Axios Re:Cap

This is Axios Special Election 2020 coverage. Donald Trump may have solidified his control over the Republican Party, even if he doesn't pull out a presidential victory over Joe Biden, by expanding the GOP electorate and helping to reverse some 2016 Congressional losses. Dan and Axios CEO Jim VandeHei discuss Trump's sway over the GOP.

This is Axios Special Election 2020 coverage. As America wakes up, here’s where we stand. Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada and the all-important Pennsylvania hang in the balance. The states that have counted, but are too close to call are Georgia and North Carolina. Niala Boodhoo talks to Axios's Hans Nichols and Jonathan Swan.

What is the story that’s forming in real time? Niala Boodhoo talks to Axios’ White House and Politics Editor Margaret Talev in Washington DC and in New York — Jacob Weisberg, co-founder of Pushkin Industries and former editor in chief of the Slate Group.

We talk to Axios' Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei about how Democrats and Republicans are interpreting the early results and the unknowns tonight.

This is Axios Special Election 2020 coverage. President Trump did better in Florida than many expected. To understand why, we spoke to Peter Schorsch, the St. Petersburg-based reporter behind FloridaPolitics.com, who shared how demographic shifts, fears of socialism, and reactions to Black Lives Matter protests motivated voter turnout in the Sunshine State.

This is Axios Special Election 2020 coverage. Pennsylvania could determine the outcome of this election. We check in on one county that voted blue for decades until it went for Trump by 20 points. We talk to WITF reporter Emily Previti about how things have changed since 2016.

This is Axios Special Election 2020 coverage. There have been some significant voting problems so far today, including wrongly-programmed poll books in parts of Georgia, but "the whole country is not on fire," according to Kristen Clarke, president of the National Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

A record number of ballots are expected to be cast in tomorrow's election, but we don't know what the vote total would have been if some Americans weren't discouraged or prevented from voting. Dan discusses voter suppression and its ties to poverty with the Rev. William Barber and Laurene Powell Jobs.

Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are surging, particularly in areas that had been largely spared in the spring. One big question now is if hospitals are better prepared for this spike and if they will be able to continue providing elective services. Dan discusses what hospitals have, and what they still need, with Lloyd Dean, CEO of CommonSpirit Health, one of America's largest operators of hospitals and health clinics.

The coronavirus pandemic is worsening, both in the U.S. and abroad, with cases, hospitalizations and deaths all rising. Dan digs into the state of global vaccine development, including why both the U.S. and China seem to be going it alone, with medicinal chemist and biotech blogger Derek Lowe. Plus, Axios financial correspondent Felix Salmon on U.S. GDP growth.

Joe Biden has a very different prescription for America's economy than does President Trump. Not just in terms of how to tax and spend, but also in how to approach trading partners like China. Dan digs into Biden's policies and philosophies with former presidential candidate and current Biden campaign surrogate Pete Buttigieg.

Fracking for natural gas has become a flashpoint in the election's final week, particularly in Pennsylvania where both President Trump and former Vice President Biden made stops yesterday. But much of the political rhetoric has ignored that the industry has gone from boom to bust, beset by layoffs, bankruptcies and fire-sale mergers. Dan digs into the state of fracking, and what it means for the future of American energy, with Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group.

The election is only eight days away, and it’s not just the candidates whose futures are on the line. Political pollsters, four years after wrongly predicting a Hillary Clinton presidency, are viewing it as their own judgment day. Axios Re:Cap digs into the polls, and what pollsters have changed since 2016, with former FiveThirtyEight writer and current CNN politics analyst Harry Enten.

President Trump’s campaign says it just had its best-ever fundraising day, securing $26 million in the hours around last night’s debate. This just adds to what was already a record-shattering election season, in terms of money raised and money spent. Dan discusses the 2020 fundraising story, including what happens to a candidate's unspent money, with election law expert Ciara Torres-Spelliscy. Plus, Axios financial correspondent Felix Salmon joins to discuss Goldman Sachs.

Short-form video streaming app Quibi announced yesterday that it will cease operations, just six months after a high-profile launch that was backed by $1.75 billion in funding from studios and venture capitalists. Dan digs into what went wrong and what happens next, with REDEF CEO Jason Hirschhorn. Plus, Axios White House reporter Alayna Treene on President Trump’s debate preparation.

Description: The U.S. Justice Department filed a 63-page antitrust lawsuit against Google, related to the tech giant's search and search advertising business. This is just weeks after the House subcommittee on antitrust issued its own scathing report on Google and other Big Tech companies, arguing that they've become digital monopolies. Dan and Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), chair of the subcommittee on antitrust, discuss Google, the DOJ's lawsuit, and Congress' next move. Plus, Axios political reporter Hans Nichols analyzes a possible Biden campaign strategy on Cabinet appointments.

This week, the Chinese government reported third quarter GDP growth of 4.9%, year-over-year. This comes as the U.S. economy continues to be much weaker, year-over-year, given our relative inability to get COVID-19 under control. Dan examines China's economy, including its increased focus on domestic demand, with CNBC Beijing bureau chief Eunice Yoon.

The presidential race has been dominated by President Trump's handling of the pandemic, but there's been relatively little talk of what Joe Biden would do were he to take office in January. Dan digs into the Biden pandemic plan — including mask mandates, shutdowns, and vaccine distribution — with campaign surrogate Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA).

This weekend, Axios is kicking off Hard Truths, a project examining systemic racism in our country. We’re sharing the first episode of the Hard Truths podcast series. This will be a year-long series covering a new topic each month - education, housing, technology, and health care. With a bitter election just days away, we start with voting, specifically voter suppression.

Pfizer today said it won't apply for an emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine until late November, all but guaranteeing that the FDA won't be asked to consider approval until after the election. Dan is joined by Moncef Slaoui, the White House's chief scientific advisor to Operation Warp Speed, the public-private partnership created to get a coronavirus vaccine deployed and developed.

Twitter today is alight with conversations about a New York Post story about Hunter Biden. But you can't find a link to the story on Twitter, and you'll be temporarily blocked if you try to share it — due to concerns that the story is based on hacked, or possibly manipulated documents. Facebook also has put sharing limits on the story. Dan is joined by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to discuss Big Tech censorship, election disinformation, and why he plans to subpoena Jack Dorsey but not Mark Zuckerberg. Plus, Lucy Dadayan of the Urban Institute joins to discuss her new report on state tax revenue in 2020 compared to 2019.

Earlier today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin spoke again about the stalled federal stimulus plan, yet they don't appear to be closer to a deal to help American families or businesses. Dan and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) discuss negotiating with the White House, sticking points, and why his caucus opposes stand-alone bills for consensus items like airline payroll support and small business loans. Plus, Kyle Pomerleau of the American Enterprise Institute joins to discuss his new report on the Biden campaign’s tax proposals.

Johnson & Johnson has paused Phase 3 trials for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, after one patient reported an “unexplained illness.” This comes after AstraZeneca paused its Phase 3 trials due to an adverse event, and Moderna slowed its trial because of enrollment difficulties. Dan discusses these developments and more with Dr. Tom Frieden, who led the CDC between 2009 and 2017. Plus, Axios chief financial correspondent Felix Salmon joins to discuss official unemployment vs. “true” unemployment in the U.S.

Jeffrey Epstein died more than a year ago, but the investigation into how he made his money is heating up. The latest is a New York Times report that private equity titan Leon Black might have paid Epstein upward of $75 million over the years, which is much more than was previously disclosed. Dan is joined by Matthew Goldstein, a New York Times business reporter who co-authored today's story. Plus, Axios Tech reporter Ashley Gold joins to discuss the expectation that the U.S. Justice Department will charge Google with antitrust violations.

The New England Journal of Medicine yesterday published the first political editorial in its 208-year history, arguing that America's leaders have bungled the response to COVID-19, leading to unnecessary death and economic hardship. Axios Re:Cap goes deeper with Dr. Eric Rubin, an immunologist and infectious disease expert who serves as NEJM's editor-in-chief.

Halloween this year will be unrecognizable. Much less trick-or-treating. Far fewer parties. For candy makers, 2020 presents a major challenge. Axios Re:Cap digs in with Ferrara Candy CEO Todd Siwak, whose company is the country's largest maker of candy corn, jelly beans, and all sorts of other confectionary treats.

Last month, one of America's largest hospital chains was hit by a type of cybercrime known as a ransomware attack. Then, just days later, the same thing happened to a Philadelphia company called eResearch Technology, whose software is used in COVID-19 vaccine trials. Axios Re:Cap digs into the growing threat with Nicole Perlroth, a New York Times cybersecurity reporter who broke the ERT news.

U.S. airlines have begun furloughing or laying off tens of thousands of employees, including pilots, after Congress failed to pass a new bailout bill that is supported by leadership of both parties and the White House. Axios Re:Cap digs into the current state of play, and why it could be very tough for airlines to "unscramble the egg," with Captain Joe DePeet, president of the Air Lines Pilots Association.

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19, raising questions about their current conditions, the health of others in their orbit, and also what this means for the campaign, the markets, public health policy and more. Dan is joined by Axios reporters Jonathan Swan, Mike Allen, Sam Baker, Dion Rabouin and Sara Fischer.

Many Americans, and millennials in particular, are experiencing burnout that's as much due to socioeconomic factors as to the pandemic. Dan and Anne Helen Petersen, author of the new book “Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation,” discuss the generational divide on burnout and what can be done to reverse the trend. Plus, Axios White House reporter Alayna Treene shares an update on stimulus negotiations.

Palantir Technologies today went public at an initial valuation of over $21 billion, giving investors a chance to buy into one of Silicon Valley's most talked-about tech companies. Dan and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale dig into Palantir's mission and why it's so controversial.

Cameo, a marketplace in which users pay for personalized video messages from celebrities, has gone from niche novelty to very big business. One celebrity just surpassed $1 million in earnings, and more than 5,000 messages are sold each day. Dan and Cameo CEO Steven Galanis dig into how the company came to be and how it's changing the monetization of fame. Plus: A "cameo" from one of the site's top stars and debate night analysis with Axios White House and politics editor Margaret Talev.

President Trump paid no federal income tax in 10 of the past 15 years, and just $750 in 2016 and 2017, according to a new report from The New York Times. He also is reported to have hundreds of millions of dollars in outstanding debts, most of which would come due during a second term. Axios Re:Cap focuses on what is and isn't surprising about the revelations, plus how real estate developers are taxed, with Francine McKenna, an independent financial journalist and certified public accountant.

Traditional media models and most of the digital models are either straining under pressure or outright broken. Some journalists have responded by going out on their own, leveraging a new group of startups that help them self-publish and monetize their work. To discuss this trend and what it means for the journalism industry, Dan is joined by Chris Best, CEO of Substack, which has over 250,000 paying subscribers on its writer network.

American child care is in crisis, which makes it much harder for the American economy to recover — as providers struggle to stay in business and parents struggle to work. Dan digs into the problems and what can be done to solve them with Vox senior reporter Anna North.

Silicon Valley venture capitalists are no longer content with investing in startups and then eventually handing them off. Instead, many are now forming SPACs, or blank check acquisition companies, to ride tech unicorns into the public markets themselves. Dan discusses this trend with the co-founders of one such tech SPAC: Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and partner with VC firm Greylock, and Mark Pincus, founder and former CEO of Zynga.

Around 70% of all immigration detention centers are run by private companies, including the one at the heart of a new whistleblower complaint that alleges systemic medical neglect and malpractice. Dan digs into the business of immigrant detention, including oversight and profit incentives, with New Yorker staff writer Jonathan Blitzer.

Before her death, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was preparing to hear a case that could determine the availability of affordable health insurance for roughly 20 million Americans. Dan is joined by University of Michigan law professor and Supreme Court expert Nicholas Bagley to discuss the case and what could happen next.

President Trump has just 48 hours left to either follow through on his threatened ban of TikTok, or accept a proposed tech partnership with Oracle. Dan and New York Times tech reporter Taylor Lorenz dig into how the TikTok user community has reacted to this political drama and what comes next.

Amazon today announced the first companies to receive money from a $2 billion venture capital fund it formed to help combat climate change. Dan digs into how Amazon hopes the fund will help it achieve its own goals of getting carbon neutral by 2040, and if it's more substance than spin with Matt Peterson, Amazon's director of new initiatives and corporate development.

Dozens of celebrities, including Kim Kardashian West, aren't posting to their Facebook or Instagram feeds today, as part of the "Stop hate for profit" campaign. It’s a continuation of the July ad boycott of social media. To discuss what this temporary boycott means, and how the broader advertising market has changed in 2020, Dan is joined by Axios media reporter Sara Fischer and Rob Farinella, the CEO of advertising agency Blue Sky.

By this time next week, we should know if TikTok will be allowed to continue operating in the U.S., in partnership with Oracle, or if it will be in the process of being banned by President Trump. To get the perspective from China, where TikTok's parent company is based, Dan is joined by CNBC Beijing bureau chief Eunice Yoon.

Around 37% of America’s public school students are beginning the year in some sort of in-person learning, which means millions of teachers have returned to classrooms. Dan is joined by American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten to discuss what's working, what's still needed, and if teachers should be required to take a COVID-19 vaccine when one is available.

California is on fire right now, and Silicon Valley is among the affected areas. But tech hasn't done much to help prevent or fight these sorts of blazes, as most companies prefer to build products for consumers or businesses, not governments. Dan discusses what tech could be doing more of, and why it isn't, with GoTenna CEO Daniela Perdomo, whose company makes a product that helps wildfire fighters communicate via cell phones even if there isn't available cellular service.

The NFL season kicks off tonight in Kansas City, but a whole lot has changed since the Chiefs hoisted their trophy in February. Dan is joined by ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes to discuss football’s new economics, experiences, and politics.

Yesterday news broke that AstraZeneca is pausing its clinical trials on a COVID-19 vaccine after a patient appeared to develop a serious neurological condition. It raised an unsettling question: What if a vaccine is further away than most of us have hoped? Dan unpacks the latest reporting and what it means with STAT News reporter Adam Feuerstein, who helped break the AstraZeneca news.

Most Americans agree on the need for a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, but President Trump's repeated hints at a pre-election approval has sparked debate that politics could get ahead of science. Dan is joined by Zeke Emanuel, a health policy official in the Obama administration, who discusses what he’ll look for if and when a vaccine gets approved.

The FEED Act was introduced in May and would help put restaurant kitchens to work feeding vulnerable Americans, including children who can’t return to school. It counts celebrity chef and founder of World Central Kitchen José Andrés among its champions — but it’s stalled along with the rest of a potential next stimulus package. World Central Kitchen CEO Nate Mook joins Dan to discuss what needs to happen to address food insecurity when Congress is back in session.

America is unlikely to know the presidential winner on election night, due to the expected surge of mail-in votes. The nightmare scenario is that one candidate will appear to have won, based on initial results, but then the leader flips as more mail-in votes are counted. Dan discusses Election Day plans and concerns and why states don’t plan to just keep quiet until all of their votes are counted with New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat and current president of the National Association of Secretaries of State.

Walmart yesterday announced a new subscription service that will compete directly with Amazon Prime, as America's two largest retailers continue to fight for supremacy. Dan is joined by Walmart chief customer officer Janey Whiteside and asks why Walmart Plus is launching in the middle of a pandemic, what kinds of additional services or perks the company intends to add to its program, and if drone delivery is in its future.