A Manhattan jury reached a historic verdict today, finding former President Donald Trump guilty on 34 counts felony charges of his hush money case. The unprecedented verdict makes Trump the first former president in US history to be convicted of a felony. CNN legal analyst Norm Eisen was in the courtroom as the verdict was read. He joins CNN Political Director David Chalian to share what he saw, and where we go from here.

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Inflation is at the top of the list of Americans’ election concerns, but how is the economy actually doing? It depends on who you ask - Republicans are hammering President Joe Biden over inflation rates, while Democrats point to low jobless rates and strong wage growth. CNN economics reporter Elisabeth Buchwald joins CNN Political Director David Chalian to explain Americans’ views of the economy versus reality, and how all of this will impact both Biden and former President Trump’s election efforts. 

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This week a group of Donald Trump’s allies flocked to the Manhattan courthouse for the former president’s criminal hush money trial. It’s become a way for North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, and others to ‘audition’ for the role of vice president. Elaine Godfrey is covering this year’s ‘Veepstakes’ for the Atlantic. She joins CNN Political Director David Chalian to explain why she says Trump’s search is different this time around. 

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Mike Johnson evaded another threat to his position as leader of the House this week. On Wednesday, Georgia GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene made a motion to oust Speaker Johnson, after threatening to do so for several weeks. The House voted swiftly in favor of Johnson by a tally of 359 to 43, so Speaker Johnson will keep his job, for now. But how long will this last? And how might this impact the presidential election? On this special edition of CNN Political Briefing, CNN Anchor and Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju and Capitol Hill Reporter Melanie Zanona discuss the latest.

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This week’s Pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University led to more than 100 arrests after students barricaded themselves inside Hamilton Hall. This happened in the exact same building where anti-war student protestors demonstrated 56 years ago to the day, according to Columbia’s student newspaper. Mark Naison, a Fordham University professor of history, was part of the 1968 protests. He joins CNN Political Director David Chalian to explain why he says this week’s protests feel like ‘déjà vu,’ and why he supports today’s demonstrations.

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This week the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in former president Donald Trump’s historic immunity case. Trump’s attorneys say he should be granted sweeping immunity in a federal election subversion case because he was acting “officially” as president. Now all eyes turn to how the court decides -- and whether or not this is sent back to lower courts for further adjudication -- with this November’s election potentially hanging in the balance. University of Michigan Law professor Leah Litman and CNN Political Director David Chalian break down the foundations of the case and talk about what’s at stake.

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This week, the first of four expected criminal trials involving former President Donald Trump began in Manhattan. And for the first time in United States history, a former president is now a defendant in a criminal trial. CNN legal analyst Norm Eisen was in the courtroom. He joins CNN Political Director David Chalian to share his analysis of not only this case, but also this week’s Supreme Court oral arguments on the January 6 obstruction charges, which could have potential legal implications for Trump as well. 

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Both President Biden and former President Trump have recently raised mammoth amounts of money at two individual fundraising events. And while Biden is still the fundraising frontrunner, Trump’s team reports he raised a record-breaking $50 million at a single fundraiser in Palm Beach last weekend. Could Trump regain the lead in the race for campaign cash? And how much does money matter? CNN Politics national writer Fredreka Schouten joins CNN Political Director David Chalian for a breakdown of the latest numbers. 

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Abortion remains one of the most contentious and polarizing 2024 election issues – and will likely play a critical role in the outcome in November. But can it be the silver bullet Democrats are hoping to make it? Mary Ziegler is one of the world's leading historians of the abortion debate, and has written several books, including ‘After Roe, The Lost History of the Abortion Debate.’ She joins CNN Political Director David Chalian for a deep dive into the history of abortion as an election issue and the future of abortion in the U.S. 

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This year’s presidential election may be a rematch, but President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump aren’t the only options. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is running as an independent, and just this week announced his pick for vice president. Kennedy has never held public office before, and yet, his message seems to appeal to an unexpectedly large audience. Lee Drutman, senior fellow in the political reform program at New American, joins CNN Political Director David Chalian to talk about Kennedy’s campaign and how he and other third-party candidates influence American politics. 

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