Trump Defies Science On Masks And Vaccines; Protestors And ‘Heat Ray’ Weapons; The Soothing Appeal Of ‘The Great Pottery Throw Down’

Plus, a look back at Cat Stevens’ landmark album, ‘Tea for the Tillerman.’ by Jill Hudson and Suzette Lohmeyer First Up [President Trump on Wednesday refuted the CDC's timeline of a COVID-19 vaccine, promising that one would be available for widespread distribution by the end of the year.]( Alex Wong/Getty Images Here's what we're following today. President Trump on Wednesday again said widespread distribution of a vaccine against the coronavirus would happen before the end of the year, [directly contradicting]( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield. The CDC chief testified earlier Wednesday that a vaccine would not be widely available until next spring or summer. Attorney General Bill Barr blasted his own Justice Department prosecutors as a "permanent bureaucracy" that all too often abuse their power to go after high-profile targets in a process he likened to "headhunting." In remarks Wednesday to a largely conservative audience at Hillsdale College, the leader of the Justice Department asserted that [he's the one who should make the big calls]( in cases of national interest. Hours before federal police cleared a crowded park near the White House with smoke and tear gas in June so President Trump could take a photo op outside a local church, a military whistleblower says federal officials considered [using a military heat ray device]( against the protesters in the nation’s capital. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Elections 2020 [An anti-abortion-rights activist demonstrates in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in June.]( Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images As Americans think about recession, a pandemic, racial justice, climate change and policing, many Trump voters (or potential Trump voters) bring up abortion in [explaining their voting rationale](. The Senate and House intelligence committees say the director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, has agreed to resume face-to-face briefings on threats to the November election. Ratcliffe said last month he was [canceling the briefings]( because information was leaked to the media. Decades before Google or Facebook existed, a Madison Avenue advertising man started a company that used computers to predict how people would respond to an advertising pitch or political message. The New Yorker's [Jill Lepore writes about Simulmatics]( in her new book, If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens [Yusuf's Tea for the Tillerman 2 is a reimagining of his 1970 album as Cat Stevens.]( Rhys Fagan In the 1970s, there were few singer-songwriters more beloved than Cat Stevens. A lot has changed since his landmark album Tea for the Tillerman. For one, he's a grandfather. For two, he's not even Cat Stevens anymore: He's gone by Yusuf Islam, or simply Yusuf, since his conversion to the Muslim faith later that decade. This year, the artist has released a new album that features re-recorded versions of "Wild World," "Where Do the Children Play?" and every other song from his now-50-year-old masterpiece. [Listen here]( or [read the story](. erhui1979/ DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images For 82 years, American labor law has had a carveout for some workers with disabilities: they can be paid less than minimum wage. A new report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights says the exemption has been abused — trapping workers in "exploitative and discriminatory" job programs — and should be phased out. [Read about it]( or [listen to the story](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go Screenshot of DNCC livestream via Getty Images - The first volume of former President Barack Obama’s memoir, A Promised Land, will be published on Nov. 17, two weeks after Election Day. The Associated Press reports the book will follow [Obama’s rise to the White House]( and his first term in office. - Stanley Crouch, [the lauded and fiery jazz critic]( died in New York on Wednesday after a lengthy illness. He was 74. - In his new book No Rules Rules, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings argues that in order for [a creative workplace]( to succeed, it needs as few policies and rules as possible. Others say the culture is demoralizing. - It's very easy to explain the appeal of The Great Pottery Throw Down, which comes to HBO MAX on September 17: It's The Great British Bake-Off, but for pottery, and it has the same [gentle, good-hearted energy](. - Graham Smith's new novel seems at first to be a light little story about [a seaside love triangle]( in Brighton, England in the 1950s — but it turns out to be about something far deeper. --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow [The New Normal]( on Instagram! What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [dailynewsletter@npr.org](mailto:dailynewsletter@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]