PBS News Hour - Politics

The presidential election of 2020 is expected to be the most expensive in history. Both President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are drawing hundreds of millions in contributions -- despite a difficult year for fundraising. What's behind the rising costs of campaigning? Amna Nawaz talks to Campaign Legal Center's Adav Noti, formerly a Federal Election Commission lawyer.

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Both President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden made campaign pitches this Labor Day, discussing the pandemic, among other topics. Biden met with labor leaders in Pennsylvania, while the president spoke from the White House. Meanwhile, both vice presidential candidates were in Wisconsin, lately roiled by protests over race and police violence. William Brangham reports.

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Ohio residents Fred Harris and grandson Darius Harris first spoke with us 10 months ago about their political perspectives and the upcoming election. At the time, the two expressed different opinions on President Trump. How have their views changed since -- and what does it mean for them to disagree on politics and still maintain their family relationships? They join Steve Goldbloom for an update. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Amna Nawaz to discuss the latest political news, including campaign messaging from President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden around the pandemic and the economy, whether Black voters could make the difference in key Midwestern states and the significance of voters casting ballots early by mail. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Disinformation, especially on social media, is threatening the upcoming election just like it did in 2016, social media and tech giants Facebook and Twitter announced this week. Deen Freelon, an associate professor at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill joins Michael Hill to discuss the potential power of these digital disruptions. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump is facing continued criticism over disparaging remarks he allegedly made about U.S. troops. A report in The Atlantic magazine, which was later confirmed by multiple other news outlets, says Trump repeatedly called fallen American servicemembers "losers" and "suckers." In the Oval Office on Friday, Trump denied making the comments. William Brangham reports.

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New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including visits to Kenosha, Wisconsin, by President Trump and Joe Biden and how their responses to social unrest have differed, developments in the fight against COVID-19 and alleged remarks by Trump disparaging U.S. military personnel. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump is taking his reelection campaign to Pennsylvania for a Thursday evening rally. He is also facing scrutiny over Wednesday remarks in which he urged people to vote twice, which is fraudulent. Meanwhile, Democratic opponent Joe Biden spent the day in Wisconsin, a current focal point in the national uproar over police violence and racial inequality. Lisa Desjardins reports.

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As the presidential election approaches, questions are raised daily about not only the candidates themselves, but also how they are covered by the news media. In President Trump's case, the attention focuses on his relationship with Fox News. Judy Woodruff reports and talks to CNN's Brian Stelter, author of "Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth." PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Wednesday, Germany says it has confirmed Russian dissident Alexei Navalny was indeed poisoned. He fell into a coma last month in Siberia and is now in a Berlin hospital. German Prime Minister Angela Merkel said he tested positive for Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent. Also, the U.S. has imposed new sanctions on the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor and a top aide. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders