The Ledes

Tuesday, February 25, 2025 (02-25-2025)

Some Good News, for a change: ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “Astronomers have been carefully watching 2024 YR4, a space rock with a heightened chance of hitting Earth in 2032. But fear not: NASA announced on Monday that it posed a threat no longer — the odds that the asteroid would smash into our planet have dropped to nearly zero.”

New York Times: “Eleven days after the pope was hospitalized, speculation is mounting and prayers for his recovery verge on a vigil.”

The Wires
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The Ledes

Monday, February 24, 2025

New York Times: “Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent who leaped onto President John F. Kennedy’s limousine as it came under fire in Dallas and prevented a scrambling Jacqueline Kennedy from falling to the ground, died on Friday at his home in Belvedere, Calif. Mr. Hill, hailed for his bravery but long tormented by his inability to save the president’s life, was 93.”

New York Times: “Roberta Flack, the magnetic singer and pianist whose intimate blend of soul, jazz and folk made her one of the most popular artists of the 1970s, died on Monday in Manhattan. She was 88.”

New York Times: “Pope Francis is suffering from 'initial, mild kidney failure' in addition to the serious respiratory illness that has left the 88-year-old pontiff in critical condition in a Rome hospital, the Vatican said on Sunday. Describing a 'complex' clinical picture, the Vatican said that the kidney ailment was 'at present under control,' and that there had been no repeat of the respiratory crisis that the pope had experienced on Saturday. The pope was 'alert and well oriented,' the Vatican said, and he attended Mass in his suite along with the medical staff caring for him.”

Help!

To keep the Conversation going, please help me by linking news articles, opinion pieces and other political content in today's Comments section.

Link Code:   <a href="URL">text</a>

OR here's a link generator. The one I had posted died, then Akhilleus found one, but it too bit the dust. He found yet another, which I've linked here, and as of September 23, 2024, it's working.

OR you can always just block, copy and paste to your comment the URL (Web address) of the page you want to link.

Note for Readers. It is not possible for commenters to "throw" their highlighted links to another window. But you can do that yourself. Right-click on the link and a drop-down box will give you choices as to where you want to open the link: in a new tab, new window or new private window.

Thank you to everyone who has been contributing links to articles & other content in the Comments section of each day's "Conversation." If you're missing the comments, you're missing some vital links.

Marie: Sorry, my countdown clock was unreliable; then it became completely unreliable. I can't keep up with it. Maybe I'll try another one later.

 

Public Service Announcement

Zoë Schlanger in the Atlantic: "Throw out your black plastic spatula. In a world of plastic consumer goods, avoiding the material entirely requires the fervor of a religious conversion. But getting rid of black plastic kitchen utensils is a low-stakes move, and worth it. Cooking with any plastic is a dubious enterprise, because heat encourages potentially harmful plastic compounds to migrate out of the polymers and potentially into the food. But, as Andrew Turner, a biochemist at the University of Plymouth recently told me, black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid." This is a gift link from laura h.

Mashable: "Following the 2024 presidential election results and [Elon] Musk's support for ... Donald Trump, users have been deactivating en masse. And this time, it appears most everyone has settled on one particular X alternative: Bluesky.... Bluesky has gained more than 100,000 new sign ups per day since the U.S. election on Nov. 5. It now has over 15 million users. It's enjoyed a prolonged stay on the very top of Apple's App Store charts as well. Ready to join? Here's how to get started on Bluesky[.]"

Washington Post: "Americans can again order free rapid coronavirus tests by mail, the Biden administration announced Thursday. People can request four free at-home tests per household through covidtests.gov. They will begin shipping Monday. The move comes ahead of an expected winter wave of coronavirus cases. The September revival of the free testing program is in line with the Biden administration’s strategy to respond to the coronavirus as part of a broader public health campaign to protect Americans from respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), that surge every fall and winter. But free tests were not mailed during the summer wave, which wastewater surveillance data shows is now receding."

Democrats' Weekly Address

Marie (Feb 23): As far as I can tell, there isn't any. I hope I'm wrong, but it looks like Democrats are so screwed up, they can't even put together a couple of minutes of video to tell us how screwed we are.

Out with the Black. In with the White. New York Times: “Lester Holt, the veteran NBC newscaster and anchor of the 'NBC Nightly News' over the last decade, announced on Monday that he will step down from the flagship evening newscast in the coming months. Mr. Holt told colleagues that he would remain at NBC, expanding his duties at 'Dateline,' where he serves as the show’s anchor.... He said that he would continue anchoring the evening news until 'the start of summer.' The network did not immediately name a successor.” ~~~

~~~ New York Times: “MSNBC said on Monday that Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary who has become one of the most prominent hosts at the network, would anchor a nightly weekday show in prime time. Ms. Psaki, 46, will host a show at 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, replacing Alex Wagner, a longtime political journalist who has anchored that hour since 2022, according to a memo to staff from Rebecca Kutler, MSNBC’s president. Ms. Wagner will remain at MSNBC as an on-air correspondent. Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s biggest star, has been anchoring the 9 p.m. hour on weeknights for the early days of ... [Donald] Trump’s administration but will return to hosting one night a week at the end of April.”

New York Times: “Joy Reid’s evening news show on MSNBC is being canceled, part of a far-reaching programming overhaul orchestrated by Rebecca Kutler, the network’s new president, two people familiar with the changes said. The final episode of Ms. Reid’s 7 p.m. show, 'The ReidOut,' is planned for sometime this week, according to the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The show, which features in-depth interviews with politicians and other newsmakers, has been a fixture of MSNBC’s lineup for the past five years. MSNBC is planning to replace Ms. Reid’s program with a show led by a trio of anchors: Symone Sanders Townsend, a political commentator and former Democratic strategist; Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; and Alicia Menendez, the TV journalist, the people said. They currently co-host 'The Weekend,' which airs Saturday and Sunday mornings.” MB: In case you've never seen “The Weekend,” let me assure you it's pretty awful. ~~~

     ~~~ AP Update: "Joy Reid is leaving MSNBC, the network’s new president announced in a memo to staff on Monday, marking an end to the political analyst and anchor’s prime time news show."

Y! Entertainment: "Meanwhile, [Alex] Wagner will also be removed from her 9 pm weeknight slot. Wagner has already been working as a correspondent after Rachel Maddow took over hosting duties during ... Trump’s first 100 days in office. It’s now expected that Wagner will not return as host, but is expected to stay on as a contributor. Jen Psaki, President Biden’s former White House press secretary, is a likely replacement for Wagner, though a decision has not been finalized." MB: In fairness to Psaki, she is really too boring to watch. On the other hand, she is White. ~~~

     ~~~ RAS: "So MSNBC is getting rid of both of their minority evening hosts. Both women of color who are not afraid to call out the truth. Outspoken minorities don't have a long shelf life in the world of our corporate news media."

As we watch in horror the rapid destruction of our democratic form of government, it is comforting to remember there is life outside politics. I took a break a while ago to enjoy a brief lesson in the history of the moonwalk: ~~~

But it may go back even further:

And this chronological account is helpful:

New York Times: “Chuck Todd, the former 'Meet the Press' moderator and a longtime fixture of NBC’s political coverage, told colleagues on Friday that he was leaving the network. A nearly two-decade veteran of NBC, Mr. Todd said that Friday would be his last day at NBC.... Mr. Todd, 52, is the latest TV news star to step aside at a moment when salaries are being scrutinized — and slashed — by major media companies. Hoda Kotb exited NBC’s 'Today' show this month, and Neil Cavuto of Fox News and CNN’s Chris Wallace departed their cable news homes late last year.”

CNBC: “ CNN plans to lay off hundreds of employees Thursday [Jan. 23] as it refocuses the business around a global digital audience.... The layoffs come as CNN is rearranging its linear TV lineup and building out digital subscription products. The cuts will help CNN lower production costs and consolidate teams, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. Certain shows that are produced in New York or Washington may move to Atlanta, where production can be done more cheaply, said the people. For the most part, the job cuts won’t affect CNN’s most recognizable names, who are under contract, said the people. CNN has about 3,500 employees worldwide.... NBC News is also planning cuts later this week, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic changes. While the exact number couldn’t be determined, the job losses will be well under 50....”

 

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Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. — Anonymous

A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves. — Edward R. Murrow

Publisher & Editor: Marie Burns

I have a Bluesky account now. The URL is https://bsky.app/profile/marie-burns.bsky.social . When Reality Chex goes down, check my Bluesky page for whatever info I am able to report on the status of Reality Chex. If you can't access the URL, I found that I could Google Bluesky and ask for Marie Burns. Google will include links to accounts for people whose names are, at least in part, Maria Burns, so you'll have to tell Google you looking only for Marie.

Wednesday
Oct092024

The Conversation -- October 9, 2024

Brett Samuels of the Hill: During a briefing on Hurricane Milton, "President Biden on Wednesday blasted former President Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for spreading what he called 'irresponsible' and 'beyond ridiculous' falsehoods around severe weather bearing down on Florida and other states.... Biden specifically called out Trump for leading 'the onslaught of lies.' He said claims that property is being confiscated and that those impacted by the storm are only receiving $750 in assistance are not true. And he said claims the government is diverting disaster response funds to aid migrants, which Trump has amplified repeatedly, are not true. 'Now the claims are getting even more bizarre. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a congresswoman from Georgia, is now saying the federal government is literally controlling the weather. We're controlling the weather,' Biden said. 'It's beyond ridiculous. It's got to stop. Moments like this, there are no red or blue states."

On Trump's Chats with Putin

I honestly didn't know that Bob Woodward was still alive until you just asked me that question. And that's -- what little I know about Bob Woodward is that he is -- I'm going to use I'm going to use a word here. He is a hack. The guy is a hack. So have I talked to Donald Trump about his calls with Vladimir Putin? No. I've never had that conversation with Donald Trump in my life.... But if Donald Trump -- even if it's true, look, is there something wrong with speaking to world leaders? No. Is there anything wrong with engaging in diplomacy? Kamala Harris's approach has been to hide in a basement, hide from the American people and hide from world leaders. And you know what that's gotten us? We are on the verge of World War III. It's a disgrace and it's a complete failure of a foreign policy. -- JD Vance, responding to reporters' questions, Tuesday

This would seem to be a violation of the Logan Act. Exactly what Trump falsely accused John Kerry of. Another apparent Trump crime. -- Susan Rice, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

We only have one president at a time, JayDee, you ignorant sofa-slut. The Logan Act, passed in 1799, was designed to prevent unauthorized "diplomacy" that could undermine the current administration. Kerry did not violate the act, because he was in contact with the U.S. State Department throughout any discussions with foreign agents he may have had. -- Marie (Logan Act background via the Hill)

Ivana Sarac of Axios: "The Kremlin on Wednesday confirmed a report that former President Trump sent Russian President Vladimir Putin COVID-19 testing equipment during the height of the pandemic.... The Trump campaign categorically denied new revelations in journalist Bob Woodward's book 'War,' which renewed scrutiny of the relationship between Putin and the Republican presidential nominee." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: the "categorical denial," courtesy of Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung, went like this: "None of these made up stories by Bob Woodward are true and are the work of a truly demented and deranged man who suffers from a debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.... Woodward is an angry, little man and is clearly upset because President Trump is successfully suing him because of the unauthorized publishing of recordings he made previously."

Georgia Election Board Plans Election Interference. Nick Valencia & Jason Morris of CNN: "The Donald Trump-allied Georgia State Election Board is pushing to install people who deny the result of the 2020 presidential election as part of a monitoring team in Fulton County, the biggest Democratic-leaning county in the state and one that was consequential for Joe Biden's victory four years ago. The board has no legal authority to install its own recommended monitors, but that did not stop the GOP majority from voting on Tuesday to repeat its effort to include its own suggested monitoring team in Fulton County. The move, coming less than 30 days before Election Day, is the latest example of what critics say is the board acting in a way that may create chaos next month."

Oops! Here's a segment I missed earlier:

Colby Hall of Mediaite: "... Donald Trump is calling for an investigation into CBS News and its news magazine 60 Minutes for apparently editing Vice President Kamala Harris's answers 'to make her look "more Presidential" or, at least, better.'... In a Wednesday morning post..., Trump alleged that the producers of 60 Minutes may be guilty of a 'major Campaign Finance Violation.' The alleged crime? Editing Harris's answers for concision and time.... Trump is ... probably well aware that the same practice of editing for time occurs in nearly all the taped interviews he does for Fox News opinion hosts."

Richard Lardner & Dake Kang of the AP: "Thousands of copies of Donald Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible were printed in a country that the former president has repeatedly accused of stealing American jobs and engaging in unfair trade practices -- China. Global trade records reviewed by The Associated Press show a printing company in China's eastern city of Hangzhou shipped close to 120,000 of the Bibles to the United States between early February and late March. The estimated value of the three separate shipments was $342,000, or less than $3 per Bible, according to databases that use customs data to track exports and imports. The minimum price for the Trump-backed Bible is $59.99, putting the potential sales revenue at about $7 million. The Trump Bible's connection to China, which has not been previously reported, reveals a deep divide between the former president's harsh anti-China rhetoric and his rush to cash in while campaigning."

~~~~~~~~~~

Zolan Kanno-Youngs & Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Biden on Thursday warned those in the path of Hurricane Milton to 'evacuate now, now, now,' as he canceled a diplomatic trip abroad so he could oversee his administration's response to the storm barreling toward Florida's west coast. Speaking from the Roosevelt Room in the White House, the president said he had given Ron DeSantis, Florida's Republican governor, his personal phone number and he urged Floridians to listen to state authorities.... With the storm poised to slam into the Tampa Bay area by Thursday morning, Mr. Biden decided to postpone a trip to Germany and Angola meant to shore up support for Ukraine and promote investment in Africa.... The White House has not yet finalized new dates for the overseas trip." (Also linked yesterday.)

Madeleine Ngo of the New York Times: "Small Business Administration officials warned on Tuesday that the agency would 'very soon' exhaust its funding for new disaster loans for homeowners and businesses in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The agency has less than $100 million for new disaster loans, according to the officials, and will continue to process incoming loan applications after the money runs out, but Congress will have to approve additional funding for it to make new loan offers and cut checks.... It is unclear whether lawmakers will approve additional funding before the agency exhausts the money, however. Congress is not set to reconvene until Nov. 12. [SBA administrator Isabel] Guzman said the money would 'definitely run out' before then...."

Adam Aton & Scott Waldman of Politico: "Elon Musk is using his social media network to spread election conspiracy theories about U.S. disasters -- just as online falsehoods are complicating the federal response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Musk has helped spread accusations that the Federal Emergency Management Agency 'actively blocked' donations to victims of Helene and is 'seizing goods ... and locking them away to state they are their own' -- allegations that FEMA officials call false and which run afoul of state and local Republican leaders' praise for the assistance from Washington. On his social network, X, Musk also amplified rumors that authorities in North Carolina had 'taken control to stop people helping' stricken residents and accusations that sheriffs were threatening to arrest FEMA staff 'if they hinder rescue and aid work.' Many of his allegations centered on the claim that immigrants had already depleted federal disaster funds, which FEMA has said is untrue.... The wave of false conspiracy theories 'is absolutely the worst I have ever seen,' FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told reporters on a Tuesday morning call."

Eduardo Medina of the New York Times: "A wave of antisemitic rhetoric and online threats has been leveled at state and federal officials in North Carolina in recent days as they respond to the destructive aftermath of Hurricane Helene, according to a report released on Tuesday by a nonprofit research group that studies online platforms. Researchers with the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, the nonprofit, found that on X, the social media platform, 33 posts that contained misinformation about the flood response had together generated more than 160 million views as of Monday.... The antisemitic attacks have been lobbed mainly at the mayor of Asheville, Esther Manheimer, as well as at the secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's director of public affairs, Jaclyn Rothenberg. Posts that questioned Ms. Rothenberg';s loyalty to the United States because of her Jewish heritage had more than four million views on X. Another post that called out Mayor Manheimer's faith racked up nearly 13 million views on the platform....

"The rapid spread of such posts has underscored how X ... has effectively scaled back its removal of misinformation on the platform.... The new report's findings suggest that postings about the hurricane response have also been a source of heightened public distrust."

Presidential Race

Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times: "... Pennsylvania stands apart as the state that top strategists for both [Vice President] Harris and Mr. Trump have circled as the likeliest to tip the election. Both candidates are pouring more money, time and energy into the state than anywhere else, with Ms. Harris, Mr. Trump and their allies set to spend $350 million just on television ads in Pennsylvania -- $142 million more than the next closest state and more than Michigan and Wisconsin combined."

Vice President Harris spoke with Stephen Colbert last night: ~~~

Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "For over an hour, Vice President Kamala Harris and the radio host Howard Stern bantered on Tuesday about the state of the country..., Donald J. Trump, Ms. Harris's cereal and workout preferences, and her favorite musicians and racecar drivers. It was the longest uninterrupted interview Ms. Harris has done since becoming the Democratic nominee, and while it did not delve much into what she would do as president, it was the most revelatory about her as a person. Mr. Stern is not a journalist, and he said multiple times that he supported Ms. Harris for president, but he is a skilled inquisitor who managed to extract an array of fresh details about her life. Here is a (perhaps incomplete) list of new things we learned about Ms. Harris. She is angry about the new reporting on Trump, Putin and Covid testing.... She is all too aware of the threats against her life.... She thinks Trump is 'getting punked' by dictators." And so on.

Rebecca O'Brien & Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota on Tuesday called for abolishing the Electoral College as a means of electing American presidents, reiterating a position he has articulated in the past.... Earlier Tuesday, at a different fund-raising event in Seattle, Mr. Walz called himself 'a national popular vote guy, but that's not the world we live in.'... Teddy Tschann, a spokesman for Mr. Walz, said that Ms. Harris's campaign did not support abolishing the Electoral College.... Twice this century -- in 2000, when George W. Bush defeated Al Gore, and in 2016, when Mr. Trump defeated Hillary Clinton -- Democratic presidential candidates have won the national popular vote and lost the presidential election in the Electoral College. Mrs. Clinton in 2017 called for abolishing the Electoral College." Politico's story is here.

