150 Comments

ABC News, David Muir, led with the climate lies of Donald Trump on Monday's broadcast (6:30 pm Eastern). He featured a strong clip of VP Harris vehemently condemning Trump's irresponsible weaponization of these catastrophes for his personal political gain. I was proud of ABC News for standing up to the ravening MAGA crowd. Muir will be vilified, no doubt. But this is his job, America. The MSM is starting to get a clue, perhaps?

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Same thing happened on the PBS NewsHour last night.

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Sheila and Bill, thank YOU for sharing!

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Thanking abc for Muir is in order as this network has stepped up to truth! As is condemning… which I did for the aggravating questions on cbs to ms Harris tonight.

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I think they ARE finally getting with the program. I hope much more of this happens, across all channels!

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Excellent and encouraging reading, though the lack of coverage by the msm to tffg's continued lies and disinformation regarding FEMA and Hurricane Helene is astonishing. I also agree with you that their ongoing attempts to present the GOP "as normal contenders" vs the Harris/Walz team is irresponsible and unacceptable. I don't know what would change their position though. This election campaign has been day after day of unrelenting weirdness. We the People can only keep on moving forward and doing what needs to be done. I continue to write letters for votefwd.org, even to North Carolina.

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Thank you. Please continue, as this is our Normandy. I use this phrase often as my late husband landed at Normandy and i know what that battle represented for Americans.

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We are all beneficiaries of your husband's sacrifice and that of millions of others who served in WWII.

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PS The Horsehead nebula somewhat resembles the Loch Ness monster... made me giggle. Another beautiful image, thank you!!!

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What makes the MSM coverage even weirder to me is that you would think that tffg's campaign would be producing more click bait at this point than anything else, should they choose to publicize it. (I just joined my first vote forward event - it was fun!)

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I could not finish CBS's interview. Kamala would be sharing her view on the subject but the interviewer tuned her voice out and continued his speaking over her.

I did watch most of "Call Her Daddy" which was a very heartfelt conversation about important subjects for women, especially younger women. Alex Cooper is smart and was truly interested as she spoke with Kamala. I hope it was widely viewed.

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I am so tired of women being talked over.

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I talk over the men until they shut up.

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To be "fair," these guys do it to everyone. It still sucks.

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I agree. What was that editing all about? Did he not like her full answer, or did he think he had enough, and wanted to go to another topic? It was annoying……..Harris doesn’t talk in long, meandering sentences. She’s typically clear and succinct. So I would rather have heard the rest of her answers!

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Two things strike me about the interview and Robert's summary.

1) The notion that people don't know her or her policies. I suggest they look at this on her site: https://kamalaharris.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Policy-Book-Economic-Opportunity.pdf

2) The claim that she's changed her positions on a number of issues. Listen to her full answer at the 7 minute mark: https://youtu.be/TJys7OVH24E

What I find ironic is how people complain that their representatives don't listen to them and don't represent their interests, but when someone either becomes enlightened or seeks to find common ground, consensus, or a way forward, it's looked upon as flip-flopping or opportunism. I choose to see it as her genuinely trying to become the president of all Americans.

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The complaining about lack of substance in the Harris-Walz campaign is utter nonsense. Especially when compared to the complete lack of pressure on the Trump-Vance campaign to say anything at all about substance. Every analysis should include the sentence "While the Harris-Walz campaign has posted extensive summaries of their policy positions, the Trump-Vance campaign continues to peddle lies, half-truths and vague promises to 'fix everything on Day 1'."

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People are allowed to change their minds. As Neil DeGrasse Tyson pointed out, when you receive new and credible information that contradicts what you already know, you do the research and if the new information is accurate, you adopt that view. It's not lazy, dishonest, or stupid--it's how science works.

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But Karla, these people think the new information is a hoax. An attempt to fool them. They are threatened by new information. Insecure, angry, non-thinkung people. One said to me, "well, we know the system is rigged." The whole system. So any new information is just another dangerous threat to their current mindset. Change is looked at as bad. We need more clear thinking young people and immigrants! GOTV.

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I know it's disheartening, but I often wonder if it's as widespread as we think. The media loves to report on the most extreme examples of behavior--but is that truly representative of most Americans?

When I first heard the phrase "alternative facts" spewed by what's-her-name, I laughed out loud at the sheer absurdity of the statement. There is no such thing--either something is a fact, or it's not. Apparently though, millions of people bought that bullshit.

Instead of stressing about these MAGA numbskulls, we need to reach the undecideds (how they exist at this point is beyond me), and especially, we have to get the goddam DEMOCRATS off the couch and to the polls! This dithering because our candidates are not perfect is how we lose elections.

I agree-immigrants and young people are the future, which is why they are such targets for the right-wing disinformation industry. Let's shove this Congress into the trash where it belongs and get something good happening for this country.

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You hit the nail on the head Bob. Anyone who cares about learning and advancing their knowledge on any topic or issue considers what others say in order to see things more clearly. If our elected officials fail to consider their constituents’ views and local knowledge before moving forward, they are not doing their job.

The best solutions to any problem are derived from a range of inputs from knowledgeable people that includes their lived experiences.

This flip-flopping label is another form of lazy journalism. It’s important to call it out for what it is.

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Not only that, but sometimes what might be in the best interests of the country might not be what the president personally wants, but they should do the right thing. We know her opponent is incapable of doing anything that doesn't benefit him personally.

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Again, absolutely correct!

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The Call Her Daddy episode felt REAL! It was a contrast to traditional media. Anyone who discounts young women needs to listen or better yet, watch the clips on YouTube.

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Lin the other hand, CBS spent the remaining hour talking with Republican Stephen Richer about the consequences of the Big Lie in Arizona. Stephen is a stalwart, a stand-up guy who endured enormous abuse at the hands of the Trumpers. Having worked in city government for most of my career in Phoenix, I can’t tell you how proud I am of folks like Stephen, Rusty Bowers, Clint Hickman, Jack Sellae’s and others who stood up to MAGA. To think that not long ago we democrats had polite disagreements with these folks on spending public money on the arts!.

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I watched that interview as well and applaud Stephen Richer for standing by his values in administering a fair election.

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I have noticed that that's a thing 60 Minutes/CBS does - let someone's voice be heard, but then tune them out. I don't get it. I want them to shut the heck up, so I can hear their guest! Argh!

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I, too, felt very uncomfortable watching 60 minutes. I felt like Harris was being attacked. He wasn't really looking for answers. Maybe he was looking for "brownie points". He didn't allow her to answer his questions. Maybe he was disappointed that he didn't get to interview tRump.

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Having read your summary of 60 Minutes, I will save myself the time and annoyance of watching it myself. It’s the same old, same old. Thank you, as always, Robert. And a belated comment on yesterday’s newsletter. Shame on Andrea Mitchell indeed! Regarding the NYT, seems like they waffle as much as Trump does. I am having such a good time postcarding! With each one I write I focus on that person casting a vote for Harris. I recently saw a yard sign that became my favorite: “Harris-Walz. Obviously” 😊

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Yesterday, after passing many ridiculous Trump signs/flags, I passed some neighbors that were in the process of putting Harris//Walz signs up in their yard. I slowed down, rolled down my window and said, "Finally, some normal people." The woman raised her arms and said, "Go Harris."

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I have a car magnet that reads “Harris Obviously” ☺️

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We all share your frustration with the national press, which continues to normalize this election, candidates Trump and Vance and our national prospects. Gotcha questions instead of astute journalistic intent to get at the truth - our republic is at great risk.

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Tom, I dare say I view the time-honored 60 Minutes interviews every four years for presidential candidates as an opportunity to show one can withstand critical scrutiny. Frankly, I both appreciated how Harris held up and also how Whitaker was intent on revealing that Trump backed out once he learned he would be fact-checked. Given that the matter of fact-checking was at issue in the past two debates and now on 60 Minutes, in my view, the story that needs amplifying, is that, contrary to Harris, neither Trump nor Vance, by their own admission, could submit to this manner of vetting. While said story would not win over any MAGAts, it clearly could affect increasing numbers of so-called moderates.

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My sentiments exactly, thanks for posting them for me! The confidence and intelligence with which Harris meets this kind of questioning should reassure anyone who's still doubtful about how tough she is.

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Unfortunately Trump lies especially about the disaster and everything else does not impact or change MAGA voters. The segment after the Harris interview with the woman whom still believes the election was stolen and uses her faith as an excuse to justify her false narrative is an example of why Trump lies don’t matter.

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We don't need to change MAGA voters! We need TURNOUT!!! We need people who don't usually vote, Independents and Republican voters who have had enough of a lying person with dwindling cognitive ability. Again, we need TURNOUT!!!

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Just imagine the other world she must live in to believe Trump will be good for her. I hope she's not of child bearing age. I hope her neighbors aren't stockpiling AR-15s. I hope she has plenty of retirement savings outside of Social Security.

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Stephen, As stated in my comment, while Trump’s lies don’t matter to MAGAts, I believe, if the media were to showcase the candidate who showed she could handle a cross, her numbers with a meaningful segment of the electorate exponentially would rise.

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My sister and I hosted a postcard writing party yesterday evening. We wrote to Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina and Florida. 25 women attended and we had such great conversations centering around the political landscape. It is these gatherings and the writings like Robert's that keep me working to save our precious country.

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Community! We have to bring it back, even after the election.

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I've had the same experience at Swing Left West Valley meetings!

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Oct 8Edited

The darkness falling across our land by the judicial appointees over the last 20 years is the bone cancer of our country. The rot starts at the head, of course. Roberts & his Citizens United decision in 2010 opened the floodgates to bad actors like Elon Musk who have seen that "yes" you actually can buy elections in the US. Mitch McConnell, the Federalist Society, and their selfish financial backers have done a great deal of harm to a free and fair society. Even if you are a Republican through and through, please vote Blue this go-round to start fighting the cancer. We need the NOAA, we need FEMA, we need an independent military, we need and independent DOJ and FBI. We need scientists at the CDC, not political loyalists to a multiple bankrupt, serial philandering, convicted felon.

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Dear Robert., Excellent reportage, Thank you. The "60 Minutes" interview depressed and frustrated me for the reason you cite. I have often warned if Trump wins, we will have the media to blame. And the media is behaving this way, In my view, because Trump is good for ratings. We have become such a robotic , TV oriented , society that the quick sensational "Special Report" on a daiiy, often hourly basis is what a large portion of Americans get their adrenalin kicks from. It's called The Dumbing Down of America Stupid ( I'm using the coined phrase to wake zombies up!). Granted there are still heroes on major news media front lines and they deserve more center stage, and medals in my opinion for bucking the media system.

This is our Normandy. We are fighting a war against a moral peril tantamount to Hitler's Mien Kampf 's strategy of winning over people by constantly lying to them, essentially brainwashing, and it will be very interesting to see how much fine character is left in this beautiful nation of ours, by the vote count in this election.

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I have also been blaming the media if Drump wins for many months, long before Harris became the candidate. Drump's outrageous behavior, just like watching a train wreck, draws watchers so much more than what would be fair broadcasting. Shame on them!

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Don't agree. We can't blame the media for everything. Instead we have to educate people, GOTV, donate for better candidates--and do the work necessary to take the power away from the corrupt media.

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Has anyone thought the reason the media is so bland or non-reporting about Frump and company is because they all believe they may be thrown in jail and/or killed if Frump gets elected? And if they keep quiet about all his crazy crazy they may be able to survive. So they do not say anything against him and his ilk in order to be safe. Problem is they don't realize he will probably shut them all down or jail them, etc., no matter what they do simply because he decides one day that they have wronged him in some obscure way.

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Yes -- I agree! The media is biased and corrupt. Ok -- we knew that...

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Exactly right. Trump's lies and outrageous claims and/or statements draw viewers and clicks. Ugh.

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Yes, Susannah. And much of the country resembles Idiocracy.

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Thank you for doing everything you do, Robert. You are making a difference.

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Thanks, Jess.

Readers: Everyone should follow Jess Piper on Substack --The view from rural Missouri. https://jesspiper.substack.com/

Jess's Substack is both important and inspiring!

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I have been watching 60 minutes forever. The lead in about Trump not showing set the stage. The questions were direct some slanted and a few directed as “ gotcha questions “ but Harris looked him in the eye , gave direct answers and looked relaxed and knowledgeable. We could not expect more and I’m not sure it converted anyone per se but it gave exposure to what the way forward would look like.

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I thought it was rich accusing Walz of "misrepresentation of facts" in light of Vance's performance at the debate and his dangerous made-up fanatasy about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Vance's home state of OH!!

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Below is the link to Alex Cooper’s Call Me Daddy interview with Kamala Harris. I recommend watching it. KH was real and authentic. Alex is a much better interviewer than Bill Whitaker and can learn a thing or two from her—you don’t need to be an AH to have a full depth conversation. If people don’t know KH, they need to watch this interview. You’ll know her afterwards. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/call-her-daddy/id1418960261?i=1000671959211

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Thanks!

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Thanks for the link!

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I saw some drivel in my news feed criticizing Cooper for doing a "propaganda" interview. That was my first time listening to the podcast but the friendly tone seemed typical for the pods to which I listen.

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So the key is using a long exposure. I've read about "collecting photons", I guess this is evidence of it. That's a neat shot, Robert. The bluish - at least to my somewhat color inhibited vision - area below the Horsehead adds a nice touch.

It was kind of a shock to see the Times run the Peter Baker story on Trump's speech issues. Hopefully that gives a blessing to the rest of the pack that truth-telling is ok. I assume the 60 Minutes audience is a small fraction of what it once was. If they think the way to make a comeback is more bothsidesism and the like, I'm pretty sure they're wrong. It's heartening to hear of the efforts so many regular folks are making to push back against the chaos.

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Hmm . . . you are right. there is blue-ish purple to the bottom left object. I checked the original photo and that color seems to be an artifact of uploading the image from Lightroom to Substack.

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Well...it's an aesthetic artifact, anyway!

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60 minutes has always been on at 7 pm EST on Sunday evening, so this was a strange change to Monday evening. I assume that made an even smaller audience than usual.

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Thankyou for mentioning 'regular folks" as I 'm counting on them for a Kamala win in November and I have coined a phrase that rings true every day, "This is our Normandy" It wakes people up!

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I wanted to share another good story about everyday folks being part of the grassroots efforts. Several times a week, I do trainings for phone banks calling voters in the swing states that have been knocked off of the voter rolls, and provide the information on how to fix it. Volunteers from all over the country AND the world attend! I have been in trainings with a volunteers from Finland, Sweden and Switzerland! Note these are not ex-Pats. The enthusiasm, hard work and fear is international!

And if anyone is interested in these voter protection effort calling voters to educate them on what they need to do to avoid having their vote challenged in this election and how to cure their ballot, consider joining the effort. There are opportunities every day. Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/NationalVoPro

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Detailed analysis by investigative reporter Jason Garcia of what is happening in Florida.

“The DeSantis administration is marshaling the power of state government — and the pocketbooks of Florida taxpayers — against its own constituents.”

https://jasongarcia.substack.com/p/ron-desantis-blurs-lines-burns-cash

I was able to call and leave a message at WFTS for Teresa Morgan,Station Manager who approved the state’s ad as noted on the Political Disclosure Form Jason provided.📲 and 📣

https://www.abcactionnews.com/about-us/contact-us

GOTV along with storm prep today.🌀 Please stay safe, fellow Floridians!!!

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Kathy, thanks for all you do. Now finish your storm prep and stay safe.

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"Trump is subordinating the lives and safety of hundreds of thousands of Americans to his partisan political interest." Sure he does. But it certainly isn't "a scandal unmatched in American history," at least not for somebody watching from abroad.

Just remember the felon's totally botched response to the COVID-19 challenge during his presidency. A lethal mix of partisan political interest and sheer stupidity and ignorance which, according to experts, caused the unnecessary death of 300.000 to 400.000 Americans out of the total number of close to 1,22 million victims.

But it is not a campaign issue. The media doesn't bring it up. Nor do the Democrats. So it might not be considered a scandal after all but a simple fact of life. As the felon would put it – get over it.

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I have been thinking the same, from here in the US. Loss of American lives in an effort to improve Trump's political standing is something we have seen before. The only thing is, just like Trump's lies, sexual assault, corruption, etc, it seems we have "baked in" that many more Americans died than needed to, and it's not clear how it can be used politically. But I do think responsible media outlets should be reporting on the point.

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Stefan Schlüter is right about Trump and covid. But to give the devil (I mean this literally) his due, we should recognize that his administration made rapid development of covid inoculations possible. To do so, his Administration almost literally threw money at the problem, risking repeated failures in vaccine development.

We liberals should recognize that the sad truth is that Democrats could not have pulled it off – they would have been pilloried and worse for “throwing money at the problem”.

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