Heat wave partly to blame for surge in gas prices

Democrats hope Biden can ride the party’s special election wave: From the Politics Desk

Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill.

In today’s edition, national political reporter Ben Kamisar explains why Democrats’ success in special and off-year elections won’t necessarily give Biden a boost. Plus, Garrett Haake, who covers the ins and outs of Trump world, interviews new RNC co-chair Lara Trump.

Democrats notch another special election win, riding momentum that has eluded Biden so far

By Ben Kamisar

Democrats are celebrating the results of another special election that drew national attention — this time an almost 25-point victory in a swingy state House district in Alabama, where Republicans have faced backlash over a recent court case that put access to IVF at risk in the state.

The party’s success there, along with other recent special and off-year elections in competitive and even red-leaning areas, suggests there is a sizable well of enthusiasm for President Joe Biden to tap into this fall. But so far, it’s not clear if he will be able to ride the same wave of momentum as these down-ballot Democrats.

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The 81-year-old Biden remains unpopular as concerns over his age persist. At best, national and swing-state polls look like a coin-flip for the president, even as he seeks to emphasize issues like abortion rights that have led to Democratic gains elsewhere. Biden’s support with key segments of his coalition, particularly voters of color and young voters, remains soft.

Democrats point to the scoreboard as evidence Biden is in better shape than the polls suggest. After a better-than-expected 2022 midterm election showing, the party held onto the governorship in red Kentucky last year, all while the abortion-rights-supporters side swept key ballot measures. More recently, Democrats won pivotal special elections for the U.S. House in New York and the state House in Pennsylvania.

But it’s difficult to draw a straight line from special and off-year elections to a presidential contest. Special elections are typically low-turnout affairs: Less than 6,000 votes were cast in Tuesday’s Alabama state House contest. So while abortion and IVF may have been an animating issue there, it’s unclear exactly how it will play out after billions of dollars are spent on further defining Biden and Donald Trump.

Plus, as 538’s Nathaniel Rakich wrote last month, while Democrats had a string of strong special election showings in most of 2023, Republicans have broadly done better in recent months.

Aside from these election results, Democrats are waiting for other positive indicators to catch up to Biden. He just embarked on a multimillion-dollar post-State of the Union advertising and travel blitz aimed at shoring up his 2020 coalition, there are signs that Americans’ views of the economy are improving, and a similarly unpopular Trump will be the first former president to go on trial in a matter of weeks, further shining a light on his wide-ranging legal woes.

With more than 200 days until Election Day, no matter what anyone says, the outlook for Biden — and for Trump — remains muddy.

The RNC’s answer to uniting the fractured party: Biden

By Garrett Haake

NBC News correspondent Garrett Haake interviews RNC co-chair Lara Trump.Frank Thorp V / NBC News

With less than a month on the job as a Republican National Committee co-chair and de-facto face of the national party, Lara Trump has a lot on her plate. But in our wide-ranging interview, what she seemed least troubled by was how she plans to unite a coalition of voters behind a deeply polarizing candidate in Donald Trump.

Her response? Joe Biden will do it for them.

Lara Trump’s answers to questions about outreach — to voters of color and the millions of Republicans who backed Nikki Haley and other candidates in the primary — revolved around Biden pushing, rather than Trump pulling, them back into the MAGA tent.

Asked about appealing to Haley’s supporters, she presented a binary choice.

“The option is Joe Biden or Donald Trump. And so whether you like his personality or not, should not have any bearing on anything. They are welcome to come back,” Lara Trump said. “We would love to have them come back.”

She also argued that gas prices, the situation at the southern border and America’s place on the world stage will motivate these voters to return.

When asked about expanding her father-in-law’s appeal to Black voters, where cutting into Biden’s major advantage in 2020 could swing key states, Lara Trump appeared more open to pursuing voters where they are, but around the same general theme.

“When you’re talking about reaching out to minority communities, these are the people oftentimes who have been hardest hit by some of the bad policies of Joe Biden,” she said. “So we certainly are going to be doing a lot of outreach.”

She went on to say that Trump would campaign in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit and New York City — only two of which are in battleground states, but all of which have large Black populations.

The push-not-pull strategy makes a certain amount of sense in this historic battle between two unpopular candidates who are essentially incumbents. If you can’t make yourself more popular, it’s a race to destroy the other guy first. Trump’s campaign and allies believe that his loyal supporters provide him with a higher floor than Biden, who faces doubts across the various flanks of his party.

Watch the full interview here →

🗞️ Today’s top stories

🩺 Obamacare deadline: The next president will decide the fate of Affordable Care Act subsidies. Biden has said he wants to extend them, but it’s not clear what Trump would do. Read more →
🏃 Battle-ground game: The Associated Press delves into the Trump campaign and the RNC’s ground game in key swing states — or lack thereof. Read more →
👀 Trump watch: Trump is expected to attend the wake Thursday of the New York police officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty this week. Read more →
↗️ Impeachment off-ramp: With Republicans lacking the votes to impeach Biden, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., is floating sending criminal referrals to the Justice Department instead. Read more →
⚖️ Decline to defend: Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake opted not to mount a defense against allegations that she defamed Maricopa County election officials following the 2022 elections. She will try to dispute damages instead. Read more →
☀️ The sun’ll come out tomorrow: Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., announced that she will not run for re-election, opening up a potentially competitive House seat. Read more →
📖 A $59.99 Bible: Trump released a “God Bless the U.S.A. Bible” priced at $59.99 (plus shipping and other fees) with country music singer Lee Greenwood. Read more →

That’s all from The Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com

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Best cooling sheets, pillows and mattresses to keep you sweat-free during this summer heat wave

Summer heat poses a serious threat. It’s important to have several methods of staying cool, even at night. While ceiling fans and air conditioners can help generate a cool breeze and some sleep-inducing white noise, they might feel worthless if you’re tossing and turning under sheets and blankets that just don’t breathe.

The shopping experts at CBS Essentials have discovered the best cooling sheets, pillows and even cooling mattress options to help you sleep comfortably all summer long.

All of these top-rated bedding essentials have a four-star rating or higher and include tons of positive customer reviews. Some are even on sale now.

Keep cool with these airy sheets, pillows and mattresses designed to regulate your temperature while you sleep. These breathable finds from Luxome, Night, Tempur-Pedic and more are made with fabrics that help keep sweat at bay. While we’ve found tons of discounts, you may find that many of these must-have bedding essentials are worth the splurge for a good night’s sleep.

Note that all prices listed are for queen-size items, prices vary by size.

Best cooling sheets and bedding

Stay cool throughout the night with these breathable cooling sheets and bedding options.

Purple SoftStretch sheet set

These 4.6-star-rated Purple sheets are made with bamboo to help promote a cool night’s sleep. These moisture-wicking, breathable sheets adapt to the body for ultimate support. The high-quality fabric is built to last so the sheets can stay their best no matter how often you wash them.

Choose from six colors.

Purple SoftStretch sheet set (queen), $189

Luxome luxury sheet set

These sheets are made from 100% pure bamboo viscose, a naturally moisture-wicking and thermal-regulating material. Find them in seven sizes and eight colors. The queen set comes with a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and two pillowcases.

Luxome luxury sheet set (queen), $160

Cozy Earth bamboo sheet set

These breathable sheets are perfect for staying cool this summer. The sheets are made from premium bamboo fabric and offer a cozy, oversized fit. The cooling sheet set includes a top sheet, a fitted sheet and two pillowcases.

This set was seen on Oprah’s favorite things list in 2018. Prices vary by size.

Cozy Earth bamboo sheet set (queen), $311 (reduced from $389)

Brooklinen linen core sheet set

The linen version of Brooklinen’s core sheet set is an excellent choice for summer. These light, airy sheets are cooler than cotton to help you avoid overheating at night. The set includes one fitted sheet, one flat sheet and two pillowcases.

Brooklinen linen core sheet set (queen), $299

Casper Hybrid pillow with Snow Technology

Casper’s new Hybrid pillow with Snow Technology is made with a foam and fiber design and features the brand’s Heat Delete bands for 12 hours of cooling. It’s outfitted with a Casper CoolTouch cover for a refreshing sensation.

“I’m very impressed with this pillow’s cooling abilities,” says CBS Essentials senior writer Lily Rose. “I sleep fairly hot. This pillow’s cooling tech really does last all night and feels so soothing on my head and neck, where I tend to get sweatiest. I also found the pillow to be incredibly supportive and comfortable. Pro tip — this cooling pillow also feels amazing if you sleep with it between your knees.”

Choose from queen and king sizes.

Casper Hybrid pillow with Snow Technology, $134 (regularly $149)

Night DualSilk washable pillowcase

Each side of this pillowcase has something different to offer. One side is made of mulberry silk, which absorbs less of your skincare for maximum hydration. The other is bamboo rayon, which wicks excess moisture, making it ideal for hot weather. Find it in four colors and two sizes.

Night DualSilk washable pillowcase (standard/queen), $60

Luna cooling weighted blanket

Weighted blankets provide enhanced comfort and are associated with better sleep. The Luna weighted blanket is made with high-quality, breathable cotton and premium glass beads. This cooling weighted blanket is available in full, queen and king sizes. Prices vary by size, weight and color.

Luna cooling weighted blanket (queen), $68 after coupon (reduced from $95)

MagicLinen gray-blue linen duvet cover set

This breathable linen duvet cover set comes in 21 colors and prints on the MagicLinen site. It comes with a duvet cover and two standard- or queen-size pillowcases. This set is available in twin, queen and king sizes.

MagicLinen gray-blue linen duvet cover set (queen), $329

Tempur-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling pillow

Don’t just look for a cooling pillowcase — your pillow can be cooling too. This special pillow has a Tempur-Breeze gel layer on both sides to help keep you cool. The Tempur-Pedic pillow has a breathable cotton cover and comes in king and queen sizes.

Tempur-Cloud Breeze Dual Cooling pillow bundle (queen), $199 (regularly $398)

Layla Sleep Kapok cooling pillow

These adjustable fill pillows are made from fibers found in the seed pods of kapok trees. The eco-friendly material is light and airy but still effectively supports your head and neck.

The pillows are adjustable and recommended for all sleepers, no matter your preferred sleeping position.

Layla Sleep Kapok cooling pillow, $109 (reduced from $139)

Best cooling mattresses for hot sleepers

What’s even better than cooling sheets? A cooling mattress. Check out this ultra-cool memory foam mattress.

Casper Snow mattress

Casper makes a mattress the brand claims will keep you up to five degrees cooler all night long. The Casper Snow mattress uses the brand’s Snow Technology combined with Casper’s HeatDelete Bands, Phase Change Material and a CoolTouch Cover to keep you cool while you sleep. It features three ergonomic zones to provide support and spinal alignment.

Choose from five sizes.

Casper Snow mattress, $1,696 (regularly $1,995)

Brooklyn Bedding Brooklyn Chill Memory Foam

brooklyn chill memory foam mattress — Brooklyn Bedding

The Brooklyn Chill mattress is made of a cooling gel swirl memory foam. The open-cell technology in each foam layer claims to provide increased airflow and breathability. This cooling mattress comes in a large range of sizes.

Brooklyn Bedding Brooklyn Chill Memory Foam (queen), $393 (reduced from $524)

Heat wave partly to blame for surge in gas prices

Heat wave partly to blame for surge in gas prices – CBS News

Watch CBS News

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline has risen about 30 cents in the last month. The increase is due in part to scorching temperatures which have forced some oil refineries, which are not designed to operate about 95 degrees, to cut production. Kris Van Cleave has more.

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Los Angeles officials fear wave of evictions after deadline to pay pandemic back rent passes

Los Angeles back rent deadline passes

Los Angeles officials fear increase in homeless population after back rent deadline passes

02:06

The deadline for Los Angeles renters to repay back rent that was missed during the first 19 months of the COVID-19 pandemic has come and gone. And with the expiration of the county’s eviction moratorium, officials across the city fear a rise in the homeless population.

