The Headlines

Harris’s Strategically Vague Economic Message, and Russians Feel the War

Aug 16, 2024

Kamala Harris is strategically vague about her economic messaging, raising eyebrows as Trump engages in personal attacks. The Biden administration's drug price negotiations promise savings for Medicare. Meanwhile, Russia's media offers a starkly different story from the realities of the Ukraine war, revealing painful civilian impacts. Also discussed are the federal charges related to Matthew Perry's tragic death and the troubling rise of ketamine use in addiction treatment.

08:40

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Quick takeaways

The Biden administration is negotiating drug prices for Medicare, aiming to save billions and enhance medication affordability.

Kamala Harris's approach of strategic vagueness in economic messaging mirrors Trump's broader tactics, raising concerns about detailed voter appeal.

Deep dives

Negotiations on Drug Prices

The Biden administration has initiated landmark negotiations on drug prices, potentially leading to significant savings for Medicare. Price limits were negotiated for ten commonly used medications, which, if applied last year, could have saved Medicare $6 billion. This marks the first time the federal government has engaged directly with pharmaceutical companies for Medicare drug prices, a step authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act. Future negotiations could extend to 15 additional drugs next year and progressively include more, aiming to make medications more affordable for millions of Americans.

Biden's Drug Price Negotiations and Harris's Strategic Economic Messaging

5min

Contrasting Perceptions of War and Addiction Exploitation

3min

Plus, charges in Matthew Perry’s death.

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On Today’s Episode:

Harris Is Set to Lay Out an Economic Message Light on Detail, by Jim Tankersley and Andrew Duehren

At News Conference, Donald Trump Says He’s ‘Entitled to Personal Attacks’ Against Kamala Harris, by Michael Gold

Ukraine’s Incursion Into Russia Flips the Script on Putin, by Anton Troianovski and Alina Lobzina

‘Shoot Me Up With a Big One’: The Pain of Matthew Perry’s Last Days, by Julia Jacobs and Matt Stevens