Washington (CNN)In their new book "Peril," journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa explore the opening months of Joe Biden's presidency, including how Biden was hellbent not to let the military stop him from withdrawing from Afghanistan and how Donald Trump's shadow hangs over the Biden presidency.

The book explores Biden's determination to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan despite resistance from top advisers. Biden was resolute on getting US troops out, having wrestled with the issue for nearly 20 years -- and having watched, as vice president, military and national security leaders box in then-President Barack Obama in his first year when he wanted to end the US war in Afghanistan.

Biden believed the military manipulated Obama.

"The military doesn't fuck around with me," Biden told others in 2009, implying they had with Obama, according to the book.

WASHINGTON — Calling former President Donald J. Trump “a cancer for the country,” Representative Anthony Gonzalez, Republican of Ohio, said in an interview on Thursday that he would not run for re-election in 2022, ceding his seat after just two terms in Congress rather than compete against a Trump-backed primary opponent.

Mr. Gonzalez is the first, but perhaps not the last, of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Mr. Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to retire rather than face ferocious primaries next year in a party still in thrall to the former president.

The congressman, who has two young children, emphasized that he was leaving in large part because of family considerations and the difficulties that come with living between two cities. But he made clear that the strain had only grown worse since his impeachment vote, after which he was deluged with threats and feared for the safety of his wife and children.

Mr. Gonzalez said that quality-of-life issues had been paramount in his decision. He recounted an “eye-opening” moment this year: when he and his family were greeted at the Cleveland airport by two uniformed police officers, part of extra security precautions taken after the impeachment vote.

A shooting outside a popular restaurant in New York City's Upper East Side has left a man injured and sent diners running for their lives on Wednesday.

Police say the gunman appeared to have targeted two men dining outdoors at high-end Chinese restaurant Phillipe Chow on East 60th Street. Shots were fired around 10:30 p.m. and a bullet struck a 28-year-old man in the leg. He was transported to Cornell Hospital where he's expected to recover, police said.

The violence initially began as a robbery, according to police sources. A man in his 30s had his Rolex stolen but another man put up a fight and the shooting ensued.

No arrests have been made but police said two men in their 20s fled the scene in a blue sedan heading eastbound.

Max Rose is officially plotting a comeback bid.

The Staten Island Democrat is preparing to launch a rematch as soon as this fall against GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis — and Rose may get a leg up, given the seat will likely become far more favorable in redistricting. It’s a rare spot of optimism for House Democrats in the uphill battle to keep their majority.

The 34-year old Army veteran was one of 13 House Democrats who fell to GOP challengers in the 2020 election, which was brutal for down-ballot candidates. Rose would be the second of those to formally declare another campaign, while half a dozen more continue to mull another run.

Rose has begun hiring a campaign team since leaving his post on President Joe Biden’s Covid task force in June, as well as reaching out to supporters in anticipation of another run, according to sources close to the former congressman.

“There are a lot of clearly angry people who want to march on the Capitol,” said Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Republican. “I haven’t talked to a single Republican up here in the Senate that has encouraged or enabled anything like that.”

Nevertheless, the “Justice for J6” rally, to be held at noon on Saturday at the foot of Capitol Hill, has created a predicament for Republicans, who are caught between a hard-right base including many voters who consider the rioters righteous and a desire to distance themselves from the attack and its political fallout.

“Anytime the attention is on Joe Biden it’s good for Republicans, and anytime the attention is on Jan. 6 it’s bad for Republicans,” said John Feehery, a Republican strategist and veteran of Capitol Hill. “The only hope Democrats have of keeping the House is to make Jan. 6 the issue of the campaign. They know that, and we know that. The only people who don’t seem to know that are the activists.”

That has left top Republicans in an uncomfortable spot, toiling to distance themselves from an event that is certain to dredge up the subject of the Capitol riot — and that could potentially spiral out of control — but wary of offending voters who sympathize with the cause.

Reps. John Katko and Claudia Tenney could see their districts merged next year, forcing a Republican primary, under a draft plan proposed today by the New York Independent Redistricting Commission.

The merged districts are one of two competing plans the bipartisan commission floated for the Central New York congressional seats after it failed to reach a consensus.

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The public will have a chance to comment on the draft maps, starting next month. The commission plans to hold 12 public hearings across the state to ask for feedback on the proposals.

After the comment period, the commission is required to send final maps to the state Legislature by January. The Legislature has the final say of whether to approve or reject the maps.