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The Lead with Jake Tapper

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September 30, 2020
• Interview With Trump Campaign Communications Director Tim Murtaugh; Trump Refuses to Condemn Right-Wing Extremist Group During Debate. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 29, 2020
• Breonna Taylor Grand Jury Audio Tapes Set For Release; California Fires; Supreme Court Nominee on Capitol Hill; More Trump Tax Revelations; Biden, Trump Set For First Presidential Debate. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Interview With Biden Campaign Senior Adviser Symone Sanders; Biden, Trump Set For First Presidential Debate; NYC Reopens Elementary Schools Today for In-Person Learning; Former Pence Adviser: White House Pressured CDC to Put Out Data Backing Trump's Push to Reopen Schools. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• NYC Reopens Elementary Schools Today for In-Person Learning; Former Pence Adviser Says White House Pressured CDC to Put Out Data Backing Trump's Push to Reopen Schools; Trump Campaign Denies Reporting from UK Channel 4 News Calling It Fake News; Sources Say Trump And Biden Finding Ways to Get Under Each Other's Skin. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• More Trump Tax Revelations; Biden, Trump Set For First Presidential Debate. Aired 3-3:30p ET


September 28, 2020
• Democrats Prepare For Trump To Disrupt The Election; New Ransomware Attacks Raise More Concerns About Safety Of Local State Election Systems; Some Senate Democrats Won't Meet With Trump's Nominee; Russia's Top State News Anchor Gives Window Into How Kremlin Views U.S. Election. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Trump Announces Plan to Deploy 150 Million Rapid Tests to States; Trump Ducks Questions As NYT Reports He Avoided Paying Taxes for Years. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• Report Says Trump has $421 Million in Loans Due the Next Few Years; "The New York Times" Said Trump Paid Just $750 in Federal Taxes in 2016 and 2107; Senator Durbin Says, We Can Slow Supreme Court Nominee Hearing But Can't Stop It; Barrett Once Criticized Supreme Court Decision on Obamacare; Democrats Prepare for Trump to Disrupt the Election. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• Do Trump's Debts Threaten National Security?; COVID Rates Rising; Interview With Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD); Report: Trump Paid Just $750 in Federal Taxes in 2016 and 2017. Aired 3-3:30p ET


September 25, 2020
• White House Chief of Staff Attacks FBI Director for Stating U.S. Has Never Seen "Coordinated National Voter Fraud Effort"; Interview with Former FBI Director Jim Comey and Actor Jeff Daniels. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Trump Laying Groundwork to Challenge Election Results; Sources: Trump Intends to Nominate Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court; Coronavirus Cases in U.S. Reach 7 Million, Most in the World. Aired 4- 4:30p ET


