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    I witnessed the Pinochet regime’s fall. It offers hope – and a warning – for the US | Ariel Dorfman

    November’s midterms bring parallels with a moment in October 1988. But Pinochet’s exit wasn’t the end of his influenceA malignant, monomaniacal president, deeply unpopular, faces an election that could restrict his power and end his domination of his country.It is true that, to influence the outcome, he counts on a supine supreme court and his ability to legislate through executive decrees, as well as an onslaught of fake news accusing his opponents of being unpatriotic communists, true that he has colossal financial support from an entrenched oligarchy that has thrived thanks to his rightwing neoliberal policies, true that he has gone out of his way to limit the freedom of those who vote and true that he has absolute command of the armed forces. Continue reading… More

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    Trump claims he’s ‘doing great’ as his approval rating sinks to record low – as it happened

    This live blog is now closed.Sign up for the Breaking News US emailAsk our reporters your questions about the Iran war and the US midtermsAs the supreme court hears oral arguments this morning, it’s worth noting that if the justices side with Boulder or decide that the case is not in their jurisdiction, then it would continue in state court.But if the fossil fuel industry convinces the justices, the decision could apply not only to the Boulder case, but also to the many other climate cases brought by state and local governments around the US that we mentioned earlier. Continue reading… More

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    Trump says Super Pac will pay for taxpayer-funded ads that sparked outcry

    President’s U-turn comes after Democrats and Republicans condemned use of tax dollars for pro-Trump adsDonald Trump said on Monday he would pay for taxpayer-funded, pro-Trump ads “with money I raised for MAGA, Inc.”, a political action committee, after the television advertisements glorifying himself sparked a major backlash.In a social media post, Trump characterized the ads, which cost at least $1.5m in federal funds, as “a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A.” and called them “a rather standard thing to do”. Continue reading… More

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    The Iran war is unpopular, but will it cost Trump the midterms? Our reporters answer your questions

    The war with Iran is reshaping America ahead of the midterms – how will it affect US voters at the polls? Join us for a live conversation on 6 October at 12pm ET with political and global correspondentsSign in or sign up to join the conversationWelcome to our latest US midterms live Q&A – just over a month away from election day on 3 November.The war with Iran has had major implications for Americans’ wallets, government spending and US foreign policy. It’s has also been an important factor in reshaping the political landscape as the war enters its eighth month, with the 2026 US midterms quickly approaching.The makeup of the Democratic party, plus key races to watchWho are the groups financially backing the candidates in the midterms? Continue reading… More

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    Obama to appear at Abdul El-Sayed rally in critical Michigan Senate race

    Former president to visit 10 days before election day as victory for progressive challenger could tip Senate balanceAsk our reporters your questions about the Iran war and the US midtermsBarack Obama will head to Detroit this month to rally with Abdul El-Sayed, a show of establishment support for a progressive insurgent in Michigan, one of the most consequential Senate races in the country.The former US president will appear with El-Sayed and the gubernatorial nominee, Jocelyn Benson, on 24 October, the state’s Democratic party announced on Monday. The rally falls on the first day of the state’s in-person early voting period and 10 days before election day. Continue reading… More

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    Republicans criticize Steve Hilton for ‘creepy’ innuendo-filled campaign ad

    Hilton faces heavy backlash from within his own party for ‘Just Try It’ ad amid his longshot bid for California governorAsk our reporters your questions about the Iran war and the US midtermsSteve Hilton, the Republican candidate for California governor, is receiving heavy criticism from members of his own party over a controversial, sexual innuendo-filled campaign ad that has been described as “creepy”.The video entitled “Just Try It, California” was released last week and depicts two young women with brightly colored hair, sitting on a bed in front of a pride flag in low lighting. One nervously says “I can’t believe I’m doing this”, while another strokes her hair and coaxes “don’t be nervous, it’s not that bad” before guiding her to fill out a ballot for Hilton and aggressively commanding “lick it”. Continue reading… More

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    The surprising, cut-throat race for Los Angeles mayor

    Karen Bass is fighting for her political life as progressives battle to lead the US’s second-largest cityAsk our reporters your questions about the Iran war and the US midtermsKaren Bass has never lost an election. But this fall, she faces the fight of her political life.Bass has roughly a month to convince voters that she should be elected to a second term as the mayor of Los Angeles. Given Angelenos’ broad dissatisfaction with the direction of the city, approval ratings on par with Donald Trump’s and a wave of anti-establishment sentiment sweeping American politics, she has a formidable challenge in city council member Nithya Raman. Continue reading… More

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    Vance wants voters to ‘give us another chance’. But he is cornered | Sidney Blumenthal

    The vice-president’s recent remarks seek to maintain a posture of strength while they inadvertently expose political realitiesJD Vance has parachuted into the midterm election campaign on a rescue mission in a new guise: a risk management consultant. Speaking in the flat language of the expert hired to identify threats, weaknesses and losses affecting a business’s reputation, he has presented his executive summary for limiting vulnerabilities and a scenario for averting disaster.“There’s a lot of good that’s been done, but there’s a lot of work left to do,” he informed his clients on 15 September about the words to use. “Give us another chance, or give us another couple of years, to continue to work on the amazing things that we’ve been doing for the past two years.” He turned the focus to harm reduction rather than total agreement and then shifted the equation to a negative binary choice. “Even if you don’t agree with us on every issue, the other party is consumed by craziness.”Sidney Blumenthal, former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, has published three books of a projected five-volume political life of Abraham Lincoln: A Self-Made Man, Wrestling With His Angel and All the Powers of Earth. He is a Guardian US columnist and co-host of the Court of History podcast Continue reading… More