带走里克·克莱因
美国最长的战争现在正处于可以想象到的最长、也许是最悲惨的结局之中——一场灾难性的、混乱的致命的末期即使在美军预计的时候，这种情况仍在继续更多的恐怖袭击。
总统引用的疏散数字乔·拜登和他的白宫已经被美国十年来从未有过的伤亡数字所掩盖。军方领导人警告说情况可能会变得更糟-恐怖分子向飞机开火，自杀式炸弹袭击者受到周四大屠杀的启发，或者美国军人再次陷入不情愿的战斗。
它们是可能性周四晚些时候，拜登遭遇了，在承诺“武力和精确”报复应对13名美军死亡负责的人时:“我们不会原谅。我们不会忘记。我们会追捕你，让你付出代价。”
那个誓言可能会在混乱中丢失阿富汗现在，虽然拜登的政治损失没有在共和党内衡量要求他辞职或者弹劾。这只能部分用民主党的倒戈来衡量——越来越多的议员公开呼吁政府下台，还有那些呼吁拜登延长8月31日撤军的最后期限。
民意调查显示，拜登的地位比任何一位现代总统都要稳定，直到大约10天前。在他的总统任期内，拜登的支持率和不支持率首次基本持平;2006年，这一比例已经达到47%五点三十八分的民意调查汇总。
尽管如此后果可能会更严重仍然如此。拜登周四表示，“美国说什么很重要”，这表明了一点:很难将这一时刻视为美国对阿富汗人或长期承担这场战争代价的美国人的承诺。
与...的关系阿维·哈珀
在阿富汗撤军的整个过程中，拜登得到了共和党人的猛烈回击。着眼于中期选举，努力赢回国会两院，肯定会有共和党人致力于打造阿富汗投票问题。
“乔·拜登手上有血，”发推众议员埃利斯·斯特凡尼克，共和党众议院会议主席。“这场可怕的国家安全和人道主义灾难完全是乔·拜登领导软弱无能的结果。他不适合当总司令。”
这条攻击线不是万无一失的。虽然导致塔利班接管喀布尔的明显情报失误确实落在了拜登政府身上，但人们不能忘记，特朗普政府与塔利班、前国务卿进行了谈判迈克·蓬佩奥，一个可能的2024年竞争者，扮演着重要角色。
前国家安全顾问说:“试图从这次撤军中解脱出来，我认为很难，如果不是不可能的话，尤其是改写历史，讲述实际发生的事情。”约翰·博尔顿说。“我认为这是民主党攻击广告的处方，对某人的可信度将是致命的。”
尽管这次行动造成的伤亡，包括13名阵亡的美国军人，是毁灭性的，喀布尔大屠杀的画面震撼了整个国家，但美国人的关注时间可能很短。离选民投票还有一年多的时间。如果疏散任务在下周结束，在美国人投票时，这不太可能成为首要任务。此外，当选民在2022年做出选择时，很可能是离家更近的事情对他们的决定影响最大。
小费奎因·斯坎兰
弗吉尼亚共和党提交了一份诉讼据《每日邮报》报道，周四，特里·麦考利夫试图取消大选投票资格，声称他的初选前候选人声明应该被拒绝，因为表格中没有民主党州长候选人的签名形式由该党提供并经选举部核实。
正如它一再对他的对手麦考利夫那样活动已启动回来追平联邦的共和党前总统。
“我们的竞选团队提交了所需的文件。这只不过是弗吉尼亚共和党不顾一切地剥夺选民在这次选举中的选择权，因为特里在民调中一直领先，”一名竞选发言人说。
弗吉尼亚大学法学院副院长迈克尔·吉尔伯特教授告诉美国广播公司，他怀疑诉讼会成功，因为“违规是无害的，寻求的补救措施——将麦考利夫从11月的大选投票中除名——是极端的。”
吉尔伯特补充说，目前还不清楚是否需要签名。弗吉尼亚条例没有指定需要候选人的签名，也没有指定形式。
麦考利夫的形式也缺少一个电话号码，但弗吉尼亚共和党的诉讼并不反对这一缺失的细节。
Bad goes to tragic for Biden on Afghanistan: The Note
The TAKE withRick Klein
America's longest war is now in the midst of the longest and perhaps most tragic imaginable ending -- a catastrophic, chaotic anddeadly end stagethat continues even while U.S. forces are expectingmore terrorist attacks.
