Isaac Dovere
@isaacdovere.bsky.social
Senior reporter, CNN. Author, Battle for the Soul. Photographer, lots of animal pictures.
“What happens if we have a close election in ‘28? What is he going to do? He’s going to say, ‘Hey, this was stolen from me in 2020, I’m not going to allow this to happen again.’ And then who knows what he does?” - Mark Kelly on Trump www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
Speaking out against the Pentagon raised Mark Kelly’s profile. It also came with a cost | CNN Politics
Prison or the White House. Mark Kelly is having to consider whether either place is a realistic possibility.
www.cnn.com
January 22, 2026 at 1:38 PM
“What happens if we have a close election in ‘28? What is he going to do? He’s going to say, ‘Hey, this was stolen from me in 2020, I’m not going to allow this to happen again.’ And then who knows what he does?” - Mark Kelly on Trump www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
Here's the note that Elissa Slotkin got in the middle of a Novemer briefing on Venezuela:
Mark Kelly on peeking at it: “I’m like, ‘Oh shit. .. Five minutes later, she comes back in, she looks at me and she goes, ‘Well, he called for your execution too.’” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
Mark Kelly on peeking at it: “I’m like, ‘Oh shit. .. Five minutes later, she comes back in, she looks at me and she goes, ‘Well, he called for your execution too.’” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
January 21, 2026 at 7:37 PM
Here's the note that Elissa Slotkin got in the middle of a Novemer briefing on Venezuela:
Mark Kelly on peeking at it: “I’m like, ‘Oh shit. .. Five minutes later, she comes back in, she looks at me and she goes, ‘Well, he called for your execution too.’” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
Mark Kelly on peeking at it: “I’m like, ‘Oh shit. .. Five minutes later, she comes back in, she looks at me and she goes, ‘Well, he called for your execution too.’” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
“I feel this obligation more so than anything I’ve ever done in my life, Kelly told me about why he's fighting Hegseth.
Will that lead to a 2028 presidential run?
“I still think it needs to be the right person for the moment, and we don’t know what that moment is yet."
Will that lead to a 2028 presidential run?
“I still think it needs to be the right person for the moment, and we don’t know what that moment is yet."
Prison? White House? In Georgia, Mark Kelly told me he's been thinking about both possibilities:
“I’m a fucking US senator. I have, in theory — in theory — supercharged First Amendment speech rights under the speech and debate clause, and they’re trampling on that.” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
“I’m a fucking US senator. I have, in theory — in theory — supercharged First Amendment speech rights under the speech and debate clause, and they’re trampling on that.” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
Speaking out against the Pentagon raised Mark Kelly’s profile. It also came with a cost | CNN Politics
Prison or the White House. Mark Kelly is having to consider whether either place is a realistic possibility.
www.cnn.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:20 PM
“I feel this obligation more so than anything I’ve ever done in my life, Kelly told me about why he's fighting Hegseth.
Will that lead to a 2028 presidential run?
“I still think it needs to be the right person for the moment, and we don’t know what that moment is yet."
Will that lead to a 2028 presidential run?
“I still think it needs to be the right person for the moment, and we don’t know what that moment is yet."
Prison? White House? In Georgia, Mark Kelly told me he's been thinking about both possibilities:
“I’m a fucking US senator. I have, in theory — in theory — supercharged First Amendment speech rights under the speech and debate clause, and they’re trampling on that.” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
“I’m a fucking US senator. I have, in theory — in theory — supercharged First Amendment speech rights under the speech and debate clause, and they’re trampling on that.” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
Speaking out against the Pentagon raised Mark Kelly’s profile. It also came with a cost | CNN Politics
Prison or the White House. Mark Kelly is having to consider whether either place is a realistic possibility.
www.cnn.com
January 21, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Prison? White House? In Georgia, Mark Kelly told me he's been thinking about both possibilities:
“I’m a fucking US senator. I have, in theory — in theory — supercharged First Amendment speech rights under the speech and debate clause, and they’re trampling on that.” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
“I’m a fucking US senator. I have, in theory — in theory — supercharged First Amendment speech rights under the speech and debate clause, and they’re trampling on that.” www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/p...
NEW from me: Walz was **also** asked about being an agent of a foreign country in his VP vetting.
For him, it was about China, given the trips he took there before being elected to Congress.
new context for the questions Shapiro got about Israel ties: www.cnn.com/2026/01/19/p...
For him, it was about China, given the trips he took there before being elected to Congress.
new context for the questions Shapiro got about Israel ties: www.cnn.com/2026/01/19/p...
Walz was also asked about foreign ties during Harris vetting, sources tell CNN | CNN Politics
Josh Shapiro wasn’t the only finalist to be Kamala Harris’ running mate who was asked if he had ever been an agent of a foreign government, four sources familiar with the matter told CNN on Monday. Ti...
www.cnn.com
January 19, 2026 at 8:34 PM
NEW from me: Walz was **also** asked about being an agent of a foreign country in his VP vetting.
For him, it was about China, given the trips he took there before being elected to Congress.
new context for the questions Shapiro got about Israel ties: www.cnn.com/2026/01/19/p...
For him, it was about China, given the trips he took there before being elected to Congress.
new context for the questions Shapiro got about Israel ties: www.cnn.com/2026/01/19/p...
Where we’re at: questions in a recent Ipsos poll on Jewish conspiracies and whether people would kill over them
January 11, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Where we’re at: questions in a recent Ipsos poll on Jewish conspiracies and whether people would kill over them
NEW from me:
For Josh Shapiro, it’s all about being able to win in Pennsylvania.
That starts Thursday as Shapiro launches his campaign for a second term as governor with rallies in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
www.cnn.com/2026/01/08/p...
For Josh Shapiro, it’s all about being able to win in Pennsylvania.
That starts Thursday as Shapiro launches his campaign for a second term as governor with rallies in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
www.cnn.com/2026/01/08/p...
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro launches his reelection bid with bigger plans in mind | CNN Politics
For Josh Shapiro, it’s all about being able to win in Pennsylvania.
www.cnn.com
January 8, 2026 at 12:45 PM
NEW from me:
For Josh Shapiro, it’s all about being able to win in Pennsylvania.
That starts Thursday as Shapiro launches his campaign for a second term as governor with rallies in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
www.cnn.com/2026/01/08/p...
For Josh Shapiro, it’s all about being able to win in Pennsylvania.
That starts Thursday as Shapiro launches his campaign for a second term as governor with rallies in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
www.cnn.com/2026/01/08/p...
“I’ve changed how I think about what I do,” said JB Pritzker, who was seated at a dinner with Hortman the night before she was killed. “Occasionally I have wanted to go without protection in the past, and it has not been a problem. But it is now.” www.cnn.com/2026/01/07/p...
Campaigning under threat: How political violence is already shaping the next Democratic primary | CNN Politics
After a year in which the assassinations of Charlie Kirk and former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman were just among the highest-profile horrors, managing the fear of violence has become a cent...
www.cnn.com
January 7, 2026 at 10:11 PM
“I’ve changed how I think about what I do,” said JB Pritzker, who was seated at a dinner with Hortman the night before she was killed. “Occasionally I have wanted to go without protection in the past, and it has not been a problem. But it is now.” www.cnn.com/2026/01/07/p...
NEW from me: threat concerns are already shaping the 2028 (and midterm) campaigns, with many candidates saying they have scrapped outdoor events, having to spend more money on security and tearing up at thinking how running may put families in danger www.cnn.com/2026/01/07/p...
Campaigning under threat: How political violence is already shaping the next Democratic primary | CNN Politics
After a year in which the assassinations of Charlie Kirk and former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman were just among the highest-profile horrors, managing the fear of violence has become a cent...
www.cnn.com
January 7, 2026 at 12:58 PM
NEW from me: threat concerns are already shaping the 2028 (and midterm) campaigns, with many candidates saying they have scrapped outdoor events, having to spend more money on security and tearing up at thinking how running may put families in danger www.cnn.com/2026/01/07/p...
