PBS News Hour - Politics

At his press briefing on Saturday, President Trump's physician, who said the president was "doing very well," dodged some questions from the press about his treatment, raising concerns over the true timeline of his COVID-19 diagnosis. Julie Pace, D.C. Bureau Chief for the Associated Press joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss the president's health status and how this will impact his campaign. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The nation awoke Friday to the stunning news that President Trump and the first lady had tested positive for COVID-19. As the day went on, officials acknowledged that Trump is experiencing mild symptoms, and by evening, he was being transported to Walter Reed National Medical Center, reportedly as a precaution. Yamiche Alcindor reports and joins Lisa Desjardins and Judy Woodruff to discuss.

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In our news wrap Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on eight Belarusian officials for their roles in the country's disputed presidential election -- and the violent crackdown that followed. The move came soon after the European Union had taken similar measures. Also, hours of grand jury recordings in the case of the killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville were made public.

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Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including President Trump's COVID-19 infection and what it means for his campaign and the country, and how the first debate between Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden reflected on the candidates. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Another 837,000 Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week -- a slight decline from the week before, but still a historically high level. Meanwhile, prospects for new federal pandemic relief remain uncertain, though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin continued their talks Thursday. Lisa Desjardins and Yamiche Alcindor join Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Despite President Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transition of power if he loses the election, he does have a team cooperating on a plan with a team from the Biden campaign. What is involved in the process? The Center for Presidential Transition is a nonpartisan group that helps candidates prepare for the next administration. Its director, David Marchick, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

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Recent developments on national intelligence have exacerbated concerns the Trump administration is co-opting government capabilities for its own gain. In one example, mere hours before the first Trump-Biden debate, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe declassified unverified Russian intelligence suggesting Hillary Clinton tried to link Trump to Russia in 2016. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Is the Trump administration politicizing intelligence and the community that provides it? Johns Hopkins University's John McLaughlin, who was acting CIA director during the George W. Bush administration, and Larry Diamond, who also served under President George W. Bush and has written extensively about the decline of democracy and the rise of authoritarianism, join Nick Schifrin to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Former Secretary of State James Baker's distinguished career and service to every Republican president from Gerald Ford to George W. Bush has elevated him to elder statesman status. Now, his life, career and legacy are examined in a new book, "The Man Who Ran Washington." Its authors, veteran Washington, D.C., journalists Susan Glasser and Peter Baker, join Judy Woodruff to discuss.

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After Tuesday's remarkable presidential debate, much attention has been focused on President Trump's unconventional conduct. But does the lack of substantive debate and civil discourse reflect a broader phenomenon in American society? Two distinguished political scientists, Harvard University's Danielle Allen and Pepperdine University's Pete Peterson, join Jeffrey Brown to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders