Thank you, Robert. We needed that commentary! Rachel had Elizabeth Warren on that show, and Warren emphasized that a big part of the answer to that threat is to get out our vote, to win overwhelmingly. Yes, indeed! We can do that! Donald made an ass out of himself as he insulted Blacks, women and journalists all in one swoop! He's evil.
Biden won by 7 million. FT 6 has identified 9 million unregistered folk who trend heavily Democratic. Register Democrats, get them to the polls and we can sweep.
Perhaps his self-immolation will serve as an appetizer for the rest of the voracious news media, and show that interviewers can provoke him with truth - his kryptonite.
Yes, you are correct. He is evil and it is likely that his actions will be increasingly more vicious and vile. With each transgression he demonstrates how completely unfit he is to govern. We will have to vote him out of office with such tremendous numbers that there can be no doubt whatsoever who won .I will be so glad when he and his gang of corrupt weirdos vanish from government.
“Donald made an ass out of himself as he insulted Blacks, women and journalists all in one swoop! He's evil.” –
All true. But the contrarian in me speculates that Trump may not have been “losing it”: Knowing he faced an inherently hostile audience, perhaps he was playing off that audience in order to address his base, trying to firm up their support; perhaps he was trying to give them another rallying cry (Harris is a faux black; Donald in the Lion’s Den).
Without that base, Trump is nearly nothing politically. Perhaps he’s hoping that he can add enough conservative-leaning Independents and uninteresteds to squeak by in the election.
I'm sure you're right. Nonetheless, he still made an ass out of himself. His reasons for doing anything are always based on something he thinks has value, liking sexually assaulting women in dressing-rooms of high-priced department stores or launching an insurrection. He thinks being a contrarian makes him loved by one and all. He's just plain weird.
I believe Trump has at the least a Plan A, B, and C.
Plan A is to win the election fair and square. Plan B is to come close, create legal havoc, and get the election decided by the House or SCOTUS. And Plan C is to raise hell, and demand that "all good patriots must get their guns and fight in the streets to save America".
When viewed that way, he is playing 3 different hands simultaneously. It seems very clear, IMO, that MAGA has been setting everything up to frame the narrative for a civil war, IF they need one to take control. The Heritage Foundation guy recently said it outright: we're carrying out a second American Revolution and it will be bloodless IF THE LEFT WILL LET IT BE.
So I see Trump as yesterday probably deciding instantly, "okay, I'm not going to win votes here so I'll instead use this event to further inflame my white supremacist base". Ever the con man making things advantageous to himself, in any way he can.
Election denial, "political prisoners", embracing Orban, "afe media", Project 2025, etc. - it's all part of creating a steady drumbeat that is priming the most radical white MAGA base for a coming seizing of power. As I believe they see it, it can be done via ballots, the House, SCOTUS, or bullets. But they have no intention of giving up the White House and Congress without pulling out all these stops.
By extension, if Harris slowly pulls ahead by say 5% in swing state polling (she's up by 1.4% nationally now on 538), Trump will sound ever more like a revolutionary rallying his forces. My deep hope is that the FBI, police chiefs, and the National Guard are already getting prepared for the worst.
We just lack control beyond getting Harris elected as enthusiastically and overwhelmingly as is possible. There are still a few old-line GOP-ers, like Romney and Liz Cheney, that would be delighted to see us show Donald the exit. So, that's what we must aim for!
I was done with that yellow rag in 2022. Same with the NYT. So obviously partisan, I was revolted by the lack of professional journalism and revile the editorials, those who wrote them, the cretinous troll who agreed to publish them.
NYT and Wapo will soon find they are aligned with the wrong side of the electorate. They sink to the level of Fox News while Fox, always good at knowing which way the wind blows, occasionally slips up and speaks truth.
My surprise yesterday was seeing Harris Falkner (FOX) at the end of the seating area.
I met her years ago at a party when she was a local reporter for our KC station, and she seemed like a very nice person and then she left and showed up on the parent FOX network show. She has been a Trumper for a long time and I wonder how she spun the interview on her program at FOX. I guess I won't know because I can't watch that station as my television starts acting up and needs a reboot. I need to watch the whole interview and see if she ever asked a question?
I clicked on the link and watched and was surprised at how cordial the orange lunatic was toward her. The FOX label helped, and she has been a shrill for him for quite some time.
I watched the entire interview on the c-span link, as painful as it was to do so. The reporting should reflect that he was only rude and hateful to _two_ of the reporters. He was friendly and respectful toward the Fox reporter, and he knew her name. He pretended like he didn't know the others' names. She did ask at least two softball questions, and his handlers pulled him as soon as they got to the Project 2025 question, which came from the Fox reporter.
I did, but I sent a letter today explaining that, while I miss it, I cannot resubscribe when they are putting appeasing Donald Trump ahead of reporting the news.
Canceled my subscription to the biggest newspaper in ME because 1/2 the paper is articles from WaPo. Put your wallet to work and let the media (and advertisers) know you won't support biased media!
After the Convicted Felon's fantastically disastrous appearance yesterday at the National Association of Black Journalists conference, it’s time for reporters to start asking him when he’ll be dropping out of the race.
He won't step down. But asking him the question about stepping down, asking him about his cognition, asking about his medical records, asking him about his overall fitness are questions that will annoy and distract him. Ask, ask, ask!
"Lock him up" is a new rallying cry....I love it...Atlanta was magic for Harris. I don't think Trump will be able to pull it off. He speaks in the same stadium, I think Friday or Saturday....it will be interesting.
I have to wonder if his wife feels the same about that and Trump's earlier attacks on Nikki Haley. I previously read that she didn't look too happy at the RNC when her husband was speaking at the convention. Maybe she and Melania can form a club.
Democratic strategist Matt McDermott: The one upside to Trump’s racist tirades: the response from grassroots donors. As of this hour (8 pm Thursday) $23,961,076 has been raised through ActBlue today, the largest fundraising day in the past week. Donations began spiking immediately following Trump’s NABJ interview.
Thank you, Sallly. This seems a very important part of the story. The main stream media will cluck with disapproval over Trump's NABJ performance, but they will ignore this strong response or even, as in WAPO's reprehensible headline, note that Trump has forced Kamala Harris into a "pivotal moment" by questioning her "identity." Even if there were no Bezos bias, the MSM cannot train themselves to report on this election as more than a boxing match. This view is rooted in our language of "contest", "battleground states", "it will be a fight" analysis of "who won the debate," etc. Note J.D. Vance's comment that Biden's withdrawal from the race was a "sucker punch." Even in that context, the MSM do a horrible job. Would that WAPO had been so quick to point out the punches that so many landed and continue to land on Trump's veneer that he was actually anything more than a colossal fraud and despicable human being when he was a candidate in 2016 and President for four years. And they will not report that the three Black women journalists behaved with dignity and the only fearful and cowardly creature on that stage was the loathsome cornered rat, the man who would be king. They will not report our agency, that across the nation people were appalled and repelled by his behavior. And that $24,000.000 has been raised in support of Democrats. If this is a boxing match, Americans are fighting back. The Harris campaign is fighting back. Who would have thought that Donald Trump would have been such an effective fundraiser -- for Democrats!
I will get the message of this event -- and the response -- out to my contacts and I know others will also. Thank you.
Who would have thought that Donald Trump would have been such an effective fundraiser -- for Democrats!
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Remember the "suburban soccer mom" phenomonen in the 2018 midterms? Everything that Trump did to motivate his base caused an even stronger opposite reaction in suburban women.
If you haven't already heard about it, check out Galvanize Action (www.galvanizeaction.org/) and their playbook of ads to persuade moderate white women to vote their values not their party label (https://playbook.galvanizeaction.org/). They have been featured several times on Aaron Frank's Focus on Democracy fundraising calls, so I am hopeful they will get the funding to expand their reach beyond the "blue wall" swing states where they operated in 2022.
Big Tent USA had a Tent Talk several months ago where they interviewed the founder of Galvanize, Jackie Payne. That convinced me to become a monthly donor. BigTent archives their Zoom calls; You can find the Galvanize interview here: https://www.bigtentusa.org/event/galvanize/
Thanks, much. Galvanize Action is new to me. I will check it out. Big Tent I know about but will do more with them. We are all fundraisers. One of my stalwart 50-year friends who is thoughtful and mild mannered and will certainly vote for Harris emailed me this week in reply to one of my political emails, "I need to do more." I will help him do that as we all help one another. Sometime people are just waiting to be nudged.
Focus on Democracy rated Galvanize as one of the most effective and cost effective groups for this election cycle.
"I will help him do that as we all help one another. Sometime people are just waiting to be nudged."
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Exactly. I have been nudging a friend since early in the spring. I knew she would not be interested in canvassing or phonebanking, but I thought postcards might work. She hemmed and hawed, so I would let her off the hook, but then invite her to Zoom meeting that might inspire her to get involved in something.
After the debate, she contacted ME and said she was ready to write postcards. So I got her set up with some postcards for Postcards to Swing States and a local candidate running against an ultra MAGA. I also gave her some pens that would work on a coated postcard (ultrafine Sharpies or equivalents work best) and some stickers. Plus, I brought some of my rubber stamps and inkpads so that she could decorate the cards she had already written. (We did that after we ate lunch). I think I have her hooked now ;-) !!
Trump’s hatefulness knows no bounds and the corporate press has proven itself our enemy too. What can they possibly think is in this for their decedents. I have dumped all corporate press and am all the better for it. Funny I used to love to read the paper in the morning. Don’t miss it now.
Now we can read all the books the Trump family is publishing. Fred Trump's book came out yesterday. He said he was voting for Kamala. His father was Trumps older brother, also Fred. He was in line to inherit dad's money and died. Donald moved in and literally took all the money. His first cousin Fred, had a son with disabilities. Trump suggested they let him die and just move to Florida rather than spend any more money on him. The young man William is alive today and his family enjoys life with him. Donald Trump is a pig. Fred compared him to the Patriarch Fred. He said he was a cruel man and that Donald takes after him.
About the photos. They are so refreshing. Thank you. As a geologist "big" numbers fascinate me. I have several "billion" year old rocks. 2600 light years I would assume "bigger". I've said before I understand these numbers, but can't comprehend them.
"Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space."
I actually can relate to light years (an expression of time) more easily than great big numbers that have nothing to relate to in human terms. Light years bring them within my ability to grasp. Same with wavelength.
Note to self: Read Robert's Today's Edition Newsletter first before going off to read other newsletters. It presents a clear-eyed view of the issues we face, with an all-important summary of remedies we have in place.
My eyes widened, though, when I read how the Supreme Court could get involved when it comes to interpreting the Electoral Count Reform Act. Remembering how they're prone to address issues beyond the specific question put before them leaves me less than confident that the rightful winner will be confirmed.
Also, I wanted clarification about what can happen on January 6, and Congressional members' ability to object to an elector's or slate of electors' vote(s). This is an excerpt from FindLaw written in October 2022:
"Right now, a single member of the House or Senate can object to an elector or a slate of electors. The bill would raise the objection threshold to one-fifth of the members of both the House and the Senate." A December 2022 article said 20%. Not sure if that's saying the same thing. But I do wonder how likely it would be for Republicans to garner 1/5th or 20% of its members to raise an objection. Did Robert address it and I missed it?
He didn't, but it's highly unlikely that Mr. Johnson, as dubious as his leadership and popularity are, could persuade 87 Representatives to publicly object knowing that they would be voted down.
Thanks for using the number (87) to clarify what 1/5 (20%) means, Dave! I should have figured that out but I'm never sure of myself when it comes to mathematical calculations!
I too, Lynell, became concerned when reading that the Supreme Court could have a role in interpreting Electoral Count law. (At such time as there may be an 'appeal from the panel' of three judges in federal court.) PTSD with respect to Supreme Court decisions for my part, perhaps. Still, I am reminding myself of the trusted voices of Professor Tribe and Robert Hubbell.
Wouldn't 20% of members of both the House and the Senate include Democratic members and not be limited to 20% of Republican members? What am I missing here?
87 Representatives is 20% of 435 House Members, including Democrats. They'd have to get 87 Republicans out of the 220 or so they have in order to qualify.
"Under Federal law, an objection to a state’s electoral votes may be made to the President of the Senate during the Congress’s counting of electoral votes in January. The objection must be made in writing and signed by at least one-fifth of the Senators and one-fifth of the members of the House of Representatives."
I saw excerpts of the Trump interview and what I discovered later was the fact he was not playing to the audience in the room but was playing to his racists supporters who believed he was taking it to them. Two things happened and that was millions of voters got to see Trump at his worst but more importantly Harris at her best in her sorority presentation. Because of Trump Harris got more coverage than she normally would have and let’s not forget her famous retort “ We deserve better”. We certainly do.
I don't think he was playing to his "base", who would not be likely to be watching. I think he thought he was going to be softballed again, and the lead-off question put him so off-balance that he went immediately into his default defense mode - and downhill from there. He hurt himself Bigly. And set off yet another movement for Harris with momentum.
We can't count on him to keep doing this for us (though he might), so we still need to keep up our very effective grass-roots efforts to encourage new voters and non-votes to register, and keep poking at the media cover this election instead of treating it like a horserace. There's evidence they are listening. Finally.
I think he thought he was going to be softballed again, and the lead-off question put him so off-balance that he went immediately into his default defense mode - and downhill from there.
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I agree 💯percent. It was a knee jerk reaction - with emphasis on the "jerk" part. And Robert was absolutely correct with this characterization:
"Only a white billionaire living in a bubble of sycophants would believe that strategy will increase his chances of election."
The GOP is either blind to or is willfully overlooking the grassroots, which is still primarily powered by a diverse group of women - although we sincerly welcome any men who want to join us.
Brilliant analysis with great positive energy is what is needed at this moment Robert and thank you for this.
How many Americans whichever race they are purely from one country or another. Most people I know are a combination of countries and backgrounds. This is never an issue. We accept people for who they are. That is the beauty of the American Experience. Yet we have a long way to go when we see the blatant racism that still exists in our society and that certainly was on display at the NABJ. Thank God for the Black Women in this country who are standing up to this bully of a candidate! The moderators were not shy to ask the relevant and tough questions. We are blessed by our diversity.
One hopes, without much confidence, that the failed insurrectionist's performance at the NABJ convention would result in at least some Republicans who are people of color publicly rejecting his candidacy as the Mayor of Mesa, AZ did. I'll not be holding my breath, but it's a nice thought.
I fear it will embolden his openly racist supporters even further and bring others into the fold who are not as open. We all thought his public admission of gratuitous sexual assault with his genital grabbing tale would end his campaign in 2016. I hope I am completely wrong about this.
I hope you are too, but suspect otherwise. It's not the cultists I'm looking for, it's the people like Tim Scott and Ben Carson who appeared rational until they started drinking the official Kool-aid. The term Oreo, from a long time ago, undoubtedly applies to some but we can and must use all the tools we can lay hands on.
OMG! Paul Whelan released from Russian prison!!! I am so stoked. I have been writing letters to Paul for the past couple of years, attaching nonpolitical stories for him to read. This is so terrific; also, for Gershkovich.
I've been following this. Some of the talk mentions the unusually rapid trial of Gershkovich may have signaled Putin's willingness to engage in a prisoner exchange. Last night there were reports that at least some of the prisoners to be exchanged have been moved to a single location, unnamed, though some suspect near or in Germany. No one that I'm aware of is hazarding a specific time. This item is considered "hot", which suggests an exchange sooner than had been expected. But as with all things Putin, the scenario could change. Lots of conjecture in the media about Putin's mindset. They never seem to learn that conjecture generally comes back to bite.
It's hot as h here and I just got up from a nap to good news. Thanks for posting the links, Lynell. I guess they were right that the item was hot too! President Biden deserves kudos and so do all the other players in this. I think Putin has his own reasons, and I suspect that he figured he'd get a better deal now than later. He's got problems at home.
Thank you, Robert, for discussing and allaying the concerns of those fearing that certification of votes might be refused or delayed because of what they read in the Rolling Stone article.
Your statement is reassuring and the message should be posted for anyone who expresses fear and doubt about whether voting will matter.
"Here is the most important sentence in the Rolling Stone article that has gotten zero coverage in reporting on the article:
[R]efusals and delays of certification have not held up in court
So, there is a threat of refusing to certify results; it occurs with some regularity, and when it occurs, those “refusals and delays of certification do not hold up in court.
That is the takeaway from the Rolling Stone article but is not the impression that most readers took from Rachel Maddow’s reporting on the topic."
I always liked those head-to-head pictures of him and Biden, too. Biden has a nice smile! Trump tries to project badassery, but he just looks constipated.
LOL. Yep. That booking photo he is so proud of? I used to teach pre-school and raised a few myself. To me, that photo looks *exactly* like a pouting three-year-old who didn't get his way and just finished throwing a full-body tantrum.
A MAGA friend texted me after Biden endorsed Harris but before Biden spoke to the country. “Serious question, Do you think Biden is dead? Look at his official signature compared to the signature on his statement about withdrawing from the race.”
(They were slightly different versions of one person’s signature.)
I’m not sure what his “investigative news source” was, but I’m confident he still relies on them for information even after hyping that falsehood.
No matter how good the news is surrounding Harris, MAGA is being fed lies that will make them confident now—and angry on Nov. 6 and beyond. Trump declared in all caps that he “CRUSHED IT” at the event with Black journalists. No matter what the truth is, his followers hear and believe the opposite.
Shawn, I subscribe to Decoding Fox News so I can follow the “investigative news source” of some long-term friends.My best friend from college said she is “tired of being lied to”, by Biden….sigh. When I make my responses personal ( Florida as a test case for Project 2025 and how legislation A is affecting family member B ), it opens a door to semi-sane conversation. Although sometimes I just have to hit delete !
I made the sad decision to simply not communicate with one branch of my family (actually, they shut me out, and I decided to just let it be). I love them dearly and admire them for many things. But though they are intelligent people, they are not well-informed and lack the kind of thinking skills that would allow them to consider other ways of thinking. During a time of duress in their lives, they became caught up in a form of christianity that does not question what they are told. It is so unnerving (and painful). I am not going to change their minds, and it is my hope that in time, it will again be possible for us to be able to be family together again.
I can't wait for this week's edition of Jay Kuo's Saturday column "Just for Xeets and Giggles". For those unfamiliar with this delight, check out last Saturday's column:
Thank you, Robert. We needed that commentary! Rachel had Elizabeth Warren on that show, and Warren emphasized that a big part of the answer to that threat is to get out our vote, to win overwhelmingly. Yes, indeed! We can do that! Donald made an ass out of himself as he insulted Blacks, women and journalists all in one swoop! He's evil.
Biden won by 7 million. FT 6 has identified 9 million unregistered folk who trend heavily Democratic. Register Democrats, get them to the polls and we can sweep.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Perhaps his self-immolation will serve as an appetizer for the rest of the voracious news media, and show that interviewers can provoke him with truth - his kryptonite.
Yes, you are correct. He is evil and it is likely that his actions will be increasingly more vicious and vile. With each transgression he demonstrates how completely unfit he is to govern. We will have to vote him out of office with such tremendous numbers that there can be no doubt whatsoever who won .I will be so glad when he and his gang of corrupt weirdos vanish from government.
In fact, I know Kamala is the Human Race, I think Donald belongs to the Inhumane Race.
Another tee shirt.
“Donald made an ass out of himself as he insulted Blacks, women and journalists all in one swoop! He's evil.” –
All true. But the contrarian in me speculates that Trump may not have been “losing it”: Knowing he faced an inherently hostile audience, perhaps he was playing off that audience in order to address his base, trying to firm up their support; perhaps he was trying to give them another rallying cry (Harris is a faux black; Donald in the Lion’s Den).
Without that base, Trump is nearly nothing politically. Perhaps he’s hoping that he can add enough conservative-leaning Independents and uninteresteds to squeak by in the election.
I'm sure you're right. Nonetheless, he still made an ass out of himself. His reasons for doing anything are always based on something he thinks has value, liking sexually assaulting women in dressing-rooms of high-priced department stores or launching an insurrection. He thinks being a contrarian makes him loved by one and all. He's just plain weird.
I believe Trump has at the least a Plan A, B, and C.
Plan A is to win the election fair and square. Plan B is to come close, create legal havoc, and get the election decided by the House or SCOTUS. And Plan C is to raise hell, and demand that "all good patriots must get their guns and fight in the streets to save America".
When viewed that way, he is playing 3 different hands simultaneously. It seems very clear, IMO, that MAGA has been setting everything up to frame the narrative for a civil war, IF they need one to take control. The Heritage Foundation guy recently said it outright: we're carrying out a second American Revolution and it will be bloodless IF THE LEFT WILL LET IT BE.
So I see Trump as yesterday probably deciding instantly, "okay, I'm not going to win votes here so I'll instead use this event to further inflame my white supremacist base". Ever the con man making things advantageous to himself, in any way he can.
Election denial, "political prisoners", embracing Orban, "afe media", Project 2025, etc. - it's all part of creating a steady drumbeat that is priming the most radical white MAGA base for a coming seizing of power. As I believe they see it, it can be done via ballots, the House, SCOTUS, or bullets. But they have no intention of giving up the White House and Congress without pulling out all these stops.
By extension, if Harris slowly pulls ahead by say 5% in swing state polling (she's up by 1.4% nationally now on 538), Trump will sound ever more like a revolutionary rallying his forces. My deep hope is that the FBI, police chiefs, and the National Guard are already getting prepared for the worst.
You could be right.
We just lack control beyond getting Harris elected as enthusiastically and overwhelmingly as is possible. There are still a few old-line GOP-ers, like Romney and Liz Cheney, that would be delighted to see us show Donald the exit. So, that's what we must aim for!
Which in MHO, should help drive voter turnout.
If you haven't canceled your subscription to the Bezos Bugle, tonight would be a good time to do so. "Democracy dies in the hands of Bezos."
I was done with that yellow rag in 2022. Same with the NYT. So obviously partisan, I was revolted by the lack of professional journalism and revile the editorials, those who wrote them, the cretinous troll who agreed to publish them.
NYT and Wapo will soon find they are aligned with the wrong side of the electorate. They sink to the level of Fox News while Fox, always good at knowing which way the wind blows, occasionally slips up and speaks truth.
My surprise yesterday was seeing Harris Falkner (FOX) at the end of the seating area.
I met her years ago at a party when she was a local reporter for our KC station, and she seemed like a very nice person and then she left and showed up on the parent FOX network show. She has been a Trumper for a long time and I wonder how she spun the interview on her program at FOX. I guess I won't know because I can't watch that station as my television starts acting up and needs a reboot. I need to watch the whole interview and see if she ever asked a question?
She was the only reporter Trump showed any respect for.
I must say Shermichael Singleton of CNN was disgusted by Trumps behavior. That was refreshing....
I clicked on the link and watched and was surprised at how cordial the orange lunatic was toward her. The FOX label helped, and she has been a shrill for him for quite some time.
I watched the entire interview on the c-span link, as painful as it was to do so. The reporting should reflect that he was only rude and hateful to _two_ of the reporters. He was friendly and respectful toward the Fox reporter, and he knew her name. He pretended like he didn't know the others' names. She did ask at least two softball questions, and his handlers pulled him as soon as they got to the Project 2025 question, which came from the Fox reporter.
I did, but I sent a letter today explaining that, while I miss it, I cannot resubscribe when they are putting appeasing Donald Trump ahead of reporting the news.
Yeah, both the Sulzberger Sniper and the Bezos Bugle have asked me why I unsubscribed. So I told them. Directly.
Canceled my subscription to the biggest newspaper in ME because 1/2 the paper is articles from WaPo. Put your wallet to work and let the media (and advertisers) know you won't support biased media!
Yes, they and the NYT are enemies of democracy.
I did weeks ago. Don't miss it.
Their climate guy is pretty good, I'll miss his column, otherwise, not at all.
Dave, in case it matters, the Guardian’s coverage of the climate crisis is excellent, in my opinion. Good alternative to WaPo for me.
It is for me too, and I'll pay more attention to their climate work now. Thanks Sheila.
done!
Just did.
Good point!
After the Convicted Felon's fantastically disastrous appearance yesterday at the National Association of Black Journalists conference, it’s time for reporters to start asking him when he’ll be dropping out of the race.
He won't step down. But asking him the question about stepping down, asking him about his cognition, asking about his medical records, asking him about his overall fitness are questions that will annoy and distract him. Ask, ask, ask!
It it good to irritate, jeer, and make fun of him!
Remember that he is really trying to stay out of jail. Being President is his only vehicle to accomplish that end.
"Lock him up" is a new rallying cry....I love it...Atlanta was magic for Harris. I don't think Trump will be able to pull it off. He speaks in the same stadium, I think Friday or Saturday....it will be interesting.
Yes, reporters need to relentlessly ask him when he will be dropping out of the race just as much as they did with Biden.
Great idea!
We need him to run because we can beat him and Vance. If they put up someone else we might have more trouble.
I doubt it, honestly. Who else can command the loyalty of his cult?
An article from the Daily Beast popped up in my feed about Vance trying to spin the Trump comment about Harris's mixed race. He claimed that as the husband of an Indian American and the father of 3 biracial children, he found the brouhaha "hysterical" and that the media "has overreacted" (https://www.thedailybeast.com/vp-candidate-jd-vance-with-biracial-kids-calls-trump-slur-hysterical).
I have to wonder if his wife feels the same about that and Trump's earlier attacks on Nikki Haley. I previously read that she didn't look too happy at the RNC when her husband was speaking at the convention. Maybe she and Melania can form a club.
LOL!
Democratic strategist Matt McDermott: The one upside to Trump’s racist tirades: the response from grassroots donors. As of this hour (8 pm Thursday) $23,961,076 has been raised through ActBlue today, the largest fundraising day in the past week. Donations began spiking immediately following Trump’s NABJ interview.
Thank you, Sallly. This seems a very important part of the story. The main stream media will cluck with disapproval over Trump's NABJ performance, but they will ignore this strong response or even, as in WAPO's reprehensible headline, note that Trump has forced Kamala Harris into a "pivotal moment" by questioning her "identity." Even if there were no Bezos bias, the MSM cannot train themselves to report on this election as more than a boxing match. This view is rooted in our language of "contest", "battleground states", "it will be a fight" analysis of "who won the debate," etc. Note J.D. Vance's comment that Biden's withdrawal from the race was a "sucker punch." Even in that context, the MSM do a horrible job. Would that WAPO had been so quick to point out the punches that so many landed and continue to land on Trump's veneer that he was actually anything more than a colossal fraud and despicable human being when he was a candidate in 2016 and President for four years. And they will not report that the three Black women journalists behaved with dignity and the only fearful and cowardly creature on that stage was the loathsome cornered rat, the man who would be king. They will not report our agency, that across the nation people were appalled and repelled by his behavior. And that $24,000.000 has been raised in support of Democrats. If this is a boxing match, Americans are fighting back. The Harris campaign is fighting back. Who would have thought that Donald Trump would have been such an effective fundraiser -- for Democrats!
I will get the message of this event -- and the response -- out to my contacts and I know others will also. Thank you.
Who would have thought that Donald Trump would have been such an effective fundraiser -- for Democrats!
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Remember the "suburban soccer mom" phenomonen in the 2018 midterms? Everything that Trump did to motivate his base caused an even stronger opposite reaction in suburban women.
If you haven't already heard about it, check out Galvanize Action (www.galvanizeaction.org/) and their playbook of ads to persuade moderate white women to vote their values not their party label (https://playbook.galvanizeaction.org/). They have been featured several times on Aaron Frank's Focus on Democracy fundraising calls, so I am hopeful they will get the funding to expand their reach beyond the "blue wall" swing states where they operated in 2022.
Big Tent USA had a Tent Talk several months ago where they interviewed the founder of Galvanize, Jackie Payne. That convinced me to become a monthly donor. BigTent archives their Zoom calls; You can find the Galvanize interview here: https://www.bigtentusa.org/event/galvanize/
While you are on the BigTent website, check out their other events here: https://www.bigtentusa.org/our-events/
(NOTE:nPast events are listed immediately after upcoming events).
Also check out their "Do Something!" page: https://www.bigtentusa.org/dosomething/
Thanks, much. Galvanize Action is new to me. I will check it out. Big Tent I know about but will do more with them. We are all fundraisers. One of my stalwart 50-year friends who is thoughtful and mild mannered and will certainly vote for Harris emailed me this week in reply to one of my political emails, "I need to do more." I will help him do that as we all help one another. Sometime people are just waiting to be nudged.
Focus on Democracy rated Galvanize as one of the most effective and cost effective groups for this election cycle.
"I will help him do that as we all help one another. Sometime people are just waiting to be nudged."
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Exactly. I have been nudging a friend since early in the spring. I knew she would not be interested in canvassing or phonebanking, but I thought postcards might work. She hemmed and hawed, so I would let her off the hook, but then invite her to Zoom meeting that might inspire her to get involved in something.
After the debate, she contacted ME and said she was ready to write postcards. So I got her set up with some postcards for Postcards to Swing States and a local candidate running against an ultra MAGA. I also gave her some pens that would work on a coated postcard (ultrafine Sharpies or equivalents work best) and some stickers. Plus, I brought some of my rubber stamps and inkpads so that she could decorate the cards she had already written. (We did that after we ate lunch). I think I have her hooked now ;-) !!
One at a time, makes one more at a time. Good work. Inspiring in taking care of the details.
YAH!!!
Trump’s hatefulness knows no bounds and the corporate press has proven itself our enemy too. What can they possibly think is in this for their decedents. I have dumped all corporate press and am all the better for it. Funny I used to love to read the paper in the morning. Don’t miss it now.
Now we can read all the books the Trump family is publishing. Fred Trump's book came out yesterday. He said he was voting for Kamala. His father was Trumps older brother, also Fred. He was in line to inherit dad's money and died. Donald moved in and literally took all the money. His first cousin Fred, had a son with disabilities. Trump suggested they let him die and just move to Florida rather than spend any more money on him. The young man William is alive today and his family enjoys life with him. Donald Trump is a pig. Fred compared him to the Patriarch Fred. He said he was a cruel man and that Donald takes after him.
Robert's commentary coupled with his wonderful celestial photographs reminds us of the Black Hole that is Donald Trump.
An insult to black holes (Just kidding, no insult to you!)
Yes, you're right. We seem to have a better understanding and greater appreciation of those.
About the photos. They are so refreshing. Thank you. As a geologist "big" numbers fascinate me. I have several "billion" year old rocks. 2600 light years I would assume "bigger". I've said before I understand these numbers, but can't comprehend them.
2600 light years is 15,284,425,970,277,380 miles.
Give 'r take...
LOL
"Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space."
Thanks. A light year to equates to distance and speed but can it be expressed in a time unit (ie so many hours/days etc?
WOW!
I actually can relate to light years (an expression of time) more easily than great big numbers that have nothing to relate to in human terms. Light years bring them within my ability to grasp. Same with wavelength.
Well said, Michal Jones. I have similar feelings. Being able to deal with the numbers is one thing; comprehending them is quite different.
Note to self: Read Robert's Today's Edition Newsletter first before going off to read other newsletters. It presents a clear-eyed view of the issues we face, with an all-important summary of remedies we have in place.
My eyes widened, though, when I read how the Supreme Court could get involved when it comes to interpreting the Electoral Count Reform Act. Remembering how they're prone to address issues beyond the specific question put before them leaves me less than confident that the rightful winner will be confirmed.
Also, I wanted clarification about what can happen on January 6, and Congressional members' ability to object to an elector's or slate of electors' vote(s). This is an excerpt from FindLaw written in October 2022:
"Right now, a single member of the House or Senate can object to an elector or a slate of electors. The bill would raise the objection threshold to one-fifth of the members of both the House and the Senate." A December 2022 article said 20%. Not sure if that's saying the same thing. But I do wonder how likely it would be for Republicans to garner 1/5th or 20% of its members to raise an objection. Did Robert address it and I missed it?
He didn't, but it's highly unlikely that Mr. Johnson, as dubious as his leadership and popularity are, could persuade 87 Representatives to publicly object knowing that they would be voted down.
Thanks for using the number (87) to clarify what 1/5 (20%) means, Dave! I should have figured that out but I'm never sure of myself when it comes to mathematical calculations!
Glad I could help Lynell.
I too, Lynell, became concerned when reading that the Supreme Court could have a role in interpreting Electoral Count law. (At such time as there may be an 'appeal from the panel' of three judges in federal court.) PTSD with respect to Supreme Court decisions for my part, perhaps. Still, I am reminding myself of the trusted voices of Professor Tribe and Robert Hubbell.
Right there with you, Jean. No matter what I'm reading/hearing, I will vote blue!
Wouldn't 20% of members of both the House and the Senate include Democratic members and not be limited to 20% of Republican members? What am I missing here?
87 Representatives is 20% of 435 House Members, including Democrats. They'd have to get 87 Republicans out of the 220 or so they have in order to qualify.
Plus 20 Senate Republicans, no? Or 107 in total, House + Senate? Thanks.
I found this:
"Under Federal law, an objection to a state’s electoral votes may be made to the President of the Senate during the Congress’s counting of electoral votes in January. The objection must be made in writing and signed by at least one-fifth of the Senators and one-fifth of the members of the House of Representatives."
So 87 House and 10 Senate, for a total of 97.
Isn't one-fifth 20%?
Oops, my bad. Yes, 20 senators total. 107 would be correct.
And they don't all have to be Republicans. I'm looking at YOU, SineManchin.
Manchenema
I saw excerpts of the Trump interview and what I discovered later was the fact he was not playing to the audience in the room but was playing to his racists supporters who believed he was taking it to them. Two things happened and that was millions of voters got to see Trump at his worst but more importantly Harris at her best in her sorority presentation. Because of Trump Harris got more coverage than she normally would have and let’s not forget her famous retort “ We deserve better”. We certainly do.
I don't think he was playing to his "base", who would not be likely to be watching. I think he thought he was going to be softballed again, and the lead-off question put him so off-balance that he went immediately into his default defense mode - and downhill from there. He hurt himself Bigly. And set off yet another movement for Harris with momentum.
We can't count on him to keep doing this for us (though he might), so we still need to keep up our very effective grass-roots efforts to encourage new voters and non-votes to register, and keep poking at the media cover this election instead of treating it like a horserace. There's evidence they are listening. Finally.
I think he thought he was going to be softballed again, and the lead-off question put him so off-balance that he went immediately into his default defense mode - and downhill from there.
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I agree 💯percent. It was a knee jerk reaction - with emphasis on the "jerk" part. And Robert was absolutely correct with this characterization:
"Only a white billionaire living in a bubble of sycophants would believe that strategy will increase his chances of election."
The GOP is either blind to or is willfully overlooking the grassroots, which is still primarily powered by a diverse group of women - although we sincerly welcome any men who want to join us.
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Brilliant analysis with great positive energy is what is needed at this moment Robert and thank you for this.
How many Americans whichever race they are purely from one country or another. Most people I know are a combination of countries and backgrounds. This is never an issue. We accept people for who they are. That is the beauty of the American Experience. Yet we have a long way to go when we see the blatant racism that still exists in our society and that certainly was on display at the NABJ. Thank God for the Black Women in this country who are standing up to this bully of a candidate! The moderators were not shy to ask the relevant and tough questions. We are blessed by our diversity.
One hopes, without much confidence, that the failed insurrectionist's performance at the NABJ convention would result in at least some Republicans who are people of color publicly rejecting his candidacy as the Mayor of Mesa, AZ did. I'll not be holding my breath, but it's a nice thought.
I fear it will embolden his openly racist supporters even further and bring others into the fold who are not as open. We all thought his public admission of gratuitous sexual assault with his genital grabbing tale would end his campaign in 2016. I hope I am completely wrong about this.
I hope you are too, but suspect otherwise. It's not the cultists I'm looking for, it's the people like Tim Scott and Ben Carson who appeared rational until they started drinking the official Kool-aid. The term Oreo, from a long time ago, undoubtedly applies to some but we can and must use all the tools we can lay hands on.
