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....”

 

Contact Marie

Email Marie at constantweader@gmail.com

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Tuesday
Jul302024

The Conversation -- July 30, 2024

Sad News. Meredith McGraw & Daniel Lippman of Politico: "Paul Dans, who directed The Heritage Foundation's controversial 2025 Presidential Transition Project, or Project 2025, is stepping down from his role in August.... Dans' departure does not mean the project, which has been repeatedly criticized by Democrats as well as Donald Trump, is shutting down. The work of Project 2025 -- which includes policy and personnel prescriptions for a Republican administration -- will continue...." ~~~

Never before has a figure with Roberts's depth and stature within the American Right tried to articulate a genuinely new future for conservatism. We are now all realizing that it's time to circle the wagons and load the muskets. In the fights that lay ahead, these ideas are an essential weapon. -- J.D. Vance, forward to soon-to-be-published book by Project 2025 leader Kevin Roberts ~~~

     ~~~ According to MSNBC, the Daily Beast is reporting that Trump forced Dans' resignation. And the Trump campaign issued a statement Tuesday "welcoming the demise" of the project. As we know, Trump continues to have a hard time pretending he knows nothing about Project 2025 considering that Kevin Roberts of the Heritage Foundation, who says he headed up Project 2025 has written a new book with a forward by J.D. Vance.

Israel/Palestine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Tuesday in the Israel wars are here. "Israel carried out a strike in Beirut on Tuesday night, retaliating for an assault that killed 12 children and teenagers in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights over the weekend. The Israeli military said it had targeted a commander whom it blamed for the attack, fueling Western concerns that Israel's long-running conflict with the powerful Lebanese militia Hezbollah could escalate further."

Senate Passes Child Protection Bills; House Remains Dysfunctional. Cristiano Lima-Strong of the Washington Post: "The Senate overwhelmingly passed a pair of bills to expand online privacy and safety protections for children on Tuesday, delivering a major win for parent and youth activists who have clamored for action against tech companies they say are endangering the well-being of kids. The legislation, approved 91-3, would force digital platforms to take 'reasonable' steps to prevent harms to children such as bullying, drug addiction and sexual exploitation, and it would broaden existing federal privacy protections to include kids and teens 16 years old and younger. The bills -- the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, and the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act, referred to as COPPA 2.0. -- represent the most significant restrictions on tech platforms to clear a chamber of Congress in decades.

"Proponents of the measures hope Senate passage will amplify calls for the package to be taken up in the House, where the bills have garnered bipartisan support but negotiations publicly unraveled last month amid infighting between House Republican leaders.... Odds for passage in the House this year appear dim.... The House broke early for its annual August recess last week without rescheduling a markup for the bills."

Jarrett Renshaw & Nandita Bose of Reuters: "Vice President Kamala Harris will tour battleground states next week with her vice presidential candidate, two sources familiar with the planning said on Tuesday, a sign the selection process for her running mate is coming to a close.... The short list of candidates under consideration include Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. On Monday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer both indicated they were both out of the VP sweepstakes." ~~~

~~~ Aaron Navarro of CBS News: "As soon as this Thursday, delegates in the Democratic Party will hold a virtual vote to select their new nominee. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to run unopposed. Here's more on what it means and how the vote will work[.]... The vice presidential candidate does not have to be nominated at the same time as the presidential nominee. Harris must pick a running mate by Aug. 7 to comply with Ohio's current ballot deadline, which remains in effect. Harris' team is planning to finish the vetting of the VP field and expects her to pick her running mate by that date, according to a source familiar with the plans."

Eileen Sullivan & Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "The acting Secret Service director told senators on Tuesday that the agency failed on July 13 by not having a countersniper focused on the roof where a would-be assassin fired eight shots at ... Donald J. Trump, injuring him and others and killing a rally attendee. While Ronald L. Rowe Jr., the acting director, provided a more complete account of what happened that day than his predecessor did a week ago, he failed to answer a critical question about that day: Who was supposed to be watching that roof?... Mr. Rowe said he went to the site of the shooting in Butler, Pa., and ... climbed onto the building and laid on the roof so he could see the direct line that the shooter ... had to Mr. Trump. 'What I saw made me ashamed,' Mr. Rowe told a joint hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Judiciary committees. 'As a career law enforcement officer and a 25-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured.'"

Reid Epstein & Nicholas Nehamas of the New York Times: "The race to define Vice President Kamala Harris began in earnest on Tuesday, with both her campaign and .. Donald J. Trump's team unveiling television advertisements that aim to explain her biography to voters in battleground states. Ms. Harris's new ad, her first since becoming the party's de facto nominee, labels her as 'fearless' while leaning into her time as a local and state prosecutor.... Mr. Trump's new ad, meanwhile, attacks her as being weak on the border. It suggests that she is responsible for millions of border crossings and a quarter-million deaths from fentanyl, which the ad says occurred 'on Harris's watch.' It closes with a new Trump tagline for Ms. Harris: 'Failed. Weak. Dangerously Liberal.'... Ms. Harris was not responsible for overseeing border security. Ammar Moussa, a spokesman for the Harris campaign, said in a statement that Mr. Trump had been responsible for Republicans in Congress walking away from a bipartisan immigration agreement.... The new ads will cost tens of millions of dollars and run in [battleground] states." ~~~

"Tech Bro Elegy." Paul Krugman of the New York Times: J.D. "Vance's ascent has, to a significant degree, been powered by a small group of technology billionaires with Peter Thiel, who poured millions into Vance's 2022 Senate race, at the center.... [Vance] pitches himself as a champion of working-class America. But behind his cynical culture-warring -- behind his professed allegiance to Everyman totems like Mountain Dew -- he's closely tied to a tech-sector ethos that's anything but populist.... So, what do [the immensely wealthy tech bros who support Trump-Vance] have in common? To start, right-wing political leanings.... Some right-wing techies have also descended into conspiracism. Leading the pack, Elon Musk.... Tech-bro support for Trump and Vance also seems to have a lot to do with one specific issue: cryptocurrency.... The truth is that Bitcoin, which was introduced 15 years ago, an eon in tech time, remains economically useless: A 2022 survey found that transactions involving crypto assets 'are seldom used for payments outside the crypto ecosystem.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Rachel Maddow posited last night that Trump "policy" is whatever his latest billionaire "friend" is for. So that's how he ended up with a sudden admiration for J.D. Vance & Bitcoin.

~~~~~~~~~~

Katie Rogers of the New York Times: "President Biden, warning that the country's courts were being weaponized as part of an 'extreme and unchecked' conservative agenda, said on Monday that he would push for legislation that would bring major changes to the Supreme Court, including term limits and an enforceable code of ethics on the justices. Mr. Biden detailed his plans in a speech at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum in Austin, Texas, his first public engagement since announcing his decision to end his presidential campaign last week.... In a social media post, Speaker Mike Johnson [R-La.] called the plan 'dead on arrival' in the House. (Mr. Biden later said onstage that Mr. Johnson's 'thinking is dead on arrival.')... Mr. Biden said, 'They're planning another onslaught attacking civil rights in America.' His remarks were met with support from others in his party, including Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, who said she was a partner in the effort and would take up Mr. Biden's proposal in her campaign."

Presidential Race

Edward-Isaac Dovere of CNN: "Kamala Harris' plan as a running mate was to brush past JD Vance as nothing but a rubber stamp for Donald Trump. But now that she's the presumptive Democratic nominee, her campaign is seizing on the Ohio senator as a major liability, looking to her own vice presidential selection process and the contenders' public auditions to drive home the point. Vance's elevation ... is giving Harris a new opportunity to go after Trump. The message is not just that Vance is 'weird,' as the vice president said at a fundraiser this weekend, or that he has objectionable views, advisers said; it's that the Ohio senator shouldn't be a heartbeat away from the presidency, and that Trump picking him raises more questions about the top of the ticket. The strategy is also a way to put Trump's age in focus, now that President Joe Biden is not part of the conversation, by highlighting how close Vance could be to occupying the Oval Office if something were to happen to a 78-year-old president." (Also linked yesterday.)

"White Dudes for Harris." Rebecca O'Brien & Ken Bensinger of the New York Times: "On Monday night, the string of identity groups backing [Vice President] Harris [for president] reached its bizarre, and perhaps inevitable, apotheosis with the inaugural meeting of the aptly named 'White Dudes for Harris.' 'What a variety of whiteness we have here,' marveled Bradley Whitford, the 'West Wing' actor, his tongue firmly in cheek as he opened his remarks to the 60,000 or so attendees who had gathered on a live video call to show their support and raise money for Ms. Harris's nascent presidential campaign. 'It's like a rainbow of beige.'... The speakers included two white dudes on the shortlist to be Ms. Harris's running mate -- Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg -- as well as the singers Josh Groban and Lance Bass and the actor Mark Hamill. Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina was there, in a suit and tie, and Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois was too, cracking jokes about JD Vance.... Kicking off the White Dudes call was, of course, the Dude, the actor Jeff Bridges, abiding in a comfortable-looking chair....

"'They should give it a more fitting name like: Cucks for Kamala,' Donald Trump Jr. posted on X, using a term popular in some far-right circles for a weak or submissive man. ([Democratic organizer Ross] Morales Rocketto sighed. 'For whatever reason, the Republican Party has really leaned into being creeps.')"

Jonathan Cooper of the AP: "Vice President Kamala Harris highlighted endorsements from mayors of border towns in swing-state Arizona Monday as she looks to blunt the impact of Republican criticism of her handling of illegal border crossings. Harris' campaign said she was backed by the mayors of Bisbee, Nogales, Somerton, and San Luis, as well as by Yuma County Supervisors Martin Porchas and Tony Reyes. The mayors were elected without party affiliation but represent left-leaning communities. Porchas and Reyes are Democrats." ~~~

~~~ It Ain't Just Democratic Mayors. John Giles (R), the mayor of Mesa, Arizona, in an Arizona Republic op-ed: "The Republican Party with Trump at its helm continues down the path of political extremism, away from focusing on our fundamental freedoms. Now more than ever, we need leaders who will put country over party.... In Arizona, we have faced the brunt of misinformation, election denialism and an erosion of trust in our justice system.... Significant reforms to immigration and border policies that would have addressed the crisis at our southern border were blocked by Trump because he didn't want the problem solved. He wanted to exploit it for personal political gain.... It will take Arizona Republicans, independents and Democrats standing together against a far-right agenda. Let us put country over party by voting to stop Trump and protect our democracy." Giles writes that Trump made a joke of infrastructure week, while Biden & Harris brought money & improvements to Mesa.

Maeve Reston & Cleve Wootson of the Washington Post: "Seeking to capitalize on an outpouring of enthusiasm and an influx of cash, Democratic Govs. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania sought Monday to draw a contrast between Vice President Harris and Donald Trump, warning a packed gymnasium [in Ambler, Pa., outside Philadelphia,] that he would strip more freedoms from a vast swath of Americans.... The governors spent the afternoon blasting Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, as self-interested, out-of-touch and destructive.... 'While he's hugging the flag, he's taking away our freedoms,' Shapiro said. 'It's not freedom to tell our kids what books they can read.... It's not freedom to tell women what they can do with their bodies.... It's not freedom to tell people they can go vote -- but he's going to pick the winner.'"

Alex Gangitano of the Hill: "Vice President Harris's campaign is doubling down on its attacks against former President Trump, accusing him of backtracking on the next presidential debate. Campaign communications director Michael Tyler said in a statement ... that Harris will be at ABC's Sept. 10 debate 00 to which Trump and President Biden had both previously agreed -- regardless of the former president's attendance.... Harris said last week she's 'ready to go' for a debate and accused Trump of backpedaling after he has suggested he may not want to participate in the established ABC debate. Her campaign also cast Trump as 'scared' to have the debate. Trump told reporters Tuesday he would 'absolutely' debate Harris but signaled he may not be willing to participate in the ABC event. His campaign said Thursday it would not agree to a general election debate with Harris until Democrats formally decide on their nominee." ~~~

     ~~~ Brett Samuels of the Hill: "Former President Trump on Monday said he would 'probably' end up debating Vice President Harris ahead of November's election, but he left the door open to backing out.... Trump listed off reasons for him not to participate even as [Fox host Laura] Ingraham warned it would allow his critics to say he's scared. Trump pointed to his lead in national and battleground state polls, though those surveys show a close race. He also argued the public knows where both candidates stand on the issues. 'The answer is yes, but I can also make a case for not doing it,' Trump added. 'Also, I don't like rewarding fake news -- They're going to make tens of millions of dollars with this debate. I don't like ABC.'"

Donald Trump's Very Bad Week. A.B. Stoddard in the Bulwark: "IT MUST BE HARD TO TRANSITION from martyr anointed by God and positioned to win in a blowout to jealous old whiner grumbling about the misunderstood relevance of Hannibal Lecter.... Within days, the vice president had captivated the nation, united her party, upended the campaign, raised record sums, tied up the race in polling, and seen a bounce in her favorability ratings. In the same stretch of time Trump had backed out of a debate, watched JD Vance become a meme, fielded concerns about what a failure it was to pick Vance, and seen his own approval rating erode under Harris's attacks.... Enraged by Harris's surge, Trump is flailing about for any attack to use on her." (Also linked yesterday.)

Behind Closed Doors. Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post: "Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), privately told donors that running against Vice President Harris instead of President Biden made the race more challenging.... 'All of us were hit with a little bit of a political sucker punch,' Vance said about Biden's withdrawal on July 21, according to a recording of his remarks at a Saturday fundraiser in Golden Valley, Minn. 'The bad news is that Kamala Harris does not have the same baggage as Joe Biden, because ... Kamala is a lot younger. And Kamala Harris is obviously not struggling in the same ways that Joe Biden did.' Publicly, the Trump campaign has insisted that Harris replacing Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket has not changed the race, arguing that she shares responsibility for public dissatisfaction with Biden's leadership. Vance told reporters on July 22, a day after Biden dropped out of the race, that there was no difference in running against Harris vs. Biden."

Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post: "It would be strange for Democrats to attack the Republican presidential ticket for being 'weird' if it weren't true. But those men are getting weirder by the day." Last week, Vance stood behind very offensive things he has said about women and families. "The normal thing would have been for Vance to recognize that he said some dumb things and now regrets them. But being Trump's wingman means never having to say you're sorry -- actually, never being allowed to say you're sorry.... Since last fall, at campaign rallies [Trump] has been regularly telling that nonsensical story about a boat, a battery and a shark. When it was pointed out that the whole thing makes no sense and critics laughed at Trump's ignorance of basic physics, he insisted on his self-proclaimed infallibility. It's 'actually not crazy' and 'sort of a smart story,' he told one crowd.... Trump also cant stop talking about 'the late, great Hannibal Lecter.'..."

~~~ Marie: When they've got nothin', they put out slurs that are inherently racist, sexist & dehumanizing: ~~~

~~~ Michael Luciano of Mediaite: "Republican National Committee Co-Chair Lara Trump said Vice President Kamala Harris reminds her of a designer bag that was 'literally a trash bag.'... 'It reminds me of -- there was a bag that a very famous designer designed,' she said. 'This was several years ago, and it literally was a trash bag, but they sold this thing for like $2000 thinking that people will actually buy it. It's a similar situation with Kamala Harris. Nobody was interested in Kamala Harris even several months ago.' The bag Trump referred to appears to be the Men's Trash Bag Large Pouch in White made by Balenciaga. And it can be yours for a cool $1,950."

Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. Margaret Sullivan of the Guardian in a Substack essay: "This past Friday, Trump urged Christian voters in West Palm Beach, Florida to vote, but told them it would be the last time they'd need to bother.... The New York Times, among many news organizations, was slow to focus on this, though they eventually added these startling remarks to their original coverage of the speech. Later, they published a separate story focusing on the 'it will be fixed' comments.... A few days earlier, on Fox & Friends, Trump went so far as to tell the faithful not to bother to vote even now. 'My instruction -- we don't need the votes. We have so many votes.' And a week ago, at another rally, Trump put it this way: 'In four years, don't vote. I don't care. But we'll have it all straightened out, so it'll be much different.'... Ruth Ben-Ghiat, the scholar of authoritarian movements..., warned: 'Media: This should be *the* A1 story. I have studied dictatorship for years and this is it -- "you won't have to vote anymore.: Trump will never leave office if he wins in November.'... I urge news decision-makers to take Trump's authoritarian desires very seriously." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Turns out we may not have to wait till 2028 (or 2026) to watch Trump upend election results: ~~~

     ~~~ Travis Gettys of the Raw Story: "Dozens of election conspiracists are serving in positions around the country that could help determine the outcome of this year's presidential election, according to a new report. Rolling Stone and American Doom identified at least 70 individuals working as county election officials in swings states like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania who questioned the validity of Donald Trump's 2020 election loss or refused to certify results, including at least 22 who refused or delayed the certification of election results in recent years. 'I think we are going to see mass refusals to certify the election,' said Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias. 'Everything we are seeing about this election is that the other side is more organized, more ruthless, and more prepared.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: This is not random "weird" information. Rachel Maddow pointed last night to a number of times Trump has told his followers they didn't need to vote even in this election. Maddow says that pro-Trump local elections officials will refuse to certify election results, so gumming up the works that state election outcomes cannot be legally determined.

Devlin Barrett & Perry Stein of the Washington Post: "The gunman who tried to kill ... Donald Trump conducted internet searches related to power plants, mass shooting events and the attempted assassination this year of Slovakia's prime minister, FBI officials said Monday, offering new details about what they described as the gunman's 'careful planning' for the attack.... He used aliases and at least some encrypted communication accounts to purchase firearm supplies and materials to build explosive devices, the officials said.... He carried a backpack and an AR-style weapon with a collapsible stock, an enhancement to weapons that makes them more compact." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Hannah Rabinowitz & Holmes Lybrand of CNN: "Donald Trump has agreed to sit for a victim interview with the FBI, which is investigating this month's attempted assassination, an agency official said Monday. Victim interviews are a routine part of criminal investigations, but are voluntary." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Sasha Pezenik, et al., of ABC News: Beaver County, Pa., SWAT team members at the rally during which Donald Trump was shot told ABC News "they had no contact with the agents on Trump's Secret Service detail.... The Washington Post reported over the weekend that Secret Service agents have complained they were not made aware of the warnings [that there was a suspicious person in the crowd]." (Also linked yesterday.)


Joan Biskupic of CNN: "The Supreme Court began the year poised to build on its 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade and to deliver a new blow to abortion access. In January, the court took the extraordinary step of letting Idaho enforce its ban on abortion with an exception only to prevent the death of a pregnant woman, despite an ongoing challenge from the Biden administration arguing that it intruded on federal protections for emergency room care. No recorded vote was made public, but CNN has learned the split was 6-3, with all six Republican-nominated conservatives backing Idaho, over objections from the three Democratic-appointed liberals. But over the next six months..., a combination of misgivings among key conservatives and rare leverage on the part of liberal justices changed the course of the case." Read on for details.

No Honor Among Drug Lords. Alan Feuer & Natalie Kitroeff of the New York Times: Circumstances leading to the arrest by U.S. officials of he arrest of Ismael Zambada García, the last remaining godfather of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel, were more dramatic than originally told. "Mr. Zambada García, one of his country's most wanted men, had come down from a hide-out in the mountains last week and was ambushed in the Mexican city of Culiacán at what he thought would be a friendly meeting with [El Chapo's son, Joaquín] Guzmán López, according to three federal law enforcement officials.... Mr. Guzmán López then forcibly flew Mr. Zambada García in a Beechcraft King Air turboprop across the border, where he was apprehended by U.S. federal agents, the officials said."

~~~~~~~~~~

Venezuela. Frances Robles, et al., of the New York Times: "Protests broke out Monday in Caracas, Venezuela's capital, with hundreds of young people marching through the streets furious over a presidential election in which the incumbent, Nicolás Maduro, declared victory despite widespread accusations of fraud, officially proclaiming the election decided without releasing the full vote counts. The United States and countries around the world denounced the official results of Sunday's vote, which did not appear to match statistical estimates based on partial counts and other data that showed the president losing by a wide margin. By Monday afternoon, the Venezuelan government announced it had kicked out the diplomatic missions of seven Latin American countries that had condemned the official electoral results. The opposition leader, María Corina Machado, announced on Monday evening that her movement had received paper tallies from 73 percent of the country's voting stations and refuted the government's claims. Those tallies showed that Mr. Maduro's opponent, Edmundo González, had received 3.5 million more votes than the president."

News Lede

New York Times: "William L. Calley Jr., who as a young Army lieutenant during the Vietnam War was the only American convicted in the murder of hundreds of unarmed, unresisting Vietnamese civilians in the atrocity known as the My Lai Massacre, died on April 28 in hospice in Gainesville, Fla, according to Social Security Administration records. He was 80.... Nearly 56 years after the killings of as many as 500 women, children and older men by Americans who attacked with automatic weapons, grenades and bayonets; raped girls and women; mutilated bodies; killed livestock, and burned the village, My Lai (pronounced Mee Lye) still reverberates as one of the worst outrages of a brutal and divisive war."

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Reader Comments (14)

Newsweek

"Newsweek observed that the White Dudes for Harris X account had been temporarily suspended after the group held a star-studded virtual call on Monday night that raised more than $4 million.

It is not clear why the account was suspended, but it appeared to have been restored as of the early hours of Tuesday. The automated message when the account was suspended read: "X suspends accounts which violate the X rules."

Mike Nellis, who is involved in the organization, shared an update on Tuesday explaining that while the X account is live again, it still remains suspended."

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterRAS

Weird GOP

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterRAS

@RAS: It isn't clear from the part of the (firewalled) Newsweek report why X suspended the account. So I checked to see if I could find the story elsewhere, and sure enough, the Independent had an article -- that also didn't make it clear why the account was suspended.

But I do think that Democratic members of Congress should demand to know what's going on here. Funny how this little "accidental" "technical difficulties" situation favors Republicans. I wouldn't think anything of it -- except Elon Musk.

July 30, 2024 | Registered CommenterMarie Burns

@Marie: I think the fact that there has been no reason for the suspension is why it is newsworthy. Under Elon Musk's control X has made a habit of temporarily suspending, usually journalists, people who's views he doesn't agree with for no actual violations of their policies. It just illustrates once again how much power is in the hands of a small number of truly awful tech bros and the potential they have for screwing with anyone not on their side. It was only a day ago that Musk was promoting a doctored video of Harris to his millions of followers.

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterRAS

Pete Souza posted a photo of Dump’s perfectly formed and “healed” ear on Twitter and was so snarled-at that he closed his account. He was Obama’s photographer and I follow his Instagram. He is used to backlash but said this was horrible. They said he was thrown off by Musk but it is a lie. I am pretty worried about the strength of the opposition, like Maddow and Elias, and what is being planned.

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterJeanne

Like many of you, I’ve been peppered with calls for donations to help Harris and the Democrats keep the fascists from taking over the country. I don’t usually have the dough to do that, but this time I
am. But my sense is, they already have (taken over, that is). Just look at the Trump judges and the Supreme Crooks, and the way the corporate media goes after Democrats but gives the traitors every benefit of the doubt. “Ooooh…both sides!!!”

We certainly need to be on guard against the thousands of election scammers and vote stealers being sicced on the nation by the Orange Monster and his Heritage/Federalist democracy-hating gestapo operatives.

But calls to help take back the House from Bible Mike, Harridan MTG, Handjob Bobo, and the lawless firm of Jim’N Gym have me worried.

If serious, honest, public servants who believe in the Constitution, ethics, democracy, morality, fairness, America, and the rule of law come into power, what will become of the weekly impeachment hearings? Where will we go to hear outrageous, self-serving lies every day?

C’mon! Stoopid, illegitimate, hyper-partisan, Trumpified bullshit hearings that waste millions of taxpayer dollars keep the corporate media engaged. If we get a government that works, is honest, doesn’t threaten to murder people out of favor, what would we do for entertainment??

Sheesh.

I guess I’ll just have to enjoy finish binging my way through “Gilmore Girls”. Will Lorelei and Luke EVER get Together?

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

Squarespace is screwing around with postings again.

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

Never mind…

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

@Akhilleus: I know. I've complained to them again. Close to 50% of the times I update the daily drivel (which is a couple of dozen time sa day), Squarespace loses my work. It's a pain.

July 30, 2024 | Registered CommenterMarie Burns

Marie,

Sorry. I know it’s a royal pain.

I might try that last post again.

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

Like many of you, I’ve been peppered with calls for donations to help Harris and the Democrats keep the fascists from taking over the country. I don’t usually have the dough to do that, but this time I
am. But my sense is, they already have (taken over, that is). Just look at the Trump judges and the Supreme Crooks, and the way the corporate media goes after Democrats but gives the traitors every benefit of the doubt. “Ooooh…both sides!!!”

We certainly need to be on guard against the thousands of election scammers and vote stealers being sicced on the nation by the Orange Monster and his Heritage/Federalist democracy-hating gestapo operatives.

But calls to help take back the House from Bible Mike, Harridan MTG, Handjob Bobo, and the lawless firm of Jim’N Gym have me worried.

If serious, honest, public servants who believe in the Constitution, ethics, democracy, morality, fairness, America, and the rule of law come into power, what will become of the weekly impeachment hearings? Where will we go to hear outrageous, self-serving lies every day?

C’mon! Stoopid, illegitimate, hyper-partisan, Trumpified bullshit hearings that waste millions of taxpayer dollars keep the corporate media engaged. If we get a government that works, is honest, doesn’t threaten to murder people out of favor, what would we do for entertainment??

Sheesh.

I guess I’ll just have to enjoy finish binging my way through “Gilmore Girls”. Will Lorelei and Luke EVER get Together?

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

It worked…yay!

July 30, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

Outright lies.

As the Senate, controlled by an actual, functioning, serious party (ie Democrats) pass child protection bills, Shady Vance indulges in the usual Party of Traitors pastime, blatant lying, this time about Kamala Harris’s supposed hatred of families and children.

“In a Fox News interview that aired Sunday, Vance said, ‘I think a lot of parents and a lot of non-parents look at our public policy over the last four years and ask, ‘How did we get to this place? How did we get to a place where Kamala Harris is calling for an end to the child tax credit?’”

In fact, the exact opposite is true. Harris and the Democrats…and ONLY Democrats, pushed for an expansion of the child tax credit. Shady Vance’s party tried to kill it.

“Facts First: Vance’s claim that Harris is calling to end the child tax credit is false. In fact, it is the opposite of reality: Harris has called for years to increase the child tax credit. As vice president, she has advocated for the permanent adoption of the enhanced child tax credit that was temporarily in effect in 2021 under a pandemic relief law – a law that was signed by President Joe Biden after it was passed by Congress with only Democratic support.”

Of course, he lied about this on Fox where PoT liars are never challenged or fact checked.

Expect a lot more of this crap.

July 31, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus

Wouldn’t you expect the idiot who claims to have the best words to know something about words in general?

Fatty went on Fox in an interview with Laura Ingraham and said “I don’t want pronouns!”

“I” is a pronoun. Funny, in’it?

Moron.

July 31, 2024 | Unregistered CommenterAkhilleus
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