and tamara keith of npr. she joins us from dayton, ohio.o both of you, tam, in dayton, and amy walter right here in the studio. amy, let's pick up where yamiche was reporting. what does it say that senator chuck grassley, longest-serving republican in the senate, who back in february said that president trump was irresponsible, and i'm quoting here "encouraged his own vice president to take unconstitutional actions." now in october, he is happy to have his endorsement? >> amy: he gave you the answer. i wouldn't say no to someone who has a 91% approval rating among republicans in this state. donald trump easily won the state of iowa,ven as polls during the end of the 2020 campaign showed it may be a lot closer. the senate rce showed polls being close, ended up not being close at all. he knows exactly what he needs to do to win. and that's where this energy that we're seeing on the republic side is coming, the primary base, people who will show up, go to conventions and primaries. if you're a republican and you're running and you have other r

tamara keith and amy walter break down the latest political news. a pakistani musician embraces tradition while charting a new path. and much more. >> woodruff: today the biden administration unveiled its long awaited approach to trade relations with china. u.s. trade representative katherine tai said she would restart trade tas with beijing, but maintain most trump-era tariffs on china. nick schifrin is here to explain. so nick, hello, tell us what exactly did the u.s. trade representative announce. >> that biden will not move away from trump era tariffs, will not launch a full scale negotiation with china and will instead enforce president trump's trade deal with china. that trade deal is known as phase one in which beijing promised to buy about $200 billion of american goods. but the peterson institute says china has only bought 62 cents for every $1 it promised. ambassador tai said she would hold china accountable to its commitments but it was very restrained criticism and took pains not to say that she supported a trade war. >> our analysis ind

and tamara keith of npr. >> woodruff: hello to both of you.ics monday, amy and tam, welcome back. so, tam, let's start with where we think we are. i see you wincing already. we heard lisa reporting that they're back at it, and there has just been a report i think from cnn that senator sanders and senator manchin met today. they said afterwards to reporters they're going to keep meeting, keep talking. but at this point, how worried ould president biden be? >> tamara: and i think you've asked that question maybe three weeks ago -- >> woodruff: sorry about that. so sorry. >> tamara: i think that there is, from outside, certainly a perception there is not a lot of movement. and senator sanders complained there is so much focus on the fight and not enough focus on the content and what's in the legislation. but part of the problem is that the fight is about what is going to be in the legislation. and they simply haven't agreed yet on what will be in it. so will child care be for everyone? ll paid family leave be for everyone? will universal pre-"k"

and tamara keith of npr. hello to both of you, it is politics monday. talk about this build back better, i remember asking the two of you about this, i remember tam, saying as i asked her about this, i will not forget thalook. >> but there does seem to be as lisa desjardins was reporting earlier in the program some movement of forces at play. >> you have so many forces at play. you have congressional democrats who are wore he-- worried about a real deadline at the end of the month with transportation fundinrunning out. you have the president who is looking at wanting to go overseas with a victory especially on something like climate change. and you have the governor race in virginia with the democrat saying i need to have some momentum so that democrats in my state feel good about what is going on across river in washington. feel like biden is actually getting some stuff dun. president biden is actually coming not far from where we are sitting right now on tuesday, tomorrow to try to rally support. but it will be more helpful for-- if joe biden gets a l

it all are politics monday team, amy walter of "the cook political" report with amy walter and tamara keithinner p.r. hello to both of you on this monday. good see you. let's just dive right in. tam, it was our lead story tonight, this stan off between president biden and -- and the senate minority leader mitch mcconnell pointing fingers over something we know has to be raised the debt ceiling, it can't sit where it is. it has to go up so what is this all about? >> every time there is a debt ceiling fight, there are finishings pointed everywhere. and it's all about spending that has already happened. this isn't about spending that's coming in the future. this is allowing toupee our bills as a country. but president biden and mitch mcconnell have now exchanged letters and words and -- and they are not seemingly looking for a path out of this. they're both dug in. the question is, does the public care? maybe not right now if the u.s. default ons its debt, the public will suddenly care a lot and they'll start wondering who's fault it was. and right now they're pointing in opposite directions t