year ago. Thousands of students are in quarantine amid a surge in the delta variant with roughly 75 million Americans remaining unvaccinated.

Texas races to the right as Governor Greg Abbot signs the voting restrictions bill into law. Along with the abortion ban, it is anticipated the new Texas Laws will serve as a model for other Red States.

On today’s panel: Margaret Talev, Paul Kane and Ayesha Rascoe.

Plus: CNN’s Athena Jones, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, George Latimer, Rep. Markwayne Mullin and Dr Asha Jha.

Hosted by John King.

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Texas abortion law raises fervor on both sides of the political divide. Other Red States could follow Texas’ lead on abortion, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis saying he will ‘look more significantly’ at an abortion ban after the Texas law takes effect.

With his approval ratings sinking, President Biden heads into the fall facing headwinds and multiple crises including the infrastructure bill, the Afghanistan exit, and the hurricane Ida disaster response.

The Covid surge disrupts Biden’s promise of pandemic rebound with new cases up 300% since last Labor Day. 80% of ICU beds are in use with hospitals running low on staff and critical resources. New polling, however, suggests there is a decrease in vaccine hesitancy.

The Gulf Coast and Northeast are still reeling from hurricane Ida, leaving at least 50 dead in the Northeast alone as President Biden approves a major disaster declaration for New York. In addition to fuel shortages, more than 500,000 people are still without power in Louisiana one week after the storm. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says intense natural disasters are likely to be ‘our new normal’.

With campaign support from Vice President Harris, Governor Gavin Newsom rallies voters in Los Angeles ahead of the critical final stretch of the California recall.

On tonight’s panel: CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Phil Mattingly and Nadia Romero. Plus: Karoun Demirjian, Ron Klain, Tia Mitchell, Dr William Schaffer, Mamaroneck Mayor Tom Murphy, Rep. Veronica Escobar and Seema Mehta.

Hosted by John King

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Abortion in Texas is now all but illegal after the Supreme Court declined to block the strictest abortion law since Roe v Wade. It bans abortions after 6 weeks and effectively deputizes private citizens to enforce the law. Now, other GOP-led states are considering passing similar laws.

Plus, after a punishing August for the White House, President Biden hopes a Labor Day reset. 

And CNN exclusive reporting: as former President Trump teases another presidential run, Melania Trump tells friends she has no interest in returning to Washington.

On today's panel: Jackie Kucinich of the Daily Beast, CNN's Kevin Liptak, Molly Ball of Time Magazine, Wall Street Journal's Joshua Jamerson, CNN's Joan Biskupic, CNN's Kate Bennett, Brown University's Dr. Megan Ranney.

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