Quiet weekend in Washington belies noise and threats ahead: The Note

The TAKE with Rick Klein

Just because there wasn’t a repeat doesn’t mean it’s all in the past.

Some combination of the show of security forces, waning support for revisiting the past and even former President Donald Trump’s own warnings meant that the worst fears around Saturday’s rally outside the Capitol didn’t materialize. But noise -- and even threats -- are still to come.

That goes for action inside the Capitol, with virtually all of the rest of President Joe Biden’s agenda in the balance amid anger and frustration inside his own party, all at a tenuous moment in the pandemic.

That goes for national security, with a horrible revelation about an attack in Afghanistan, a diplomatic row with France and a worsening situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, which all demand answers and accountability.

And that goes for the forces that led to Jan. 6, plus continuing efforts to redefine what happened. Trump’s stepped-up political activity comes as he expresses sympathy for those facing prosecution over their roles in the Capitol riots and as he continues to push lies about the 2020 election.

In their new book, "Peril," Bob Woodward and Robert Costa write at length about Sen. Lindsey Graham’s efforts to get Trump to admit he lost so he and the party could rebuild.

"I think he’s redeemable. I think he’s got magic, and he’s got darkness," Graham is quoted as saying. "His desire to be successful and to be seen as being successful is my best hope."

Graham and many others have had those hopes before. None, though, have expressed much confidence that Trump is any closer to telling the truth about the last election -- or even that he’s willing to condemn those who advocate political violence on his behalf.

The RUNDOWN with Averi Harper

In North Carolina, a panel of judges struck down the state's voter ID requirement, citing racial discrimination.

"S.B. 824 was motivated at least in part by an unconstitutional intent to target African American voters," wrote Judges Michael J. O'Foghludha and Vince M. Rozier, Jr. in their decision. The judges later added, referring to GOP state lawmakers, "The Republican majority "target(ed) voters who, based on race, were unlikely to vote for the majority party. Even if done for partisan ends, that constitute(s) racial discrimination."

The ruling comes before any federal voting legislation has been passed in Congress. All previous attempts there have been thwarted by Republicans and conservative Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Manchin called for the buy-in of GOP lawmakers in order for any voting legislation to garner his support.

Manchin's own revised plan, a second attempt to reach across the aisle on the issue, could be brought up for a vote as early as this week.

If it fails, and many expect his proposal will, it will only intensify the conversation around eliminating the filibuster or creating a carve out of the filibuster rule for voting rights.

Manchin has remained staunchly opposed to both. When asked about a carve out in the rule, the West Virginia senator told ABC News' Allison Pecorin and Briana Stewart, "The filibuster is permanent."

The TIP with Alisa Wiersema

For a third time this year, the Texas legislature will reconvene for a special session to take on several outstanding priorities laid out by Gov. Greg Abbott. Lawmakers will hit restart on issues regarding trans-youth sport participation, COVID-19 vaccine mandates and the allocation of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, while also tackling the looming issue of redistricting.

Unlike the previous two special sessions, this one was always on the books due to 2020 census data granting Texas two more congressional districts because of its population growth. According to the Texas Demographic Center, in the last decade the population grew by nearly 4 million people with Latinos contributing most to the change.

The once-in-a decade opportunity to redraw district borders comes on the heels of bitter partisan divisions over voting rights that spanned the summer. State Democrats engaged in three quorum breaks in opposition to the legislative efforts across the aisle, but ultimately, the bill was passed by the Republican majority and signed into law by Abbott earlier this month.

The months of political tensions will serve as context for the sharp spotlight put on the GOP-controlled government's approach to incorporating the state's growing diversity into political maps.

ONE MORE THING

Russian President Vladimir Putin complained to President Joe Biden about calling him a "killer" in an ABC News interview, according to Bob Woodward and Robert Costa's "Peril," a new book out Tuesday. The book, obtained by ABC News ahead of its Sept. 21 release, recounts the 2020 presidential election and the chaos of the final months of the Trump administration, as well as the early stages of Biden's presidency.

THE PLAYLIST

ABC News' "Start Here" podcast. Monday morning’s episode features the latest on the disappearance of Gabby Petito with ABC News' Trevor Ault from North Port, Florida. Then, ABC News' Anne Flaherty on an FDA panel's recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine boosters and why only a select group will likely qualify. And, ABC News' Kenneth Moton reports from the Texas border where immigration officials are addressing a surge in migrants from Haiti. http://apple.co/2HPocUL

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