Biden lays out his case: a choice vs. referendum

Plus: Peltola defeats Palin and the White House food conference, explained [View this email online]( [NPR Politics]( September 3, 2022 This week, Biden and Trump make their cases in Pennsylvania. Also: the latest on the Mar-a-Lago search, Alaska's special election and barriers for young farmers. --------------------------------------------------------------- Bottom Line: Choice vs. referendum Evan Vucci/AP President Biden [in a prime-time speech]( this week leaned into trying to make the elections this November a choice between him and former President Trump, rather than a referendum on his presidency. There is certainly an opening for him to do that. Trump has been playing heavily in these midterm elections thanks to candidate endorsements and a spotlight on the FBI search of his Florida home. Trump takes the stage in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., Saturday night, the same town Biden was in on Tuesday, campaigning for Democrats in this state with a key Senate race. The question Saturday for Trump is whether he takes Biden‘s bait and makes the elections even more about himself. That is something that would rankle nervous Republicans, who were hoping for bigger gains than they now appear likely to make this fall with the latest surge of Democratic momentum after the Supreme Court overturned Roe. Labor Day weekend is the unofficial start to general election campaigns — and there is a lot on the line. Democrats are hoping their energized base around abortion rights in particular will help offset Republican anger with Biden, who is facing high inflation and is unpopular. That kind of environment would usually mean big losses for the party in power, but Trump is continuing to prove to be the wildest of all wild cards. — [Domenico Montanaro]( NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- ICYMI: Top Stories Department of Justice Mar-a-Lago search latest: Justice Department prosecutors [blasted what they called "wide ranging meritless accusations leveled against the government"]( after the search of Mar-a-Lago in a court filing this week, and said they developed evidence their investigation may have been obstructed. In response, [lawyers for former President Trump]( downplayed the DOJ’s filing and accused the department of having “significantly mischaracterized” a previous meeting between prosecutors and Trump’s legal team. A federal judge said Thursday she [would rule later on Trump’s request]( for a [special master]( to be appointed in the case and also [unsealed the list of the items]( taken from Mar-a-Lago. Alaska special election: [Democrat Mary Peltola]( defeated Republican Sarah Palin in a House special election in Alaska. She will become the first Alaska Native in Congress. Oath Keepers attorney charged: Kellye SoRelle, an attorney for the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers, [was indicted in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol](. She was charged with four counts, including conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding and obstruction of justice. RNC minority outreach: Ahead of this year's midterm elections, Republicans have invested [millions of dollars into expanding community outreach]( centers in minority communities in states like Georgia, Pennsylvania and Texas as part of an effort to attract nonwhite voters. There are more than three dozen centers now open from heavily Jewish Boca Raton, Fla., to a Native American community in North Carolina to a majority-Black neighborhood in northwest Philadelphia. White House hunger conference: The [first White House conference on hunger, nutrition and health]( since 1969 is happening next month. That conference influenced food policy for the last 50 years, leading to the creation of major programs like food stamps and child nutrition assistance. — [Brandon Carter]( NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- Become a NPR Politics+ Subscriber Hey y'all. Want to show your support for our podcast and even listen to sponsor-free episodes? Try subscribing to The NPR Politics Podcast+ and get your political insights, news and analysis without the distraction. Learn more at [plus.npr.org/politics]( or at the link below. [Subscribe Today]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Going Deeper: Spotlight on young farmers Bobbi Wilson During the pandemic, many turned to shop at farmers' markets and from local and regional farmers. But that part of the food supply chain could be at risk. The average age of a farmer is getting higher and lawmakers and agencies in Washington are looking to make it easier for newcomers into farming. But key barriers remain, such as access to land and capital, according to a new survey. Now, [it's up to lawmakers to reduce these barriers]( which many hope could happen in the 2023 farm bill. — [Ximena Bustillo]( NPR Politics reporter Become a NPR Politics+ Subscriber After a two-year hiatus, the NPR Politics Podcast is returning to the road for a live show in Houston on Sept. 15. Join an all-star cast including Ashley Lopez, Asma Khalid, Domenico Montanaro, Susan Davis and Tamara Keith as they dig into local and national midterm races, the big stories in Texas and what they can't let go of. [Click here for more information and to buy tickets.]( We hope to see you there! [More info here]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@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 Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Politics emails. 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