PBS News Hour - Politics

In our news wrap Friday, Congress overrides a veto by President Trump for the first time, the U.S officially passes 20 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, the pandemic mutes New Year's celebrations, Senators wrangle over increasing pandemic relief checks, and Vice President Mike Pence asks a federal judge to toss out a lawsuit aiming to overturn the Electoral College results. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus join Judy Woodruff to discuss the year in politics, including the failure of institutions, the long-awaited COVID relief bill, Georgia's Senate runoffs, and the frailty of Democracy. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

We're now just days away from the final elections of the 2020 campaign, with two critical runoffs in Georgia determining control in the U.S. Senate. More than 2.8 million people have cast ballots so far. Stephen Fowler, a political reporter for Georgia Public Broadcasting and host of the Battleground: Ballot Box podcast, joins Woodruff to discuss what is at stake.

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The struggle to provide additional COVID relief continues in the U.S. Senate. The passage of $2,000 relief checks is stalled despite President Trump's repeated demands for larger direct payments. Anna Palmer, senior Washington correspondent for POLITICO, joins Amna Nawaz to discuss.

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Most Republican senators remain skeptical about raising direct payments to $2,000, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says has no realistic path to pass. One of the Republicans opposed to the increase is Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson. He joins Amna Nawaz to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Tuesday, California extended stay-at-home orders as some intensive care units reach capacity, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received the Moderna vaccine, the U.S. Senate deadlocks over increasing COVID relief checks, federal judges in Georgia blocked efforts to prevent some 4,000 people from voting in Senate runoffs, and Boeing's 737 Max resumed U.S. commercial flights. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Efforts to increase stimulus payments to $2,000 were blocked in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, while Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put forth a new bill. Sen. Bernie Sanders was one of those making the case for higher stimulus payments. He joins Amna Nawaz to discuss.

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The showdown is over. In a surprise move late Sunday night, President Trump signed the covid relief and government funding bill, demanding last-minute changes. Amna Nawaz speaks with Anna Palmer, Senior Washington Correspondent for Politico, about what was behind President Trump's decision to finally sign - and what comes next. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Millions of unemployed Americans watched the weekend fight over COVID relief play out with a sense of exasperation over feeling like pawns in a game of political football, said Michael West, 60, an Uber driver who has been out of work since the spring. He talks to Amna Nawaz about the realities of pandemic job loss and what he thinks Americans like him need from Congress in the coming months. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report and Errin Haines of the 19th join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including President Trump's unpredictable approach to passing the coronavirus relief bill, his continued refusal to accept the results of the presidential election and how his behavior could influence the Georgia runoffs. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders