Today in Politics, Bulletin 94. 3/18/25

Ron Filipkowski Mar 18 ∙

… MN State Sen. Justin Eichorn was arrested for soliciting a 16-year-old girl for sex, who turned out to be an undercover police officer. Eichorn is a Republican who is married with 4 children. He made national headlines earlier this week for being a sponsor of a bill that would declare ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ a mental illness.

… Now he’s making headlines in other ways.

… Amazing how this just keeps happening over and over and over.

… Trump had his big phone call with Putin today to try to allegedly persuade him to sign a ceasefire agreement as a precursor to a negotiated permanent peace agreement. Putin essentially said that if Ukraine and the US agree to all of his demands then he might consider signing a cease fire. Both sides also issued statements about the call that were different in some key details.

… From the White House readout of the call: “The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East. The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the US and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved."

… TASS reported that Putin told Trump that a complete end of US military aid to Kyiv is the key condition for resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

… TASS also reported that Trump agreed with Putin’s proposal to set up hockey games between Russia and the US.

… The two areas where Ukraine is hurting Russia the most are: (1) Drone strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure and oil production; (2) Strikes on the Russian navy and shipping in the Black Sea. And Putin demands that both of those things end before he will agree to a ceasefire.

… Garry Kasparov: “Russia's weakest point is Ukraine attacking its gas and oil facilities, so of course Putin wants Trump's help stopping it. Nothing on Russia murdering Ukrainian civilians. Add TASS mentioning US-Russia ‘working groups’ and fucking US-Russia hockey games to this most perfect call. The Black Sea is another area Ukraine was kicking Russia's ass, so one more item on Putin's wish list. And restoring US relations with a war criminal dictator who offers the US nothing.”

… “Every GOP Congressman needs to be asked if they support this switching of sides. Again, this partial ceasefire looks Made in Moscow to protect the one thing that could force Russia to stop its invasion and murder campaign in Ukraine - it's cash-producing energy infrastructure. Ukraine now has its own long-range missiles, so Putin needed Trump's help asap.”

… Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko: The Kremlin is essentially sticking to its optimal strategy—dragging things out indefinitely, saying ‘no’ without actually saying ‘no,’ drowning everything in meaningless demagogy, manipulating Trump by massaging his ego, tossing him silly trinkets like imaginary ‘thousands of Ukrainian soldiers lives spared only thanks to Trump’ and hockey games (!), all while continuing its full-scale war against Ukraine. And as long as Trump keeps indulging in his virtual ‘victories’ and tiptoeing around Putin, they have no reason to stop.”

… Trump’s former NSA John Bolton: “Trump is rushing to make a deal with Russia and Ukraine because in his mind this deal will earn him the Nobel Peace Prize, which he has long wanted.”

… So we get hockey games and “enormous economic deals” with Russia in exchange for selling out Ukraine.

… Art of the Deal.

… Two days after Director Lee Zeldin announced he was gutting the EPA, Trump announced we are going to fire up “clean coal” plants: “After years of being held captive by Environmental Extremists, Lunatics, Radicals, and Thugs, allowing other Countries, in particular China, to gain tremendous Economic advantage over us by opening up hundreds of all Coal Fire Power Plants, I am authorizing my Administration to immediately begin producing Energy with BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN COAL.”

… I didn’t know there was such a thing as clean coal. I learn something new from Trump every day.

… HUD Secretary Scott Turner and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum jointly announced a plan to open up protected federal land around the country so housing could be constructed: “This will unlock federal lands for the benefit of all Americans.”

… Burgum also talked about opening up federal lands to mining: "Ukraine, Greenland, our allies around the world, and here at home on our incredible amount of federal land, our gigantic balance sheet that we have here - all of these are areas where we've gotta be more strategic in going after critical minerals."

… After postponing his book tour, Sen. Chuck Schumer launched a media tour on several shows to defend himself from backlash after his CR vote. On CBS: “I’m the best leader for the Senate. I am the best at winning Senate seats. We’re moving forward - Hakeem and I have a plan.”

… Schumer: "One of the Republican senators who knows said to us, 'you'll be in the shutdown for 6-9 months until we totally destroy the federal government.' So the shutdown was a much worse alternative."

… More from the Schumer Explanation Tour: “The Republicans would like to have some freedom from Trump, but they won’t until we bring him down in popularity. That happened with Bush in 2005. It happened with Trump in 2017. When it happens, I am hopeful that our Republican colleagues will resume working with us. And I talk to them. One of the places is in the gym. When you’re on that bike in your shorts, panting away next to a Republican, a lot of the inhibitions come off.”

… Schumer said that he was also confident that if Trump started to defy court orders, Republicans in the Senate would join him to oppose Trump if that happened.

… None of this made me feel better about the current leadership situation.

… And I could have done without the panting in shorts next to Republicans with the inhibitions off visual.

… Illinois Gov and likely presidential candidate JB Pritzker: “Look, he’s the elected leader. I disagree with what he did and vehemently so. But I also know that he has done good work as a Senate leader in other ways.”

… Trump called for Judge Boasberg to be impeached after he ruled against him on migrant flights: “This Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, was not elected President - He didn’t WIN the popular VOTE (by a lot!), he didn’t WIN ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, he didn’t WIN 2,750 to 525 Counties, HE DIDN’T WIN ANYTHING! I WON FOR MANY REASONS, IN AN OVERWHELMING MANDATE, BUT FIGHTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MAY HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR THIS HISTORIC VICTORY. I’m just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do. This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!”

… Radical Left Lunatic Judge James Boasberg was confirmed by the Senate 96-0.

… Chief Justice John Roberts took the highly unusual step of issuing a statement responding to Trump: "For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose."

… Rep. Lauren Boebert agreed with Trump though that they need to start impeaching judges: “With every executive order they are trying to shut any progress he is making down. It’s kind of like whack-a-mole right now. In the House, we need to do our due diligence and impeach these Soros-funded judges.”

… The sworn affidavit filed with Judge Boasberg by DOJ stated that ICE "carefully vetted" each of the migrants who were deported without due process. CBS reported that an ICE official said "many" of them deported as alleged gang members to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act do not have any criminal records at all.

… David Bier, Director of Immigration Issues at the CATO Institute: “Unreal. ICE implies that MOST of the Venezuelans sentenced to hard labor in a brutal Central American prison without charge or trial or so much as a cursory hearing had never been convicted or even charged with ANY CRIME whatsoever, not even a trivial one.”

… Gavin Newsom’s podcast guest Steve Bannon: “If there’s some innocent gardeners in there - hey, tough break.”

Reminder that tomorrow there is no Bulletin because that is the day I do my podcast Uncovered, where we do a deep dive into the Top 10 stories of the week and I try to provide a lot of detail and background on them that was not covered by legacy media, but should have been.

If you missed yesterday’s Bulletin, you can read it here.

… The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 8.9 million Americans are now working more than one job, which is the highest number since April 2009.

… CNBC’s Fed Survey of fund managers/analysts raised the risk of recession (36% chance) to the highest level in 6 months, cut their growth forecast for 2025, and hiked their inflation outlook. Their outlook for the S&P 500 declined for the first time since Sept. Barry Knapp of Ironsides Macroeconomics: “We’ve had an abundance of discussions with investors who are increasingly concerned the Trump agenda has gone off the rails due to trade policy. Consequently, the economic risks of something more insidious than a soft patch are growing.”

… John Donaldson, director of fixed income at Haverford Trust: “The degree of policy volatility is unprecedented.″

… Fox host Maria Bartiromo unloaded on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over tariffs: "See, these are the things that people are really worried about. Because they first thought it was just about trade. Then they thought it was just about fentanyl. Then after that we talked about, 'well, maybe it's currency manipulation.' Now you're talking about food testing. And when I bring up the issue of clarity, that's what I'm talking about and that's what I'm hearing from corporate America, that we're not sure where this is going."

… My sense is that the more Wall Street analysts and economists predict a recession and inflation caused by tariffs, the more Trump will double and triple down on them - not the opposite. He loves the fact that everyone, including Republicans, are predicting this will not end well for the US economy. Trump believes he is smarter than all of them and is more likely to go full speed ahead to try and prove them wrong.

… ABC reports that while Tesla stock continues to plummet, Board members and executives with the company continue to sell off huge numbers of shares, which is making investors even more nervous about the direction of the company. SEC filings show that the top 4 officers in the company have sold over $100 million in shares over the last month.

… James Murdoch, son of Rupert, sold $13 million in shares on March 10. Elon’s brother Kimbal Musk sold $27 million last month. Chair of the Board Robyn Denholm sold $75 million over the past 5 weeks. Jay Ritter, professor of Finance at University of FL: "Whenever insiders, including directors, are selling shares, it's not a positive signal."

… Tesla shares were down ANOTHER 5.34% today.

… The Las Vegas Review Journal posted a video of several vehicles set on fire at a Tesla service center at 2:45 AM in Vegas.

… Musk responded to the video: “This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong. Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks.”

… A bizarre scene unfolded as goons with Elon Musk’s DOGE used the police to break into the offices of the US Institute for Peace, which monitors threats from countries like China to smaller nations that surround them. NYT reported that the Director refused for days to allow DOGE into their offices, which are not in a federal building, despite threats from the FBI. But police showed up yesterday and escorted all employees out of the building.

… The WH sent emails to 12 of 15 board members on Friday that they were fired. However, those members maintained Trump had no authority to remove them since the agency was created by Congress with the US Institute of Peace Act, which mandates that the board must have 12 other members confirmed the Senate, the board must be bipartisan, and members can only be removed under certain specific circumstances.

… USIP Director George Moose: “Our statute is very clear about the status of this building and this institute. So, what has happened here today is an illegal takeover by elements of the executive branch of a private nonprofit corporation.”

… Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) on Fox: "What we're seeing from DOGE is a lot of it has just been reckless. Why do you want to eliminate people who work to oversee the nuclear stockpile? Why do you want to get rid of people who oversee the avian flu? Why do you want to get rid of people who oversee a measles outbreak in Texas?"

… Israel ended the ceasefire in Gaza with missile strikes, citing Hamas’s refusal to return all of the remaining hostages. AP reported that Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 404 people were killed in the strikes and more than 560 were wounded. The Trump Admin said that Netanyahu consulted with them prior to that attack and they fully supported what he was doing.

… DC US Attorney Ed Martin posted this warning to city residents: “Hit a cop, you’ll pay for it.” That apparently does not apply to Trump supporters on J6 though.

… Pardoned J6er Jake Lang, who beat officers with a bat, announced he is running for the US Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio: “Today I am blessed by God to officially announce my candidacy for US Senate in the great State of FL! The story of the J6 Hostages isn’t over - it’s just begun!! The Golden Age of America is HERE WE ARE TAKING OVER THE CAPITOL AGAIN This time as America’s Public Servants & Elected Leaders!

… Lang’s official campaign slogan is ‘Take Back the Capitol’.

… Joe ‘Tiger King’ Exotic, who was the subject of a Netflix documentary and is currently serving a long prison sentence, says his husband will agree to self-deport himself if Trump pardons him: “You could deport him at some point, but if you let me go, we'll both go to Mexico, which will save you the cost of deporting him and allow you to take care of me. No matter what happens, he's my husband, and we'll never abandon each other. This bond is that strong.”

… Don Jr suggested to his dad in 2020 that he should pardon Joe Exotic. Could happen now that Joe offered up his Mexican husband for deportation. I rule out nothing these days.

… Sen. Chris Murphy on The Daily Show: “The Republican Party has paid for a permanent infrastructure around ideas and messaging. Democrats raise lots of money every two years, we blow it all on 30 second ads that disappear into the ether as soon as the election is done, instead of actually building our own permanent infrastructure where we can sell our ideas.”

… I could not agree with this more. The Consultant Class has its grips firmly in the leadership of the party, and they have a serious financial interest in playing the election game in this antiquated way. We raise gobs of money and waste it on carpet bombing areas with repetitive TV ads. The world has changed. The way to reach voters has changed. But we continue to listen to consultants who make tens of millions doing things the old and increasingly ineffective way.

… I love what Chris Murphy has been doing the last two months. Imagine if every Democrat in Congress was out there doing everything he has been doing. Many don’t even have a social media page that they personally operate, and never do podcasts or any new digital media. It isn’t only a problem of age - Bernie and a few others have adapted - but most are stuck in a mentality of the way things used to be long ago.