With one week to go before he's sworn in as mayor, the positions Mamdani hasn't filled include commissioners of:
Aging
Buildings
Citywide Admin Services
Corrections
Cultural Affairs
Emergency Management
Finance
Health
Homeless Services
Parks
Sanitation
Transportation
Aging
Buildings
Citywide Admin Services
Corrections
Cultural Affairs
Emergency Management
Finance
Health
Homeless Services
Parks
Sanitation
Transportation
December 23, 2025 at 6:33 PM
With one week to go before he's sworn in as mayor, the positions Mamdani hasn't filled include commissioners of:
Aging
Buildings
Citywide Admin Services
Corrections
Cultural Affairs
Emergency Management
Finance
Health
Homeless Services
Parks
Sanitation
Transportation
Aging
Buildings
Citywide Admin Services
Corrections
Cultural Affairs
Emergency Management
Finance
Health
Homeless Services
Parks
Sanitation
Transportation
“NPR identified more than a dozen files released by the DOJ on Friday that are no longer available Saturday afternoon, including one that shows President Trump's photo on a desk among several other photographs” www.npr.org/2025/12/20/n...
Available to download Friday, some Epstein files no longer there Saturday afternoon
An NPR analysis of the Epstein files shows some documents, originally available on Friday, are no longer on the Department of Justice's "Epstein Library" website as the DOJ releases more files.
www.npr.org
December 21, 2025 at 3:57 PM
“NPR identified more than a dozen files released by the DOJ on Friday that are no longer available Saturday afternoon, including one that shows President Trump's photo on a desk among several other photographs” www.npr.org/2025/12/20/n...
On Thursday, the Trump administration said it changed the name of the Kennedy Center without the Act of Congress to do so legally—then put up new signs anyway.
On Friday, the Trump administration did not release all the Epstein files, despite the law signed by Trump to do it.
On Friday, the Trump administration did not release all the Epstein files, despite the law signed by Trump to do it.
December 20, 2025 at 3:58 PM
On Thursday, the Trump administration said it changed the name of the Kennedy Center without the Act of Congress to do so legally—then put up new signs anyway.
On Friday, the Trump administration did not release all the Epstein files, despite the law signed by Trump to do it.
On Friday, the Trump administration did not release all the Epstein files, despite the law signed by Trump to do it.
President Donald Trump came to North Carolina on Friday to talk about the economy.
He ended up explaining how his wife organizes her lingerie drawer.
“I think she steams them,” he offered at one point
www.cnn.com/2025/12/19/p...
He ended up explaining how his wife organizes her lingerie drawer.
“I think she steams them,” he offered at one point
www.cnn.com/2025/12/19/p...
Trump talks about neuroses, purchasing chairs and his wife’s underwear drawer in latest affordability speech | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump came to North Carolina on Friday to talk about the economy.
www.cnn.com
December 20, 2025 at 3:29 PM
President Donald Trump came to North Carolina on Friday to talk about the economy.
He ended up explaining how his wife organizes her lingerie drawer.
“I think she steams them,” he offered at one point
www.cnn.com/2025/12/19/p...
He ended up explaining how his wife organizes her lingerie drawer.
“I think she steams them,” he offered at one point
www.cnn.com/2025/12/19/p...
With under two weeks to go before he’s sworn in, Zohran Mamdani has not announced many hires for his administration. One of the few that he has announced was forced to almost immediately resign Thursday after her past antisemitic tweets came to light. www.cnn.com/2025/12/18/p...
A top Zohran Mamdani appointee resigns due to old antisemitic posts | CNN Politics
With under two weeks to go before he’s sworn in, New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has not announced many hires for his administration. One of the few that he has announced was forced to almost...
www.cnn.com
December 19, 2025 at 1:02 AM
With under two weeks to go before he’s sworn in, Zohran Mamdani has not announced many hires for his administration. One of the few that he has announced was forced to almost immediately resign Thursday after her past antisemitic tweets came to light. www.cnn.com/2025/12/18/p...
