WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

Can Democrats and Republicans rise to the occasion after the murder of Charlie Kirk and tone down the rising vitriol of political discourse? Kirk leaves behind a legacy of civil debate with those he disagreed with, but can President Trump and others encourage a more positive way forward without resorting to violence?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New figures show hiring slowed in August, the U.S. economy was worse than reported in 2024, and real wages for the median American barely went up last year. Do the data revisions help explain why voters were so unhappy with Joe Biden? And is Donald Trump losing track of his economic mandate, amid a raid on a Hyundai site and an expanding loophole for tax free tips?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Senate Democrats holding up Donald Trump’s picks even for relatively minor jobs, Majority Leader John Thune proposes to speed confirmation by changing the chamber's rules to allow approval of blocks of uncontroversial nominees. Is this a good idea to restore a historical norm, or could it backfire if Democrats demand further rule rewrites when they return to power?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The values of the Western tradition have come under attack for unleashing a variety of sins, but is there a revival on the horizon? Paul Gigot speaks with historian Allen Guelzo about how “self-hatred” of Western civilization’s achievements has replaced thoughtful self-criticism, how much of this can be contributed to an ignorance of history, and the goals of Guelzo’s newest project, 'The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition.'

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gets grilled on Capitol Hill, including by Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Barrasso, both of them physicians, about his agenda on vaccines, views of Operation Warp Speed, and staff changes at his department. Meantime, Florida officials say they will push to end all state immunization mandates, including in schools.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump orders an airstrike on a speed boat in the Caribbean that he says was carrying narcotics, but should Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro also be worried, as the U.S. orders serious naval assets to the region? Meantime, Xi Jinping has a friendly photo-op with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, amid a military parade in Beijing that showcases an axis of American adversaries.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Democrats move to eject 22 of Gov. Glenn Youngkin's board appointees at three colleges, which they say is to protect the schools from Trump Administration meddling. But the Education Department accuses George Mason University of “illegally using race” in hiring, and Republicans are going to the state Supreme Court, arguing that Youngkin's appointees aren't fired at all.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump has imposed global tariffs by citing a 1977 emergency law known as IEEPA, but a federal appeals court says 7-4 that this is outside of his legal authority. Otherwise, what would stop the next Democrat in the office from declaring a climate "emergency" to declare a carbon tariff? The White House plans to appeal, but will it have any better luck at the Supreme Court?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The pressure on Iran is rising again, as U.S. allies in Europe trigger "snap-back" sanctions, citing Tehran's uranium stockpiles and nuclear enrichment. Meantime, two weeks after President Trump's peace summit in Alaska with Vladimir Putin, Russia hits Ukraine hard with new airstrikes. Plus, Taiwan wants to raise its defense budget to 5% of GDP to deter a Chinese invasion.    

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Donald Trump considers sending federal forces, including National Guard troops, to clean up Chicago's streets, but Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says he doesn't want the help. Could Trump do it over the objections of state and local leaders? And is this a winning political issue for the GOP, as Mayor Muriel Bowser announces that carjackings in Washington, D.C., have dropped 87%?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.