The President kisses the asses of three different murderous dictators during his trip abroad, Kamala Harris is having a moment, Joe Biden is having some issues, and strategists and pundits are worried that the Democratic Party is moving too far to the left. Then Ari Berman of Mother Jones talks to Jon Lovett about the Supreme Court’s gerrymandering decision.

Show Notes

Trump’s foreign trip

: How Elizabeth Warren plans to revamp the State Department – Of course she has a plan for this, too.

: How Trump’s ‘weaponized’ use of foreign aid is backfiring

: ‘I have lost hope for my life’: Iranians describe hardships as Trump expands sanctions

: 5 Takeaways From the G20 Summit: Easing Off Trump’s China Trade War, for Now

: The U.S. and China Are Talking Trade Again. But They’re Still Far Apart.

: Trump and Xi Agree to Restart Trade Talks, Avoiding Escalation in Tariff War

: In Japan, Trump calls Jimmy Carter a ‘terrible president’ and says Kamala Harris got ‘too much credit’ in debate

‘If You Want, I’ll Go On’: Trump’s Rambling News Conference

: Our next election is dangerously vulnerable, a top Democrat warns. Does Trump care?

Trump Thinks Putin’s Attack on ‘Western-Style Liberalism’ Was About California

: Report: U.S. is underestimating Putin’s “grand strategy” for Russian dominance

Kamala Harris Won in Miami, but Vladimir Putin Won in Osaka

: Trump can’t help himself when it comes to Putin

: Trump to Putin: “Don’t meddle in the election”

: Trump appears more at ease with strongmen than democratic leaders at G-20 summit

: Trump and Putin Share Joke About Election Meddling, Sparking New Furor

: Like old pals, Trump, Putin make light of election meddling

: ‘It’s only fake news’: Even on a historic day, Trump complains about media coverage

: Beyond ‘Freedom’s Frontier,’ Trump scores his biggest live show yet in North Korea

: ‘Surreal’: Ivanka Trump plays a prominent role in her father’s historic Korea trip

: Everything We Know About Trump’s DMZ Meeting With Kim Jong-un

: Democratic presidential contenders slam Trump for his meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un

: Trump’s apparent ignorance of basic political terms is on full display overseas

The Normalization of Meeting Kim Jong Un

: Trump takes historic step into North Korea with Kim Jong Un – After the theatrical gesture, both leaders pledged to restart stalled nuclear negotiations between the two countries.

: Trump becomes first sitting president to set foot into North Korea

Trump’s Curious Rendezvous with Kim Jong Un at the D.M.Z.

: 4 Takeaways From the Trump-Kim Meeting at the DMZ

: Trump Steps Into North Korea and Agrees With Kim Jong-un to Resume Talks

2020

NYT : Kamala Harris Raises $2 Million in 24 Hours After Debate

Politico : Harris surges to third place in national poll after debate

Axios : Kamala Harris sees 6-point polling bump after taking on Joe Biden

NYT : Kamala Harris Has Been Gearing Up for a Biden Showdown

NYT : Republicans Revel in Biden’s Debate Troubles, but See a New Threat in Harris

The Atlantic: Kamala Harris Knew What She Was Doing

NYT : Kamala Harris Makes the Case That Joe Biden Should Pass That Torch to Her

The Atlantic : Kamala Harris Seizes the Moment. Again.

NY Mag: Kamala Harris Ends the Era of Coddling Joe Biden on Race

NY Mag: Kamala Harris Just Jumped Into the Top Tier

Politico : ‘Her ambition got it wrong about Joe’: Harris faces debate backlash

NYT : Kamala Harris Is Supported by Rivals After Trump Jr. Questions Her Race

Vox : Democrats rally behind Kamala Harris following Donald Trump Jr.’s “birther-style” tweet

CNN : ‘It won’t work:’ Kamala Harris’ campaign slams online attacks on her race

BuzzFeed : A New Racist Campaign Against Kamala Harris Is Taking Shape

Daily Beast: Kamala Harris Is Surging and Birtherism Is Back

NYT : A Day After Bruising Debate, Biden Pushes Back Against Criticism on Civil Rights

Politico : Biden tries to stanch the bleeding with full Obama embrace

New Yorker: Democratic Debate 2019: Kamala Harris Exposed the Biden Weaknesses That Trump Will Exploit

CNN : Why Kamala Harris’ Biden attack worked – Op-Ed

WaPo : Joe Biden called busing a ‘liberal train wreck.’ Now his stance on school integration is an issue.

Politico : Booker: Biden’s words ‘causing a lot of frustration and even pain’

CBS: Biden campaign accuses Trump of “coddling” dictators on overseas trip

CNN : Biden’s ‘gay waiter’ comment on LGBTQ rights falls flat in Seattle

NBC News: Cory Booker takes aim at Joe Biden’s ‘hoodie’ language about race

Politico : Biden rejects ‘old guy’ label at Bay Area fundraiser

LA Times: Joe Biden struggles and Kamala Harris surges after clash over race and busing

NPR : LISTEN: Biden Supported A Constitutional Amendment To End Mandated Busing In 1975

CNN : Joe Biden in 1981 CNN interview: Busing is ‘the least effective remedy’ to desegregate schools

CNBC : Joe Biden loses support of top campaign fundraiser in Bay Area after comments on segregationists and Hyde amendment

WaPo : Kamala Harris’s takedown of Joe Biden was more brutal than it seems

NYT : Trump Consultant Is Trolling Democrats With Biden Site That Isn’t Biden’s

WaPo : The Trailer: What the busing fight shows us about the Democratic Party

WaPo : Buttigieg seeks a relaunch after his candidacy gets mired in fallout from police shooting

NY Mag: Will the Debate Put Mayor Pete’s Campaign Back on Track?

WaPo : Yang blames his debate performance on his mic being off. NBC denies his claim.

Vox : The Democratic debates helped demonstrate the dubiousness of online polls

Politico Magazine : Unhappy With Their 2016 Coronation, the Democrats Start a 2020 Circus

WaPo : Democratic candidates veer left, leaving behind successful midterm strategy

NYT : Liberal Democrats Ruled the Debates. Will Moderates Regain Their Voices?

NYT : Democrats Veer Left on Immigration at Debates, Pleasing Base (and Trump)

NYT : For All the Talk of a Tea Party of the Left, Moderates Emerge as a Democratic Power

WaPo : Who can beat Trump? The answer is no clearer after Miami.

The Atlantic : By Ron Brownstein – A Single Day Exposed the Central Tension Driving American Politics

New Yorker : The Democratic Primary’s Moving Margins

New Yorker : The Democratic Divide on the Future of Health Care

NYT : Democrat vs. Democrat: How Health Care Is Dividing the Party

New Yorker: Democrats’ Cautious Return to the War on Poverty

FiveThirtyEight: Yes, Democrats Are Paying Plenty Of Attention To The 2020 Election

WaPo : Democrats signal a turn toward liberal ambitions and government activism

The Atlantic: Democrats Don’t Want to Talk About the Economy

WaPo : In troubled Florida, Democrats reckon with the presidential debates and an economy that can seem cruel

Daily Beast : Hey Dems, Take It From This Ex-Centrist: We Blew It

Politico : Jesse Jackson opens up on 2020 and the changing Democratic Party

NY Mag: Elizabeth Warren Takes a Huge Risk by Calling to End Private Health Insurance

NYT: Op-Ed By Brett Stephens – A Wretched Start for Democrats

WSJ : The 2020 Democrats Lack Hindsight