Outside the Beltway

Donald Trump’s trade war is helping China expand its diplomatic influence.

Several days after detailed sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee, I’m not fully sure what to believe.

Senator Tim Kaine continues to maintain a huge lead over Corey Stewart in the Virginia Senate Race.

Attorneys for Christine Blasey Ford want the F.B.I. to investigate the charges she has made against Judge Kavanaugh before she testifies, but it’s entirely unclear what such an investigation would accomplish.

As expected, President Trump announced a new round of tariffs against Chinese goods yesterday, and China quickly retaliated.

Kids today.

Indicted New York Congressman Chris Collins will run for re-election despite being indictment for securities fraud.

Voter turnout in primary elections in 2018 was significantly above normal levels. especially in Democratic races.

Your phone won’t be beeping on Thursday after all.

After a day of political pressure, Senate Republicans have agreed to hold a hearing regarding the sexual assault allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh next week.

President Trump is set to expand his ill-advised, economically ignorant, trade war with China.

Donald Trump has been in office just over 600 days, and he’s proven beyond any doubt that he doesn’t care if what he says is the truth or not.

A new round of Congressional Ballot polls seems to put Democrats in a strong position for the ‘blue wave’ they’ve been hoping for all year.

Reports about tension between Defense Secretary James Mattis and President Trump are becoming louder, and it’s being suggested that Mattis could be out of office after the midterms.

Cracks are beginning to show in the previously united Republican front on the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation notwithstanding what appear to be credible allegations of sexual assault.

A woman accusing Brett Kavanaugh of having assaulted her when he was 17 and she was 15 has come forward. What happens next is anyone’s guess.

A look at the numbers behind the influx of women into electoral politics this year.

Former President Bush has waded back into politics but don’t expect him to be campaigning for Ted Cruz.

Be prepared to get a test message from the Federal Government at 2:18 pm Eastern Time on Thursday. This is only a test.

The Twenty-Fifth Amendment has been in the news a lot lately, but what would it actually take to use it to remove a President from power?

As problematic as some of what we know about the internal workings of the White House may be, it isn’t a coup.

The shooting of Botham Jean by off-duty Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger earlier this month seems like a clear cut murder. So why is she only charged with manslaughter?

Happy weekend.

Ohio billionaire Les Wexner was a top Republican donor and fundraiser in Ohio, but not anymore.

In the past, President Trump has threatened to shut down the government if the doesn’t get what he wants in the budget. The latest budget deal effectively dares him to do it.

Another day, another plea agreement in the Mueller investigation. This one could prove to be problematic for the President.

With the primaries over, we can say that it’s been quite a successful year for women in politics.

As part of her position as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has use of a rather lavish private residence. This is not a real controversy.

Some last minute dramatics in the Kavanaugh nomination fight, but it seems unlikely to impact the outcome of the nomination fight.

As expected, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo easily fended off a challenge from actress Cynthia Nixon. Let the Presidential speculation begin.

Former President Jimmy Carter is warning his party against drifting too far left as we head into the midterms and, beyond that, the 2020 campaign cycle.

President Trump claims that November will see a “red wave” rather than the “blue wave” that most analysts are expecting. There’s no evidence to support his hypothesis.

President Trump is apparently a Hurricane Maria Truther.

The Federal Budget Deficit is set to end the Fiscal Year close to $1 trillion, and to continue growing after that.

President Trump has made no secret of the fact that he is displeased with the performance of Jeff Sessions, but he could find it hard to replace him.

As Hurricane Florence bears down on the East Coast, most people are listening to orders to evacuate, but some people aren’t.

Mitch McConnell has a plan that could pose problems for Democrats fighting for re-election.

New evidence indicates that the same Russian backed bots and trolls that sought to influence the 2016 election are now attempting to exploit the social divisions raised by the N.F.L. players kneeling during the National Anthem.

With a new trial set to start in Washington at the end of the month, reports are circulating that President Trump’s former campaign manager is looking to cut a plea deal.

Three months after the Singapore summit, evidence grows that North Korea is still making nuclear weapons.

After spending most of his post-Presidency on the political sidelines, former President Bush is hitting the fundraising trail for GOP candidates in Texas and Florida.

Seventeen years ago, America was thrust into a war that seemingly has no end.

A new report says that the Trump Administration lobbied the National Park Service to edit photos of the crowd at President Trump’s Inauguration.

With less than two months to go before the midterm elections, President Trump’s job approval numbers are hitting new lows.

Several states are opening new investigations of the Catholic Church abuse scandal. It’s about time.

With the Democratic Primary just days away, Andrew Cuomo’s Democratic challenger in New York is making headlines thanks to a rather odd culinary choice.

Kevin Drum makes an important point.

Former President Obama took on his successor in his first major political speeches since leaving office.

The nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh is, effectively, assured. Democrats should be careful about how much further they push their opposition.

Just how far should White House staffers and civil servants go in protecting the public from an erratic president?