A key to winning is the vote of people of color. Biden did not excite them and Harris does and their vote and turnout is critical
OMG! Paul Whelan released from Russian prison!!! I am so stoked. I have been writing letters to Paul for the past couple of years, attaching nonpolitical stories for him to read. This is so terrific; also, for Gershkovich.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-releasing-us-reporter-gershkovich-120128285.html
The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/01/russia-prisoner-swap-evan-gershkovich-paul-whelan
Can we say whoo-hoo yet?
Thanks for posting the Guardian's article about this great news, Beth!
Let's say it...Whoo-Hoo!
Whooooooo-hooooooo!
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Thanks. Names hadn't been released yet when I briefly turned on MSNBC before 7 am PT.
It has been suggested that Putin had signaled no exchange until after the November election. I wonder if Putin is now convinced Trump will lose...
I've been following this. Some of the talk mentions the unusually rapid trial of Gershkovich may have signaled Putin's willingness to engage in a prisoner exchange. Last night there were reports that at least some of the prisoners to be exchanged have been moved to a single location, unnamed, though some suspect near or in Germany. No one that I'm aware of is hazarding a specific time. This item is considered "hot", which suggests an exchange sooner than had been expected. But as with all things Putin, the scenario could change. Lots of conjecture in the media about Putin's mindset. They never seem to learn that conjecture generally comes back to bite.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/08/01/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-securing-the-release-of-americans-detained-in-russia/
Biden Press Conference:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-biden-addresses-u-s-russia-prisoner-swap-freeing-wsj-journalist-gershkovich-and-others
It's hot as h here and I just got up from a nap to good news. Thanks for posting the links, Lynell. I guess they were right that the item was hot too! President Biden deserves kudos and so do all the other players in this. I think Putin has his own reasons, and I suspect that he figured he'd get a better deal now than later. He's got problems at home.
Hot Hot Hot here, too, Annie. Sorry - not sorry - to hear that Putin's got problems at home!
Thank you, Robert, for discussing and allaying the concerns of those fearing that certification of votes might be refused or delayed because of what they read in the Rolling Stone article.
Your statement is reassuring and the message should be posted for anyone who expresses fear and doubt about whether voting will matter.
"Here is the most important sentence in the Rolling Stone article that has gotten zero coverage in reporting on the article:
[R]efusals and delays of certification have not held up in court
So, there is a threat of refusing to certify results; it occurs with some regularity, and when it occurs, those “refusals and delays of certification do not hold up in court.
That is the takeaway from the Rolling Stone article but is not the impression that most readers took from Rachel Maddow’s reporting on the topic."
I have never heard Trump laugh; Harris is nearly always laughing or smiling. That is all I need to know.
I always liked those head-to-head pictures of him and Biden, too. Biden has a nice smile! Trump tries to project badassery, but he just looks constipated.
LOL. Yep. That booking photo he is so proud of? I used to teach pre-school and raised a few myself. To me, that photo looks *exactly* like a pouting three-year-old who didn't get his way and just finished throwing a full-body tantrum.
I think the best photo of toddler Trump was the one with Angela Merkel leaning over him at a G-7 conference in 2018:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/11/g7-photo-of-trump-merkel-becomes-classic-art
He is a cruel sad man. His father was the same way....it is "All in the Family". Fred the 3rd new book title..
He doesn't know how. I like people who laugh.
Just checked my resting heart rate from last night. 50!! It hasn't been that low for almost a year. Let's DO THIS.
A MAGA friend texted me after Biden endorsed Harris but before Biden spoke to the country. “Serious question, Do you think Biden is dead? Look at his official signature compared to the signature on his statement about withdrawing from the race.”
(They were slightly different versions of one person’s signature.)
I’m not sure what his “investigative news source” was, but I’m confident he still relies on them for information even after hyping that falsehood.
No matter how good the news is surrounding Harris, MAGA is being fed lies that will make them confident now—and angry on Nov. 6 and beyond. Trump declared in all caps that he “CRUSHED IT” at the event with Black journalists. No matter what the truth is, his followers hear and believe the opposite.
Listen to Decoding Fox News to hear what they hear. https://open.substack.com/pub/decodingfoxnews?r=4j5a4&utm_medium=ios
Shawn, I subscribe to Decoding Fox News so I can follow the “investigative news source” of some long-term friends.My best friend from college said she is “tired of being lied to”, by Biden….sigh. When I make my responses personal ( Florida as a test case for Project 2025 and how legislation A is affecting family member B ), it opens a door to semi-sane conversation. Although sometimes I just have to hit delete !
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I made the sad decision to simply not communicate with one branch of my family (actually, they shut me out, and I decided to just let it be). I love them dearly and admire them for many things. But though they are intelligent people, they are not well-informed and lack the kind of thinking skills that would allow them to consider other ways of thinking. During a time of duress in their lives, they became caught up in a form of christianity that does not question what they are told. It is so unnerving (and painful). I am not going to change their minds, and it is my hope that in time, it will again be possible for us to be able to be family together again.
I'm so sorry about your situation. I've had friends sucked in by MAGA, but that isn't the same as family members with whom you have a long history.
He crushed it all right....his own balls...
I can't wait for this week's edition of Jay Kuo's Saturday column "Just for Xeets and Giggles". For those unfamiliar with this delight, check out last Saturday's column:
https://open.substack.com/pub/statuskuo/p/just-for-xeets-and-giggles-72724?r=1aiy5t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&comments=true
LOL!