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10.29.20 | 10:30 am
Among the Abusers and the Abused Prime Badge

This has been building for a while. But it’s really something and fully out loud now, an embattled President openly mocking and deriding a loyalist Senator struggling to defend her seat in state critical to the President’s own electoral fortunes. “You got one minute! One minute, Martha! They don’t want to hear this, Martha. Come on, Martha. Let’s go. Quick, quick.” Zoë Richards has the story.

I got asked yesterday what Trump’s deal is with McSally. I think he’s told us, ironically about another Arizona Senate. As he said, he likes heroes who don’t get captured. Yes, McSally has awkwardly tried to separate herself from some of the President’s most extreme antics. And Trump had various sources of bitterness with John McCain. But neither really captures this part of Trump.

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10.28.20 | 1:32 pm
Where Things Stand: You Won’t Miss A Thing Prime Badge
This is your TPM afternoon briefing.

We’re less than a week out from Election Day and today we’re launching a daily liveblog to keep you updated on all the latest election-related news — everything from shifting polls, campaign rally flubs, early voting numbers, voter intimidation and everything in between.

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10.28.20 | 10:46 am
Probability and Dread Prime Badge

How we make sense of probabilities in math and science is one thing. But as humans we can never separate probabilities from stakes. If the consequences of one outcome are sufficiently dire that factors inevitably into our experience of the question, even bleeding into our perception of the chances of that dark outcome occurring. Here I’ve noticed a subtle shift in recent days in people’s discussions about the outcome of next week’s election. It seems to have shifted from ‘Who’s going to win?’ or ‘Who’s likely to win?’ to ‘Can Trump still win?’

The answer to that last questions is clearly “Yes”. But the question itself is an important shift driven by the fact that in likelihood terms the evidence is now pointing overwhelmingly against the President.

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on September 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. on September 4, 2018 in Washington, DC.
10.27.20 | 1:30 pm
See the Corrupt Court for What It Is Prime Badge

If you needed to know anything more about Amy Coney Barrett – I didn’t, but if you did – she made her first act last night appearing at a splashy campaign event for President Trump. Once the Senate voted to confirm her on a party line vote, she had a lifetime appointment and literally no need for anything from President Trump. Indeed, she would quite likely have marginally improved the odds that the corrupt conservative Court majority would remain in place by declining such an appearance.

She did it anyway and that was a choice.

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10.27.20 | 1:04 pm
Where Things Stand: All The Indication We Needed Prime Badge
This is your TPM afternoon briefing.

The news out of the Supreme Court and the Senate last night fans flames of uncertainty about what might happen if the outcome of the election is disputed in the days after November 3.

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WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES - 2020/10/22: A view of an official Mail-in ballot for the 2020 general election.Mail-in Ballots have gone out and they are being returned. (Photo by Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES - 2020/10/22: A view of an official Mail-in ballot for the 2020 general election.Mail-in Ballots have gone out and they are being returned. (Photo by Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
PA GOP Makes Another Go At SCOTUS To Reinstate Stricter Mail Ballot Deadlines Prime Badge
This Week in Voting Rights: A weekly roundup of news on Americans' access to the ballot box.
10.26.20 | 2:41 pm
10.26.20 | 1:23 pm
Where Things Stand: All But Certain Prime Badge
This is your TPM afternoon briefing.

Vice President Mike Pence won’t be around for tonight’s confirmation vote in the Senate. Republicans are clearly unconcerned that they will need him to break any sort of tie.

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10.26.20 | 11:22 am
Facebook Generates Extremism for Society and Profits for Investors Prime Badge
KRAKOW, POLAND - 2018/09/06: Facebook  logo is seen on an android mobile phone in front of a computer screen  with facebook sign. (Photo by Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

We’re all in the final stretch of the big contest. But I wanted to flag your attention to a column in the Post about some new peer-reviewed research about Facebook and its effect on political polarization. Unsurprisingly the more time someone spends on Facebook the more polarized their beliefs become. But it’s five times more polarizing for conservatives than for liberals. And that’s not the most telling data.

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