     ~~~ Alayna Treene of CNN: "Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign is launching a new digital ad campaign featuring two former Donald Trump administration officials criticizing the former president's handling of natural disasters while in office." ~~~

~~~ Lisa Kashinsky & Adam Cancryn of Politico: "... Donald Trump is making the [hurricanes] a flashpoint in the presidential race. The former president has seized on the devastation left by Helene to launch a barrage of misinformation.... Across visits to storm-torn states and through social media, he has cast Kamala Harris and the Biden administration as absent and incompetent in delivering aid even as members of his own party in affected areas say otherwise.... [Harris's] campaign has attacked Trump repeatedly on social media, featuring clips from his rallies where he talks about Helene or mocks Democrats' rhetoric on climate change. It has also highlighted a clip from Ken Cuccinelli -- a former senior Trump homeland security official and Project 2025 contributor -- ... talking about shrinking FEMA, warning that 'their plan is to cut assistance for hurricane victims.' Now..., Harris has begun tearing into the former president in interviews for amplifying misinformation...."

Ken Bensinger of the New York Times: "Less than a month before Election Day, Donald J. Trump's campaign has not yet participated in the government's official presidential transition process.... Mr. Trump's team has missed two key deadlines to sign agreements with the administration that are set by federal law and has also failed to sign an ethics plan that is required to jump-start the process of planning for a new administration. Mr. Trump's representatives did attend a meeting at the White House last month, but they otherwise have had little communication with the Biden administration about the handoff and have skipped the opportunity to receive national security briefings.... [Mr. Trump's] refusal to sign the documents allows him to circumvent fund-raising rules that put limits on private contributions to the transition effort, as well as ethics rules meant to avoid possible conflicts of interest for the incoming administration.... The transition team for the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, has signed all three documents, according to White House officials."

Ian Philbrick & Ashley Wu of the New York Times: "To help readers experience what a Trump rally is like, we used video to break down the nine themes he consistently returns to. 1.... Mr. Trump presents himself as the sole hope for what he describes as a lawless and violent country where inflation crushes families, crime is rampant, the southern border is open and migrants kill and rape with impunity.... 2.... Mr. Trump's language is crude when it comes to his political opponents.... 3.... Mr. Trump lies often on the stump.... 4.... Mr. Trump has a few routines and set pieces he revisits at most rallies, to the audience's delight.... 5.... Mr. Trump ... sometimes trivializes, celebrates or seems to court violence.... 6.... The former president has plans..., some concrete..., [others] more vague.... 7.... Mr. Trump's rallies can be hard to follow.... 8. [Mr. Trump makes] anti-democratic statements.... 9.... Mr. Trump's verbal flubs seem to have worsened as he has aged."

Michael Schmidt of the New York Times: "... Donald Trump has threatened a campaign of retribution if he returns to the White House.... As president he demanded investigations of his enemies and often got them.... What I had failed to appreciate [which I was covering Trump's presidency], in the blizzard of news, was that he had been far more successful than I thought in having the government's most powerful arms directed at his enemies. In 10 cases that I looked at, a demand from Trump that someone be investigated was followed by their facing major federal pressure. Even without evidence of Trump signing a direct order, after he expressed a desire for a person to be targeted, remarkably, the Justice Department, the F.B.I. or the I.R.S. ended up doing what Trump wanted."

Here's Why They Lie. Jamelle Bouie of the New York Times: "Donald Trump and JD Vance are lying about the federal government's response to Hurricane Helene.... It would be easy to dismiss these lies as mere MAGA theater, but they are far more destructive than that. First and foremost, the lying degrades the ability of the federal government to respond to the disaster.... As Trump sees it, the goal of the state is to be a pathway for the upward redistribution of wealth to him, his friends and his allies.... If Trump does not care about FEMA's ability to do its job, it is because both he and his allies intend to dismantle the agency (most likely to help pay for tax cuts).... When political leaders lie with abandon..., they are trying to build a culture of dishonesty that erodes trust and makes collective action[i.e., self-governance,] all the more difficult.... To lie without shame about everything ... is to cultivate the habits of autocracy." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Bouie is essentially confirming Trump & Vance's application of Hitler's theory of die große lüge -- the big lie -- as an effective form of propaganda. That is, the lie is so out-there that no one can believe that someone "could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously."

Debra Kamin, et al., of the New York Times: "The Trump Organization pursued a deal last year to open a luxury hotel on a former site of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to people involved in the previously unreported talks, as well as documents reviewed by The New York Times.... Mr. Trump's company also considered turning a rising skyscraper in Tel Aviv into another Trump-branded hotel, the documents show. That tower ... is near the headquarters of the Israel Defense Forces and will have the most hotel rooms in the country when construction is completed. Eric Trump, who runs the family business, embarked on the negotiations well after his father kicked off his latest presidential bid in November 2022.... The company's efforts in Israel highlight longstanding ethical concerns about the mingling of the former president's financial and political fortunes -- this time in a warring country at the contentious center of U.S. and global politics."

Peter Baker & Ephrat Livni of the New York Times: "The book, 'War' [by journalist Bob Woodward], which is set to be released next week and relies on some anonymous sources, lays bare just how frustrated [President] Biden has become with [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu since the war in Gaza began and Israel has bombarded the enclave, killing more than 40,000 people and displacing most of the more than two million residents there. Outwardly, Mr. Biden has voiced strong support for Israel, sometimes in the face of withering international criticism.... Privately, the president has reacted far more explosively, sometimes with expletives, to Israel's moves, as multiple news reports have indicated. Mr. Netanyahu and the president last spoke on Aug. 21, according to a White House statement." The story includes some specifics which Woodward reports. Baker & Livni note that "The New York Times could not independently verify the specific statements reported in Mr. Woodward's upcoming book." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Peter Baker of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump has secretly spoken with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia as many as seven times since leaving office, even as he was pressuring Republicans to block military aid to Ukraine to fight Russian invaders, according to a new book by the journalist Bob Woodward.... The book also reports that Mr. Trump, while still in office early during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, secretly sent Mr. Putin what were then rare Abbott Point of Care test machines for the Russian's personal use Mr. Putin, who has been described as particularly anxious about being infected at the time, urged Mr. Trump to not publicly reveal the gesture because it could damage the American president politically.... [Woodward wrote that a single Trump aide was the source for the Trump-Putin conversations.]

"Mr. Trump's campaign dismissed Mr. Woodward's book by assailing the author with typically personal insults -- 'a total sleazebag' ... -- without addressing any of the specifics reported in it.... [Dmitri Peskov of] the Kremlin likewise denied the reporting in Mr. Woodward's book about conversations between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin and the provision of Covid tests. It would be highly unusual for a former president to privately talk with a top American adversary like Mr. Putin without clearing it with the current administration -- especially at a time when the United States and Russia are on opposite sides of a war in Europe." MB: Okay, but Putin's puppet has to get instructions somehow. (Also linked yesterday.)

Going to Mar-a-Lago is a little bit like going to North Korea. Everybody stands up and claps every time Trump comes in. -- Sen. Lindsey Graham ~~~

⭐     ~~~ Isaac Stanley-Becker of the Washington Post: "With publication on the eve of the presidential election, Woodward, who has chronicled the successes and failures of U.S. presidents for 50 years, concludes that Trump is unfit for office while President Joe Biden and his team, mistakes notwithstanding, exhibited 'steady and purposeful leadership.' Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, makes several appearances in the narrative, with Woodward presenting her as a shrewd and loyal No. 2 to Biden but not an influential voice in his administration's foreign policy.... The book ... includes candid assessments by Biden of his own missteps, including his decision to make Merrick Garland attorney general. Reacting to the prosecution of his son Hunter -- by a special prosecutor named by Garland amid partisan recriminations over the Justice Department's prosecution of Trump -- the president told an associate, 'Should never have picked Garland.'" Interesting stuff about Biden's foreign policy. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

⭐    ~~~ Jamie Gangel, et al., of CNN: "In his new book, legendary journalist Bob Woodward offers a remarkable look behind the scenes at President Joe Biden's blunt, profanity-laced assessments and interactions with the world leaders who have shaped his presidency, from Benjamin Netanyahu to Vladimir Putin.... Woodward's new book, which was obtained by CNN ahead of its October 15 release, gives an unvarnished, in-the-room account of key moments as Biden and his national security team navigate international crises, from the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal to confronting Putin before he invaded Ukraine to private battles with Netanyahu. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand participants, 'War' is filled with newly reported details of high-stakes showdowns." Also good stuff about Biden. Expletives included! (Also linked yesterday.)

Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "Donald Trump took 'British naval secrets' to Mar-a-Lago after he left the White House, the former UK spy Christopher Steele says in a new book. 'I was reliably informed by impeccable sources that among the classified documents which Trump, apparently unauthorizedly, took with him to Mar-a-Lago at the end of his presidency were British naval secrets, some of the most sensitive ones in our governmental system,' Steele writes.... A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defence said of Steele's comments about naval secrets taken to Mar-a-Lago: 'These claims are untrue.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Book Report. Monica Hesse of the Washington Post: "Depending on how you define 'memoir' -- must it be a coherent narrative, or does a posthumous collection of diary entries suffice? -- roughly a dozen first ladies of the United States have penned a total of more than 20 accounts of White House life.... We read repeatedly throughout 'Melania' [that s]he does something 'superb' and 'beautiful' and 'perfect.' But other people are out to get her. The villains are the usual suspects: the media, cancel culture, Democrats, the electoral process." Like the manufacturer of a skin-care product she developed who failed her after she "discovered the rejuvenating properties of caviar." Or her staff on Jan. 6, 2021, who failed to "pull her away from her scrapbooking."

Mike Masnick of TechDirt: "... Elon Musk is now directly tweaking the site he owns to push his favored political candidate, even seizing people's accounts to promote Trump. One of Elon's main reasons (he claimed) for buying Twitter was to stop what he (falsely) believed was the existing management using the site to push their political ideology.... Musk declar[ed] this just days after the Twitter board agreed to his offer to purchase the company:... 'For Twitter to deserve the public trust, it must be politically neutral....' That's not quite how things have played out. Elon has not only endorsed Donald Trump, appeared at his rallies, and turned ExTwitter into a non-stop propaganda-pushing campaign ad for Trump (while at the same time repeatedly pushing blatantly false and misleading claims via his own account), but he's also become one of Trump's biggest funders.

"Imagine how the GOP would react if a social media CEO had done that in support of Kamala Harris? Oh, wait, we don't even have to imagine, because even though it hasn't happened, the MAGA world had a fever dream where they pretended it did.... Mark Zuckerberg didn't endorse either candidate [in 2020, but he] fund[ed] politically neutral voting infrastructure efforts to make sure the 2020 election was free and fair. And for that, he was falsely accused of election interference and tipping the scales to Biden. Donald Trump has accused Zuckerberg of criminal behavior and threatened him with jail time for that effort. And, just recently, under pressure from Rep. Jim Jordan over that funding, Zuckerberg apologized for it and promised never to help fund election infrastructure again."

Tales of The Seven Dwarfs. Chapter 6. Whitewashing Boozy. Beth Reinhard of the Washington Post: "In September 2018, as allegations of sexual misconduct against Brett M. Kavanaugh threatened his confirmation to the Supreme Court..., Donald Trump vowed that the FBI would have 'free rein' to vet the claims.... The president's comments came as a surprise to the FBI, according to a new report from a Democratic senator [Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.)] based on previously undisclosed correspondence between the agency and the White House.... The report ... provides additional evidence of the tight control exercised by the White House over the FBI investigation -- despite Trump's claims to the contrary.

"The report found that [more than 4,500] messages to the FBI tip line regarding Kavanaugh were forwarded directly to the White House and never probed, and that the FBI had no written protocols for the supplemental background investigation ordered by the White House. It notes that the FBI was instructed by the White House to talk to 10 potential witnesses and was not given the leeway to pursue corroborating evidence -- the absence of which was cited by senators as they narrowly voted to confirm Kavanaugh.... Even when senators contacted the FBI directly with the names of people who claimed to have relevant information about Kavanaugh, the FBI did not contact them." The Guardian's report is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Whitehouse's full report, via the Senate, is here. It begins with a handy executive summary.

⭐ Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. Lucian Truscott of Salon on how the press normalized Donald Trump from the get-go. "... the [New York] Times and much of the rest of the national media played such a large role in normalizing behavior that once would have been disqualifying on the day it occurred.... The orange-haired buffoon who first ran for president in 2015 showed us over the years who he was, and still much of the press let him slide.... In 2016, I called him a 'toy fascist.' He was the real thing, not a toy. I mistook a buffoon for a monster, and I will be eternally sorry for that."

Then There's This. Kathleen Culliton of the Raw Story: "A documentary about the Trump administration's family separation policy will not air before Election Day because MSNBC is concerned about offending the Republican presidential nominee, according to new reports. Journalist Oliver Darcy, a former critic for CNN, revealed Tuesday that the Errol Morris documentary based on Jacob Soboroff's 2020 book 'Separated: Inside an American Tragedy,' is being held by NBC bosses until Dec. 7 -- a move that apparently annoyed the director.... Darcy also reported NBC bosses 'don't want to offend Donald Trump, according to The Wrap.' [Darcy wrote,] 'Rebecca Blumenstein, president of editorials for NBC News, opposed airing "Separated" before the election because the network still hopes Trump will agree to another presidential debate.'" MB: In fairness to Blumenstein, network suits have always opposed journalism.


Abbie VanSickle of the New York Times: "A majority of the Supreme Court appeared sympathetic on Tuesday to the Biden administration's restrictions on kits to make homemade guns that skirted background checks. At least five justices seemed to favor the measures, with at least two conservatives, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, showing skepticism toward the plaintiffs, gun manufacturers and owners who argued that the administration had overstepped its bounds in regulating so-called ghost guns. The rule, part of a broader effort by President Biden to address gun violence, sought to curtail the soaring popularity of the guns, weapons made from kits available for purchase online and heralded as easy enough to assemble in less than an hour." (Also linked yesterday.)

Glenn Thrush & Adam Goldman of the New York Times: "The F.B.I. has arrested an Afghan citizen in Oklahoma City on charges of plotting a suicide attack on Election Day, with the intent of inflicting mass casualties on behalf of the Islamic State, according to a criminal complaint filed on Tuesday. In preparation for the attack, the complaint said, the man, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, liquidated his family's financial assets to raise cash for the resettlement of his relatives in Kabul and recruited a co-conspirator, his nephew, who was not named because he is under the age of 18. It is not clear where Mr. Tawhedi intended to stage the attack, though investigators said he planned to use two AK-47s. His online history showed that he searched for how to access cameras in Washington on the same day he visited the White House and Washington Monument webcams, according to investigators. Mr. Tawhedi communicated his plans in chilling detail to a man he later identified as a member of the Islamic State.... Charges against other individuals are possible, according to a law enforcement official...." The AP's story is here.

~~~~~~~~~~

Florida. Judd Legum & Rebecca Crosby of Popular Information: Florida's Department of Health has threatened Mark Higgins, the General Manager of WFLA Tampa, with jail time for airing an ad that supports passage of Amendment 4, which would overturn Florida's near-total ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

New York. Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post: "A former city official under Mayor Eric Adams was arrested Tuesday and charged with witness tampering and destruction of records as part of a federal probe into alleged illegal contributions solicited on the mayor's behalf during his last campaign. Mohamed Bahi ... recently resigned as a community liaison focused on serving members of New York's Muslim population. He previously had a role in Adams's 2021 campaign."

~~~~~~~~~~

Brazil. Terrence McCoy & Marina Diaz of the Washington Post: "A Brazilian Supreme Court justice lifted the suspension Tuesday evening on the social media platform X after the company met all of the court"s demands, ending a months-long dispute over the limits of freedom of expression in an era characterized by disinformation and polarization. The platform -- which has paid off its fines, suspended accounts deemed to have broken Brazilian law and appointed a legal representative in the country -- is expected to be back online within a matter of hours, reopening operations in one of its most active markets. The suspension order was a political defeat for the company's owner, Elon Musk."

Israel/Palestine, et al.

The Washington Post's live updates of developments Wednesday in the Israeli wars are here: "Fierce cross-border fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah rages on, with the Israel Defense Forces announcing that it had killed at least 50 Hezbollah operatives in a spate of attacks across southern Lebanon. U.N. human rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurence condemned Israeli actions in Lebanon, accusing the IDF of using 'the same means and methods of warfare' as in Gaza and stating that 'the devastation is beyond belief' in both regions. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to speak on the phone Wednesday, according to Israeli media reports, as Israel plans its response, possibly within days, to Iran's barrage of ballistic missiles last week."

Adam Rasgon, et al., of the New York Times: "Israel announced a new division had joined its invasion of southern Lebanon on Tuesday, signaling that it could be ramping up operations as it pounded the Beirut strongholds of Hezbollah. Two Israeli officials confirmed that Israel had also struck near the Iranian Embassy in Syria's capital. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces launched their own aerial attack toward Israel, firing what the Israeli military said were 180 'projectiles,' most of which were intercepted. Separately, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, appeared to confirm in a video message released on Tuesday that Israeli airstrikes outside Beirut last week had killed the presumed successor of Hezbollah's assassinated leader, Hassan Nasrallah."

News Ledes

Washington Post: "Hours before Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, a spate of unusually strong and long-lived tornadoes touched down across the state, flipping tractor-trailers and ripping off roofs. The twisters surprised anxious residents, even as the storm's eye still loomed. Authorities said there had been 'multiple' deaths after the intense and destructive tornadoes." MB: I'm still on Florida's emergency-call list, and I received calls from Lee County urging me to shelter in place.

The Washington Post's live updates of Hurricane Milton developments are here: "Hurricane Milton, which has strengthened to a 'catastrophic' Category 5 storm, is closing in on Florida's west coast and is expected to make landfall Wednesday night or early Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said. The hurricane, which could bring maximum sustained winds of nearly 160 mph with bigger gusts, poses a dire threat to the densely populated zone that includes Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers. As well as 'damaging hurricane-force winds,' coastal communities face a 'life-threatening' storm surge, the center said." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates are here: "Milton carved a path of destruction after crashing ashore Wednesday evening on Florida's Gulf Coast, making landfall near Sarasota as the second powerful hurricane to pound the region in less than two weeks. The storm battered the state for much of the day, with heavy winds, pelting rain and a spate of tornadoes.... By around midnight, the storm had destroyed more than 100 homes, killed several people in a retirement community and ripped the roof off Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays."

Washington Post: "The Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to David Baker at the University of Washington and Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper of Google DeepMind.... The prize was awarded to scientists who cracked the code of proteins. Hassabis and Jumper used artificial intelligence to predict the structure of proteins, one of the toughest problems in biology. Baker created computational tools to design novel proteins with shapes and functions that can be used in drugs, vaccines and sensors."

Sorry, forgot this yesterday: ~~~

Reuters: "U.S. scientist John Hopfield and British-Canadian Geoffrey Hinton won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday for discoveries and inventions in machine learning that paved the way for the artificial intelligence boom. Heralded for its revolutionary potential in areas ranging from cutting-edge scientific discovery to more efficient admin, the emerging technology on which the duo worked has also raised fears humankind may soon be outsmarted and outcompeted by its own creation."

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Tuesday
Oct082024

The Conversation -- October 8, 2024

Zolan Kanno-Youngs & Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Biden on Thursday warned those in the path of Hurricane Milton to 'evacuate now, now, now,' as he canceled a diplomatic trip abroad so he could oversee his administration's response to the storm barreling toward Florida's west coast. Speaking from the Roosevelt Room in the White House, the president said he had given Ron DeSantis, Florida's Republican governor, his personal phone number and he urged Floridians to listen to state authorities.... With the storm poised to slam into the Tampa Bay area by Thursday morning, Mr. Biden decided to postpone a trip to Germany and Angola meant to shore up support for Ukraine and promote investment in Africa.... The White House has not yet finalized new dates for the overseas trip."

Peter Baker & Ephrat Livni of the New York Times: "The book, 'War' [by journalist Bob Woodward], which is set to be released next week and relies on some anonymous sources, lays bare just how frustrated [President] Biden has become with [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu since the war in Gaza began and Israel has bombarded the enclave, killing more than 40,000 people and displacing most of the more than two million residents there. Outwardly, Mr. Biden has voiced strong support for Israel.... Privately, the president has reacted far more explosively, sometimes with expletives, to Israel's moves, as multiple news reports have indicated. Mr. Netanyahu and the president last spoke on Aug. 21, according to a White House statement." The story includes some specifics which Woodward reports. Baker & Livni note that "The New York Times could not independently verify the specific statements reported in Mr. Woodward"s upcoming book." ~~~

~~~ Peter Baker of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump has secretly spoken with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia as many as seven times since leaving office, even as he was pressuring Republicans to block military aid to Ukraine to fight Russian invaders, according to a new book by the journalist Bob Woodward.... The book also reports that Mr. Trump, while still in office early during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, secretly sent Mr. Putin what were then rare Abbott Point of Care test machines for the Russian's personal use. Mr. Putin, who has been described as particularly anxious about being infected at the time, urged Mr. Trump to not publicly reveal the gesture because it could damage the American president politically.... [Woodward wrote that a single Trump aide was the source for the Trump-Putin conversations.]

Mr. Trump's campaign dismissed Mr. Woodward's book by assailing the author with typically personal insults -- 'a total sleazebag' ... -- without addressing any of the specifics reported in it.... [Dmitri Peskov of] the Kremlin likewise denied the reporting in Mr. Woodward's book about conversations between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin and the provision of Covid tests. It would be highly unusual for a former president to privately talk with a top American adversary like Mr. Putin without clearing it with the current administration -- especially at a time when the United States and Russia are on opposite sides of a war in Europe." MB: Okay, but Putin's puppet has to get instructions somehow.

Going to Mar-a-Lago is a little bit like going to North Korea. Everybody stands up and claps every time Trump comes in. -- Sen. Lindsey Graham ~~~

⭐     ~~~ Isaac Stanley-Becker of the Washington Post: "With publication on the eve of the presidential election, Woodward, who has chronicled the successes and failures of U.S. presidents for 50 years, concludes that Trump is unfit for office while President Joe Biden and his team, mistakes notwithstanding, exhibited 'steady and purposeful leadership.' Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, makes several appearances in the narrative, with Woodward presenting her as a shrewd and loyal No. 2 to Biden but not an influential voice in his administration's foreign policy.... The book ... includes candid assessments by Biden of his own missteps, including his decision to make Merrick Garland attorney general. Reacting to the prosecution of his son Hunter -- by a special prosecutor named by Garland amid partisan recriminations over the Justice Department's prosecution of Trump -- the president told an associate, 'Should never have picked Garland.'" Interesting stuff about Biden's foreign policy. ~~~

⭐     ~~~ Jamie Gangel, et al., of CNN: "In his new book..., legendary journalist Bob Woodward offers a remarkable look behind the scenes at President Joe Biden's blunt, profanity-laced assessments and interactions with the world leaders who have shaped his presidency, from Benjamin Netanyahu to Vladimir Putin.... Woodward's new book, which was obtained by CNN ahead of its October 15 release, gives an unvarnished, in-the-room account of key moments as Biden and his national security team navigate international crises, from the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal to confronting Putin before he invaded Ukraine to private battles with Netanyahu. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand participants, 'War' is filled with newly reported details of high-stakes showdowns." Also good stuff about Biden. With expletives!

Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "Donald Trump took 'British naval secrets' to Mar-a-Lago after he left the White House, the former UK spy Christopher Steele says in a new book. 'I was reliably informed by impeccable sources that among the classified documents which Trump, apparently unauthorizedly, took with him to Mar-a-Lago at the end of his presidency were British naval secrets, some of the most sensitive ones in our governmental system,' Steele writes.... A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defence said of Steele's comments about naval secrets taken to Mar-a-Lago: 'These claims are untrue.'"

Tales of The Seven Dwarfs. Chapter 6. Whitewashing Boozy. Beth Reinhard of the Washington Post: "In September 2018, as allegations of sexual misconduct against Brett M. Kavanaugh threatened his confirmation to the Supreme Court..., Donald Trump vowed that the FBI would have 'free rein' to vet the claims.... The president's comments came as a surprise to the FBI, according to a new report from a Democratic senator [Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.)] based on previously undisclosed correspondence between the agency and the White House.... The report ... provides additional evidence of the tight control exercised by the White House over the FBI investigation -- despite Trump's claims to the contrary.

"The report found that [more than 4,500] messages to the FBI tip line regarding Kavanaugh were forwarded directly to the White House and never probed, and that the FBI had no written protocols for the supplemental background investigation ordered by the White House. It notes that the FBI was instructed by the White House to talk to 10 potential witnesses and was not given the leeway to pursue corroborating evidence -- the absence of which was cited by senators as they narrowly voted to confirm Kavanaugh.... Even when senators contacted the FBI directly with the names of people who claimed to have relevant information about Kavanaugh, the FBI did not contact them." The Guardian's report is here.