September 24, 2020
• Trump Claims He Could Override FDA on Stricter Vaccine Standards; Kentucky Governor Calls on State AG to Share Grand Jury Transcript in Breonna Taylor Case. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Interview With Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro; Interview With Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI); President Trump Refuses to Commit to Peaceful Transfer of Power. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 23, 2020
• Majority of Americans Against Republican Rush to Fill Supreme Court Seat; Dr. Fauci Pushes Back; Interview With Cindy McCain; No Officers Charged Directly With Breonna Taylor's Death. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• No Officers Charged Directly With Breonna Taylor's Death; Interview with Cindy McCain. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 22, 2020
• Republican Operatives Backing Kanye West Presidential Bid; FDA Set to Announce Stricter Vaccine Standards?; Interview With Former U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster; Russia Targets Joe Biden. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Trump: "Very Close" to Picking Nominee, Announcement Saturday; Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) is Interviewed About GOP Having Support to Pursue Election Year Confirmation; Supreme Court Battle; U.S. Passes Grim Milestone of 200,000 Coronavirus Deaths. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 21, 2020
• Nevada Race; Interview With Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT); Supreme Court Battle Set to Begin. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Supreme Court Battle Set to Begin; Joe Biden in Wisconsin; U.S. Approaches 200,000 Deaths from COVID-19; Trump Claims U.S. is Rounding the Corner of Pandemic Despite 40,000+ New Daily Cases of Average. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 18, 2020
• Biden Campaigning in Key Battleground State of Minnesota. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• President Trump Makes Claims About Vaccine Timeline; Biden Campaigning in Key Battleground State of Minnesota. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 17, 2020
• BioNTech, Pfizer to "Adapt" Vaccine Trial to Hit October Deadline. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Former Pence Staffer Denounces President Trump; Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) is Interviewed About FBI Director Saying that White Supremacist Are the Largest Group of Racially Motivated Domestic Terrorists and Russia is Actively Working to Hurt Biden's Campaign.. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 16, 2020
• Vaccine Trial Halted; Vaccine Readily Available Late 2021?; Trump Once Again Downplays Using Masks To Battle COVID-19; Interview With Rep. Max Rose (D-NY). Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Joe Biden Lays Out Vaccine Distribution Plan; Biden Takes Questions After Giving COVID Vaccine Plan. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 15, 2020
• Hurricane Sally Targets Gulf Coast; Interview With Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA); California Manhunt; COVID-19 Vaccine Timeline?. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Trump Continues to Ignore COVID-19 Science. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 14, 2020
• Interview With Miami, Florida, Mayor Francis Suarez (R); Florida Governor Concealing COVID-19 School Data?; Biden Courts Latino Vote; California Manhunt. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Trump Visits California; Interview With Rep. John Garamendi (D- CA). Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 11, 2020
• New Book: Trump Bragged About Secret Nuke System to Journalist; Historic Western Fires to Blame for At Least 24 Deaths Including Woman & Grandson in Oregon. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Dr. Fauci Warns of Tough Fall and Winter. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 10, 2020
• One-on-One with Biden; Biden Reaching Out to Blue Collar Voters in Battleground States. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Trump Defends Downplaying Coronavirus; Interview With Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 09, 2020
• Interview With Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL); Interview With Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA); Trump on Tape Admitting to Downplaying Coronavirus. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Bob Woodward Releases Bombshell Trump Tapes; New Jersey Governor Reacts to Trump Downplaying Coronavirus. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 08, 2020
• COVID-19 Around the World; Iowa Outbreak; Republicans Attempting to Craft Skinny COVID-19 Relief Bill. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• COVID-19 Vaccine Timeline?; Schools Open Online Across Country; Source: Biden to Focus on Economy, COVID-19 in Michigan; NBC/Marist Poll: Trump Has 50 Percent Support Among Florida Latino Voters; Biden Sees 46 Percent Support. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 07, 2020
• Feeding Needy Students; Sean Penn Helping Expand Coronavirus Testing; California Wildfires. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Trump Criticizes U.S. Military Generals; Trump Blasts Doubters of Early Coronavirus Vaccine; Labor Day Crowds Drive Fears of New Virus Spikes. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• Harris Meets Jacob Blake's Family in Wisconsin; Jacob Blake from Hospital Bed, It's Nothing but Pain; Biden Gets Emotional Talking About Son Beau in Documentary; Russian Opposition Leader Out of Coma After Poisoning; Biden, Harris, Pence Make Labor Day Visits to Battleground States. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• Experts Fearing Post-Labor Day COVID-19 Spike; Trump Blasts Doubters of Early Coronavirus Vaccine. Aired 3-3:30p ET


September 04, 2020
• 1.4 Million New Jobs in August, Unemployment Rate Falls to 8.4 Percent; Interview with Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia; 7 Rochester Officers Suspended, Video Emerges Five Months After Killing of Daniel Prude. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Report: Trump Called Killed U.S. Soldiers 'Losers'; Model Projects 410,000 U.S. COVID-19 Deaths By January. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 03, 2020
• Trump Again Suggests Americans May Need to Vote Twice, Which is Illegal. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Will Trump Rush Coronavirus Vaccine Ahead of Election?; Dow Plunges. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 02, 2020
• Interview With Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT); Trump Suggests His Supporters Vote Twice; Trump Giving Up On Coronavirus Spread?; Pelosi Under Fire Over Indoor Haircut. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Biden Tops Trump 51-43 in New CNN Poll; Fauci's Labor Day Warning: Don't Be Part of the Problem. Aired 4-4:30p ET


September 01, 2020
• Mail Slowdown; Jill Biden Speaks Out; President Trump Denies He Had Mini-Strokes; President Trump Visits Wisconsin. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Coronavirus Czar Talks Testing Troubles; President Trump Visits Wisconsin. Aired 4-4:30p ET


August 31, 2020
• Worldwide Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories; Unrest in Wisconsin; Trump Administration Now Pushing Widespread Infection as COVID-19 Strategy?. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Will Trump Administration Rush Out COVID-19 Vaccine?; Biden Blasts Trump Over Unrest in America; Prominent Docs Call for Independent Panel to Review Vaccines. Aired 4-4:30p ET


