It’s about to become the second-longest government shutdown in U.S. history and, as the days tick on, Republicans and Democrats appear confident in their stances. However, it’s a race against the clock for everyday Americans, as funding for food assistance programs is set to expire by the end of the week and federal workers are on the brink of missing their first full paycheck. We check in with our reporters around the country on how life looks from food banks to airports to courts before NBC News chief Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles gives us the reality check on when this could actually end. And while the Capitol may be quiet, just down the road the White House is buzzing. Crews are tearing into the East Wing to make way for a new ballroom, a pet project of President Trump’s. It’s the most significant change to the White House since the 1940s, and a sharp turn from his earlier promise not to touch the historic building. Kelly O’Donnell, NBC News justice and national affairs correspondent, also joins the pod.

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