Abbie VanSickle of the New York Times: "A majority of the Supreme Court appeared sympathetic on Tuesday to the Biden administration's restrictions on kits to make homemade guns that skirted background checks. At least five justices seemed to favor the measures, with at least two conservatives, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, showing skepticism toward the plaintiffs, gun manufacturers and owners who argued that the administration had overstepped its bounds in regulating so-called ghost guns. The rule, part of a broader effort by President Biden to address gun violence, sought to curtail the soaring popularity of the guns, weapons made from kits available for purchase online and heralded as easy enough to assemble in less than an hour."

~~~~~~~~~~

Presidential Race

~~~ Reid Epstein & Katie Rogers of the New York Times: "Here are seven takeaways from [Vice President] Harris's appearance on '60 Minutes,' which also interviewed her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota. Harris was in control of her message, but avoided repeated pushback.... She has a Glock, and she knows how to use it.... Harris was pressed about 'dealing with the real world' on some of her plans.... She has warned Tim Walz about misspeaking.... Neither Liz Cheney nor Harris can quite believe they are allies now.... Her foreign policy would look a lot like [President] Biden's.... Trump turned down '60 Minutes.' Harris took advantage. On the CBS show on Monday, [interviewer Bill] Whitaker said Mr. Trump had agreed to an interview, then backed out, citing, among other things, the network's promise to fact-check him on the air." ~~~

     ~~~ Here's an NBC News story about Whitaker's "grilling" of Harris: ~~~

     ~~~ If you can't view the video, the Hill has a story here outlining Scott Pelley's remarks about Trump's pulling out of the interview. MB PS: Trump won't debate Harris, either.

BTW, here's video of what looks like a portion of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast interview of Harris that aired on Monday. The comments -- mostly from the Trumpenproletariat -- are brutal. However, they're so repetitive that it's a bit hard to believe that most of them are real.

Nicholas Nehamas of the New York Times: "Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday commemorated the anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel by planting a pomegranate tree, which she called 'a symbol of hope and righteousness' in Judaism, at her official residence in Washington. In a brief speech, Ms. Harris condemned the attack, in which some 1,200 people were massacred in Israel last year, as an 'act of pure evil' and said the scores of hostages remaining in Hamas's hands should be released. Standing beside her was her husband, Doug Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a U.S. president or vice president.... 'We must work to ensure nothing like the horrors of Oct. 7 can ever happen again,' she said. 'And on this solemn day, I will restate my pledge to always ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself, and that I will always work to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish people here and around the world.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Notably (although Nehamas doesn't note it), Harris introduced her husband, rather than the other way around, making him the main speaker at the event.

Tara Suter of the Hill: "The former head of the Florida Republican Party said he's supporting Vice President Harris after 'trolling' from other Republicans over the federal government's response to Hurricane Helene. Al Cárdenas said in his appearance Monday on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' that natural disasters have 'always been a bipartisan issue.'... '... the White House asked Congress to pass a bill to -- a supplemental bill -- to really help people with these disasters, because we may be running outta cash. All of a sudden, the trolling, the Trump operatives and everybody else started saying, "Well, they're giving that money to illegal immigrants." Not true.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Speaking of hard-hitting interviews, Jimmy Kimmel & Tim Walz get into whether or not Walz is sleeping with Kamala Harris. No, really: ~~~

Getting Out the Pro-Porn Vote. Jonathan Weisman of the New York Times: "Seventeen pornographic film actors on Monday announced that they had launched a $100,000 ad campaign on porn sites warning that Project 2025 -- the Heritage Foundation blueprint for a Republican administration that has been a centerpiece of some Democratic campaigns -- wants to ban pornography and imprison people who produce it. The online ads will run in the states that will decide the presidency: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.... Vice President Kamala Harris is losing to former President Donald J. Trump among men, but younger men might be winnable -- and pornographic websites are among the most heavily trafficked on the internet." ~~~

     ~~~ digby: "The bros may like Trump's anarchic spirit and care little for actual policy. But this hits them where they live. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this has an impact."

Marie: If you had told me 50 years ago that in 2024 I'd be living in a near-replica of early-1930s Nazi Germany (but with country AND western music), I would have laughed you off. Well, the joke's on me.

No. 1 U.S. Racist. Philip Bump of the Washington Post: "In an interview with right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt on Monday morning, Trump's suggestion that non-White immigrants are genetically inferior was made explicit. The comment came as Trump was disparaging ... Vice President Kamala Harris. 'How about allowing people to come through an open border,' he said, '13,000 of which were murderers, many of them murdered far more than one person and they're now happily living in the United States?' This is a false claim -- 'outrageously false,' in the wording of The Washington Post Fact Checker.... Unchallenged by Hewitt, Trump continued.... 'You know, now, a murderer, I believe this, it's in their genes,' he said. 'And we got a lot of bad genes in our country right now.' Reinforcing that he was talking about the 'bad genes' of immigrants, Trump offered up more false claims.... Hewitt, rather than contesting Trump's genetic argument, shifted the conversation with no apparent irony to the federal criminal charges Trump himself faces. These, of course, are not a function of criminal genes, in Trump's estimation, but instead of the political whims of Biden. (In reality, they are a function of Trump's actions.)" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: In case you think Trump is speaking of immigrants in general and not non-white immigrants, as Bump asserts, I remind you that Trump's mother and paternal grandfather were immigrants to the U.S., immigrants of the White persuasion from whom Trump got his "good genes." And if you want to argue that, well, people don't choose their parents & grandparents, Trump did choose the two immigrants he married. While most of Trump's hated of immigrants is racist, I'd speculate a part of it derives from his prominent "grievance gene" -- a sense that the reason elite New Yorkers don't accept him into their circle is that he comes from recent-immigrant stock. Likely his heritage has nothing to do with their rejection; hardly anyone, elite or not, enjoys the company of obnoxious blockheads. ~~~

     ~~~ Patrick Svitek of the Washington Post has the paper's main story on Trump's racist gene theory: "Donald Trump suggested Monday that people in the country illegally who have committed murder and other crimes have 'bad genes,' the latest example of rhetoric by the former president that dehumanizes immigrants and disparages them in racial terms.... Trump's latest comment referring to 'bad genes' takes his rhetoric toward immigrants a step further, playing into tropes that foreigners are genetically inferior to Americans and responsible for societal problems -- such as violent crime -- as a result."

Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: "Donald J. Trump suggested in a radio interview on Monday that he had visited war-torn Gaza in the past, a place there is no record of him visiting. When asked to clarify, a campaign aide said that Gaza is 'in Israel' and that Mr. Trump has visited Israel.... The Gaza Strip is not part of Israel and has never been, though some Israelis have called for annexing it.... [Trump went on to say,] 'I did more for Israel than anybody. I did more for the Jewish people than anybody. And it's not reciprocal, as they say, not reciprocal.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Here a type of "reporting" that often appears in supposedly straight reports covering Trump: after relating the "thoughts" on Gaza Trump shared with host Hugh Hewitt, Haberman writes, "The comment renews questions about how Mr. Trump would approach the region if he wins another term." Yes, there are questions about how Trump would approach Gaza, or anything, because (1) he has no idea what he would do next week about anything and he doesn't care and (2) everything he says is a lie. It is irresponsible for a journalist to pretend she can get a clue about Trump's "policy" from a Trump response to a leading question from a friendly/frightened interviewer. The very act of speculating about Trump's approach to any international crisis is in itself misleading once you get past, "What's in it for Trump?"

Marie: Since we've linked to a story about how Kamala Harris commemorated the October 7 massacre of Jews in Israel, it is only fair to link to a report on Donald Trump's commemorative event: ~~~

     ~~~ Michael Luciano of Mediaite: Donald Trump "held an event at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in South Florida, where he reiterated his non-falsifiable claim that 'the Oct. 7 attack would never have happened if I was president.' As he spoke, U.S. and Israel flags stood in the background.... Trump received a round of applause before the speakers began blaring 'Y.M.C.A.'" MB: Really.

Jess Bidgood of the New York Times: At a rally in Wisconsin on Sunday, Donald Trump "accuse[d] Vice President Kamala Harris of sending billions of dollars to foreign nations while providing only $750 each to domestic disaster victims -- a falsehood that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been working for days to combat. He then went further still, falsely accusing the White House of playing politics with disaster relief while he did exactly that. 'You know, it's largely a Republican area so -- some people say they did it for that reason, I don't even think they're that bad, but they probably -- maybe they are,' Trump said in Juneau, Wis.... Trump's closing argument, delivered at campaign rallies all over the country, is a slurry of polarizing disinformation, false claims about his opponents cheating in elections, and a series of unfounded personal attacks on Harris.... He drew the biggest cheers of the day as he described migrants in terms that have grown more ominous in recent weeks, calling them 'savage.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: A few months ago, Trump said nobody knows who "Harris" is, but he soon learned she was "a very dumb person" and a "dummy." BUT now we hear from Trump that this "dummy" engineered a successful coup against Joe Biden -- something Trump was unable to pull off, BTW -- and that she is apparently the first Vice President in history who controls billions of dollars in federal money and basically runs the administration.

Let us not delude ourselves that the only whiney-baby phony "leader" who doesn't give a rat's ass about governance is Donald Trump:~~~

~~~ Matt Dixon of NBC News: "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is not taking calls from Vice President Kamala Harris about storm recovery just over a week after Hurricane Helene hammered parts of his state. A source familiar with the situation said he was dodging the Democratic presidential nominee's calls because they 'seemed political,' according to a DeSantis aide. 'Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn't answer,' the DeSantis aide told NBC News. The same person said 'not to my knowledge' when asked if DeSantis had spoken to President Joe Biden." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Kierra Frazier of Politico: "Vice President Kamala Harris blasted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday for 'playing political games,' after the Florida governor reportedly did not take her phone calls to discuss hurricane relief.... DeSantis told reporters ... he wasn't aware that the vice president was trying to reach him. 'I didn't know that she had called. I'm not sure who they called. They didn't call me,' he said. 'It wasn't anything that anybody in my office did, in terms of saying it was political.' The governor later appeared on Sean Hannity's prime-time Fox News show on Monday and ... [said], 'She has no role in this.... She's the first one who is trying to politicize the storm....'... The White House announced that President Joe Biden was able to speak with DeSantis over the phone about recovery efforts for Helene and preparations for Milton.... DeSantis referenced his call with Biden on Monday night to Hannity, saying he has 'worked well' with the administration of both Biden and ... Donald Trump in storms."

This story is several days old, but I guess we should read it: ~~~

Mark Mazzetti & Adam Entous of the New York Times: "... a close examination of the Hamburg summit [of July 2017, when Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin], and the months that led up to it, help explain the roots of Mr. Trump's often-disdainful attitude toward Ukraine. The meeting in Hamburg fit into a yearlong pattern in which an escalating political grudge against Ukraine on Mr. Trump's part became an opening for Mr. Putin to pursue his own aim of tempering American support for Kyiv, according to interviews with American and European officials and allies of Mr. Trump, as well as accounts in memoirs. That animus toward Ukraine remains front and center.... Mr. Putin continues to seek advantage in American politics. Senior intelligence officials briefed members of Congress last month that Russia remains determined to sow chaos in America's elections process and erode faith in its democratic systems, and that spy agencies have specific intelligence that the Kremlin wants Mr. Trump back in the White House." (Also linked yesterday.)

No One Will Be Safe. Peter Jamison of the Washington Post: "Republicans backing Donald Trump are threatening Deloitte, a consulting firm that is one of the federal government's largest business partners, with the loss of billions of dollars in contracts because an employee shared messages from 2020 in which JD Vance ... criticized the then-president's record. On Sept. 27, Donald Trump Jr. exposed the employee's name and photograph to millions of people on social media,writing, 'Maybe it's time for the GOP to end Deloitte's taxpayer funded gravy train?' Others -- including Vance's chief spokesman and a Republican senator [Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.)] -- circulated Trump Jr.'s comments.... Ethics experts said the episode is a potentially ominous preview of how a second Trump administration might use the enormous power the federal government wields over private industry to punish political acts by individual workers." The Guradian's story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Trump promised Pennsylvania women he would be their "protector" so they won't feel abandoned, lonely, scared or anxious. He told Wisconsinites he would keep them "safe" from a "migrant invasion." (See stories linked yesterday.) That is, after raising fears, either through his actions or rhetoric, Trump promises to quell the dangers he poses or warns about. But we know Americans cannot rely on him for protection. Trump and his administration will be your "protector" only insofar as you do not do or say anything that displeases them, or that anyone you know or work with does not do or say anything that displeases them. That is, you have no control over whether or not you will receive this supposed "protection." It can & will be retracted on the whims of Trump or a Trumpocrat. No one will be safe. (We already know, for instance, that if you live in a state or part of a state that votes Democratic, you won't receive federal disaster relief. See October 4 Conversation.)

Dominick Mastrangelo of the Hill: "A leading newspaper in North Carolina is blasting former President Trump over what it calls his 'falsehoods' about the government response to Hurricane Helene, which devastated a large swath of the state last week. 'This is not a situation to capitalize on for political gain. But former President Donald Trump has politicized the situation at every turn, spreading falsehoods and conspiracies that fracture the community instead of bringing it together,' the editorial board of The Charlotte Observer wrote this week.... The Observer noted Trump's statements in recent weeks claiming Democratic state and federal officials are 'going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas,' and saying Vice President Harris 'spent all her FEMA money, billions of dollars, on housing for illegal migrants.' '"There's no evidence to support any of those ridiculous claims,' the newspaper shot back." (Also linked yesterday.)

This woman has had enough of your fucking lies, if you don't mind her saying so. Thanks to RAS for the link: ~~~

Chaos Is the Essence of the Scheme. In a firewalled post, Brian Beutler says that Trump & Co.'s multiple, repeated lies about hurricane response are a trial run for the election. (Also linked yesterday.)

Trump Scams His Supporters. Again. Judd Legum of Popular Information: "In a series of fundraising appeals, Trump offered his supporters a chance to appear with him on stage during an October 5 rally when he returned to the site of his attempted assassination, Butler, Pennsylvania. These solicitations were sent to the Trump campaign email list, which reportedly includes tens of millions of people. 'I'd love to bring you up on stage for my Butler rally!' was the subject line of a September 2 fundraising email from Trump.'Can we take a picture together during my rally in Butler, Pennsylvania?' Trump asks in the body of the text. Trump sent emails promoting the contest on September 10..., September 28..., and October 1 ('[T]he crowd is going to LOVE YOU when you're introduced as my VIP guest[']). Trump held his rally in Butler on Saturday, and the only person he introduced on stage was Elon Musk. There was no sign of a contest winner at any time during Trump's lengthy appearance at the rally -- from the moment Trump took the stage to when he left almost two hours later." Legum lists a number of similar scams Trump pulled this year & in 2020. (Also linked yesterday.)

Dan Mangan of CNBC: "... Elon Musk, who is backing Donald Trump in the presidential election, on Sunday touted a $47 referral bonus that the billionaire's political action committee is offering to people for each registered swing-state voter whom they refer to an online petition that requires signers to submit personal contact information. 'For every person you refer who is a swing state voter, you get $47!' Musk wrote in a post on X, the social media site he owns. 'Easy money.' If Trump is elected, he would be the 47th president of the U.S. The petition declares that its signers support 'First and Second Amendment rights,' but it contains no details about who the petition will be delivered to, or when, or any demands that the signers have, all core elements of traditional petitions. Instead, the petition seeks the personal contact information of swing-state voters. Upon signing, all users, regardless of their state, are directed to a page that contains voter registration links for just seven states: Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin.... 'This program is exclusively open to registered voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina,' the PAC said."

Brett Samuels of the Hill: "A former Democratic congressman who served six terms in the House said Monday he was endorsing former President Trump, citing his concerns with the Biden administration's handling of global conflicts abroad. Former Rep. Peter Deutsch (D), who represented Florida's 20th Congressional District from 1993-2005, announced his support on a call organized by the Trump campaign to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel.... Deutsch said he was supportive of Trump's stances on immigration policy and school choice, but that the 'driving force for me to make this decision is what I believe is the most important factor in being president, which is really world peace.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Zach Schonfeld of the Hill: "The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a challenge by social platform X ... to court rulings that forced the platform to turn over data on former President Trump's account to special counsel Jack Smith. Early last year, Smith obtained a secret warrant for Trump's account on X, where Trump posted prolifically during his White House term, as part of prosecutors' federal election interference investigation. X was prohibited from informing the former president about the warrant. It only became public last summer, after Trump was charged with four felonies in the case. He pleaded not guilty. The company challenged the order, arguing the records were potentially covered by executive privilege and not being able to tell Trump violated the First Amendment." (Also linked yesterday.)

AP: "The Supreme Court on Monday turned away a challenge from Republican state lawmakers in Pennsylvania to a Biden administration executive order that is intended to boost voter registration. The justices did not comment in rejecting an appeal from the Republicans, who claimed the order is an unconstitutional attempt to interfere in the November election. Lower courts had dismissed the lawsuit. Nine Republican secretaries of state and 11 members of Congress had asked the court to step in. In May, the justices declined to take up and decide the case on an expedited basis. The justices separately rejected two appeals stemming from baseless claims made by Republicans that voting machines and software of Dominion Voting Systems were responsible for Donald Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election." (Also linked yesterday.)


Lindsay Whitehurst of the AP: "The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a decision barring emergency abortions that violate the law in Texas, which has one of the country's strictest abortion bans. Without detailing their reasoning, the justices kept in place a lower court order that said hospitals cannot be required to provide pregnancy terminations that would violate Texas law. There were no publicly noted dissents. The Biden administration had asked the justices to throw out the lower court order, arguing that hospitals have to perform abortions in emergency situations under federal law. The administration pointed to the Supreme Court's action in a similar case from Idaho earlier this year in which the justices narrowly allowed emergency abortions to resume while a lawsuit continues. The administration also cited a Texas Supreme Court ruling that said doctors do not have to wait until a woman's life is in immediate danger to provide an abortion legally. The administration said it brings Texas in line with federal law and means the lower court ruling is not necessary.... Doctors have said the [Texas] law remains dangerously vague after a medical board refused to specify exactly which conditions qualify for the exception." (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times report is here.

Yeah, let's keep voting for the guys who are devoted to taking women back to this: ~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~

Georgia. Carter Sherman of the Guardian: "Just one week after a Georgia judge restored broad access to abortion in the state by blocking its six-week abortion ban, the Georgia supreme court ruled on Monday to reinstate the ban. The ban will take effect at 5pm local time on Monday and remain in effect while litigation over it plays out. Abortion rights supporters quickly condemned the decision, which also came down weeks after news broke that two Georgia mothers, Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, died after being unable to access legal abortions." (Also linked yesterday.) The New York Times report is here.

Michigan Senate Race. Where Is Mister Rogers' Neighborhood? Steve Benen of MSNBC: Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) "purchased a very expensive home in [Florida and] was still registered to vote in Florida as recently as this year.... The Detroit Free Press' M.L. Elrick ... explained in his latest column, 'I don't know where Mike Rogers lives, but it's not where he's registered to vote.... Rogers, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, changed his voter registration on July 2 to a home in White Lake Township that is under construction. A month later, he used the White Lake address to vote (presumably, for himself) in the four-way race for the GOP nomination to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow. There's just one problem: The house did not -- and still does not -- have a certificate of occupancy. That means Rogers could not live there legally. And if he didn't live there, he may have broken the law by using that address to vote.' Before changing his registration in July, Rogers apparently listed his brother's address as his own, though locals suggested they never saw him and he never lived there." ~~~

     ~~~ Elrick's column is firewalled. But he appeared on Rachel Maddow's show yesterday and said Rogers' voting as a Michigan resident using an address where he never lived would be a felony. And here we thought it was Republicans who were are worried about voter fraud.

New York. Dana Rubinstein, et al., of the New York Times: "Philip B. Banks III, New York City's deputy mayor for public safety, has resigned, Mayor Eric Adams said on Monday morning, making him the sixth senior administration official to leave City Hall in the past month.His departure comes amid an exceptional amount of turmoil at the highest levels of city government, as four federal investigations envelop Mr. Adams and his inner circle, and after prosecutors unsealed a five-count corruption indictment against the mayor. On Sept. 4, federal investigators seized the phones of Mr. Banks, as part of an investigation into a possible bribery scheme." (Also linked yesterday.)

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Palestine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Tuesday in Israel's wars are here: "Israel's air attacks across Lebanon targeting the militant group Hezbollah continued early Tuesday, and its military said it had sent more troops into the country, as the broadening conflict in the Middle East entered its second year with no sign of abating. The intense overnight bombardment followed a day marking the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the war. On Monday, Israel and the adversaries it is battling along four fronts all vowed to continue the fight. The Israeli military said in a statement that a fourth division had begun operating in southwest Lebanon on Monday, expanding its forces there."

Tunisia. Vivian Yee of the New York Times: "In Tunisia's first presidential election since its authoritarian leader began dismantling the democracy Tunisians built after their 2011 Arab Spring revolution, the apparent winner came as little surprise: the incumbent himself. President Kais Saied, first elected in 2019, easily won re-election on Sunday, according to exit polls broadcast on state television." (Also linked yesterday.)

Ukraine, et al. Ivan Nechepurenko of the New York Times: "A 72-year-old U.S. citizen, whose family says is an English teacher, was sentenced by a Moscow court Monday to six years and 10 months in a penal colony on charges of serving as a mercenary in Ukraine, becoming the latest in a list of Americans serving time in Russia. In a statement, the Moscow City Court said that Stephen James Hubbard, a native of Big Rapids, Mich., enlisted with a territorial defense unit in the Ukrainian town of Izium during the first weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The court said that Mr. Hubbard had been receiving a monthly salary of $1,000. Russian state news agencies reported last week that Mr. Hubbard pleaded guilty to the charge.... Mr. Hubbard's sister, Trisha Hubbard Fox, denied the Russian allegations, saying that her brother was 'never a mercenary' and had been teaching English abroad. In a post on Facebook, Ms. Hubbard Fox said that Russia 'kidnapped' him." (Also linked yesterday.)

News Ledes

The New York Times is live-updating developments Tuesday as powerful Hurricane Milton moves through the Gulf of Mexico toward Central Florida.

New York Times:"Cissy Houston, a Grammy Award-winning soul and gospel star who helped shepherd her daughter Whitney Houston to superstardom, died on Monday at her home in Newark. She was 91."

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Monday
Oct072024

The Conversation -- October 7, 2024

Marie: If you had told me 50 years ago that in 2024 I'd be living in a near-replica of early-1930s Nazi Germany (but with country AND western music), I would have laughed you off. Well, the joke's on me.

Tara Suter of the Hill: "The former head of the Florida Republican Party said he's supporting Vice President Harris after 'trolling' from other Republicans over the federal government's response to Hurricane Helene. Al Cárdenas said in his appearance Monday on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' that natural disasters have 'always been a bipartisan issue.'... '... the White House asked Congress to pass a bill to -- a supplemental bill -- to really help people with these disasters, because we may be running outta cash. All of a sudden, the trolling, the Trump operatives and everybody else started saying, "Well, they're giving that money to illegal immigrants." Not true.'" ~~~

~~~ Then there's this guy: ~~~

~~~ Brett Samuels of the Hill: "A former Democratic congressman who served six terms in the House said Monday he was endorsing former President Trump, citing his concerns with the Biden administration's handling of global conflicts abroad. Former Rep. Peter Deutsch (D), who represented Florida's 20th Congressional District from 1993-2005, announced his support on a call organized by the Trump campaign to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel.... Deutsch said he was supportive of Trump's stances on immigration policy and school choice, but that the 'driving force for me to make this decision is what I believe is the most important factor in being president, which is really world peace.'"

Dominick Mastrangelo of the Hill: "A leading newspaper in North Carolina is blasting former President Trump over what it calls his 'falsehoods' about the government response to Hurricane Helene, which devastated a large swath of the state last week. 'This is not a situation to capitalize on for political gain. But former President Donald Trump has politicized the situation at every turn, spreading falsehoods and conspiracies that fracture the community instead of bringing it together,' the editorial board of The Charlotte Observer wrote this week.... The Observer noted Trump's statements in recent weeks claiming Democratic state and federal officials are 'going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas,' and saying Vice President Harris 'spent all her FEMA money, billions of dollars, on housing for illegal migrants.' 'There's no evidence to support any of those ridiculous claims,' the newspaper shot back."

Let us not delude ourselves that the only whiney-baby phony "leader" who doesn't give a rat's ass about governance is Donald Trump: ~~~

~~~ Matt Dixon of NBC News: "Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is not taking calls from Vice President Kamala Harris about storm recovery just over a week after Hurricane Helene hammered parts of his state. A source familiar with the situation said he was dodging the Democratic presidential nominee's calls because they 'seemed political,' according to a DeSantis aide. 'Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn't answer,' the DeSantis aide told NBC News. The same person said 'not to my knowledge' when asked if DeSantis had spoken to President Joe Biden."

This story is several days old, but I guess we should read it: ~~~

Mark Mazzetti & Adam Entous of the New York Times: "... a close examination of the Hamburg summit [of July 2017, when Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin], and the months that led up to it, help explain the roots of Mr. Trump's often-disdainful attitude toward Ukraine. The meeting in Hamburg fit into a yearlong pattern in which an escalating political grudge against Ukraine on Mr. Trump's part became an opening for Mr. Putin to pursue his own aim of tempering American support for Kyiv, according to interviews with American and European officials and allies of Mr. Trump, as well as accounts in memoirs. That animus toward Ukraine remains front and center in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign.... Mr. Putin continues to seek advantage in American politics. Senior intelligence officials briefed members of Congress last month that Russia remains determined to sow chaos in America's elections process and erode faith in its democratic systems, and that spy agencies have specific intelligence that the Kremlin wants Mr. Trump back in the White House."

Georgia. Carter Sherman of the Guardian: "Just one week after a Georgia judge restored broad access to abortion in the state by blocking its six-week abortion ban, the Georgia supreme court ruled on Monday to reinstate the ban. The ban will take effect at 5pm local time on Monday and remain in effect while litigation over it plays out. Abortion rights supporters quickly condemned the decision, which also came down weeks after news broke that two Georgia mothers, Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, died after being unable to access legal abortions."

No One Will Be Safe. Peter Jamison of the Washington Post: "Republicans backing Donald Trump are threatening Deloitte, a consulting firm that is one of the federal government's largest business partners, with the loss of billions of dollars in contracts because an employee shared messages from 2020 in which JD Vance ... criticized the then-president's record. On Sept. 27, Donald Trump Jr. exposed the employee's name and photograph to millions of people on social media, writing, 'Maybe it's time for the GOP to end Deloitte's taxpayer funded gravy train?' Others -- including Vance's chief spokesman and a Republican senator [Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.)] -- circulated Trump Jr.'s comments.... Ethics experts said the episode is a potentially ominous preview of how a second Trump administration might use the enormous power the federal government wields over private industry to punish political acts by individual workers." The Guardian's story is here. ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Trump promised Pennsylvania women he would be their "protector" so they won't feel abandoned, lonely, scared or anxious. He told Wisconsinites he would keep them "safe" from a "migrant invasion." (See stories linked below.) That is, after raising fears, either through his actions or rhetoric, Trump promises to quell the dangers he poses or warns about. But we know Americans cannot rely on him for protection. Trump and his administration will be your "protector" only insofar as you do not do or say anything that displeases them, or that anyone you know or work with does not do or say anything that displeases them. That is, you have no control over whether or not you will receive this supposed "protection." It can & will be retracted on the whims of Trump or a Trumpocrat. No one will be safe. (We already know, for instance, that if you live in a state or part of a state that votes Democratic, you won't receive federal disaster relief. See October 4 Conversation.)

Trump Scams His Supporters. Again. Judd Legum of Popular Information: "In a series of fundraising appeals, Trump offered his supporters a chance to appear with him on stage during an October 5 rally when he returned to the site of his attempted assassination, Butler, Pennsylvania. These solicitations were sent to the Trump campaign email list, which reportedly includes tens of millions of people. 'I'd love to bring you up on stage for my Butler rally!' was the subject line of a September 2 fundraising email from Trump. 'Can we take a picture together during my rally in Butler, Pennsylvania?' Trump asks in the body of the text. Trump sent emails promoting the contest on September 10..., September 28..., and October 1 ('[T]he crowd is going to LOVE YOU when you're introduced as my VIP guest[']). Trump held his rally in Butler on Saturday, and the only person he introduced on stage was Elon Musk. There was no sign of a contest winner at any time during Trump's lengthy appearance at the rally -- from the moment Trump took the stage to when he left almost two hours later." Legum lists a number of similar scams Trump pulled this year & in 2020.

Chaos Is the Essence of the Scheme. In a firewalled post, Brian Beutler says that Trump & Co.'s multiples, repeated lies about hurricane response are a trial run for the election.

Zach Schonfeld of the Hill: "The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a challenge by social platform X ... to court rulings that forced the platform to turn over data on former President Trump's account to special counsel Jack Smith. Early last year, Smith obtained a secret warrant for Trump's account on X, where Trump posted prolifically during his White House term, as part of prosecutors' federal election interference investigation. X was prohibited from informing the former president about the warrant. It only became public last summer, after Trump was charged with four felonies in the case. He pleaded not guilty. The company challenged the order, arguing the records were potentially covered by executive privilege and not being able to tell Trump violated the First Amendment."

AP: "The Supreme Court on Monday turned away a challenge from Republican state lawmakers in Pennsylvania to a Biden administration executive order that is intended to boost voter registration. The justices did not comment in rejecting an appeal from the Republicans, who claimed the order is an unconstitutional attempt to interfere in the November election. Lower courts had dismissed the lawsuit. Nine Republican secretaries of state and 11 members of Congress had asked the court to step in. In May, the justices declined to take up and decide the case on an expedited basis. The justices separately rejected two appeals stemming from baseless claims made by Republicans that voting machines and software of Dominion Voting Systems were responsible for Donald Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election."

Lindsay Whitehurst of the AP: "The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a decision barring emergency abortions that violate the law in Texas, which has one of the country's strictest abortion bans. Without detailing their reasoning, the justices kept in place a lower court order that said hospitals cannot be required to provide pregnancy terminations that would violate Texas law. There were no publicly noted dissents. The Biden administration had asked the justices to throw out the lower court order, arguing that hospitals have to perform abortions in emergency situations under federal law. The administration pointed to the Supreme Court's action in a similar case from Idaho earlier this year in which the justices narrowly allowed emergency abortions to resume while a lawsuit continues. The administration also cited a Texas Supreme Court ruling that said doctors do not have to wait until a woman's life is in immediate danger to provide an abortion legally. The administration said it brings Texas in line with federal law and means the lower court ruling is not necessary.... Doctors have said the [Texas] law remains dangerously vague after a medical board refused to specify exactly which conditions qualify for the exception."

New York. Dana Rubinstein, et al., of the New York Times: "Philip B. Banks III, New York City's deputy mayor for public safety, has resigned, Mayor Eric Adams said on Monday morning, making him the sixth senior administration official to leave City Hall in the past month. His departure comes amid an exceptional amount of turmoil at the highest levels of city government, as four federal investigations envelop Mr. Adams and his inner circle, and after prosecutors unsealed a five-count corruption indictment against the mayor. On Sept. 4, federal investigators seized the phones of Mr. Banks, as part of an investigation into a possible bribery scheme."

Tunisia. Vivian Yee of the New York Times: "In Tunisia's first presidential election since its authoritarian leader began dismantling the democracy Tunisians built after their 2011 Arab Spring revolution, the apparent winner came as little surprise: the incumbent himself. President Kais Saied, first elected in 2019, easily won re-election on Sunday, according to exit polls broadcast on state television."

Ukraine, et al. Ivan Nechepurenko of the New York Times: "A 72-year-old U.S. citizen, whose family says is an English teacher, was sentenced by a Moscow court Monday to six years and 10 months in a penal colony on charges of serving as a mercenary in Ukraine, becoming the latest in a list of Americans serving time in Russia. In a statement, the Moscow City Court said that Stephen James Hubbard, a native of Big Rapids, Mich., enlisted with a territorial defense unit in the Ukrainian town of Izium during the first weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The court said that Mr. Hubbard had been receiving a monthly salary of $1,000. Russian state news agencies reported last week that Mr. Hubbard pleaded guilty to the charge.... Mr. Hubbard's sister, Trisha Hubbard Fox, denied the Russian allegations, saying that her brother was 'never a mercenary' and had been teaching English abroad. In a post on Facebook, Ms. Hubbard Fox said that Russia 'kidnapped' him."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Presidential Race

Katie Rogers of the New York Times: "For the first time, Vice President Kamala Harris dismissed criticism from some Republicans that she does not have biological children.... In an appearance on the podcast 'Call Her Daddy,' which is popular with Gen Z and millennial women, Ms. Harris discussed reproductive rights and economic issues. She addressed comments from Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the governor of Arkansas, who recently suggested that having biological children helped with her humility -- a virtue she implied Ms. Harris lacked.... When the conversation turned to attacks by Republicans against 'childless cat ladies,' Ms. Harris called the criticism, popularized by past comments by Senator JD Vance of Ohio ... 'mean and meanspirited.' Ms. Harris referred to her stepchildren, Cole and Ella Emhoff, as her children.... The 'Call Her Daddy' interview was part of several appearances that Ms. Harris will make this week with news outlets and niche podcasts or radio shows." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Politico's story. which includes a snarky responses from Sanders, is here. ~~~

You will no longer be abandoned, lonely or scared. You will no longer be in danger.... You will no longer have anxiety from all of the problems our country has today. You will be protected, and I will be your protector. -- Donald Trump, at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, in September ~~~

     ~~~ Cleve Wootson of the Washington Post: "Speaking on a popular podcast aimed at young women, Vice President Kamala Harris took issue with ... Donald Trump calling himself a 'protector' of women.... [Harris reminded listeners of Trump's] successful efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case guaranteeing a constitutional right to an abortion. Harris countered that Trump had made life more difficult for women, especially those making an often-searing decision to terminate a pregnancy. She spoke of the increasing hardships faced by women who need abortion care, including one woman who died as a result of new abortion restrictions."

Kellen Browning of the New York Times: "Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota fielded tough questions on abortion, immigration, the economy and his own past misstatements in an interview on 'Fox News Sunday,' that was mainly noteworthy because it was his first appearance on a Sunday news program since becoming Vice President Kamala Harris's running mate. He turned some questions into critiques of ... Donald J. Trump and sidestepped others. Asked whether Israel had the right to strike Iranian oil facilities or nuclear facilities, he did not directly answer.... Confronted by a series of misstatements he has made -- including on China, where he traveled in August 1989, and indicating he and his wife had used in vitro fertilization when they in fact used a different fertility treatment called intrauterine insemination -- Mr. Walz acknowledged that he sometimes misspeaks." (Also linked yesterday.)

Mia McCarthy & Holly Otterbein of Politico: "Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign is directly invoking special counsel Jack Smith's investigation to attack ... Donald Trump, in a new ad.... The digital ad will air in battleground states starting Sunday. The ad comes after new developments from Smith's investigation were detailed in a 165-page filing last week." ~~~

Philip Nieto of Mediaite: "... Donald Trump promised his supporters at a Wisconsin rally on Sunday to free the state from a 'mass migration invasion.'... He blamed Vice President Kamala Harris for the death of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old who was strangled to death in Houston[:]... 'An illegal alien released by Kamala Harris was arrested for tying up and blindfolding a 12 year old. You know this you read it's big story. A 12 year old girl in a back of a van and viciously assaulting her in so many ways sexually. Today I make you this promise. I will liberate Wisconsin and our entire nation from this mass migration invasion of murderers, child predators, drug dealers, gang members and thugs.'"

Daniel Dale of CNN fact-checks "Six Days of Trump Lies about the Hurricane Helene Response.... Donald Trump has delivered a barrage of lies and distortions about the federal response to Hurricane Helene. While various misinformation about the response has spread widely without Trump's involvement, the Republican presidential nominee has been one of the country's leading deceivers on the subject. Over a span of six days, in public comments and social media posts, Trump has used his powerful megaphone to endorse or invent false or unsubstantiated claims. The chief targets of his hurricane-related dishonesty have been Vice President Kamala Harris ... and President Joe Biden." (Also linked yesterday.)

It's almost difficult to come up with a tax plan that would raise taxes on most Americans, but still increase the deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars a year -- and that's what [Donald Trump's plan] does. -- Steve Wamhoff of the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy ~~~

~~~ Andrew Duehren & Alan Rappaport of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump's economic proposals could inflame the nation's debt burden while ultimately raising costs for a vast majority of Americans, according to a pair of new economic analyses that are among the most in-depth studies to date of the Republican nominee's plans. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan group that seeks lower deficits, found that Mr. Trump's various plans could add as much as $15 trillion to the nation's debt over a decade. That is nearly twice as much as the economic plans being proposed by Vice President Kamala Harris. And an analysis from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a liberal think tank, found that Mr. Trump's tax and tariff plans would, on average, amount to a tax increase for every income group except the top 5 percent of highest-earning Americans.... The richest 1 percent [would pay] $36,320 less in taxes, while the bottom 20 percent [would] pay $790 more, I.T.E.P. estimated. The middle 20 percent of Americans would pay $1,530 more, on average, equivalent to 2.1 percent of their income." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: What a surprise! Trump comes up with a "plan" that's bad for everybody except Trump & his wealthy benefactors.

David French of the New York Times: "... as the 2020 election approached, countless Christians were not only certain that Trump would win, they were certain that Trump was divinely appointed to save the United States of America, either as King Cyrus figure (a pagan ruler who helped save the people of Israel) or as a King David figure (a flawed king, but still God's anointed ruler). Any dissent from that idea was met with ruthless opposition.... [A Pentacostal doctrine called] the Seven Mountain Mandate provided a theological justification for supporting Trump's quest for power.... Traditional Christianity teaches that Christian virtues should be applied to all spheres of life.... [But according to the Mandate,] other characteristics are necessary to dominate the ['mountains' other than the church].... Ruthlessness is useful in business and politics. In those spheres, pugilism isn't just valuable, it's often essential. Looked at this way, Trump's rage and fury become assets.... [JD] Vance's presence [at a Seven Mountain event on September 28] ... helps illustrate why he refuses to acknowledge that Biden won a free and fair election in 2020. He'd be directly contradicting the prophets of Trumpism, and if you contradict the prophets of Trumpism, you will be made to pay." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If you are looking for the single greatest stroke of brilliance of members of the U.S. Constitutional Convention, it was to leave every reference to "God" out of the new nation's most important document. If you need examples of why politics & religion should not mix, David French provides it here, and Bibi Netanyahu, as well as his Muslim opponents, provide it every day. It's why I cringe when politicians end their speeches with "God bless America," when people recite the "new" pledge of allegiance with that "under God" addition, and so forth.

Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: "House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wouldn't acknowledge Sunday that Joe Biden won the 2020 election when asked directly about the election denialism that former president Donald Trump continues to promote on the campaign trail. During a testy exchange on ABC News's 'This Week,' host George Stephanopoulos asked Johnson if he could say 'unequivocally that Joe Biden won the 2020 election and Trump lost.' Johnson declined, saying only that 'this is the game that is always played by mainstream media with mainstream Republicans. It's a gotcha game.'... In the immediate aftermath of the 2020 election, Johnson led a congressional effort to overturn the presidential results in four battleground states.... Johnson was also among the Republicans who, on Jan. 6, 2021, voted against certifying the electoral college vote for Biden in two key battleground states.... Johnson's comments Sunday may draw scrutiny about what he might do between Election Day on Nov. 5 and Congress's certification of the vote on Jan. 6 if Trump does not win in the electoral college." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Joe DePaolo of Mediaite: "George Stephanopoulos battled House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) over comments from Eric Trump at a rally on Saturday -- during which [Eric Trump] claimed Democrats were behind the assassination attempts against his father.... 'They tried to kill him,' Eric Trump said at the rally. 'And it's because the Democratic Party, they can't do anything right.'... In a heated exchange on ABC's This Week, Stephanopoulos pressed Johnson about former President Donald Trump and his family toning down their rhetoric." After Johnson said he couldn't comment because he needed to hear Eric's comment "in context," Stephanopoulos said, 'Here's exactly what Eric Trump said. 'They tried to smear us. They came after us. They impeached him twice. And then, guys, they tried to kill him. They tried to kill him, and it's because the Democratic Party, they can't do anything right." What more context do you need? Do you support that statement or not?' [Johnson replied,] 'George, I'm not going to parse the language what people say at rallies.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: What Bible Mike is arguing is that it's okay for Republicans to falsely accuse Democrats of attempted murder/assassination, as long as they do so at rallies where everybody is pumped up and might be more prone to plan action against an accused murderer.

Sharon LaFraniere & David Yaffe-Bellany of the New York Times: "Chase Herro is an online salesman who proudly calls himself a 'dirtbag of the internet,' able to sell anything to anyone. Zachary Folkman ran a company called Date Hotter Girls, offering advice under a pseudonym on how to pick up women at bars. For the past decade or so, the two men have been serial entrepreneurs, leaving behind a trail of lawsuits and unpaid debt and taxes. Now they are ... Donald J. Trump's business partners [in a cryptocurrency venture].... Mr. Herro and Mr. Folkman have a history of jumping from project to project.... Eswar Prasad, an economics professor at Cornell University, said Mr. Herro and Mr. Folkman did not appear to have the technical or financial savvy to make the venture work.... Like his social media company, [Mr. Trump's] new crypto business stands out for its potential conflicts of interest." MB: Oh, read on. This is a scheme that seems to have been developed by Donnie Junior & Eric, and it has all of the stability you might expect to find in a Dumb & Dumber enterprise.


David Ovalle of the Washington Post: "Overdose deaths appear to be declining sharply in the United States, a sign that efforts to combat the scourge of lethal fentanyl may be paying off even as experts caution that the toll remains unacceptably high and could rise again. Preliminary data compiled by states and released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a 10 percent drop in deaths during the 12-month period ending in April 2024, with about 101,000 people succumbing to overdoses. Public health officials and researchers said the decline could reflect multiple forces, including widespread availability of the overdose-reversal medication naloxone, greater access to opioid addiction treatment and law-enforcement crackdowns on illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which had become the leading killer of 18-to-49-year-olds."

~~~~~~~~~~

Israel/Palestine, et al.

The Washington Post's live updates of developments Monday in Israel's wars are here: "More than 41,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. In Lebanon, hundreds have been killed and more than 1.2 million displaced, according to the United Nations refugee agency." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Monday are here.

Patrick Kingsley, et al., of the New York Times: "... the war in Gaza has dragged on for a year, with no end in sight.... A wider, multifront war between Israel and Hamas's regional allies is now unfolding ... but the core of the conflict remains the original battle between Hamas and Israel, and the almost Sisyphean challenge of ending it. Inside a deeply traumatized Israel, that conflict has magnified long-running social schisms and set off bitter debate about whether to prioritize Hamas's destruction or a deal to free the hostages. Outside Israel, it has spurred horror at the Israeli military response to Hamas's atrocities, accusations of genocide and war crimes, and widespread protests in the United States and beyond.The war in Gaza has also highlighted the limits of American influence, with the Biden administration unable or unwilling to exert the pressure needed to broker a truce."

News Ledes

Weather Channel: "H​urricane Milton has rapidly intensified into a Category 3 and hurricane and storm surge watches are now posted along Florida's western Gulf Coast, where the storm poses threats of life-threatening storm surge, destructive winds and flooding rainfall by midweek. 'Milton will be a historic storm for the west coast of Florida,' the National Weather Service in Tampa Bay said in a briefing Monday morning." ~~~

     ~~~ New York Times live updates are here for what is now a Cat 5 hurricane.

CNN: "This year's Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their work on the discovery of microRNA, a fundamental principle governing how gene activity is regulated. Their research revealed how genes give rise to different cells within the human body, a process known as gene regulation. Gene regulation by microRNA -- a family of molecules that helps cells control the sort of proteins they make -- ... was first revealed by Ambros and Ruvkun. The Nobel Prize committee announced the prestigious honor ... in Sweden on Monday.... Ambros, a professor of natural science at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, conducted the research that earned him the prize at Harvard University. Ruvkun conducted his research at Massachusetts General Hospital, and is a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School."

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