First Run News

BIG PINE KEY, Fla.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Stressed and exhausted families across the Southeast were assessing the damage from Hurricane Irma on Tuesday, even as flooding from the storm continued to plague some areas, like Jacksonville, and the worst of its wallop was being revealed in others, like the Florida Keys. Officials in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina tried to prepare residents for the hardships of recovery from the storm.

MIAMI — Every hurricane tells a story. Hurricane Andrew in 1992, with a 17-foot storm surge and winds so intense that they destroyed the gauges meant to measure them, was the disaster that changed construction standards in Miami and much of the southeastern United States. Katrina in New Orleans and Rita in Houston, both in 2005, taught terrifying lessons about evacuations. For millions of people drawn to Florida for its sunshine and its reputation for easy living, Hurricane Irma, whose story is still playing out, was their first major hurricane.

ATLANTA — The two massive storms brought death and suffering and damage that will be measured in the billions of dollars.

ATLANTA — The two massive storms brought death and suffering and damage that will be measured in the billions of dollars.

Maxwell said on MSNBC that “identity politics need to be at the center of what the Democrats need to do going forward” even though Bannon told the American Prospect‘s Robert Kuttner that Republicans would “crush” Democrats if they become the salad-bowl party. “The Democrats,” Bannon told Kuttner, “the longer they talk about identity politics, I got ’em. I want them to talk about racism every day.

Maxwell said on MSNBC that “identity politics need to be at the center of what the Democrats need to do going forward” even though Bannon told the American Prospect‘s Robert Kuttner that Republicans would “crush” Democrats if they become the salad-bowl party. “The Democrats,” Bannon told Kuttner, “the longer they talk about identity politics, I got ’em. I want them to talk about racism every day.

Documentary filmmaker Donald Trump entered national politics. With the film debuting on PBS this week, Burns said in an interview with ABC News in the middle of Washington, D.C. that he sees parallels in the present day that make the past worth revisiting. “Think about the echoes in the present moment,” Burns told ABC’s Rick Klein while in Washington, D.C.

A growing number of Democratic senators -– including several party power-players -- will stand with independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders Wednesday as co-sponsors to his latest bill for a government run, single-payer health care system. The rising support among Democrats for Sanders’ sweeping proposal, which would entail a massive overhaul of a major part of the U.S.

A group of six senators is expected to dine tonight with President Trump at the White House in what's being touted as a "bipartisan working dinner" to address tax reform, multiple Congressional aides have confirmed to ABC News. The Democrats expected to attend will be Sens. John Thune (South Dakota). The dinner comes as the White House and Congressional lawmakers continue to push along the slow-moving debate on tax reform.