PBS News Hour - Politics

Bill Taylor, acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, testified Tuesday as part of the House impeachment inquiry. Taylor's detailed explanation of how U.S. military aid and the White House meeting that Ukraine's president desired were both contingent upon investigations of President Trump's Democratic rivals drew surprised gasps from the room. Yamiche Alcindor reports and joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

Eighteen candidates are competing for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, including Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. Harris, who is currently campaigning in Iowa, where the first primary votes will be cast, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss why she is qualified to be president, her proposal for expanding health care coverage to all Americans, the situation in Syria and the impeachment inquiry.

President Trump's immigration policies have been among the most controversial and criticized of his administration. Former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was specifically known for executing and defending those policies when she headed the department between December 2017 and April 2019. Amna Nawaz joins Judy Woodruff to discuss her rare interview with Nielsen at a conference.

President Trump on Monday again denied any improper conduct with Ukraine, and lashed out at Democrats over the impeachment inquiry. Last week, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney acknowledged the president withheld military aid to Ukraine in part to force a probe into the 2016 election. Now growing cracks have appeared in Trump's GOP support. Yamiche Alcindor joins Judy Woodruff.

After suffering a heart attack a few weeks ago, Sen. Bernie Sanders held a large weekend rally in New York where the Democratic presidential candidate got a boost in the form of the endorsement of Rep. Alexandria Oasio-Cortez. Meanwhile, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Mayor Pete Buttigieg spent the weekend building on gains they made during the last debate. Judy Woodruff reports.

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday defended his Medicare for All plan, which has faced criticism from some of his 2020 rivals for its price tag. The Democratic presidential candidate, who also said a recent heart attack has not slowed him down, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss health care, the difference between him and his progressive rival Sen. Elizabeth Warren and President Trump's Syria decision.

Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report and Tamara Keith of NPR join Judy Woodruff to discuss the criticism of President Trump on Syria and the suggestion that his resort would host the G-7, the danger for Democrats of an impeachment inquiry that drags on through 2020, takeaways from an interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders and the state of the Democratic presidential race in Iowa.

Monday was supposed to be the start of a landmark trial against drug companies and distributors. But before arguments could start, several companies announced a $260 million settlement with two Ohio counties. With lawsuits still pending from thousands of communities, can a bigger national settlement be reached? William Brangham talks with Lenny Bernstein of The Washington Post for more.

The rapid expansion of ICE detentions in Louisiana has injected depressed rural communities with a new source of income while increasing profits for private companies. With more than 51,000 migrants detained by ICE, upwards of 8,000 are being held in Louisiana jails and prisons. Joanne Elgart Jennings reports in the second of a two-part series in partnership with The New Orleans Advocate and ITVS.

Canadians are heading to the polls on Monday to vote in Parliamentary elections. But after four years in power and a string of recent controversies, current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his majority Liberal Party are facing a tough race against Conservative and progressive challengers, who are campaigning on a platform of change. Special Correspondent Benedict Moran has a preview.