The Atlantic Politics & Policy Daily: A City in Mourning

Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey), Madeleine Carlisle (@maddiecarlisle2), and Olivia Paschal (@oliviacpaschal)

Today in 5 Lines

• In an interview with Axios, part of which aired Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he plans to sign an executive order that would end birthright citizenship—a move that would spark a fierce debate over the Fourteenth Amendment. He did not provide a time frame.

• Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, along with Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, traveled to Pittsburgh to offer their condolences following Saturday’s shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue. Earlier in the day, the first funerals were held for victims of the attack.

• The FBI has been asked to investigate claims that women have been offered money to fabricate sexual-harassment allegations against Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

• The Justice Department is reportedly investigating whether Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke used his office for personal gain.

• James “Whitey” Bulger, the infamous Boston mob boss, was killed in a West Virginia prison a day after being transferred to the facility.

Today on The Atlantic

• Don’t Forget the State Level: Democrats are poised to win big next week in gubernatorial races and state houses across the country. “It’s a story that the Democratic National Committee has, until recently, utterly failed to tell,” writes Rahm Emanuel.

• How a Community Mourns: As the Jewish community of Pittsburgh prepares to bury its 11 members killed last Saturday, it has turned to a cherished pillar: tradition. (Emma Green)

• The Fourteenth Amendment Is Clear: Trump’s proposal to end birthright citizenship “flies in the faces of more than a century of practice,” writes Garrett Epps.

• Pod Save the Pundits: The hosts of Pod Save America have embraced a bullish political punditry that is more often found on the right. But unlike many conservative talking heads, they’re transparent about their political goals. (David Sims)

Snapshot

What We’re Reading

The Democratic Divide: New York progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did better in gentrifying precincts than she did in working-class neighborhoods. Do blue-collar Democrats really want what the far left is offering? (David Freedlander, Politico Magazine)

Trumpism’s Prejudice Problem: Trump’s willingness to wink at the brash anti-Semitism of many of his followers has brought their hatred back into mainstream political discourse, argues Charles J. Sykes. (The Weekly Standard)

‘It Gives Me Anxiety’: Twelve young people explain why they won’t be voting in the midterm elections. (New York)

What Happens When the Caravan Arrives?: Some Americans want to welcome the group of immigrants traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border, while others see their arrival as a threat to national sovereignty. The caravan, writes Robert W. Merry, represents an existential crisis. (The American Conservative)

Framing the Story: Last week, after trying, and failing, to break into a black Baptist church, a gunman killed two black shoppers at a nearby grocery store. But instead of reporting on his apparent racism, the media zeroed in on his mental illness. (David M. Perry, Pacific Standard)

Visualized

Battle for the House: Is the number of vulnerable House seats expanding or contracting? FiveThirtyEight investigates. (Nate Silver)

America Warming: In one generation, the weather in cities across the United States will be dramatically different. See what it will feel like in your city. (Umair Irfan, Eliza Barclay, and Kavya Sukumar, Vox)