CNN Inside Politics

First: As Kamala Harris and Donald Trump get ready for their first - and perhaps only - face-to-face meeting before votes are cast, we break down how the candidates are preparing for tomorrow's debate. Plus: The Harris campaign is clearly trying to get into Donald Trump's head, releasing a new ad featuring his former vice president, defense secretary, and national security adviser all explaining why they think their old boss is unfit for a second term. And: A video promoting former First Lady Melania Trump's new memoir claims there are "efforts to silence" her husband. Could this be a sign of more campaign comments or even appearances to come, or just a clever marketing tool? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Face to face. With Harris and Trump set to square off, two pollsters break down brand new numbers this morning. Our panel dives into the preparations and how they could go on the offense. Who will come out on top? Plus, on the trail. Manu goes one on one with both candidates in a key race that could decide control of the Senate. And upping the ante. Who the betting markets think will have the upper hand Tuesday? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald Trump was back in a New York City courtroom today where his lawyers pushed a federal appeals panel to throw out the jury verdict that found him liable of sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. Following his appearance, Trump launched a verbal attack on Carroll and several other women who have accused him of sexual assault or sexual misconduct over the past several decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: In a surprise, Hunter Biden offers to change his plea to avoid a trial in his federal tax evasion case, moments before jury selection was scheduled to begin. Plus: A crucial hearing wraps up in the federal case against Donald Trump for trying to overturn the last election. And: The former president unveils a new economic policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's show begins with breaking news of yet another deadly school shooting. According to law enforcement sources, at least two people are dead and others are injured after a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. A suspect is in custody. Video from outside the school, which is located in a community about an hour outside of Atlanta, shows several ambulances and a large active police presence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: New TV ads, bus tours, and economic rollouts ... the Harris team is trying to flood the campaign zone one week before the candidates meet face-to-face for the first time on the debate stage. Plus: From a very pro-choice to the most pro-life president, Donald Trump is certainly contorting himself on the critical issue of abortion. Phil Mattingly asks one of the former president's top supporters in congress what voters should believe. And: In a CNN exclusive, the son of a former Republican presidential nominee is slamming the party's current nominee for the first time. You'll hear Jimmy McCain's searing reaction to Trump's conduct. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: The grieving family of a hostage murdered by Hamas makes one final memory while Israelis from all corners of the country strike in a message of defiance and distrust aimed at Benjamin Netanyahu. Plus: With just eight days till a potentially defining debate, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris hightail it to swing states. And: In an interview with Mark Levin, Trump claims he had "every right" to interfere in 2020 election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: New overnight, Israel recovers the bodies of six hostages, including an Israeli American. We're on the ground with the latest. And: Flip flop. Trump scrambles on abortion.While Harris confronts her past. Will voters buy what they're selling? Plus: Home stretch. The race enters its final phase. We are joined by two of the reporters who know Harris best. And: Impact. Dana Bash joins to discuss the interview of the year and her new book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: CNN scored big interviews with Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, and JD Vance, all within the last 24 hours. We bring you the highlights, the fallout, and the fact-checking. Plus: Team Trump tries to walk back the former president's new comments on abortion. He's trying to alleviate concerns from moderates but his social conservative base is not so happy. And: Some good news for those hitting the road this holiday weekend, as gas prices will be the lowest we've seen on Labor Day in three years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sat with CNN's Dana Bash, in Savannah GA, for their first joint interview since becoming the Democratic presidential ticket. The conversation provided one of the clearest looks into Harris’ positions and her plans for the presidency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: In advance of tonight's much-anticipated CNN interview with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, new polls show the Democratic ticket has eliminated Donald Trump's edge in the critical Sun Belt states. Plus: The US Army issues a stark rebuke of the Trump campaign for breaking multiple rules at Arlington National Cemetary and "unfairly attacking" a cemetery employee. And: Joe Biden is on track to appoint even more federal judges than Donald Trump, but he still won't be able to transform the bench the way his predecessor did. We explain why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Kamala Harris makes her first public appearance after last week's convention, while Tim Walz visits a place that Joe Biden was struggling to keep on the map. We tell you why they're making a push all over the Peach State. Plus: "He's got to pay a price." That's what Nancy Pelosi said about Donald Trump when she was forced to evacuate the Capitol on January 6th. We bring you the exclusive footage of that day. And: Democratic "Swifties" are trying to get out the vote for Vice President Harris, but the question they can't shake off is whether Miss Americana herself will get on board. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Pressure is building for Kamala Harris to do her first sit-down interview since becoming the nominee as she prepares to return to the campaign trail with a bus tour through Georgia. Plus: Israel's military says it has rescued a hostage held captive in Gaza since the Hamas terror attack on October 7th. CNN is live in Tel Aviv with the breaking details. And: Kash Patel, who served a number of roles in the Trump administration, says he'll do anything for the former president. That's why he's expected be a key player in a second Trump term. That's also why former Trump officials are worried. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: The Harris and Trump campaigns are once again bickering over the high-stakes debate scheduled for September 10th, this time over muted microphones. But is the former president on the same page as his own campaign? Plus: JD Vance, who previously endorsed a nationwide ban on abortion, does an about-face and says Donald Trump would "absolutely" veto a federal abortion ban. And: And with RFK Jr. out of the presidential contest, will his supporters follow him to Trump, and are there enough of them to make a difference? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Inch by inch. As the race enters its next phase, will Harris get a bump? Or can Trump take back the momentum, while an escalation, Israel and Lebanon, raises alarm in the U.S.? Plus: Reality check. We go one on one with Democratic leaders. They're bullish on November. But is the map too difficult for them to overcome? And: Hearing voices. The comic, who's gone viral for his impersonations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dana concludes a week's worth of shows from the Democratic National Convention site in Chicago, with attendees hoping the energy and excitement of the past four days will carry them into November. But they know the reality is the next 73 days are going to be a dog fight, with the race likely coming down to a small number of voters in just a handful of states. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dana's back at Chicago's United Center to bring you live coverage of day four of the Democratic National Convention, which will culminate with a historic moment as Kamala Harris becomes the first Vlack woman and first Asian American to lead a major party's ticket. It will no doubt be the biggest audience she's ever spoken to, and comes just 32 days into her unexpected campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's day three of the Democratic National Convention and Dana once again is in Chicago's United Center, where tonight Kamala Harris' running mate Tim Walz will take center stage. Also scheduled to speak are party elders like Bill Clinton and Nancy Pelosi, along with the next generation of Democratic leaders such as Pete Buttigieg, Josh Shapiro, Amy Klobuchar, and Wes Moore. They all have an incredibly tough act to follow after Barack and Michelle Obama, two of the biggest political stars and best speakers, made impassioned pleas for Kamala Harris to a roaring crowd in their hometown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Barack and Michelle Obama will be tonight's featured speakers at the Democratic National Convention. They're expected to underscore just how high the stakes are heading into November. Also scheduled to speak is Doug Emhoff, who hopes to become the country's first "First Gentleman." And in what may be a first, Donald Trump's former Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham will speak in support of the woman trying to defeat the man she once worked for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dana reports live from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which kicks off tonight. And what viewers will see in the 20,000+-capacity United Center will be radically different than what was imagined just a month ago. Plus, CNN's latest poll of polls shows the vice president two points ahead of Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fast forward: With just one day until the convention, Harris flips the script. But as Chicago gears up for an historic week and major protests, can Harris keep the momentum going? Plus: Rewind as the race resets, Trump reverts to personal attacks. With the fallout felt up and down the ticket. But as he leads on some key issues, can he still win? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Kamala Harris unveils her first economic policy proposals geared to make your life less expensive. Plus: The VP heads to North Carolina as some democrats wonder if she'll be another Obama-like exception to four decades of electoral losses there. And: The White House reached out to two stars of a fictional White House. We talk to them about their new book about the famed TV show "The West Wing." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: The Trump ally behind Project 2025 is caught on tape discussing his secret work preparing for a second Trump term and saying the former president is "very supportive." Plus: President Biden and Vice President Harris will share a stage for the first time since she replaced him on the Democratic ticket. We look at their relationship headed into the Democratic convention. And: Did Donald Trump just admit defeat in the GOP's 15 year war on Obamacare? You're going to want to hear what he said yesterday about keeping the Affordable Care Act in place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Donald Trump heads to North Carolina today for a speech his advisors say focus on the economic failures of the Biden-Harris administration. Well, that's what his campaign hopes he'll focus on. Plus: Why are African American men drifting away from the Democratic party? Zolan Kanno-Youngs reports on a growing gender divide and what he calls the elephant in the room: Black men who hesitate voting for a Black woman. And: Are Republicans already laying the groundwork to claim the election is stolen? We look at some of the language Trump is using about how Harris became the nominee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Donald Trump has a new friend who happens to be the world's richest person and owner of the world's most important bullhorn. Did their conversation on X help the former president halt Kamala Harris' momentum or reinforce her case against him? Plus: New reporting on the apparent hack of the Trump campaign. We tell you who the FBI believes was responsible and the other accounts they may be targeting. And: "Better than the alternative." That's how one Pennsylvania Republican is describing his support for HaTris over trump. CNN's John King is in that must-win swing state asking voters how the change at the top of the Democratic ticket will impact their votes come November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: The Harris campaign seems to be rolling and Donald Trump is clearly taking notice, claiming the polls are wrong and her crowds are fake. He says he's the one with the wind at his back. We get the inside scoop from reporters following both campaigns. Plus: Dana goes one-on-one with JD Vance, including questions about abortion attacks on Kamala Harris and his attempt to turn the tables on Democrats calling him "weird." And: We bring you new reporting on the Gen-Z operations powering Kamala Harris' meteoric rise on social media and their plans to use viral moments to get young voters to the polls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Momentous swing. The Harris-Walz ticket builds enthusiasm with a battleground blitz. As their GOP rivals sharpen attacks. Can Democrats turn momentum into votes? Plus: Back on the trail, Trump ramps up the campaign with a Montana rally as he looks to regain the spotlight from his surging opponents. Can he focus his message and regain the lead? And: Hack revealed. Trump campaign documents sent to the media by an anonymous email. And what the campaign says was a foreign hack. How will this shake up the race? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Vice President Harris is spending the weekend out West with campaign rallies in Arizona and Nevada. What's her strategy for keeping those states in the democratic column? And can she get to 270 electoral votes without them? Plus: Donald Trump tells a dramatic story about nearly dying in a helicopter crash with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. There's just one problem: Brown says it never happened. And: 50 years ago today, Richard Nixon flew off into political exile. We look at how fallout from Nixon's resignation continues to reverberate to this day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: VP Kamala Harris heads to Arizona a day after holding rallies in Wisconsin and Michigan in front of two of the biggest crowds Democrats have seen in years. What about critical swing voters in these must-win states? Plus: Republicans accuse Tim Walz of lying about his military service, but we will bring you the facts on that and look more broadly at how the Trump campaign is shifting its strategy to fight the new Democratic ticket. And: Joe Biden says he's worried about a peaceful transition of power if Trump loses. Dana asks Maryland senate candidate and never-Trump Republican Larry Hogan whether he shares that concern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: The new Democratic ticket is heading to a crucial swing state where Kamala Harris hopes Tim Walz will give her a blue collar boost. Plus: Donald Trump now says he'll debate the Vice President in the "pretty near future." But can the campaigns actually agree on the details? And: The "squad" is shrinking again as Cori Bush will be the second of its members to lose a primary this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kamala Harris chooses Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, capping off a whirlwind 16 days since Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race. He's a 60-year-old veteran former teacher and football coach who spent 12 years in congress. CNN's Jeff Zeleny kicks off our coverage in Philadelphia, where Walz will be formally introduced this afternoon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Stocks are plunging as investors worry the US could be heading toward a recession. Plus: Israel is preparing for a retaliatory strike from Iran and/or Hezbollah that could come within hours. And: Kamala Harris is expected to reveal her choice for the number two spot on her at any moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Moment of truth. The VP meets behind closed doors to decide on her own VP pick. With finalist interviews happening today. Who will she choose? Plus: On offense. Trump unleashes new attacks in Georgia. But as Trump lashes out at the Republican governor, and stokes divides over race and gender. Has the momentum swung to Harris? And: Buckeye battleground. We go inside a key race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate. But is the top of the ticket helping or hurting? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: The nightmare is finally over for three Americans now back on US soil after the biggest prisoner exchange since the Cold War. We have new details on the painstaking negotiations that led to this historic agreement. Plus: Top vice presidential hopefuls are canceling their Saturday and Sunday plans. Why? Because Kamala Harris wants to meet with some one-on-one this weekend. And: What a difference two weeks makes. Dana talks to a top Trump pollster about how the campaign has transformed since the Republican convention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan are in US custody after a massive prisoner swap with Russia. It involves 26 people and seven countries. Nothing close to this has happened since the end of the Cold War. Our CNN correspondents are in place across the world working their sources and they're going to bring you all the latest details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: The Middle East is at another flashpoint as the world waits for Iran to retaliate against Israel, who it blames for killing a top Hamas leader on Iranian soil. Plus: Rapper Megan Thee Stallion helps Kamala Harris rally a boisterous crowd of nearly 10,000 people in Atlanta, but will the energy translate to votes and put Georgia back in play for Democrats? And: It's almost impossible to win the presidency without winning Michigan. And CNN is on the ground in suburban Detroit, talking to a crucial group of voters about what they think about the presidential matchup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Vice President Kamala Harris and her allies are rolling out a new way to describe the Republican