Fitch Ratings placed U.S. credit on a negative watch Wednesday, in case the White House and Republican lawmakers fail to reach a deal on the debt ceiling, The Hill reports.

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Among debate issues; 

• Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), a close ally of President Biden (who was senior senator from Delaware when his first term began in 2001) has announced he will not seek a fifth term next year. Carper is the fourth incumbent Democratic senator choosing not to run in 2024, after Diane Feinstein of California, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Ben Cardin of Maryland.

•Will debt-ceiling discussions put the kibosh on President Biden’s agenda, and on his legacy as well?

•Should Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) resign early and potentially hand the 2024 Democratic primary for her seat to Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)?

•The Consumer Price Index was up 4.9% in April, still too high for the Federal Reserve, but reflecting a slow and continuing improvement over last year. Meanwhile, the Labor Department reported a week earlier that the U.S. economy added 253,000 jobs in April, higher than most economists had predicted. This comes after the Fed indicated its latest quarter-point interest rate hike might be its last for a while. All these high numbers could be fond memories of our 2023 economy if Congress fails to pass a debt ceiling increase in coming weeks.

•A Manhattan court awarded E. Jean Carroll $5 million in her sexual abuse and defamation case against Donald J. Trump, who of course, will appeal.