PBS News Hour - Politics

The Democratic National Convention, which was to be held in Wisconsin this month, has been cancelled in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic party in Wisconsin joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss the party's plans for rallying constituents ahead of the elections in November. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

With President Trump trailing former Vice President Joe Biden in nearly every major national poll, Democrats see November's election as a major opportunity. But the contentious political contests extend beyond the White House to the Senate. Jessica Taylor, senior editor at the Cook Political Report, joins Lisa Desjardins to discuss the current political trends and which key Senate races to watch. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week in politics, including how declining support for President Trump is shifting the momentum in several key Senate races toward Democrats, Trump's decision to send federal forces into cities experiencing protests, Republican inaction on the pandemic and the legacy of John Lewis. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Both President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have set records with their 2020 campaign fundraising. But the pandemic has drastically altered how that money is spent, with events moving from in-person to online. Guy Cecil, political director for Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential run, and John Brabender, senior advisor for Rick Santorum's 2016 bid, join Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Trump administration has ordered China to close its Houston consulate -- the latest action in an escalating fight between the two countries. The State Department cited concerns about espionage and intellectual property theft as justification for the move. Nick Schifrin reports and talks to Yale Law School's Susan Thornton, former acting assistant secretary of state, and author Gordon Chang. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

On Tuesday, President Trump signed a memo aiming to bar undocumented immigrants from being included in the census count that determines how many members of Congress are allocated to each state. The census is conducted once in a decade, but it shapes funding, policy and power for years. Lisa Desjardins reports and talks to Hansi Lo Wang of NPR about what this and the pandemic mean for the census. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Coronavirus infections and deaths are still climbing in much of the nation, and Florida has become the new national epicenter. With Congress back in session after recess, continuing COVID-19 increases are fueling urgent negotiations on an economic rescue package. But lawmakers are deeply divided about what the legislation should include. Lisa Desjardins reports and joins Judy Woodruff to discuss. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Senate Republicans are considering legislation to sustain a country struggling with the pandemic's economic fallout. The House passed its own proposal in May, but there is still dissent within the GOP about how much new money to allocate to the trillions that have already been approved. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., joins Judy Woodruff to discuss that, virus testing, reopening schools and more. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump returned to the podium Tuesday afternoon to resume briefings about the coronavirus pandemic. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff to discuss Trump's "mixed messages" about the extent of the national COVID-19 crisis, plus what the Department of Homeland Security is saying about its controversial response to protests occurring in cities like Portland, Oregon. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As U.S. protests continue over police violence and racism, some of them have been met with a federal response. One such place is Portland, Oregon -- where local officials believe the presence of federal agents is doing more harm than good. But President Trump has defended his decision to deploy them, calling the protesters, who have been mostly peaceful, "anarchists." John Yang reports.

PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders