The Ledes

Friday, February 28, 2025

New York Times: “Boris Spassky, the world chess champion whose career was overshadowed by his loss to Bobby Fischer in the 'Match of the Century' in 1972, died on Thursday in Moscow. He was 88.”

New York Times: “The actor Gene Hackman was found dead in a mud room in his New Mexico home and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, was found dead on the floor of a bathroom on Wednesday, according to a search warrant affidavit. An open prescription bottle and scattered pills were discovered near her body on a counter in the bathroom. A dead German shepherd was found between 10 and 15 feet away from Ms. Arakawa in a closet of the bathroom, the affidavit said. There were no obvious signs of a gas leak in the home, it said, and the Fire Department did not find signs of a carbon monoxide leak. The maintenance workers who found them said they had not been in contact with the couple for two weeks. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Thursday afternoon that 'there were no apparent signs of foul play.'... The causes of their deaths had not been determined.”

The Wires
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The Ledes

Thursday, February 27, 2025

CNBC: “Initial filings for unemployment benefits hit their highest level of the year last week in another potential signs of weakness in the labor market. Jobless claims for the week ended Feb. 22 totaled a seasonally adjusted 242,000, up 22,000 from the previous week’s revised level and higher than the Dow Jones estimate for 225,000, according to a Labor Department report Thursday. The level of claims matched the highest since early October 2024 and comes amid questions over broader economic growth and worrying signs in recent consumer sentiment surveys.”

CNBC: “High mortgage rates and elevated home prices combined to crush home sales in January. Pending sales, which are based on signed contracts for existing homes, dropped 4.6% from December to the lowest level since the National Association of Realtors began tracking this metric in 2001. Sales were down 5.2% from January 2024. These sales are an indicator of future closings.”

New York Times: “Gene Hackman, who never fit the mold of a Hollywood movie star, but who became one all the same, playing seemingly ordinary characters with deceptive subtlety, intensity and often charm in some of the most noted films of the 1970s and ’80s, has died, the authorities in New Mexico said on Thursday. He was 95. Mr. Hackman and his wife were found dead on Wednesday afternoon at a home in Santa Fe., N.M., where they had been living, according to a statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff’s deputies found the bodies of Mr. Hackman; his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 64; and a dog, according to the statement, which said that foul play was not suspected.” ~~~

     ~~~ Update. New York Times: “An investigation was underway on Thursday after the prolific actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead along with their dog at a house in New Mexico, the local authorities said. The bodies of Mr. Hackman, 95, and Ms. Arakawa, 64, were found by sheriff’s deputies in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Santa Fe on Wednesday afternoon, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The couple had lived in the Santa Fe area for years. Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County said in a phone interview that an associate of Mr. Hackman and his family had placed an emergency call on Wednesday afternoon after discovering the bodies of the actor and his wife.”

New York Times: “Michelle Trachtenberg, a touchstone of millennial youth culture who grew up onscreen, rising to fame as a troubled teenager on the supernatural 1990s series 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and as a conniving young socialite on 'Gossip Girl,' was found dead on Wednesday in Manhattan. She was 39. The New York Police Department said in a statement that officers, responding to a 911 call just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday, found Ms. Trachtenberg unconscious and unresponsive in a Manhattan apartment. She was pronounced dead by emergency medical workers, who had also responded.”

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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Jul182024

The Conversation -- July 19, 2024

From the New York Times Biden campaign liveblog Friday: "Some people in Mr. Biden's camp have told Democratic allies that the president's resolve to stay in the race has been most shaken by three developments: the decision by Representative Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, to weigh in strongly on his candidacy, new state polls showing that his path to an Electoral College victory has grown far more remote and a spending boycott by key party donors.... Representative Greg Landsman, who had flipped his Ohio district to Democrats in 2022, urged the president to step aside.... Representative Sean Casten of Illinois delivered a similar message in an essay in the Chicago Tribune." ~~~

Robert Jimison: "As President Biden faces mounting calls from within his own party to discontinue his re-election campaign, a group of Black Democrats is working to rally support for him -- but also to send a firm message that Vice President Kamala Harris is the sole alternative to lead the ticket if he opts to withdraw."

Luke Broadwater: "Representative Zoe Lofgren, Democrat of California and a respected voice on Capitol Hill, sent Biden a letter last night calling for him to drop out of the race."

Theodore Schleifer: "Vice President Kamala Harris is set to address a network of major Democratic donors on short notice Friday afternoon, according to two people invited to the call.... It is unclear whether Ms. Harris plans to encourage the restive donor base to calm down or to deliver some other message."

Noam Scheiber: "A major labor union in Washington State has called on President Biden to quit his re-election bid, saying that if 'he continues to demonstrate that he is unable to effectively campaign, and subsequently loses,' a second Trump administration would create an 'immediate risk' for workers. The union, Local 3000 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, represents about 50,000 workers in grocery, retail and other fields in the Pacific Northwest."

Zach Montague: "Kevin O'Connor, the White House physician, said in a letter that President Biden's Covid symptoms had 'improved meaningfully' after four doses of the antiviral drug Paxlovid.... The president's pulse and blood pressure, as well as bloodwork and other measurements, were 'absolutely normal,' the letter said."

Shane Goldmacher & Theodore Schleifer: "Michael Moritz, the billionaire Silicon Valley venture capitalist and a top Democratic donor, is calling for President Biden to step aside, becoming one of the party's largest contributors to go public with his concerns about the president's candidacy."

Nicholas Nehamas: "Top Democratic Party officials on Friday urged the Democratic National Convention's rules committee to choose to nominate President Biden through a virtual roll call vote rather than on the convention floor, as Mr. Biden continues to lose support from Democrats about whether he should be on the ticket at all.... Some [Democratic elected officials] have worried that the party is trying to nominate Mr. Biden as soon as possible to lock him in as the party's standard-bearer...."

Tim Balk: "Representative Morgan McGarvey, a first-term Democrat from Kentucky, called on President Biden to withdraw from the race...."

Jimison: "Representative Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico called on President Biden to 'step aside to give Democrats the best opportunity to win this November.' Vasquez ... faces a tight challenge to his congressional seat.... Today alone 10 congressional Democrats joined the chorus of party members calling for Biden to exit the race. This is the most urging the president to withdraw his candidacy in a single day since calls began nearly three weeks ago."

Jimison: "Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, another vulnerable Democrat who faces a well-funded Republican challenger in this year's election, has become the fourth senator to call on President Biden to drop out of the race. In a statement, he says that he agrees with voters from his state who 'think the president should end his campaign.'"

Yash Roy of the Hill: "Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), who has already called on President Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, says Biden did not recognize him at a ceremony in Normandy, France last month. 'Every time we crossed paths and I caught his eye, he would break into that big, wide Joe Biden grin and say how glad he was to see me. It was like that just last Christmas at the White House Ball,' Moulton wrote in a column in the Boston Globe. 'More recently, I saw him in a small group at Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. For the first time, he didn't seem to recognize me,' he added."

Alex Gangitano of the Hill: "President Biden on Friday said that former President Trump offered a 'dark vision for the future' during his speech at the Republican National Convention, standing firm that he is not dropping out of the 2024 race." MB: I do remind you that every politician who is contemplating ending a race for ofice insists right up till the minute s/he quits that s/he will stay in the race. As a practical matter, Biden and his team should not say he is going to quit until they figure out the most advantageous way to do so.

Caroline Vakil of the Hill: "Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), who is up for reelection this cycle, on Friday became the third Senate Democrat to call on President Biden to exit the race. While Heinrich called the president 'one of the most accomplished presidents in modern history' in a statement, he also argued that 'this moment in our nation's history calls for a focus that is bigger than any one person.'"

Mychael Schnell of the Hill: "Four more House Democrats are calling on President Biden to step aside from the 2024 race, increasing the pressure on the incumbent as concerns mount in the party over his ability to beat former President Trump in November. Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Jesús 'Chuy' García (D-Ill.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) issued a joint statement Friday morning, writing that while they have 'great admiration' for Biden, the public worries over his age and fitness for office are threatening his chances of winning the election, zeroing in on his disastrous debate performance last month."

Carol Lee, et al., of NBC News: "Members of President Joe Biden's family have discussed what an exit from his campaign might look like, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The overall tone of the conversations has been that any exit plan -- should Biden decide to take that step, as some of his closest allies increasingly believe he will -- should put the party in the best position to beat ... Donald Trump while also being worthy of the more than five decades he has served the country in elected office, these people said. Biden's family members have specifically discussed how he would want to end his re-election bid on his own timing and with a carefully calculated plan in place."

James Poniewozik, the New York Times' teevee critic, assesses the fourth night of the RNC convention: "The night began with a pageant of hypermasculinity, with musclemen and ripped garments. It led to Mr. Trump's taking the stage with a new, somber voice as he recounted his brush with death. Then, over the course of a digressive hour-and-a-half speech, he somehow changed back before our eyes....This is what male identity politics looks like. Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News personality -- who has embraced the alt-right angst over testosterone levels -- spoke off the cuff, suggesting that the shooting established Mr. Trump as a leader on a biological level. 'A leader is the bravest man,' Mr. Carlson said. 'This is a law of nature.'... But the splashiest spectacle brought Hulkamania to Milwaukee."

Ivan Nechepurenko of the New York Times: "A court in Russia on Friday sentenced Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, to 16 years in a high-security penal colony, ending his espionage case but possibly opening a way for a prisoner swap between the United States and Russia. The harsh sentence represented the first espionage conviction of a Western reporter in modern Russia. But the expedited nature of the case suggested that Moscow might be ready to trade Mr. Gershkovich.... Dow Jones, the parent company of the Journal, called the conviction 'disgraceful' and a 'sham.'"

Rikers Springs Weisselberg. Aaron Katersky & Peter Charalambous of ABC News: "Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, was released from jail Friday. Weisselberg served 100 days in New York City's Rikers Island jail complex after being sentenced in April to five months in jail for committing perjury in ... Donald Trump's civil fraud case."

Trump Looked Like a Loser Last Night. Patrick Healy of the New York Times: "After beginning his speech with calls for unity ..., the former president turned the convention into a Trump rally, attacking 'crazy Nancy Pelosi' and slamming [President] Biden by name.... He ripped into Democrats on Social Security, Medicare, the border and energy policy, saying America was 'stupid' under Biden while ad-libbing about Hannibal Lecter and having the next Republican convention in Venezuela.... Biden may have messed up the June debate, but Trump's own cognitive functioning was messing up the July convention.... Democrats are so worried about Biden, but he is not the one who poses a huge risk to the economy, national security and civil rights."

Dan Pfeiffer in the Message Box: "From the outset, the goal of the Republican Convention was to humanize Trump and normalize MAGA extremism.... Don't remind voters of the chaos and incompetence that caused them to reject Trump four years prior.... A sense of inevitability loomed over the convention and permeated the media coverage, magnified by the near-miss assassination attempt on the former President. His party and even some in the media are treating Trump as a candidate of destiny. But Trump is not inevitable. He is vulnerable. Yes, he is ahead in the polls today, but he can be beaten.... The speech wasn't good.... It was low energy, bordering on somnambulant. Trump couldn't discuss his policy agenda because that would stick a thumb in the eye of most voters. There was no message.... It's easy to forget, given the tone and tenor of the press coverage over the last week, but the majority of voters in this country are anti-MAGA."

~~~~~~~~~~

Presidential Race

Marie: I've been reading or hearing quite a bit of "Democrats in disarray" patois. Quite the opposite is true. Here is the Democratic party in its greatest existential crisis since probably 1980 when Teddy Kennedy challenged President Jimmy Carter for the nomination (and that did not go well for party or the country). Yet instead of being at each others' throats, the leaders of today's party are, albeit individually, carrying the same or similar messages. Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama. That's pretty amazing. The odd man out, of course, is Joe Biden -- the guy who matters most. But this is not "disarray." It's "negotiations." It may not turn out well, but the signs -- at the moment -- are promising.

Michael Shear, et al., of the New York Times: "Several people close to President Biden said on Thursday that they believe he has begun to accept the idea that he may not be able to win in November and may have to drop out of the race, bowing to the growing demands of many anxious members of his party. One of the people close to him warned that the president had not yet made up his mind to leave the race after three weeks of insisting that almost nothing would drive him out. But another said that 'reality is setting in,' and that it would not be a surprise if Mr. Biden made an announcement soon endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement." (Also linked yesterday.)

Marianna Sotomayor, et al., of the Washington Post: "Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi has told some House Democrats she believes President Biden can be persuaded fairly soon to exit the presidential race amid serious doubts he can win in November, according to three Democratic officials familiar with her private discussions.... Pelosi is taking a strong, behind-the-scenes role in trying to resolve the political crisis by playing intermediary for upset rank-and-file Democrats and relaying those messages to the White House." (Also linked yesterday.)

Adam Cancryn, et al., of Politico: "President Joe Biden's reelection bid appeared to be nearing the point of collapse on Thursday, amid a cascade of warnings from the Democratic Party's top leaders that they have lost confidence in his candidacy. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi each told Biden in separate meetings over the last week that he should reconsider his reelection run or risk losing and dragging the rest of the party down with him. Schumer was 'pretty harsh' in his conversation with Biden, said one senior Hill Democrat briefed on the discussion.... A senior Biden aide told Politico that 'Biden is more committed to staying in than ever.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Natasha Korecki, et al., of NBC News: "President Joe Biden's political world is collapsing. Top allies have either publicly or privately called on him to step aside. Major donations have fallen off a cliff. Grassroots fundraising is not keeping up with the demands of a campaign that needs to aggressively scale up three months before the presidential election. Members of his own re-election effort have already declared he has no path to victory.... There is now a palpable sense that the ground has shifted underneath him, according to five people with knowledge of the situation, even among some of the president's most defiant internal backers who now believe the writing is on the wall. 'We're close to the end,' a person close to Biden said." (Also linked yesterday.)

Tyler Pager & Michael Scherer of the Washington Post: "Former president Barack Obama has told allies in recent days that President Biden's path to victory has greatly diminished and he thinks the president needs to seriously consider the viability of his candidacy, according to multiple people.... Obama has spoken with Biden only once since the debate, and he has been clear in his conversations with others that the future of Biden's candidacy is a decision for the president to make. He has emphasized that his concern is protecting Biden and his legacy, and has pushed back against the idea that he alone can influence Biden's decision-making process.... In some conversations, Obama, who has long looked to data for political insights, has told people he is concerned that the polls are moving away from Biden, that ... Donald Trump's electoral path is expanding and that donors are abandoning the president." (Also linked yesterday.)

Kellen Browning of the New York Times: "Senator Jon Tester of Montana called on President Biden to drop his campaign for re-election on Thursday night, becoming the second sitting Democratic senator to publicly join the effort to push Mr. Biden out of the race. 'I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and I've never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong,' Mr. Tester, a vulnerable incumbent whose opponent has sought to tie him tightly to Mr. Biden, said in a statement. 'And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term.' Mr. Tester's Washington office said he was also endorsing an open process to select the nominee at the Democratic National Convention, rather than throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris." The CBS News story is here.

Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, a key member of the House committee that investigated the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, sent President Biden a four-page letter this month that compared the 81-year-old commander in chief to a tiring baseball pitcher and urged him to consult with fellow Democrats about whether to continue his campaign.... The letter, the authenticity of which Mr. Raskin confirmed on Thursday, begins with nearly three pages of lavish praise for Mr. Biden.... But the crux of the letter is a four-paragraph metaphor comparing the president to the Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martínez, a Hall of Famer who was left on the mound for the eighth inning of Game Seven of the 2003 American League Championship Series despite being tired. Mr. Martínez allowed three runs, tying the game before the Yankees won with a walk-off home run in the 11th inning that denied the Red Sox a trip to the World Series, which they had not won in 85 years." (Also linked yesterday.)

Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: "Joe Scarborough, the former congressman, ally of President Biden and influential host of the MSNBC show 'Morning Joe,' on Thursday morning all but called on Mr. Biden's aides to help him exit the race. Mr. Scarborough has been blunt that the president's debate performance against ... Donald J. Trump on June 27 was calamitous but has also interviewed Mr. Biden since and was sympathetic to him in the days following the debate. On Thursday, the host cited polling for the president that has taken a massive slide and fund-raising that has disappeared. He did not lay the blame at Mr. Biden's feet, but instead at what he described as a 'bubble' of people around the president who were shielding him."(Also linked yesterday.)

Hailey Fuchs of Politico: "Allies of Vice President Kamala Harris have begun courting Democratic donors to provide financial support for her if President Joe Biden drops out of the 2024 race. One Democratic donor adviser has begun collecting pledges from female Democratic donors to support Harris, while a women's political organization has begun speaking to its donor base in an effort to ensure an initial wave of contributions to a potential Harris campaign...."


Lisa Lerer & Michael Bender of the New York Times: "... in a speech designed to place a friendlier face on Trumpism, the former president couldn't resist a handful of exaggerations and personal attacks on Democrats.... [The] speech, designed to debut the new message [of unity], underscored Mr. Trump's challenge with discipline. He stuck to the script at the start. But as the clock ticked well beyond the one-hour mark, he couldn't resist falling back into the kind of rambling, unscripted diatribe that has long been his signature style. At more than 90 minutes.... Mr. Trump's ultimate success will depend on whether, for the final 15 weeks of the campaign, he can contain his self-destructive tendencies and temper his preference for vengeance and unpopular, hard-right policies."

The New York Times liveblogged the Republican National Convention's big night. Here are some of the reporters' entries:

Jess Bidgood: "Hulk Hogan has torn off his shirt to reveal a Trump/Vance tank top, and I can't believe I just wrote that.... Eric Trump is claiming his father has been persecuted and censored, and he's describing the attempted assassination of his father as part of that narrative.... 'The greatest retribution will be our success,' he says." ~~~

Shawn McCreesh: "Melania Trump walked out while a choral symphony by Ludwig Van Beethoven played (it was Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125). This was a fleeting moment of grace and femininity sandwiched between Hulk Hogan ripping off his T-shirt and Kid Rock screeching 'American Bad Ass.'"

Jonathan Swan: "Trump's team wants him to deliver this speech as if he's the president. The fake White House projection backdrop is part of the effect."

Charles Homans: "The arena is pin-drop quiet as Trump tells the story of his shooting."

Jim Rutenberg: "As Trump calls for an end to 'discord and division,' it's worth noting that his entire political brand has for so long been about denigrating opponents and perceived 'enemies," often in highly personalized and often false terms --- starting with the birther lie.... 'They're destroying our country.' Kind of division-y?"

Maggie Haberman: "Trump just criticized 'crazy Nancy Pelosi,' shortly after calling for not demonizing political rivals."

Swan: "Trump takes a break from his 'unity' speech to revive his false claims about election fraud."

Bidgood: "Trump is painting an apocalyptic picture of the country today. He talked about a migrant 'invasion' and said the country was on the verge of World War III."

Haberman: "The effort in the speech was to make Trump softer, even while focusing on his policy contrasts. But he hasn't stuck with it, and is riffing and vamping throughout the speech."

Linda Qui: "[Trump claimed,] 'We built most of the wall.'... Officials put up new primary barriers where none previously existed along only 47 miles." Qui has posted numerous "This Is False" analyses throughout Trump's speech.

Edward Wong: "Trump is now painting a portrait of the U.S. at odds with the lived reality.... He says the crime rate is going up. Federal data shows that the crime rate has plummeted nationwide."

Bidgood: "Trump has gone on long riffs about 'partisan witch hunts,' unspooling his grievances against Democrats. He's not exactly building a bridge to the other side. But I'm not sure that a night featuring bombastic speakers like Hulk Hogan and Dana White was ever going to do that."

Reid Epstein: "Democrats, who are in despair after three weeks of Biden's post-debate tailspin, seem reinvigorated watching this Trump speech. The false accusations of election fraud, name-calling and greatest hits from his campaign rallies are part of what Democrats are happy to highlight about Trump, and tonight he is doing it for them himself."

Homans: "The message of the first half of this speech seemed to be 'I have been changed.' The message of the second half -- assuming we're in it -- seems to be 'I have not been changed all that much.'"

Maya King: "The seats toward the top of the arena are slowly starting to empty out as Trump nears the 90-minute mark of his speech."

Adam Nagourney: "This very long Trump acceptance speech ends with a promise to 'Make American Great Again,' Melania Trump joining him onstage and red, white and blue balloons dropping from the ceiling on the cheering crowd."

Look for the Elder Statesmen. So it's the final night of the Republican National Convention, the grand finale, if you will, and this THIS THIS is a partial lineup of speakers Donald Trump has chosen to precede him: John Nieporte, top golf professional at one of Trump's clubs; Alina Habba, one of Trump's lawyers; Tucker Carlson, failed Fox "News" host; comedian Russell Brand, whom several women accused of sexual assault; Eric Trump; and to introduce Trump: Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship who slapped his wife multiple times on camera. (In fairness, early on, before national broadcast teevee coverage began, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo garnered a slot.) (Most info. from the NYT liveblog.) Apparently Kid Rock is the "entertainment." National political conventions tend to be fairly cheesy shows, but aside from Clint Eastwood and the empty chair (RNC 2012), there has seldom been a more ridiculous spectacle.

Glenn Kessler of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump's 92-minute speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination ... rambled, often incoherently, through a hit parade of his favorite falsehoods, many of them ad-libbed instead of drawn from his prepared remarks. Here are 34 claims that caught our attention, in the order in which he made them." Here's CNN's fact-check.

** Lest We Forget. New York Times Editors: "This week, Republicans have tried to rewrite the four years of Trump's presidency as a time of unparalleled peace, prosperity and tranquility...[.] The record of what Mr. Trump actually did in office bears little resemblance to that description. Under his leadership, the country lurched from one crisis to the next, from the migrant families separated at the border to the sudden spike in prices caused by his trade war with China to the reckless mismanagement of the Covid pandemic. And he showed, over and over, how little respect he has for the Constitution and those who take an oath to defend it. For Americans who may have forgotten that time, or pushed it from memory, we offer this timeline of his presidency. Mr. Trump's first term was a warning about what he will do with the power of his office -- unless American voters reject him."

All Trump, All the Time. Griffin Eckstein of Salon: X, the social media platform owned by Trump megadonor Elon Musk, is promoting Trump campaign-curated content to all U.S. users, regardless of whether they have opted out of Trump-related content.... Banner ads for the Trump campaign donning the #Trump2024 tag appear for all U.S. users, even those who've blocked words, topics, and hashtags related to the candidate or his campaign or muted the advertiser. Additionally, the #MAGA tag displays an edited image of the former president from his attempted assassination and the #Trump2024 hashtag displays an American flag."


New York Times: "A massive global technology outage on Friday took down airlines, medical services, TV broadcasts, banks and scores of other business and services around the world, a stunning example of the fragile dependence the global economy has on certain software and the cascading effect it can have when things go wrong. The outage was attributed to CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm whose software is used by scores of industries around the world to protect against hackers and outside breaches. Several governments said they found no evidence of a computer attack. A software update issued by CrowdStrike appeared to be at the root of problem...." This is a liveblog. `~~

     ~~~ The Washington Post's liveblog is here.

Michael Levenson of the New York Times: "Lou Dobbs, the conservative television and radio host who used his platforms at CNN and Fox Business to promote baseless conspiracy theories and who became an ardent supporter of ... Donald J. Trump, has died. He was 78."

