PBS News Hour - Politics

Much of the analysis from last week's Democratic debate focused on which candidates "won" or "lost," or had the best or worst moments. But NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Jeff Greenfield tells Hari Sreenivasan the debate also revealed a significant division among the candidates, as progressives and moderates battle for control of the party.

The Trump administration this week rolled back Obama-era regulations on the Clean Water Act, which was established to limit the amount of pollution in U.S. bodies of water and to protect sources of drinking water. Critics called the regulations an example of government overreach. Coral Davenport, a New York Times reporter covering energy and environmental policy, joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss.

On Thursday night, the top 10 Democratic presidential candidates faced off on a debate stage for the first time, in Houston. The extended debate duration -- three hours instead of two -- enabled longer, more in-depth policy explanations. For the most part, the tone was civil, but Julian Castro's attack on Joe Biden's memory struck some viewers as overly personal and mean. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week's political news, including the third Democratic debate of the 2020 presidential campaign, results of the special congressional election in North Carolina, the departure of John Bolton from the Trump administration and movement toward gun reform legislation.

Thursday night's debate is the third of the 2020 presidential campaign, but the first in which the 10 Democratic candidates leading most public opinion polls will share a stage. Lisa Desjardins joins Amna Nawaz from Houston to discuss the different format of this debate, what's at stake for the candidates and whether it's the end of the campaign road for candidates who didn't qualify.

The Federal Election Commission's mandate is to ensure that campaign financing is transparent and election laws are obeyed. Intended to have six members, the agency currently has only three -- and as a result, is unable to pursue the hundreds of election-related enforcement matters before it. Judy Woodruff sits down with the chair of the FEC, Ellen Weintraub, to discuss the current limitations.

The 2018 congressional result in North Carolina's 9th District was thrown out because of GOP fraud, prompting a special election just held on Tuesday with a narrow victory by Republican Dan Bishop. The campaign was seen by both parties as a potential signal about voters' mindsets ahead of the 2020 presidential race. Judy Woodruff talks to Steve Harrison, a political reporter for WFAE radio.

Mark Sanford, former South Carolina governor and congressman, is breaking with his party to mount a primary challenge to President Trump in 2020. Sanford has long been outspoken about his objection to Trump -- a perspective that saw him defeated in his own congressional reelection bid. Sanford sits down with Judy Woodruff to discuss his party's identity, federal spending, climate change and more.

John Bolton, the third person to serve as national security advisor under President Trump, is out. Bolton was one of Washington's outspoken hawks for decades, and he was instrumental in the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. But Bolton and the president frequently clashed -- even about the details of Bolton's departure. Nick Schifrin reports and joins Judy Woodruff and Yamiche Alcindor.

How will the departure of John Bolton affect U.S. foreign policy, and was Bolton successful as national security advisor? Harvard University's Wendy Sherman, a former foreign policy official under former Presidents Clinton and Obama, and the Hudson Institute's Michael Doran, who previously worked in national security under former President George W. Bush, join Judy Woodruff to discuss.