August 28, 2020
• IHME Model Projects 317,000+ U.S. Deaths By December. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Interview With Alice Johnson; Biden Set to Campaign in Battleground States. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services Say Nursing Homes Saw Nearly 50,000 COVID Deaths; CDC Projects 200,000+ COVID Deaths by September 19 in U.S.; Four People at RNC in Charlotte Test Positive for COVID; Sports Strikes Continue in Wake of Police Shooting of Jacob Blake; NBA to Resume Season on Saturday After Days of Player Protests; Trump Claims People Are Tired of the NBA, Claims It Is Like a Political Organization. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• March on Washington; Trump Continues Biden Attacks; Biden Set to Campaign in Battleground States. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 27, 2020
• White House Official: CDC Guidance Changed Because of Testing Backlog. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• President Trump Remains Silent on Wisconsin Shooter; Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR) is Interviewed on Trump, RNC and Tropical Storm Laura Hitting Arkansas; Trump Says He Will Visit Gulf to See Hurricane Damage This Weekend. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• Kamala Harris Said the Reality of COVID Absent from the Republican Convention; Rusten Shesky Identified as the Officer Who Shot Blake 7 Times; Alleged Vigilante Gunman Supported Trump, Had Affinity for Guns; Police Chief Puts Blame on Protesters for Defying Curfew; NBA, WNBA, MLB, MLS Postpone Games. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• Biden Speaks Out on Trump Attacks; Kamala Harris Slams Trump's Response to Coronavirus Pandemic. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 26, 2020
• Hurricane Laura Forces Evacuations; NBA Team Boycotts Playoff Game After Police Shooting. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Mike Pence Headlines RNC Night Three; Interview With Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton; Source: CDC Recommending Fewer People Be Tested After Pressure from the "Top" of Trump Administration; Milwaukee Bucks Boycott NBA Playoff Game After Jacob Blake Shooting. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• Republican Convention Speakers Link Violent Protests to Democratic Leaders; Laura Now Extremely Dangerous Category 4 Hurricane; Governor of Louisiana Says Storm Surge Is Unsurvivable in Some Areas; Official Says Pence to Attack Biden in His Speech. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• Pence Set to Target Biden in RNC Speech; Did Trump Administration Order CDC to Change COVID-19 Testing Protocols?; 17- Year-Old Suspect Arrested in Deadly Kenosha Shootings. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 25, 2020
• Attorneys, Family of Jacob Blake Hold Press Conference. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Interview With Fmr. Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI); Unrest in Wisconsin Following Police Shooting; RNC Speakers Deliver Message of Fear; Jacob Blake Family Attorney Provides Update On His Condition. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• Kenosha, Wisconsin Center of Nationwide Protests After Unarmed Black Man Shot in Back by Police; Evangelical Leader Resigns as President of Liberty University Amid Sex Scandal; New Book Says Hannity Thinks Trump Is a Crazy Person; Hurricane Laura Strengthens as It Moves Toward Gulf Coast; RNC Keynote Speakers Include First Lady Melania Trump. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• Unrest in Wisconsin Following Police Shooting; RNC Speakers Deliver Message of Fear; FDA Commissioner Apologizes For Misleading Statements on COVID-19 Treatment. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 24, 2020
• Postmaster General Testifies Before Congress; President Trump Trying to Rush Coronavirus Vaccine?; Wisconsin Police Shooting. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• President Trump Trying to Rush Coronavirus Vaccine?; RNC Formally Nominates Trump for Second Term; Biden Campaign Says Harris Will Highlight Trump's "Failed Leadership" in Speech This Week; Video Shows Kenosha, WI Police Shooting Jacob Blake Multiple Times in Back. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• FDA Gives Emergency Use Authorization for Convalescent Plasma; Video Show Kenosha Police Shooting Unarmed Jacob Blake Multiple Times in the Back; Jerry Seinfeld Op-Ed Says If You Think NYC Is Dead, You're Wrong; Serious Questions Over Trump Possibly Rushing Vaccine Approval for Election Gain. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• Postmaster General Testifies Before Congress; Interview With Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA); President Trump Trying to Rush Coronavirus Vaccine?. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 21, 2020
• Florida Judge To Rule Next Week on In-Person Classes; Biden Accepts Democratic Nomination in Career-Defining Speech. Aired 4:30-5p ET.
• CDC Predicts Nearly 195,000 U.S. Deaths By September 12; Postmaster General: Vote By Mail is Safe and I Support It. Aired 4- 4:30p ET
• Campaign Aide Not Sure If Biden Campaign Will Hit The Trail This Fall, New Confidence Can Reach Voters in Other Ways; Trump Slams DNC as Darkest and Gloomiest Convention in History; W.H.O and UNICEF to Release New Guidance for Kids and Masks; Thousands of Iowans Without Power Nearly Two Weeks After Storm; W.H.O Says No Country Can Just Ride This Out Waiting for a Vaccine. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• CDC Predicts Nearly 195,000 U.S. Deaths By September 12; Rave Reviews For Biden Speech; Interview With Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D- IL); Postmaster General Testifies Before Senate. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 20, 2020
• Teachers Threaten Strikes Amid Virus Safety Concerns; Trump's Ex-Chief Strategist Pleads Not Guilty to Fraud Charges. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Interview With Former Acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates; Joe Biden Set to Deliver Address at Democratic National Convention; Steve Bannon Arrested on Fraud Charges; At Least 17 States Report COVID Cases At Colleges. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• Tonight, Biden Will Accept Democratic Nomination for President; Biden Set to Deliver Biggest Speech of His Life; CNN Special Report Explores Women's Rights This Saturday; Trump Refuses to Denounce QAnon Labelled by the FBI as a Terrorism Threat. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• Joe Biden Set to Deliver Address at Democratic National Convention; Vaccine Timeline?; Steve Bannon Arrested on Fraud Charges. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 19, 2020
• COVID Survivors; Florida Republican Candidate Targeted With Fake Texts; Interview With Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN); Trump Mails Election Ballot, Blasts Mail-In Voting. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• WHO Official to Young People: You're Not "Invincible" to Virus. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• Trump Attacks Mail-In Voting, Urges Americans to Vote in Person; Interview with Sen. Mark Warner on Mail-In Ballots; Senate Intel Report Says Manafort Was a Grave Counterintelligence Threat; How Contact Racing is Helping Bend The Curve; FDA Halts Plasma Treatment for COVID. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• President Trump Mails Election Ballot, Blasts Mail-In Voting; Schools and COVID-19; Kamala Harris Headlining Wednesday's Democratic National Convention. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 18, 2020
• Trump Responds To Michelle Obama Convention Speech; Schools Facing COVID Outbreaks. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Interview With Former Department of Homeland Security Chief of Staff Miles Taylor; Bill Clinton Set to Speak at Democratic National Convention; Voter Confidence?. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• Postmaster General suspends changes to service; Interview with Rep. Cedrick Richmond on day one of the Democratic National Convention; Tonight's focus is Biden's leadership versus Trump; Julian Castro warns that Dems could see a slide in Latino support; Study says flu and other viruses may spread in dust. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• Interview With Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro; Bill Clinton Set to Speak at Democratic National Convention; Schools Facing COVID Outbreaks; Postmaster General Vows to Suspend Changes to Postal Service. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 17, 2020
• Trump Targeting Postal Service?; Democratic National Convention Kicks Off Tonight; Children And Coronavirus. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Trump Touting New Coronavirus Miracle Cure?; Interview With Atlanta, Georgia, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms; Democratic National Convention Set to Begin. Aired 4-4:30p ET
• CNN Poll Shows Biden's Lead Over Trump Shrinks as Enthusiasm for Election Grows; Trump Rails Against Universal Mail-In Ballots; Pelosi Calls for House to Return from Recess for USPS Vote; Researchers Struggling to Recruit Minorities to Vaccine Trials; Los Angeles Schools Announce Large Testing Plan to Restart School; US Intel Says Iran Paid Bounties to Taliban for Targeting American Troops; Democratic National Convention Begins Tonight. Aired 3:30-4p ET
• Interview With Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI); Democratic National Convention Set to Begin as Presidential Polls Tighten; Trump Touting New Coronavirus Miracle Cure?. Aired 3-3:30p ET