… Fox reported that Mitch McConnell will not make an endorsement in the KY Senate race to succeed him: “I will let the voters of Kentucky decide.”

… KY Gov and future Democratic presidential candidate Andy Beshear explained to Meidas Touch how he was able to win a state twice that is dominated by Republicans: “We need to explain why we make decisions, why we do these jobs despite everything we have to put up with, why we put our families through it. For me, it’s my faith. For instance, when I vetoed the nastiest anti-LGBTQ+ bill during my election year in KY, I explained why I did it. My faith teaches me that all children are children of God. I wanted those children, who were being hated on by their General Assembly, to know their governor cares for them and loves them. And my faith tells me that’s my job—to stand up for them.”

… AP reported that Denmark is leading the way on European boycotts of US products and Tesla. People in that country are even more upset that the EU generally since they were specifically targeted by Trump over Greenland. Bo Albertus: “When Trump went on TV and said he would by political force or military force take a piece of the Danish kingdom, it was just too much for me.” He is now an administrator of the Facebook page “Boykot varer fra USA” (Boycott goods from the US), which already has over 80,000 members.

… Electrician Jens Olsen: “Trump’s policies have brought the Danish Viking blood boiling. I’m 66 years old and I have never seen the Danes so upset before.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says Harris' plan to stop gouging "isn't about trying to price fix"

 

Face the Nation

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Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear tells "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that Vice President Kamala Harris' plan to enact stricter penalties on price gouging is similar to ones filed by state attorneys general. "This isn't about trying to price fix," Beshear said. "Face the Nation" is America's premier Sunday morning public affairs program. The broadcast is one of the longest-running news programs in the history of television, having debuted Nov. 7, 1954, on CBS. Every Sunday, "Face the Nation" moderator and CBS News senior foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan welcomes leaders, newsmakers, and experts to a lively round table discussion of current events and the latest news. Subscribe to the "Face the Nation" YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/facethenation/​ Watch full episodes of "Face the Nation": https://www.cbsnews.com/face-the-nati... Follow "Face the Nation" on Instagram:   / facethenation   Like "Face the Nation" on Facebook:   / facethenation   Follow "Face the Nation" on Twitter:   / facethenation   Subscribe to our newsletter: https://cbsnews.com/newsletter/ Download the CBS News app: https://cbsnews.com/mobile/ Try Paramount+ free: https://paramountplus.com/?ftag=PPM-0... For video licensing inquiries, contact: licensing@veritone.com

POLITICO Nightly: Embrace the Andy Beshear moment. It won’t last.

 

BY CHARLIE MAHTESIAN Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is joined by his wife, Britainy Beshear, and family at an election night event in Louisville, Kentucky. | Stephen Cohen/Getty Images RED-STATE ROCKSTAR — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is justifiably celebrated across his party in the wake of his reelection Tuesday, hailed as the rare example of a red-state Democrat who was able to defy his state’s conservative orientation and win even in places where the Democratic Party brand is toxic. Naturally, amid the euphoria surrounding the Democratic election romp, there’s a burst of chatter about his prospects for national office. If only. In recent decades, Democrats have had a habit of falling in love with their red-state success stories, only to ditch them when they attempt to apply their experience in presidential primaries. The architecture of Beshear’s win is indeed something to marvel at, especially in a party that’s hemorrhaged the kinds of voters who boosted Beshear to victory. He managed to sidestep GOP efforts to nationalize the campaign by tying him to President Joe Biden without any major departures from the party line. And he did it in a state that anchors the northern end of the Trump Belt, a region of doom and Democratic desolation that stretches from Appalachia across the Upland South to Oklahoma. But you don’t have to look far to find another similarly situated governor whose success defied the odds and seemed to offer a Democratic blueprint for how to win in rural and red states — former Montana Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. Like Beshear, Bullock won two terms as governor in a red state where Democratic fortunes have flagged. His 2016 reelection win was a political masterclass. At the top of the Montana ticket, Donald Trump crushed Hillary Clinton by more than 20 percentage points. Republicans flipped three other statewide offices and expanded their legislative majorities. Yet Bullock held on despite the undertow, a rare bright spot on a grim evening for state and national Democrats. Yet when Bullock ran for president in 2020, he got nowhere. His message was straightforward enough. On the heels of Trump’s 25-point win over rural voters in 2016, he argued, his track record made him uniquely suited to take on Trump. “As the only Democrat to win statewide re-election in a Trump state in 2016, I know firsthand: we must reach out to rural voters,” he tweeted in 2019. That message didn’t seem to matter. Twenty Democratic candidates qualified for the first debate round in June 2019, but not Bullock. There were four little known House members, two mayors and several candidates who had never been elected to any office at all on stage, but not the governor who won three consecutive statewide races in a state that had voted Democratic for president just once since 1964. Bullock eventually appeared in one debate, but was forced to drop out of the race before the first primary votes were cast. It’s a familiar story as the party’s standing has deteriorated among rural and red state voters. There’s always interest in a red-state whisperer who can bridge the divide and erase the impression that Democrats are a “coastal party of elites,” to use Bernie Sanders’ description. Yet it never gets very far beyond the infatuation stage. Bullock’s predecessor as Montana governor, Democrat Brian Schweitzer, was another who drew mention as a national prospect, both as a potential veep to Barack Obama in 2008 and as a possible presidential contender in 2016. Missouri’s Jay Nixon was floated for a time. So was Beshear’s father, Steve Beshear, who served as Kentucky governor from 2007 to 2015. One drawback, of course, is that all of these red-state winners are white men — an increasingly awkward fit to lead a diverse, multiracial party with a base comprised of women and voters of color. But it’s also true that Democrats aren’t truly convinced that they need what Beshear is offering. After all, Biden actually ran worse among rural voters than Clinton — and still managed to capture the White House. In Beshear’s case, many aspects of his record will travel well — namely his focus on teacher salaries, infrastructure, pandemic leadership and his responsiveness during natural disasters. Yet there are elements of his tenure that may not survive deeper scrutiny by the national party. The political risks he took in supporting abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights and unions could be overshadowed by the things he didn’t talk about. As the governor of a coal-producing state, he took a pass on addressing climate change issues. The killing of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black EMT who was shot and killed during a botched police raid of her apartment, also didn’t receive much airing during his campaign. Both issues would receive far more scrutiny in a presidential primary. None of this diminishes Beshear’s victory — he ranks as one of the most popular governors in the nation for a reason. But it’s worth remembering where the party’s last four presidential nominees cut their political teeth — Boston, Chicago, New York and Wilmington. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com . Or contact tonight’s author at cmahtesian@politico.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @PoliticoCharlie .   JOIN US ON 11/15 FOR A TALK ON OUR SUSTAINABLE FUTURE: As the sustainability movement heats up, so have calls for a national standard for clean fuel. Join POLITICO on Nov. 15 in Washington D.C. as we convene leading officials from the administration, key congressional committees, states and other stakeholders to explore the role of EVs, biofuels, hydrogen and other options in the clean fuel sector and how evolving consumer behaviors are influencing sustainable energy practices. REGISTER HERE .     