The Daily 202: Baseball is a salve for our national wounds
-- Donald Trump
-- Many of my stadium visits have dovetailed with fruitful reporting trips. I watched the Reds play in Cincinnati last fall after spending an afternoon with  Trump  supporters drinking $1 beers in Middletown  Ohio. Several independent voters told me at PNC Park in Pittsburgh last September that they voted for Bill Clinton both times  but they couldn’t get behind Hillary Clinton. On election night  I flashed back to both of those experiences as I set out to explain what happened.
An expected rule by the  Trump  administration to limit the ACA's contraception coverage mandate will fulfill a crucial promise  Donald Trump  made as a candidate to appeal to social conservatives. (Photodisc)
-- The  Trump  administration is expected to announce today a major rollback of the ACA’s contraception coverage mandate. William Wan and Juliet Eilperin report: “The action … will allow a much broader group of employers and insurers to exempt themselves from covering contraceptives such as birth control pills on religious or moral grounds. It represents the latest twist in a seesawing legal and ideological fight that has surrounded this aspect of the 2010 health-care law nearly from the start. … The action by the Trump administration is almost certain to spark fresh litigation. The National Women’s Law Center — which estimates that in 2013 alone  the contraception requirement saved women $1.4 billion in oral contraceptive costs — has vowed to challenge the administration in court.”
-- Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House “welcomed” the NRA’s position  adding that  Trump  wants to be part of the “conversation” about cracking down on the devices.
--  Trump  is slated to announce next week that  he  will “decertify” the nuclear deal with Iran  saying it is “not in the national interest” before punting the issue to Congress. Anne Gearan and Karoun Demirjian report: “The move would mark the first step in a process that could eventually result in the resumption of U.S. sanctions against Iran … But  Trump  would hold off on recommending that Congress reimpose sanctions  which would constitute a clearer break from the pact[.] The decision would amount to a middle ground of sorts between  Trump   who has long wanted to withdraw from the agreement completely  and many congressional leaders and senior diplomatic  military and national-security advisers  who believe the deal is worth preserving with changes if possible.  Trump  is expected to deliver a speech  tentatively scheduled for Oct. 12  laying out a larger strategy for confronting the nation  he  blames for terrorism and instability throughout the Middle East. … Officials cautioned that plans could still change[.]”
-- During an event with senior military leaders last night   Trump  cryptically said  “You know what this represents. Maybe it's the calm before the storm.” Pressed by reporters on what “the storm” meant  the president would only say  “You'll find out.”
--  Trump ’s decision on the deal could cause a “major breach” with European allies. Karen DeYoung and Carol Morello report: ““After the Paris climate decision … this could push multilateralism to the breaking point ’ said a senior official from one of the three European signatories to the Iran deal. None of the three — Britain  France and Germany — believes Iran is in violation  and each has said publicly it will not renegotiate the nuclear agreement. U.S. imposition of sanctions affecting banks that even indirectly do business in Iran would doubtless influence those countries’ companies  they say  and would be considered an unfriendly act.”
-- Robert Mueller’s team met this summer with “Russia dossier” author and former MI-6 officer Christopher Steele. CNN’s Evan Perez  Shimon Prokupecz and Pamela Brown report: “The intelligence agencies  particularly the CIA  and the FBI took Steele's research seriously enough that they kept it out of a publicly-released January report on Russian meddling in the election in order to not divulge which parts of the dossier they had corroborated and how. This contrasts with attempts by [ Trump ] and some lawmakers to discredit Steele and the memos  [which they described as a ‘complete work of fiction.’]”
In addition to trying to cut funding for the ACA  the  Trump  administration also is hampering state efforts to control premiums. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
--  Trump  supporters’ low-dollar donations to the RNC have given the GOP a huge financial advantage over the Democrats and could fundamentally change the party. Matea Gold reports: “In giving to support  Trump   his backers are pouring tens of millions of dollars into the coffers of the [RNC]  which has raised more from small-dollar contributions at this point in the election cycle than the national party has collected in more than a decade. … [The RNC] has pulled in nearly twice as much as its Democratic counterpart this year. “
--  Trump  personally intervened this summer to stop GOP lawmakers in Iowa from attempting to revitalize the state’s ACA exchange. Juliet Eilperin reports: “ Trump  read about the request in a newspaper story and called the federal director weighing the application.  Trump ’s message in late August was clear[:] … Tell Iowa no. Supporters of the Affordable Care Act see the president’s opposition even to changes sought by conservative states as part of a broader campaign by his administration to undermine the 2010 health-care law.”
-- The administration plans to propose cutting legal immigration in half over the next decade in exchange for a DACA replacement. Politico’s Josh Dawsey  Andrew Restuccia and Matthew Nussbaum report: “The principles would likely be a political non-starter for Democrats and infuriate Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi[.] … [ Trump  aide Stephen Miller  who is crafting the plan ] was upset after  Trump’s  dinner last month with Schumer and Pelosi and has been working since to bring the president back to the tougher stance he took during his campaign."
-- The administration told the Supreme Court yesterday that it should not consider  Trump ’s previous travel ban  which has now been replaced. Robert Barnes reports: “Opponents of the ban  who had persuaded two appeals courts to block the executive order  said the court should continue to review the cases. Even if not  they said  the lower-court rulings should stand. The justices asked for the new briefing about whether the issue was moot since [ Trump ] announced a replacement travel ban last month. The court canceled an oral argument on the issue scheduled for next week. … Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco said the new proclamation means that temporary measures under review at the Supreme Court have been superseded.”
--  Trump  is expected to scrap the Obama-era Clean Power Plan by arguing that  his  predecessor’s proposal to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions overstepped legal boundaries. Brady Dennis reports: “In a copy of the proposed repeal  first reported by Bloomberg News  the EPA does not offer an alternative plan for regulating emissions of carbon dioxide  which the Supreme Court has ruled that the agency is obligated to do. Rather  the agency said it plans to seek public input on how best to cut emissions from natural-gas and coal-fired power plants.”
--  Trump  also plans to nominate coal lobbyist Andrew R. Wheeler  who has ties to climate change deniers  to serve as the EPA’s second-in-command. (The New York Times’s Lisa Friedman)
-- Meanwhile  the Secret Service has spent at least $137 505 on golf cart rentals to protect  Trump  this year during the time spent at  his  private clubs in New Jersey and Florida. USA Today’s Julia Fair reports: “According to federal purchase orders … the agency paid $61 960 in a Sept. 29 contract to rent golf carts at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida. That's the biggest purchase order for golf carts so far . . . The agency signed contracts for golf carts at  Trump 's clubs as early as February  but they never exceeded about $18 000.”
-- Many of my stadium visits have dovetailed with fruitful reporting trips. I watched the Reds play in Cincinnati last fall after spending an afternoon with  Trump  supporters drinking $1 beers in Middletown  Ohio. Several independent voters told me at PNC Park in Pittsburgh last September that they voted for Bill Clinton both times  but they couldn’t get behind Hillary Clinton. On election night  I flashed back to both of those experiences as I set out to explain what happened.
An expected rule by the  Trump  administration to limit the ACA's contraception coverage mandate will fulfill a crucial promise  Donald Trump  made as a candidate to appeal to social conservatives. (Photodisc)
-- The  Trump  administration is expected to announce today a major rollback of the ACA’s contraception coverage mandate. William Wan and Juliet Eilperin report: “The action … will allow a much broader group of employers and insurers to exempt themselves from covering contraceptives such as birth control pills on religious or moral grounds. It represents the latest twist in a seesawing legal and ideological fight that has surrounded this aspect of the 2010 health-care law nearly from the start. … The action by the Trump administration is almost certain to spark fresh litigation. The National Women’s Law Center — which estimates that in 2013 alone  the contraception requirement saved women $1.4 billion in oral contraceptive costs — has vowed to challenge the administration in court.”
-- Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House “welcomed” the NRA’s position  adding that  Trump  wants to be part of the “conversation” about cracking down on the devices.
--  Trump  is slated to announce next week that  he  will “decertify” the nuclear deal with Iran  saying it is “not in the national interest” before punting the issue to Congress. Anne Gearan and Karoun Demirjian report: “The move would mark the first step in a process that could eventually result in the resumption of U.S. sanctions against Iran … But  Trump  would hold off on recommending that Congress reimpose sanctions  which would constitute a clearer break from the pact[.] The decision would amount to a middle ground of sorts between  Trump   who has long wanted to withdraw from the agreement completely  and many congressional leaders and senior diplomatic  military and national-security advisers  who believe the deal is worth preserving with changes if possible.  Trump  is expected to deliver a speech  tentatively scheduled for Oct. 12  laying out a larger strategy for confronting the nation  he  blames for terrorism and instability throughout the Middle East. … Officials cautioned that plans could still change[.]”
-- During an event with senior military leaders last night   Trump  cryptically said  “You know what this represents. Maybe it's the calm before the storm.” Pressed by reporters on what “the storm” meant  the president would only say  “You'll find out.”
--  Trump ’s decision on the deal could cause a “major breach” with European allies. Karen DeYoung and Carol Morello report: ““After the Paris climate decision … this could push multilateralism to the breaking point ’ said a senior official from one of the three European signatories to the Iran deal. None of the three — Britain  France and Germany — believes Iran is in violation  and each has said publicly it will not renegotiate the nuclear agreement. U.S. imposition of sanctions affecting banks that even indirectly do business in Iran would doubtless influence those countries’ companies  they say  and would be considered an unfriendly act.”
-- Robert Mueller’s team met this summer with “Russia dossier” author and former MI-6 officer Christopher Steele. CNN’s Evan Perez  Shimon Prokupecz and Pamela Brown report: “The intelligence agencies  particularly the CIA  and the FBI took Steele's research seriously enough that they kept it out of a publicly-released January report on Russian meddling in the election in order to not divulge which parts of the dossier they had corroborated and how. This contrasts with attempts by [ Trump ] and some lawmakers to discredit Steele and the memos  [which they described as a ‘complete work of fiction.’]”
In addition to trying to cut funding for the ACA  the  Trump  administration also is hampering state efforts to control premiums. (Andrew Harnik/AP)
--  Trump  supporters’ low-dollar donations to the RNC have given the GOP a huge financial advantage over the Democrats and could fundamentally change the party. Matea Gold reports: “In giving to support  Trump   his backers are pouring tens of millions of dollars into the coffers of the [RNC]  which has raised more from small-dollar contributions at this point in the election cycle than the national party has collected in more than a decade. … [The RNC] has pulled in nearly twice as much as its Democratic counterpart this year. “
--  Trump  personally intervened this summer to stop GOP lawmakers in Iowa from attempting to revitalize the state’s ACA exchange. Juliet Eilperin reports: “ Trump  read about the request in a newspaper story and called the federal director weighing the application.  Trump ’s message in late August was clear[:] … Tell Iowa no. Supporters of the Affordable Care Act see the president’s opposition even to changes sought by conservative states as part of a broader campaign by his administration to undermine the 2010 health-care law.”
-- The administration plans to propose cutting legal immigration in half over the next decade in exchange for a DACA replacement. Politico’s Josh Dawsey  Andrew Restuccia and Matthew Nussbaum report: “The principles would likely be a political non-starter for Democrats and infuriate Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi[.] … [ Trump  aide Stephen Miller  who is crafting the plan ] was upset after  Trump’s  dinner last month with Schumer and Pelosi and has been working since to bring the president back to the tougher stance he took during his campaign."
-- The administration told the Supreme Court yesterday that it should not consider  Trump ’s previous travel ban  which has now been replaced. Robert Barnes reports: “Opponents of the ban  who had persuaded two appeals courts to block the executive order  said the court should continue to review the cases. Even if not  they said  the lower-court rulings should stand. The justices asked for the new briefing about whether the issue was moot since [ Trump ] announced a replacement travel ban last month. The court canceled an oral argument on the issue scheduled for next week. … Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco said the new proclamation means that temporary measures under review at the Supreme Court have been superseded.”
--  Trump  is expected to scrap the Obama-era Clean Power Plan by arguing that  his  predecessor’s proposal to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions overstepped legal boundaries. Brady Dennis reports: “In a copy of the proposed repeal  first reported by Bloomberg News  the EPA does not offer an alternative plan for regulating emissions of carbon dioxide  which the Supreme Court has ruled that the agency is obligated to do. Rather  the agency said it plans to seek public input on how best to cut emissions from natural-gas and coal-fired power plants.”
--  Trump  also plans to nominate coal lobbyist Andrew R. Wheeler  who has ties to climate change deniers  to serve as the EPA’s second-in-command. (The New York Times’s Lisa Friedman)
-- Meanwhile  the Secret Service has spent at least $137 505 on golf cart rentals to protect  Trump  this year during the time spent at  his  private clubs in New Jersey and Florida. USA Today’s Julia Fair reports: “According to federal purchase orders … the agency paid $61 960 in a Sept. 29 contract to rent golf carts at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida. That's the biggest purchase order for golf carts so far . . . The agency signed contracts for golf carts at  Trump 's clubs as early as February  but they never exceeded about $18 000.”