Ron Elving

In the extraordinarily volatile environment of this pandemic-election year, even a nightmare economy may not be as fatal for the incumbent as it would have been in the past.

As COVID-19 takes over the political conversation, Americans' ambivalence about science — and "experts" in general — is likely to come to the forefront.

On reopening the economy, defunding the WHO and adjourning Congress, the president's style — aggressive strides forward in rhetoric, then a more realistic step back — was on display.

We take a look at the president's plan to reopen the U.S. and push for an economic recovery while the number of infections and fatalities continue to climb.

The virus is disproportionately affecting people of color, primarily in densely populated cities. This is where the urban-rural rift also comes into play — and, consequently, a political one.

It was another week of conflicting messages from the White House about the coronavirus crisis.

The national Democratic and Republican Party conventions are essentially the opposite of social distancing. Some are wondering if they're truly necessary any more, given the ongoing epidemic.

Few episodes in American government have left as permanent an imprint on the national memory. And perhaps none has left so much of a visible legacy on the American landscape.

After congressional insistence on an inspector general for coronavirus relief funds, Trump declared it yet another witch hunt. Meanwhile, he found another big effort for his son-in-law to head up.

In years to come, how will fiscal conservatives who voted for $2 trillion attack the cost of budget items that will now look like rounding error or "decimal dust"?"

We discuss the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the points of tension between President Trump and some governors demanding more resources for their state.

Consider the experiences of "wartime presidents" since FDR, including Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and both Presidents Bush, before deciding you want to be a wartime president.

We talk about the White House's handling of the coronavirus crisis and the timeline for the now-delayed democratic primaries in several states.

Most people have long since constructed their own method for sorting through competing sources of information and will rely on that method when deciding what to think and how to react in a crisis.

With Super Tuesday in the rearview mirror, we look to what's to come on Big Tuesday and how the coronavirus will affect the presidential election.

From the debate to the primaries — South Carolina and Super Tuesday — we give you the week's big political stories.

Politicians seek endorsements from influential lawmakers, celebrities and media sources. Whether or not they make a big difference isn't as clear.

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with NPR senior editor Ron Elving about the week's political news.

In this week's look at politics, the U.S. attorney general tells the president to stay out of the Justice Department but did he mean it? Meanwhile, Congress tries to reign in Trump's war powers.

If there is a successful second Trump term, his impeachment will shrink into insignificance. If things go the other way, the Senate's vote to acquit him may seem a missed opportunity.