The evacuation figures being cited by PresidentJoe Bidenand his White House have been eclipsed by U.S. casualty numbers not seen in a decade. Military leaders warnit could get worse-- terrorists firing at aircraft, suicide bombers inspired by Thursday's carnage or American service members drawn into reluctant combat all over again.
They are possibilitiesBiden confronted late Thursday, in promising "force and precision" to retaliate against those responsible for the deaths of 13 American troops: "We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay."
That vow could be lost in the mess that isAfghanistannow, though the political toll for Biden isn't measured in Republicancalls for his resignationor impeachment. It's only partly measured by the Democratic defections -- the growing number of lawmakers calling the administration out publicly, and thosecalling on Bidento extend the Aug. 31 deadline for troop withdrawal.
An early glimpse emerges in public-opinion polling, where Biden's standing has been steadier than any modern president's until about 10 days ago. For the first time in his presidency, Biden's approval and disapproval ratings are just about even; the lines have converged at 47% inFiveThirtyEight's poll aggregation.
For all that, thefallout could be greaterstill. Biden said Thursday that "what America says matters," and that makes the point: It's hard to cast this moment as delivering on the U.S. commitment to Afghans or to Americans who have long shouldered this war's costs.
The RUNDOWN withAveri Harper
Throughout the troop withdrawal mission in Afghanistan, Biden has gottenfierce blowback from Republicans. With an eye toward the midterms and an effort to win back both chambers of Congress there will surely be Republicans who aim to make Afghanistana voting issue.
"Joe Biden has blood on his hands,"tweetedRep. Elise Stefanik, the GOP House conference chair. "This horrific national security and humanitarian disaster is solely the result of Joe Biden's weak and incompetent leadership. He is unfit to be Commander-in-Chief."
This line of attack isn't foolproof. While the glaring intelligence failure that ushered in the Taliban takeover in Kabul does fall on the Biden administration, it cannot be forgotten that the Trump administration negotiated with the Taliban, with former Secretary of StateMike Pompeo, a possible 2024 contender, playing a major role.
"Trying to extricate yourself from this withdrawal is I think difficult, if not impossible to do, especially to rewrite history about what actually happened," former national security adviserJohn Boltonsaid. "I think that's a prescription for Democratic attack ads that would be fatal to someone's credibility."
Though the casualties of the operation, including the 13 U.S. service members who were killed, are devastating and the images of carnage in Kabul have gripped the nation -- American attention spans can be short. There is more than a year until voters head to the polls. If the evacuation missions wrap up next week, it is unlikely to be at the top of mind as Americans cast their ballots. Additionally, when voters make their selections in 2022, it's likely to bematters closer to homethat weigh most heavily in their decisions.
The TIP withQuinn Scanlan
The Republican Party of Virginia filed alawsuitThursday seeking to disqualify Terry McAuliffe from the general election ballot, alleging his pre-primary statement of candidacy should have been rejected because the Democratic gubernatorial nominee's signature was missing from the form, according to theformprovided by the party and verified by the Department of Elections.
As it has repeatedly done to his opponent, McAuliffe'scampaign firedback bytying the commonwealth'sRepublican Party to theformer president.
"Our campaign submitted the required paperwork. This is nothing more than a desperate Trumpian move by the Virginia GOP to deprive voters of a choice in this election because Terry is consistently leading in the polls," a campaign spokesperson said.
Professor Michael Gilbert, the vice dean of the University of Virginia School of Law, told ABC News hedoubted the lawsuitwould succeed because "the violation is harmless, and the remedy sought -- removing McAuliffe from the general election ballot in November -- is extreme."
Gilbert added that it's unclear a signature is required. Virginiastatutedoesn't specify that a candidate's signature is needed and neither does theform.
McAuliffe's form alsolacks a phone number, but the Virginia GOP's lawsuit doesn't take issue with that missing detail.