Suzy Rozman was diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2021, lost her teaching job and fell eight months behind on her rent.

She now owes $9,000 in back rent. She said she can pay it back “slowly, but not how they want it.”

Thousands of Los Angeles tenants had rent waived during the first 19 months of the pandemic. Many owe a small fortune.

According to Zillow, the average monthly rent in Los Angeles is nearly $3,000 a month, a 75% jump since the pandemic began.

At the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, calls for help can wait three hours.

“It’s very hard for folks who are barely making it,” said Jeffrey Uno, the managing attorney at the foundation’s Eviction Defense Center.

He said the rent is all coming due “like a balloon payment. It’s frightening. Terrifying for most of them.”

In Los Angeles County alone, roughly 75,000 people — about the population of Scranton, Pennsylvania — have no permanent housing, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

“We are very concerned about the fact that many more people could fall into homelessness,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

And the problem isn’t limited to Los Angeles. Eviction protections in Hawaii, New York, Maryland, Minnesota and Illinois are set to expire in August.

Mark Strassmann

Mark Strassmann has been a CBS News correspondent since January 2001 and is based in the Atlanta bureau.

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Best smart thermostats to help you stay cool during this summer heat wave

It’s a great time to invest in a smart thermostat such as the Google Nest. An intense heat wave is covering the U.S. and a smart thermostat is an easy way keep your home’s temperature (and your energy bills) down. Smart programmable thermostats can automate the temperature in your home and intelligently limit energy usage when you’re not home. Plus, they can be controlled via smartphone so you can get the AC going when you’re on the way home or quickly check to see if you remembered to shut it off before summer travel.

We’ve compiled the best smart thermostats for 2023 to help you stay cool this summer.

Top products in this article:

Google Nest Learning Thermostat, $238 (reduced from $249)

Amazon smart thermostat, $80

Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, $249

Best smart thermostats to keep your home cool this summer

Smart thermostats add convenience to your smart home: They allow you to control your home’s temperature by voice command. You can also control temperature remotely, so your home can be cooled just before you arrive home from summer vacation.

An even better reason to use a smart thermostat? Savings on your energy bills. Some have sensors that detect when you are away from home and adjust temperatures accordingly. They also offer plenty of data on your energy usage, so you can track just how much you’ve used your air conditioning this summer (or heat in the coming winter).

Google Nest Learning Thermostat

Like other smart thermostats, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat is an energy saver. When you’re out of the house, the thermostat turns itself down. And like its competitors, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat can be controlled remotely via an app.

Unlike some other smart thermostats, and even some other Google Nest devices, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat doesn’t just process the numbers you feed it daily; it uses them to adjust the temperature to your preferences. If you allow it, the thermostat will, say, warm the house to 69 degrees by 7 a.m. because it knows you like the house that way when you wake up.

The battery-powered Google Nest Learning Thermostat is said to be compatible with 95% of home heating and air-conditioning systems. Rated 4.5 stars.

Google Nest Learning Thermostat, $238 (reduced from $249)

Google Nest Thermostat

The standard Google Nest thermostat is the third-best-selling programmable thermostat on Amazon.

Like the Google Nest Learning Thermostat, the Google Nest smart thermostat looks out for your energy bill, and turns itself down when you’re away. And like its sibling device, you can control it remotely via your phone or device of your choice. (And, yup, it works with either iOS or Android phones.) Google says that installation will take you about 30 minutes or less; the same amount of time it says you’d need to set up the Google Nest Learning Thermostat. Rated 4.3 stars.

Google Nest Thermostat, $114 (reduced from $130)

Honeywell Home RTH9600WF smart thermostat

Honeywell rth9600wf — Honeywell via Amazon

This Honeywell Home smart thermostat has a color display screen (that can even show you the day’s weather forecast), and it can be controlled via a variety of voice assistants, including Alexa and Google Assistant. Please note, Honeywell says a C-wire power adapter is required. Rated 4.4 stars.

