Comment on Obamas' Martha's Vineyard Vacation Begins (SLIDESHOW)

This article is part of The D. C. Brief, TIME’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. Among Democrats, there’s a pretty universal understanding that the next two years are shaping up to be a joyless slog, one in which Donald Trump again sets the national agenda, the Senate serves as a willing—but not universally compliant—partner, and the still-for-grabs House falling into a too-close-for-anything-big stasis.

President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris means U. S. health policy may soon be shaped, at least in part, by one of the country’s most notorious vaccine skeptics: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. At this point, no one knows exactly what Trump’s second term will mean for vaccine policy or health policy more broadly.

Virus season means lots of sniffles, coughs, and fevers—most of which you can treat at home. But when should you drag yourself out of bed to consult a doctor? “Going to see the doctor every time you’re sick is honestly not the best use of a person’s time,” says Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, vice president of in-office care at One Medical, a membership-based primary care service provider.

Vladimir Putin did not come running. He let his spokesman react on Wednesday to the outcome of the U. S. presidential race, proclaiming that the Kremlin has no plans to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory. If the U. S. wants the peace deal Trump promised during his campaign, the Russians signaled that he would need to earn it, and the price for Ukraine would be particularly high. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] “The message is, if you want a deal, you’re going to crawl on your knees for it,” says Nina Khrushcheva, an authority on Russian politics and foreign affairs at the New School.

America has the world’s longest-lasting written constitution. It’s been through a lot—one Civil War, two World Wars, a Great Depression, and all the shocks of the early 21st century. It’s been amended 27 times, though not since 1992. The document, you might think, has shown some staying power. But even after all of that, the 2024 U.

President Joe Biden stepped into the Rose Garden Thursday to acknowledge Donald Trump’s victory over his Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden has been here before. Eight years ago, he stood in the same spot next to outgoing President Barack Obama after the Democrats suffered a stinging defeat from Donald Trump. Then, Biden wore a red tie, an outward sign of civility toward Republicans.