August 14, 2020
• Trump to Visit Three Swing States in Biggest Campaign Push Since June; Biden Releases Coronavirus Ads After Calling for Mask Mandate. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• U.S. Averaging Over 1,000 Coronavirus Deaths Every Day; One-on- One with Trump's Testing Czar, Admiral Brett Giroir. Aired 4-4:30p ET


August 13, 2020
• Facebook Rolls Out New Tools to Fight Misinformation as Trump Uses Site to Spread Lies About Mail-in Voting. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• School Reopening Mess?; Biden/Harris Call For Nationwide Mask Mandate; Trump Says He's Against Funding Post Office Because Money Will Be Used for Mail-In Voting; Israel UAE Agree to Establish Formal Diplomatic Ties. Aired 4-4:30p ET


August 12, 2020
• Biden, Harris Make First Joint Appearance as Running Mates. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Trump Says Harris "Was My Number One Draft Pick", Calls Her Nasty & Disrespectful to Biden; Biden, Harris Set For Joint Appearance. Aired 4-4:30p ET


August 11, 2020
• Biden Chooses Kamala Harris as Running Mate. Aired 4:30-5p ET
• Biden Chooses Kamala Harris as Running Mate. Aired 4-4:30p ET


August 10, 2020
• The Madman Theory of Trump; Biden Set to Announce Running Mate; Trump Administration Sabotaging Postal Service?; Interview With Former Acting CDC Director Dr. Richard Besser. Aired 4:30-5p ET


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