Reposted by Isaac Dovere
among specific questions Mamdani and his aides did not answer for this story:
-how will he go about ordering Netanyahu's arrest if he comes to New York?
-how will he implement BDS policy throughout city govt?
-will he actually end NYPD work w/Israel? www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/p...
-how will he go about ordering Netanyahu's arrest if he comes to New York?
-how will he implement BDS policy throughout city govt?
-will he actually end NYPD work w/Israel? www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/p...
Mamdani and top New York rabbis will meet privately, but their core divide remains unresolved | CNN Politics
The Friday after Zohran Mamdani won, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch gave a sermon saying that he believed the incoming New York mayor’s criticisms of Israel aligned with Hamas and that critics of Israel wanted t...
www.cnn.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:41 AM
among specific questions Mamdani and his aides did not answer for this story:
-how will he go about ordering Netanyahu's arrest if he comes to New York?
-how will he implement BDS policy throughout city govt?
-will he actually end NYPD work w/Israel? www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/p...
-how will he go about ordering Netanyahu's arrest if he comes to New York?
-how will he implement BDS policy throughout city govt?
-will he actually end NYPD work w/Israel? www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/p...
“In 1654, Peter Stuyvesant tried & failed to stop the first Jews who ever sailed into our harbor from coming ashore. Since then,pretty much every elected mayor of NY had longstanding warm relations w/the city’s Jewish communities. So we are in some uncharted waters here.” www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/p...
Mamdani and top New York rabbis will meet privately, but their core divide remains unresolved | CNN Politics
The Friday after Zohran Mamdani won, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch gave a sermon saying that he believed the incoming New York mayor’s criticisms of Israel aligned with Hamas and that critics of Israel wanted t...
www.cnn.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:29 PM
“In 1654, Peter Stuyvesant tried & failed to stop the first Jews who ever sailed into our harbor from coming ashore. Since then,pretty much every elected mayor of NY had longstanding warm relations w/the city’s Jewish communities. So we are in some uncharted waters here.” www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/p...
Capsule of the moment: PA Gov. Josh Shapiro and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s event at the National Cathedral about disagreeing better was interrupted by four different people shouting at them until they were removed
December 10, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Capsule of the moment: PA Gov. Josh Shapiro and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s event at the National Cathedral about disagreeing better was interrupted by four different people shouting at them until they were removed
Jasmine Crockett to me on those already hitting her for talking about jumping into the TX Senate race by tomorrow:
“maybe normal people are like, ‘Oh, I’m being attacked, so maybe I don’t do this, maybe I run away.’ But I’m like, ‘I eat attacks for breakfast.’” www.cnn.com/2025/12/07/p...
“maybe normal people are like, ‘Oh, I’m being attacked, so maybe I don’t do this, maybe I run away.’ But I’m like, ‘I eat attacks for breakfast.’” www.cnn.com/2025/12/07/p...
Jasmine Crockett scrambles Democrats as she weighs a last-minute Texas Senate run | CNN Politics
Jasmine Crockett has two cashier’s checks made out to use on Monday: one to submit if she files for reelection for her US House seat, the other to jump into the already competitive Texas Democratic pr...
www.cnn.com
December 7, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Jasmine Crockett to me on those already hitting her for talking about jumping into the TX Senate race by tomorrow:
“maybe normal people are like, ‘Oh, I’m being attacked, so maybe I don’t do this, maybe I run away.’ But I’m like, ‘I eat attacks for breakfast.’” www.cnn.com/2025/12/07/p...
“maybe normal people are like, ‘Oh, I’m being attacked, so maybe I don’t do this, maybe I run away.’ But I’m like, ‘I eat attacks for breakfast.’” www.cnn.com/2025/12/07/p...
NEW: I talked to Jasmine Crockett at length about her down-to-the-wire decision on running for Senate in Texas w/tomorrow’s deadline.