~~~~~~~~~~

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Reader Comments (7)

Received this fantastic offer in my inbox this morning. It's going to
be a collectors item, probably worth millions (or maybe a dollar).
Get a free t-shirt featuring a photo of "The Don 2024" sitting regally
in what looks like the Oval Office.
It's available in 4 different colors and comes in sizes up to 3XL. Hope
I never run into anyone wearing a size 3XL t-shirt.
https://mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/195787

July 19, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterForrestMorris

We watched a Netflix series this week: The Devil In Ohio.
It's about cults and human sacrifices, etc. I'd give it about two
stars.
Interestingly, it reminded me of someone who will be leaving Ohio
for D.C. if elected vice president, J.D. Vance.
Netflix should do a sequel: The Devil Leaves Ohio.

July 19, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterForrestMorris

I get a little jolt when, out of the corner of my eye, I catch the last line of today's conversation^^.

From The Atlantic 2016 archives by J.D.Vance (gift link)
Donald Trump is
the Opioid of the Masses

July 19, 2024 | Unregistered Commenterlaura hunter

@laura hunter: Oh yeah. I see what you mean. Bracing, innit?

(And yes, yes. Shame on us and so forth.)

July 19, 2024 | Registered CommenterMarie Burns

Free State of Florida Ron DeSantis is warning voters that passage of Amendment 3, legalized recreational pot could mean people could get up to 80 joints per day.

No mention of how many .223 rounds for an AR-15 are currently legal. Answer is,,,,,no limit.

July 19, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterBobby Lee

@Bobby Lee: People in Florida are going to need 80 joints per day
to put up with the BS coming out of RonDeSantis.

July 19, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterForrestMorris

"while also being worthy of the more than five decades he has served the country in elected office"

Perhaps the crowning achievement - ok, maybe just one of them - for a person who has been in office for so long would be to recognize when s/he could do the most good for what s/he believes in by stepping aside. Hubris isn't a good quality.

Speaking of that, I just learned something from the NIH website:

"ABSTRACT – Hubris syndrome is associated with power, more likely to manifest itself the longer the person exercises power and the greater the power they exercise. A syndrome not to be applied to anyone with existing mental illness or brain damage. Usually symptoms abate when the person no longer exercises power."

So, then, does Trump have hubris syndrome? Talk amongst yourselves...

July 19, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterBKDad
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