On August 8, 2026, the Wall Street Journal released a quick‑fire quiz testing readers on recent political and economic headlines. The eight questions covered everything from a new CDC chief to a controversial AI‑written novel.

Erica Schwartz was confirmed as the new CDC chief after graduating from Erica Schwartz’ medical school. Salaries for highly‑skilled tech professionals have surged, with figures reaching astronomical levels. A $2 million book deal fell through after critics said the author used artificial intelligence; the title was "The Algorithmic Novel." Abdul El‑Sayed narrowly won the Michigan Democratic Senate primary by about 10,000 votes. Voters rejected a measure to let lawmakers eliminate the state income tax by a landslide margin. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wants the Fed to expand dollar lending to Japan, with US Treasury bonds serving as collateral. Rep. Chuck Edwards (R., N.C.) announced he would not seek re‑election after a House probe found evidence of campaign finance violations. Silicon Valley’s free primary school closed after receiving $125 million in funding from a private foundation.

These questions highlighted the intersection of public health, technology, and fiscal policy that dominated the news cycle this week.