Politics

The resume of Sen. Kamala Harris, pictured in 2003, includes stints as the top prosecutor for San Francisco and, later, the state of California. (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times) When Kamala Harris looks back on her first campaign, a run for San Francisco district attorney, she remembers a brutal awakening. “San Francisco is hard-knocks … Read more

A man wears a “Let’s Go Brandon” hat in 2022. One vendor who sells merchandise with the anti-Biden slogan said he would switch to a new phrase: “Let’s Go Brenda.” (Bloomberg via Getty Images) Vincent Scuzzese runs a store in New Jersey named Let’s Go Brandon. Yes, that Let’s Go Brandon, the pro-Trump mantra gracing … Read more

Whoops! That’s how some Clinton administration political allies may have felt on Monday after President Clinton vetoed a special tax sweetener for sugar-beet farmers, only to see his action quickly sour. At first blush, the tax measure no doubt looked like a perfect candidate: Congressional calculations suggested the major beneficiary was likely to be Dallas … Read more

The disclosure of a memo written by James B. Comey saying that President Trump had asked him to shut down the FBI’s investigation of former national security advisor Michael Flynn followed months of intrigue. Trump has frequently belittled investigations underway into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. His comments, often on Twitter, have only … Read more

Vice President Joe Biden often joked on the campaign trail about his wife’s lofty educational achievements. She had two master’s degrees and had already worked for nearly a quarter-century as a college community instructor. But he had a better idea. “Why don’t you go out and get a doctorate and make us some real money?” … Read more

Their political careers were not without controversy, but Southern California benefited from the contributions of both Rep. Edward R. Roybal (D-Los Angeles) and Rep. Mervyn M. Dymally (D-Compton) during their many years of public service. Both men announced this week they will retire from Congress, Roybal at 75 and Dymally at 66. Roybal was the … Read more

Speaking to Republican activists here, Donald Trump touted something other than his potential presidential bid and hit reality television show: Trump International Hotel and Tower, a gleaming luxury high-rise and his sole Las Vegas venture. “It’s one of the greatest signs of all time,” Trump said Thursday of the building’s marquee, rising 64 stories above … Read more

Officers remove a chair from the death penalty chamber at San Quentin State Prison in 2019 after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order placing a moratorium on executions. ( California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation) This is the June 4, 2021, edition of the Essential Politics newsletter. Like what you’re reading? Sign up to get it … Read more

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader was not content to simply pick his own running mate this week. On Wednesday, he weighed in on Sen. John F. Kerry’s deliberations, suggesting he tab Sen. John Edwards for the Democratic presidential ticket. In an open letter to Kerry, Nader said Edwards had “already gone through a primary campaign … Read more

Can you name all three branches of government? Can you name even one? Do you know who your congressman is? Your senators? Do you even know how many senators each state gets? If you know the answers to these questions (and you probably do because you’re a newspaper reader), you’re in the minority. In fact, … Read more