THE DAY AFTER Abortion rights supporters celebrate winning the referendum on Issue 1, a measure to enshrine a right to abortion in Ohio's Constitution. | Megan Jelinger/AFP via Getty Images WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW — There were a lot of elections Tuesday night. If you missed anything, we understand — Nightly has you covered with a recap from our colleagues at POLITICO. On the issues, abortion rights backers extended their post-Dobbs winning streak in Ohio , as Ohio voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to enshrine protections for reproductive health services, including abortion, in the state constitution. Voters did so even after popular Gov. Mike DeWine cut ads for the “No” campaign, calling the ballot measure “extreme.” Ohio also became the 24th state to embrace weed legalization , after voters comfortably approved a marijuana legalization referendum on the ballot. The new law allows adults over 21 to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and grow up to six plants. The measure creates a Division of Cannabis Control, which is responsible for setting up and regulating the adult-use cannabis market. In Virginia, Democrats swept control of the state legislature , holding the state Senate and picking up the House. Both parties thought control was in play, and Virginia going blue hurts Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s standing as a potential sleeper presidential candidate — and could give a political boost to President Joe Biden. It was a similar story in New Jersey, as Democrats surprisingly not only managed to hold onto their state legislative majorities Tuesday night but expand them . Republicans — benefiting from the unpopularity of Biden, the collapse of two major offshore wind projects and backlash to LGBTQ-friendly policies in public schools — had been hopeful at winning a majority in the state Senate or the Assembly for the first time in more than 20 years. New York state was a bit more of a mixed bag for each party, as voters mostly stuck with incumbents, though Republicans continued to make big gains in the politically crucial suburbs of Long Island. Republican Ed Romaine handily flipped the Suffolk County executive seat, becoming the first Republican to win the office since 1999. In New York City, the exonerated “Central Park Five” member Yusef Salaam won a seat on the City Council , completing a stunning reversal of fortune decades after he was wrongly imprisoned in an infamous rape case. Tuesday’s results were undeniably good for Democrats. But several strategists and officials who worked on this year’s successful campaigns said they fear there would now be a sense of complacency about November 2024 because of what happened in November 2023. Their victories, they warned, didn’t tell us much about the political future of the president , even if they turned on the same hot-button issues that might ultimately help him win again. Or, do you just want the biggest takeaways from a Democratic romp? Read them here . WHAT'D I MISS? — Feds charge three with running high-end brothels allegedly frequented by politicians: The Justice Department said today it is investigating politicians, military officers and government contractors for buying sex through a high-end brothel network operating in Massachusetts and the D.C. suburbs. Federal prosecutors in Massachusetts charged three people with running the network: Han Lee and Junmyung Lee of Massachusetts and James Lee of California. The two Massachusetts defendants were scheduled to have initial court appearances this afternoon. — Ivanka Trump testifies about loan negotiations that cast doubt on her father’s net worth: Ivanka Trump testified today about a 2011 loan negotiation for her father that suggested his true net worth was much lower than what he claimed on his financial statements at the time. On the witness stand in the $250 million civil fraud trial against Donald Trump and his real estate empire, the former president’s daughter said she had helped negotiate to lower the net worth her father was required to maintain in order to obtain a loan from Deutsche Bank for Trump National Doral, the golf resort in Miami. — Florida Supreme Court justices appear open to recreational pot legalization initiative: Justices on Florida’s conservative-leaning Supreme Court today appeared to favor a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana , pushing back against the state’s arguments that the initiative hides information from potential voters. During the hourlong arguments, the justices pointedly questioned attorneys representing Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who claims the language of the initiative fails to explain that marijuana is still prohibited under federal law. NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024 KICK THE CAN — The Minnesota Supreme Court today punted on a decision that could keep former President Donald Trump off the 2024 presidential ballot in that state, reports POLITICO. The court dismissed a lawsuit that would bar Trump from the primary ballot under a provision of the 14th Amendment that bars people from holding public office if they “engaged in insurrection or rebellion.” But the justices noted today that the decision applied only to the state’s primary, leaving open the possibility that the former president could be booted from the ballot in the general election in November. OLD FRIENDS — When he was in law school, Vivek Ramaswamy attended an event inside a refurbished Second Empire-style mansion in New Haven with a group called Shabtai, a Jewish intellectual society that’s become an elite ecumenical breeding ground , according to the Deseret News. After his first meeting, which he was brought to by a Jewish friend (the group accepts people of all faiths), Ramaswamy became increasingly involved in Shabtai, as he and his wife offered to host events in their Manhattan apartment. As he began his presidential bid, friends he met through Shabtai remained involved — and in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel, Ramaswamy has had to defend a non-interventionist policy as Israel retaliates. He’s now leaning