Honeywell Home RTH9600WF Smart Color Thermostat, $140 (reduced from $169)

Honeywell Home T9 Wi-Fi smart thermostat

The Energy Star-certified Honeywell Home T9 Wi-Fi smart thermostat allows you to easily adjust the temperature from your mobile device or compatible smart home device. You can also add smart room sensors to focus the temperature on multiple rooms to fit your needs. Rated 4.5 stars.

Honeywell Home T9 Wi-Fi smart thermostat, $140 (reduced from $180)

Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat

Ecobee Lite SmartThermostat — Ecobee via Amazon

Formally known as the Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat, the energy-saving Ecobee Lite comes complete with a power-extender kit. (But it doesn’t require a C-wire.) You can control it with your Android or iOS device. Rated 4.6 stars.

Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat, Black, $132 (reduced from $150)

You can also get a bundle with an Ecobee3 Lite smart thermostat and a two-pack of Ecobee SmartSensor security devices for your doors and windows.

Ecobee Lite SmartThermostat, Black & SmartSensor for doors and windows 2-Pack, white, $203 (reduced from $259)

Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium

Ecobee’s new, premium smart thermostat features voice control with Siri and Alexa. This Ecobee premium thermostat also includes a built-in air quality monitor and smart sensor. Rated 4.5 stars.

Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, $249

Wyze programmable smart thermostat

The Wyze programmable smart thermostat is a budget friendly option. It offers an easy setup process and provides helpful usage tracking insights. The Wyze thermostat can be controlled via a mobile app or with Alexa and Google Assistant. Rated 4.0 stars.

Wyze programmable smart thermostat, $72

Amazon Smart Thermostat

The Amazon smart thermostat is the No. 1-selling programmable thermostat on Amazon. List prices start at $60 for a smart thermostat without a C-wire (or, common-wire) power adapter kit. You may need a C-wire adapter to properly hook up your smart thermostat — or you may not, depending on your current thermostat. (Best to check before you buy.)

As you might’ve guessed, the Amazon Smart Thermostat works with Alexa, but it’s not a two-way communication device. If you want to tell it that you’re leaving the house, and that you want it to adjust the air conditioning accordingly, then you need to give that instruction through the Alexa app or via an Alexa-enabled device. Rated 4.2 stars.

Amazon smart thermostat, $80

Benefits of smart thermostats

Not sure if a smart thermostat is right for you? Explore the benefits of smart thermostats below to learn more about why you may want to install one in your home.

Lower energy bills

A new smart thermostat could end up saving you quite a bit of money on electricity or gas — enough to pay back the thermostat many times over. A summary of studies on Nest thermostat usage show “savings equal to about 10% to 12% of heating usage and electric savings equal to about 15% of cooling usage in homes with central air conditioning.”

Voice and mobile app control

The best smart thermostats will also work with your existing smart home devices including smart speakers along. They also often have compatible mobile apps that let you control the temperature at home from anywhere.

Forgot to adjust the thermostat before you left the house? No problem, change the settings from anywhere so that you’re not wasting energy on heating or cooling the house when nobody’s home. You can even log back in later to adjust the temperature to your liking before you arrive home again. Want to turn up the heat without getting out of the covers? Ask Alexa or Google Assistant. Hands-free temperature adjustments are a major perk of having a smart thermostat.

Temperature automation

Love to some extra heat when you wake up in the morning or need the room cool to fall asleep at night? Some smart thermostats can learn your daily routine and temperature preferences to automatically adjust your home’s temperature to your preferences throughout the day.

Best cooling sheets, pillows and mattresses to keep you sweat-free during this summer heat wave

The shopping experts at CBS Essentials have discovered the best cooling sheets, pillows and even cooling mattress options to help you sleep comfortably all summer long.

All of these top-rated bedding essentials have a four-star rating or higher and include tons of positive customer reviews. Some are even on sale now.

Top products in this article:

Casper Hybrid pillow with Snow Technology, $134 (regularly $149)

Purple SoftStretch sheet set (queen), $189

Cozy Earth bamboo sheet set (queen), $311 (reduced from $389)

Note that all prices listed are for queen-size items, prices vary by size.