PBS News Hour - Politics

Several candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination appeared at a forum in Washington, D.C., on Monday, to discuss issues of poverty, race and inequality. Raising the minimum wage was a high-profile topic there, as well as at other campaign events around the country. Meanwhile, candidates also emphasized voting rights and closing the racial wealth gap. Yamiche Alcindor reports.

NPR's Tamara Keith and Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report join Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest political news, including President Trump's Tuesday rally in Florida, campaign stops and strategy among 2020 Democrats and what to expect from the first Democratic debates.

Between the strictest U.S. sanctions in history and accusations that Iran attacked two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, tensions between the two countries are their worst in 40 years, says Barbara Slavin, director of the Atlantic Council's Future of Iran Initiative. She joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss how Iran is responding to the mounting pressure.

In our news wrap Friday, pressure is rising in Hong Kong to scrap a bill that would allow extradition to mainland China. The proposed law has sparked mass protests and violent clashes with police, and now, several former senior officials are backing its opponents. Also, President Trump says he won't fire Kellyanne Conway over violating the Hatch Act, despite a government watchdog's recommendation.

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week's political news, including President Trump's comments about willingness to accept foreign opposition research, the status of election security legislation, candidate lineups for the upcoming Democratic presidential debates and the politics of Democratic socialism.

In our news wrap Thursday, the White House dismissed a federal watchdog agency's call to fire Kellyanne Conway. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel said Conway violated the Hatch Act by using her official capacity to disparage Democratic presidential candidates. Also, President Trump announced that Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders would be leaving the White House at the end of the month.

President Trump has caused a new outcry by declaring that he would accept information about a political opponent provided by a foreign government. The admission comes after Robert Mueller warned of significant Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. Yamiche Alcindor reports, and Judy Woodruff talks to former federal prosecutor Shan Wu and Trevor Potter of the Campaign Legal Center.

Former Texas Rep. Beto O’ Rourke burst onto the national stage when he came close to defeating Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2018 midterms. Now running for the Democratic presidential nomination, O’Rourke is emphasizing his ability to bring together diverse groups over a progressive agenda and his focus on the future. He talks to Judy Woodruff about climate change, health care and Iran.

In our news wrap Wednesday, President Trump hosted Polish President Andrzej Duda and announced plans to send 1,000 more U.S. troops to the former Soviet bloc state as part of a growing alliance. That’s on top of 4,500 Americans already stationed there. Also, Congo's Ebola outbreak has now claimed a life in Uganda, in addition to the nearly 1,400 people in Congo who have died since August.

The House Oversight Committee voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt of Congress for not turning over documents related to the decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. While President Trump defends the question, critics say it's intended to benefit Republicans politically. Judy Woodruff talks to NPR’s Hansi Lo Wang.