on his relationship with Shabtai, even as the conflict and his political beliefs scramble some of his connections there. SPOOKY SEASON — President Joe Biden’s envoy in Ottawa confided to a crowd of Canadians that fresh polling in key swing states is “sobering and scary,” reports POLITICO. “For people in Canada or the United States who are concerned or troubled by a prospective second term for Donald Trump, those polling results are sobering and scary,” U.S. Ambassador David Cohen told a conference of manufacturers and exporters in Canada’s capital on Tuesday. The comments represented an unusual swerve into domestic U.S. politics by a sitting ambassador and a striking admission of Biden’s vulnerability by one of his most loyal political allies. The White House and Biden campaign have spent much of the past few days working to calm the nerves of Democrats after the latest wave of grim polling on the 2024 election. AROUND THE WORLD The 'Panda Express' takes off as it transports giant pandas from the Smithsonian's National Zoo at Dulles International Airport. | Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images PANDA PROBLEMS — Three of China’s cutest and most beloved diplomats left Washington today , marking a turning point in the struggling relationship between their home country and the United States, write Eric Bazail-Eimil and Andrew Zhang . The diplomats in question were a trio of giant pandas who came to represent China’s burgeoning global ambitions — as well as Washington’s most popular zoo attraction. The arrival and departure of the pandas, which spawned merch lines and a cult-like following, traces the half-century relationship trajectory between a longtime global power and an increasingly influential country that has grown to become its biggest competitor. “There’s no doubt that this is a reflection of the state of bilateral relations,” said Yun Sun, a China expert at the Stimson Center, a foreign affairs think tank. “The pandas are supposed to unify the relationship with the United States, and the relationship between the U.S. and China is so bad anyway, what’s the point of the panda being here?” Tian Tian and Mei Xiang arrived at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington in 2000, taking the place of a panda duo that had recently passed away after coming to the U.S. in 1972. (The third departed panda, Xiao Qi Ji, was born to Mei in 2020.) Although American zoos had giant pandas in the early parts of the 20th century, the arrival of the first duo, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, kicked off American panda fever. Former Chinese leader Mao Zedong had promised former President Richard Nixon those first pandas during the American leader’s groundbreaking visit to China. AGAINST THE TIDE — Indian authorities have barred any pro-Palestinian solidarity protest in Muslim-majority Kashmir and asked Muslim preachers not to mention the conflict in their sermons, residents and religious leaders told The Associated Press. The restrictions are part of India’s efforts to curb any form of protest that could turn into demands for ending New Delhi’s rule in the disputed region. They also reflect a shift in India’s foreign policy under populist Prime Minister Narendra Modi away from its long-held support for the Palestinians, analysts say. India has long walked a tightrope between the warring sides, with historically close ties to both. While India strongly condemned the Oct. 7 attack by the militant group Hamas and expressed solidarity with Israel, it urged that international humanitarian law be upheld in Gaza amid rising civilian deaths.   GET READY FOR POLITICO’S DEFENSE SUMMIT ON 11/14: Russia’s war on Ukraine … China’s threats to Taiwan … a war in Gaza. The U.S. is under increasing pressure to deter, defend and fight in more ways — but not everyone agrees how. Join POLITICO's 3rd Annual Defense Summit on November 14 for exclusive interviews and expert discussions on global security and the U.S.'s race to bolster alliances and stay ahead of adversaries. Explore critical topics, including international conflicts, advanced technology, spending priorities and political dynamics shaping global defense strategies. Don’t miss these timely and important discussions. REGISTER HERE .     NIGHTLY NUMBER 5.5 million The number of borrowers who are enrolled in the Biden administration’s new student loan repayment plan that offers lower monthly payments and caps interest accrual, the White House announced today. About 2.9 million of the borrowers enrolled in the plan have incomes that are low enough that they are not required to make a monthly payment this year, White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden told reporters. RADAR SWEEP SOULMATE AI — How far will you go for love….with an AI bot? The answer for some is a $60 subscription that allows users to build their perfect AI companions . Like any AI, the longer a person interacts with the app, the more the AI learns about you and what you want in a partner — and the more real it becomes. In this story from the Dial, Snigdha Poonam dives into the growing trend of people falling in love with AI bots designed for companionship. But the story isn’t all sappy texts and digitized romantic walks on the beach. Poonam explores the complexities of the issues and the real threats that can happen and already have happened as companies help create AI soulmates around the world. PARTING IMAGE On this date in 1988: Then-Vice President and presidential candidate George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush wave as balloons are dropped during a welcome rally as they watch the 1988 presidential election returns in Houston; at left is George W. Bush. Bush won with 426 electoral votes to his opponent Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis' 111. | John Duricka/AP Did someone forward this email to you?  Sign up here .   Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh   FOLLOW US

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