Top First briefing: elections; Sky Dance; Christa Brochet; The Russian Plague: NPR
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In four weeks, election day will be hereand a series of new polls show Democrats with a clear advantage in the midterms. They are favored to win the House with a narrow majority. Democrats need 218 seats for a majority, and the Cook Political Report projects a net gain of five to 15 seats, which would give them between 220 and 230 seats in January. The Senate has changed more radically. Six seats have moved in the Democratic direction since June, according to Cook’s assessments. Initially seen as a long shot for Democrats, the Senate is now within their reach. These projections come as President Trump’s approval rating is low.
The US Capitol goes up on September 23 in Washington, DC
Finn Gomez/Getty Images
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Finn Gomez/Getty Images
- 🎧 Polls are just one factor to consider in the midterm electionstells NPR’s Domenico Montanaro First. He notes that people should also consider the importance of history, national environment, political structure and money. And people still have to vote in elections, but even so, the momentum seems to be shifting toward Democrats, especially in the Senate. Democratic gains in the House are uncertain, as the party’s unpopularity and the fact that 25 of the 31 targeted districts are in areas won by Trump in 2024 could make it difficult to tip the scales in their favor, Montanaro says.
- ➡️ If you are not yet registered to voteit’s not too late. Here’s what you need to know about registering in your state.
- ➡️ Find the latest election news from NPR and your local station on the NPR app.
A new era in Hollywood is about to arrive today as David Ellison’s long-awaited $111 billion merger with Paramount-Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery should be finalized. Despite months of public protests, the deal overcame legal and regulatory challenges in the United States and Europe. The Skydance media conglomerate brings together two film studios, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, both over 100 years old.
- 🎧 Ellison defended the merger against worried criticism about it having too much media power, says NPR’s Mandalit del Barco. As part of a deal to move the deal forward, Ellison agreed to produce 30 films a year with the combined studios, but critics remain skeptical. Concerns also remain about CNN’s future, given that Ellison is a Trump ally. To address these concerns, Ellison promised to create an independent oversight board to protect CNN from political interference. People who disagree with the deal predict that viewers may soon see an increase in the cost of streaming services and that they may have fewer choices, according to del Barco.
Catherine Sweeney of NPR network station WPLN was one of seven media witnesses to watch the botched execution of Christa Pike, the first woman to face the death penalty in the state of Tennessee in nearly 200 years. Each witness felt that the lethal injection might not go smoothly. Pike’s lawyers had asked the Tennessee Supreme Court to allow the hanging, fearing that his platelet disorder and small veins would make the injection painful and ineffective. Sweeney describes what she saw and heard throughout the day.
Russian authorities call on the population to calm down after an employee at an infectious diseases institute in Siberia died from a mysterious illness, raising speculation about a possible plague outbreak. Last Tuesday, a 28-year-old laboratory worker at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute fell ill and died two days later. Questions remain about the cause of his death. Here’s what we do and what we don’t know.
On the way to the midterms
by Majd Al-Waheidi, Morning edition And First digital publisher
In four weeks, the midterm elections will help determine the balance of power in Congress. And before election day, Morning edition will travel to six states where some of the most competitive races are taking place to hear what voters say that influences their decisions.
Steve Inskeep reports from North Carolina and Georgia. Michel Martin is heading to Ohio and Michigan. Leila Fadel reports from Maine. And A Martínez is heading to Texas.
Beyond political divisions, one concern continually comes to the fore: the cost of living and its implications for the economic future of citizens.
But voters weigh much more than their bills. Immigration and the rapid growth of massive data centers are also part of the debate. The same goes for the voting process itself, including new restrictions that raise questions about how ballots will be cast, secured and counted.
Over the next four weeks, Morning edition will report on different races and electorates across the country, asking many of the same questions: What matters to voters now, what has changed, and where does the country go next?
So what will our guests listen to when Morning edition hits the road? We asked them. Here are four things that concern them:
Steve Inskeep: “I’m watching and listening to people who feel this election is personal. By that I mean that beyond their general opinion about the state of the country, they feel directly affected by the events of the last two years – the Trump administration’s dramatic moves to reshape immigration, government, education, science, research, the military, emergency management, taxes, foreign policy and the economy in general.
Michel Martin: “Ohio is also a key location for the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign, as well as a leading industrial and logistics hub, a place where we should be able to see how the administration’s economic policies play out. Trump is not on the ballot, but his policies are. So let’s see how that plays out.
“Michigan was once considered an important part of the Democrats’ ‘Blue Wall,’ but in recent years it has picked up both Democrats and Republicans in key races. And the Democratic base has had differences with the national party. So what’s motivating voters? Are they crazy? Sad? Or just exhausted? We hope to find out.”
Leila Fadel: “The path to control of the Senate runs in part through Maine, and that’s why we’re reporting in that state ahead of the midterm elections. I want to know what motivates voters and how much party loyalty still plays a role. Are their votes up for grabs? Or are they locked into party lines?”
“This is a state that has had one of the worst crackdowns on immigration; a man was killed by ICE. It has one of the longest borders with Canada, and so the trade war hits differently. Democratic candidate Troy Jackson faces incumbent Susan Collins, who has won her state five times before. So we’re going to ask what people want from their candidate and whether it matters which party that resonant message comes from.”
To Martinez: “Texas Republicans have redrawn five congressional districts to favor the GOP in the upcoming midterms. In three of them, the new maps created more Latino voters.”
“What’s behind the Texas GOP’s big bet on Latino voters, and will it help Republicans keep control of the U.S. Senate?”
Follow the report: Maine coverage airs today. Texas will follow on October 13, followed by reports from North Carolina and Georgia, as well as Ohio and Michigan. You can follow Morning editionNPR.org, in the NPR app and in the First bulletin.
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Bavarian breakfast rich in meat and carbs – and not for the faint of heart.
Esme Nicholson/NPR
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Esme Nicholson/NPR
A new NPR series takes readers and listeners to breakfast tables around the world. In Munich, Germany, a Bavarian breakfast typically consists of boiled veal sausages, sweet mustard, and a giant pretzel, all washed down with beer. Demetrios Kyriakides, who spent a year researching Bavarian breakfast restaurants in Munich, says the ambiance of Keitlichkeitwhich describes conviviality, is just as important as the food. A meal is often accompanied by oom-pah-pah brass music. This holiday usually ends before the church bells ring at noon, signaling that all good things must come to an end. Check out these photos of breakfast in Munich.
3 things to know before you leave
Dance Theater of Harlem dancer stars in company’s revival of his 1982 film Firebird production, wearing a costume designed by the late Geoffrey Holder.
Nir Arieli/Harlem Dance Theater
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Nir Arieli/Harlem Dance Theater
- Under the artistic direction of Robert Garland, Dance Theater of Harlem embarks on a new era by reprising its historic 1982 production: Firebird for an international tour.
- Biologists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have discovered what might be the world’s noisiest birds, and they all live in Brazil. (via WBUR)
- Scientist Olivia Sanderfoot wants to create a new field called “smoke ecology,” which studies the effects of wildfire smoke on wildlife and looks for ways to mitigate its impacts.
This newsletter was published by Suzanne Nuyen.
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