“I’m not crazy. It’s weird that people believe that I could win the races that I won and I’m just like out here willy-nilly.” www.cnn.com/2025/12/07/p...
“I’m not crazy. It’s weird that people believe that I could win the races that I won and I’m just like out here willy-nilly.” www.cnn.com/2025/12/07/p...
Jasmine Crockett scrambles Democrats as she weighs a last-minute Texas Senate run | CNN Politics
Jasmine Crockett has two cashier’s checks made out to use on Monday: one to submit if she files for reelection for her US House seat, the other to jump into the already competitive Texas Democratic pr...
www.cnn.com
December 7, 2025 at 4:14 PM
NEW: I talked to Jasmine Crockett at length about her down-to-the-wire decision on running for Senate in Texas w/tomorrow’s deadline.
“I’m not crazy. It’s weird that people believe that I could win the races that I won and I’m just like out here willy-nilly.” www.cnn.com/2025/12/07/p...
“I’m not crazy. It’s weird that people believe that I could win the races that I won and I’m just like out here willy-nilly.” www.cnn.com/2025/12/07/p...
NEW from me - NY state senator @jamesskoufis.bsky.social is introducing a bill, w/already wide support, to move New York’s 2028 presidential primaries up to Super Tuesday.
“As large as we are, as important as our Dem electorate is, that will weed out the wannabes” www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/p...
“As large as we are, as important as our Dem electorate is, that will weed out the wannabes” www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/p...
New York lawmakers aim to move 2028 primaries up to Super Tuesday | CNN Politics
The voters who chose Zohran Mamdani might be about to get a bigger voice in picking Democrats’ next presidential nominee.
www.cnn.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:00 PM
NEW from me - NY state senator @jamesskoufis.bsky.social is introducing a bill, w/already wide support, to move New York’s 2028 presidential primaries up to Super Tuesday.
“As large as we are, as important as our Dem electorate is, that will weed out the wannabes” www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/p...
“As large as we are, as important as our Dem electorate is, that will weed out the wannabes” www.cnn.com/2025/12/03/p...
With the Tennessee results, now the internal Democratic debate looking for lessons into 2026 will be about whether a more traditionally “better” candidate than Behn would have won or a more traditionally “better” candidate wouldn’t have been able to make it as much of a race
December 3, 2025 at 2:46 AM
With the Tennessee results, now the internal Democratic debate looking for lessons into 2026 will be about whether a more traditionally “better” candidate than Behn would have won or a more traditionally “better” candidate wouldn’t have been able to make it as much of a race
Jim McGreevey goes the way of Cuomo -- a New Jersey and New York governor both once talked about for bigger things in the Democratic Party, both resigned in very different sexually-tinged scandals, both tried comebacks to be mayor, both losing big to much lesser known candidates
December 3, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Jim McGreevey goes the way of Cuomo -- a New Jersey and New York governor both once talked about for bigger things in the Democratic Party, both resigned in very different sexually-tinged scandals, both tried comebacks to be mayor, both losing big to much lesser known candidates
NEW - I spent yesterday with Ro Khanna, as *his bill* passed for the Epstein files release. He explained how he did it, and what that means:
“On one of the biggest things, which is getting MAGA on board, it’s not just ideas. I’m able to get things done.” www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/p...
“On one of the biggest things, which is getting MAGA on board, it’s not just ideas. I’m able to get things done.” www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/p...
Ro Khanna explains how he helped engineer the vote that ‘ripped MAGA apart’ | CNN Politics
The House vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files was, in the end, 427-1. That’s a margin typically reserved for proclamations and post office namings, not for what was perhaps the biggest defeat of...
www.cnn.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:09 PM
NEW - I spent yesterday with Ro Khanna, as *his bill* passed for the Epstein files release. He explained how he did it, and what that means:
“On one of the biggest things, which is getting MAGA on board, it’s not just ideas. I’m able to get things done.” www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/p...
“On one of the biggest things, which is getting MAGA on board, it’s not just ideas. I’m able to get things done.” www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/p...