Queen Elizabeth's passing marks the end of multiple political eras: The Note
The living presidents remembered her with remarkable similarity.
The TAKE with Rick Klein
There aren't many news events that carry the ability to temporarily unite American political factions and even chill the overheated political climate.
It took the death of a foreign leader to create a singular moment. The passing of Queen Elizabeth II marks the end of any number of eras -- as someone whose long reign and unique style placed her as a quietly dominant figure for nearly a third of American history, though all or parts of 14 presidencies.
The living presidents and their spouses remembered her with remarkable similarity. President Joe Biden praised her "unwavering commitment to duty"; former President Donald Trump "her unwavering devotion"; the Obamas her "tireless, dignified public service"; the Bushes "her strong and steadfast friendship"; the Clintons her "unfailing grace, dignity, and genuine care"; the Carters her "dignity, graciousness, and sense of duty."
It's nearly impossible to imagine the next chapter in U.S.-U.K. relations resembling that bipartisan melody. Part of that is due to the unusual fact that there's now not just a new monarch but a new British prime minister, who comes to office with few longstanding relationships and little defined international track record.
Also a factor is that King Charles III comes to the throne after a long history of speaking out on what, at least in the U.S., have been politically charged issues, most notably with his decades-long advocacy for confronting climate change.
Just this past summer, one of the king's sons, Harry, gave a speech at the U.N. bemoaning the "rolling back of constitutional rights" in the U.S. Justice Samuel Alito, who authored the decision overturning a constitutional right to an abortion, took that as a shot at his opinion and mocked it in a speech in Rome.
Any unity stemming from a moment of mourning and remembrance will, of course, be temporary. What's next will be as unpredictable as the late queen's presence was steady.
The RUNDOWN with Averi Harper
Buses of migrants headed from red states to cities led by Democrats -- including her own -- prompted Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser to declare a public emergency.
The move by Republican governors in border states like Arizona and Texas was labeled by Bowser's office on Thursday as a "political stunt." In D.C., Bowser's declaration also established an office of migrant services to helm the humanitarian response.
"With this plan, we are staying true to our DC values and building a system that will support a compassionate, consistent, and well-coordinated response," Bowser said in a statement.
Thousands of migrants have arrived by bus to the nation's capital, funded by taxpayers in Texas and other states. New York City and Chicago have also received migrants via bus. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot put the blame squarely on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
"He's manufacturing a human crisis, and it makes no sense to me," Lightfoot said in a Labor Day Weekend news conference.
The move, though it has cost Texans and may encourage more border crossings, could give Abbott -- who says he's sending the migrants along in protest of national Democrats' border policies -- a boost with his GOP base as he seeks reelection in the fall over challenger Beto O'Rourke.
It will also be a serious test of so-called sanctuary cities' capacity to accommodate an influx of those coming into the country.
The TIP with Alisa Wiersema
While acknowledging the queen's passing on Thursday with canceled events, Biden is closing out the week by keeping his schedule on track with a victory lap in Ohio. The president heads to the 2022 Senate battleground on Friday to tout the impact of the CHIPS and Science Act during a visit to Licking County -- an area he lost by double-digits in 2020.
According to the White House, the president will deliver remarks about rebuilding American manufacturing at the groundbreaking of a new Intel semiconductor facility. Although the visit will highlight the importance of American business investments, it also offers an opportunity for Biden to tout bipartisan optics in a GOP-friendly county ahead of a competitive midterm election.
The state's top Republican, incumbent Gov. Mike DeWine, will also participate in the event alongside other state and local officials. Earlier this week, DeWine received Trump's endorsement despite having already beat out three far-right challengers in May.
Unlike many of the candidates on Trump's endorsement list, DeWine did not embrace the former president's false election denial claims and was resolute about implementing pandemic-era safety measures. Although those moves put him at odds with some of his deeply conservative constituents in the primary season, the incumbent's willingness to appear with Biden signals DeWine is confident about his odds in the general election against Nan Whaley.
NUMBER OF THE DAY, powered by FiveThirtyEight
45. That's the number of points separating Democrats and Republicans on the question of whether they have a favorable opinion of the Supreme Court, according to an Aug.1-14 Pew Research Center poll. Seventy-three percent of Republicans said they had a favorable opinion versus just 28% of Democrats, and as FiveThirtyEight's Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux writes, the court's unpopularity could prove a real boon for Democrats even though the court isn't on the ballot this November.
THE PLAYLIST
ABC News' "Start Here" Podcast. "Start Here" begins Friday morning with a look at the life of Britain's longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. ABC News royal contributor Victoria Magee leads us off. Then ABC's Zoe Magee discusses the next steps for the British royal family. And, ahead of the anniversary of Sept. 11, we take a trip to the New York City Medical Examiner's Office to learn more about the ongoing efforts to identify remains from the World Trade Center site all these years later. http://apple.co/2HPocUL
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY
- President Biden will head to Ohio to attend the groundbreaking of the new Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility and tout the CHIPS funding bill he signed. He is scheduled to speak at 12:15 p.m. ET.
- Early voting begins in Massachusetts.
- Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley campaigns on behalf of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in Atlanta.
- ABC’s “This Week” Roundtable: Former New Jersey Governor and ABC News Contributor Chris Christie, Former DNC Chair and ABC News Contributor Donna Brazile, Washington Post National Political Correspondent Mary Jordan and New York Times White House and National Security Correspondent David Sanger.
Download the ABC News app and select "The Note" as an item of interest to receive the day's sharpest political analysis.
The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the day's top stories in politics. Please check back next week for the latest.
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