ticket: "just plain weird." Meanwhile, Donald Trump scrambles for new attack lines against his new opponent, who's surging in the polls and raising tons of cash. Plus: Explaining that he's "got nothing against cats," Trump's VP pick JD Vance is attempting to tamp down the backlash over comments he made about "childless cat ladies" back in 2021. And: Joe Biden is pushing for sweeping changes to the Supreme Court. We bring you details on something no president has done in nearly 100 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Shock and awe. Harris consolidates support among Democrats. While Republicans mine her past comments. With just 100 days to go, can she sustain the momentum? Plus: Veepstakes. The potential picks audition for the job. As they fan out across the country. What is Harris looking for? And: Scramble. Trump hones his attacks. As J.D. Vance confronts his past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What a difference a week makes. Last Friday, Republicans leaving their convention saw a win in November as a forgone conclusion. But is this just Kamala Harris' honeymoon phase, or can the vice president build on that clear burst of momentum? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Remember that flash of a moment when Donald Trump said he was going to be "nice?" He unsurprisingly and explicitly ditched that moments ago. But Kamala Harris made clear she's not pulling her own punches. Plus: Joe Biden says ending the war in Gaza and the release of hostages will be a major focus of his final months in office. It begins today with a crucial face-to-face meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu. And: Jennifer Aniston is slamming the Republican VP pick over comments he made about women without children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: We reveal results of a brand new CNN poll, the first since Joe Biden exited the presidential race. What do voters think about the new Harris-Trump matchup? Plus: Benjamin Netanyahu is on his way to Capitol Hill to address a divided Congress. Dozens of Democrats have vowed to boycott the speech. And: Tonight Americans will hear something they haven't heard since 1968: a sitting president explaining why he won't seek reelection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Joe Biden will deliver a primetime address to the nation tomorrow night. He's expected to provide more detail about his decision to withdraw from the 2024 campaign. Also on today's show: Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns after a barrage of criticism for security failures that led to Trump assassination attempt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We hear from VP Kamala Harris for the first time since yesterday's political earthquake, and get a look at her brand-new campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Holdout. With the president isolated in Delaware, pressure builds to push him out. As Harris walks a tightrope. What will Biden do? Plus, rollout. Trump hits the trail with his VP pick. For the first time since he was nearly killed.But after an unprecedented week, could the race still turn upside down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A wild week at the RNC hit a crescendo last night as Donald Trump strode onto the convention stage to accept the GOP presidential nomination for the third straight time. The former president promised a different tone, bookending what was effectively a classic Trump rally speech, disjointed and divisive but with an appeal to unity. Meanwhile, the big question for Democrats remains: What will Joe Biden do? And you can cherry-pick perhaps whatever answer you like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's show again comes to you from Milwaukee, where Donald Trump tonight will accept his party's nomination for the third time in a row. In normal times, this would obviously be our lead here today on Inside Politics, but these are anything but normal times. So today we start on the other side of the aisle because Joe Biden, who yesterday was diagnosed with Covid, has never been closer to being pushed out of the race. As one House Democrat told Dana last night, "the walls are closing in." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First: Tonight in Milwaukee, JD Vance, Donald Trump's VP pick, will introduce himself to both the nation and the world. Vance is expected to focus heavily on his personal story, rising up from a poor family that struggled with addiction in rural Ohio to becoming a graduate of Yale law school, a marine, a venture capitalist, a best-selling author, and now a United States senator. We also have new reporting about a very tense call between President Biden and a group of centrist House Democrats on Saturday during which Biden told one lawmaker to "cut that crap out" after the congressman told the president that voters are losing confidence in him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dana and the gang are at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Donald Trump was given a hero's welcome by his most ardent supporters just two days after surviving an assassination attempt. While the atmosphere in the hall was electric, the former president appeared subdued and even emotional as he stood with his new running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. Joining Dana are CNN's Audie Cornish and Kristen Holmes, Semafor's David Weigel, and Astead Herndon of the New York Times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not long before today's show began we learned that Florida Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump. She ruled that special counsel Jack Smith's appointment was unconstitutional, making the entire prosecution invalid. Our senior justice reporter Katelyn Polantz kicks off our extensive coverage of this unexpected twist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former President Donald Trump responds this morning to the attempt on his life at his rally in Pennsylvania yesterday evening. Overnight, the FBI identified the suspect. They are still investigating the motive. The big question is, how could this have happened? Why did this happen? And what does it mean for an already hugely consequential campaign? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices