;)
The Conversation -- August 21, 2024
Say, Donald, you know those 15,000 Democrats who gathered to see Kamala & Tim rally in Milwaukee? And those 23,000 Democrats who cheered on Kamala & Tim at the convention in Chicago? Well, there were another several thousand at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, and they are laughing in your fat face: ~~~
As the Worms Turn. Ann Laurie of Balloon Juice: "Having spent the last many years gleefully attacking Democrats and rewarding Republicans, Our Very Serious Mainstream Media cannot believe that the people in charge of the Democratic National Convention are treating them as a caste somewhere between Nuisance and Adversary[.]" It seems the DNC had reduced the number of seats for credentialed media AND the electrical connections were not to the New York Times staff's standards. Thanks to RAS for the link. ~~~
~~~ The article by Max Tani, writing for Semafor is here. It is titled, "A friendly media grows grumbly in Chicago." MB: Frankly, I think this is a story with two sides, and the MSM may not be entirely wrong here. What seems to be upsetting them most is that "media access" now includes social media influencers, and these non-journos are taking up butt-space formerly allocated to the bona fide lords of the press and reliable interpreters of all they observe.
Florida Election Results. Andrew Atterbury of Politico: "Gov. Ron DeSantis' attempt to elect conservative-leaning school board members across Florida hit a snag Tuesday, as candidates backed by the Republican governor fell in several key races. DeSantis, who has made reshaping Florida's education system a top priority, endorsed 23 candidates ahead of Tuesday's election. And as of late Tuesday night, at least 11 appear to have lost. That is a notable downturn from 2022, when DeSantis saw a runaway success: Of the 30 he endorsed two years ago, just five lost."
The New York Times is live-updating developments Wednesday in the Israel/Hamas war.
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Presidential Race
Peter Baker of the New York Times: "The his-and-hers marquee convention speeches by the 45th president of the United States and the former first lady fired up the partisan crowd. Speaking back- to-back over the course of an hour, the Obamas reminded Democrats of a past era of hope and change while electrifying a convention after a ceremonial roll call nominated Vice President Kamala Harris for president and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota for vice president." MB: Might be worth reading just because this is one time Baker doesn't "both-sides" his subjects. For once, there's not a "but" in his analysis. See Akhilleus's comments below. ~~~
Nicholas Nehamas & Reid Epstein of the New York Times: "Democrats managed to be in two places at once on Tuesday night, holding a ceremonial roll-call vote at their Chicago convention to celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris as their party's nominee, while she herself rallied supporters roughly 80 miles north in Milwaukee. Ms. Harris's choice to appear in Milwaukee, the largest city in a crucial battleground state, was intentional and pointed: She stood onstage in the same arena where ... Donald J. Trump accepted the Republican nomination last month. For much of the evening in Milwaukee, the Harris campaign used the arena's Jumbotron to pipe in the events taking place in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention. But after Gov. Gavin Newsom of California announced his state's votes for Ms. Harris, ending the roll call of 57 states and territories, Ms. Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, marched onto the stage in Milwaukee.... The Milwaukee rally was just the latest event at which the Harris campaign filled a major arena with Democrats.... The campaign said about 15,000 people attended the rally in Milwaukee, and the 23,500-person convention hall in Chicago was packed."
The New York Times' live updates of events Tuesday in the Democratic National Convention are here: A few entries & partial entries follow: ~~~
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs & Julie Bosman: "Chicago was preparing for more protests on the second day of the Democratic National Convention, including a demonstration expected on Tuesday evening outside of the Consulate of Israel. A large protest march on Monday drew thousands of people, but fewer than organizers had expected. City officials said on Tuesday that they had made 13 arrests since the demonstrations began, including a small group of people who tried to breach a security gate not far from the United Center where the convention is being held."
Maggie Astor: "Malcolm Kenyatta, a state representative in Pennsylvania, is filling the role that State Senator Mallory McMorrow of Michigan filled last night: taking to the stage with an oversize prop version of the Heritage Foundation's 'Project 2025' and highlighting proposals within it."
Chris Cameron: "Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary for Donald Trump, is now speaking on the main convention stage. The audience appeared to give her a tepid welcome as she approached the lectern, with some polite applause and scattered boos.... Nabela Noor, a social media influencer selected to speak at the convention, is sharing her story of fertility issues and her use of IVF."
Carl Hulse: "Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, chairman of the Democratic Party's Senate campaign arm, brought dozens of Teamsters on stage to underscore the party's commitment to protecting union benefits." ~~~
~~~ Cameron: "Senator Gary Peters ... has the crowd fired up with his pro-union message and warnings of a second Trump administration. 'If they win, working people like my friends from the Teamsters will pay the price,' Peters said." ~~~
~~~ Astor: "Ken Stribling, a retired member of the Teamsters union, credited the Biden-Harris administration with saving his pension through the pandemic relief bill President Biden signed in 2021. There has been some dissent within the union lately: Its president spoke at the Republican National Convention, and it hasn't issued an endorsement, but its National Black Caucus endorsed Kamala Harris last week."
Jonathan Weisman: "The torch has definitely been passed, with the grandsons of Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy addressing the delegates about past and future...."
Adam Nagourney: "'Today, J.F.K.'s call for action is now ours to answer,' said Jack Schlossberg, 31. He is the only grandson of Mr. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. 'Because once again, the torch has been passed to a new generation.' Jason Carter, a 49-year-old lawyer and politician, said that his grandfather, who is 99 and in hospice care, 'can't wait to vote for Kamala Harris.... Kamala Harris carries my grandfather's legacy, 'he said. She knows what is right, and she fights for it.'"
Nicholas Nehamas: "Vice President Kamala Harris has touched down in Milwaukee for her rally tonight, but many of Wisconsin's most prominent Democrats are staying in Chicago for the Democratic convention.... In Milwaukee, a Harris campaign staff member just told the crowd here that Harris's speech would be broadcast at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.... Here in Milwaukee, there are thousands of people in this basketball arena dancing out of their seats to hip-hop, Taylor Swift remixes and Latin pop. Attendees were given electronic wristbands that flash red, white and blue, creating a pulsating rhythm of color in the stands as they wave their arms.... It is still striking how different the atmosphere is from President Biden's small, low-energy events."
Cameron: "The Democratic convention is now starting a ceremonial roll call vote of the convention delegates. The crowd is roaring its approval with every state that casts a vote to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris.... Music is infusing the whole roll-call ceremony with a concert-like energy. It has been a mix of many different genres and types of artists, celebrating the diversity of America's people and its culture."
Astor: "A reminder that while these convention roll call votes normally have concrete significance -- formalizing the presidential and vice-presidential nominations -- this one is entirely ceremonial. The official vote happened virtually earlier this month to avoid any possibility of legal trouble with Ohio's ballot access deadline."
Astor: "The primaries produced some uncommitted delegates related to pro-Palestinian campaigns against President Biden's support for Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Those votes are being announced as 'present' in an unassuming way before the presenter for each state quickly moves on to announcing the larger number of delegate votes for Kamala Harris.... The uncommitted delegates come from some voters who chose, essentially, a 'none of the above' option in the Democratic primaries as a protest vote."
Maya King: "If there was any question that Georgia Democrats lacked enthusiasm -- or a taste for the spotlight -- the rapper Lil Jon offered the state's roll-call response, complete with a performance of 'Turn Down for What.'" ~~~
~~~ Cameron: "Lil Jon is now making a surprise performance on the convention floor.... 'We're not going back,' Lil Jon sings, prompting a chant and raucous cheers from the crowd."
Nehamas: "Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota just took the stage here at the Harris rally in Milwaukee, after the feed from the convention in Chicago abruptly cut off in the middle of the ceremonial roll call.... Walz reminds the crowd that the Republican convention took place at this very arena in Milwaukee four weeks ago, prompting loud boos. 'They were feeling good,' Walz said of Republicans. 'This thing was over. Well, trust me, Milwaukee, a hell of a lot can change in four weeks!'... Gov. Tim Walz is taunting Donald Trump and the Republicans now here in Milwaukee. 'Not only do we have massive energy at our convention, we've got a hell of a lot more energy at where they had their convention!'"
Nehamas: "Kamala Harris is joined on the stage by her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, as her campaign anthem, 'Freedom' by Beyoncé, blares across the arena."
Reid Epstein: "Kamala Harris, in Milwaukee, announced the completion of the roll call in Chicago. 'We are so honored to be your nominees,' she said. 'Together we will chart a new way forward.'"
Astor: "Back in Chicago, Ana Navarro has taken the stage. She is known as a Republican strategist, but she broke from the party over Donald Trump and has become a vocal Trump critic. Her appearance at the Democratic convention is part of a continuing emphasis on Republican supporters of Harris.... Navarro is hitting back at Trump's descriptions of Harris's proposed policies as 'communist.' She notes that she was born in Nicaragua and that she is familiar with communist dictators, and she says it is Trump -- with, for example, his refusal to accept his election loss -- who reminds her of them."
Hulse: "Senator Chuck Schumer dances onto the stage to make his pitch for the vice president."
Cameron: "There is intense applause as Senator Bernie Sanders takes the stage.... Sanders just drew the loudest applause line of his speech as he called for an end to the war in Gaza. 'We must end this horrific war in Gaza,' Sanders said. 'Bring home the hostages and demand an immediate cease-fire.'"
Astor: "Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois denounces Republicans for calling Black and Latino people 'D.E.I. hires,' a line some have used against Kamala Harris, implying that she got where she is only because of her race. Americans 'want to get promoted at work without being derided as a D.E.I. hire for the sin of being successful while not white,' he says."
Theodore Schleiffer: "Ken Chenault, the former chief executive of American Express..., is making the case that the pro-business argument for Harris is not about pecuniary interests like the capital gains rate, but about the rule of law."
Astor: Gov. "Lujan Grisham [N.M.] is talking about health care, after a short video that highlighted various times Donald Trump called for repealing the Affordable Care Act."
Hulse: "Angela Alsobrooks [-- Maryland's Democratic candidate for U.S. senator --] is empha[si]zing her working-class roots and talking about how she was inspired by Kamala Harris, whom she met 14 years ago while running for prosecutor in the Maryland suburbs of Washington."
Astor: "As a lifelong Republican, 'I feel a little out of place tonight, but I feel more at home here than in today's Republican Party,' Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Ariz., says, calling the Republican Party a cult dedicated to Donald Trump."
Bosman: "Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a military veteran who relied on I.V.F. to conceive her two daughters, is attacking Donald Trump on both of those fronts, calling him a 'five-time draft-dodging coward' who is on an 'anti-woman crusade.'... A big applause line for Duckworth: 'Send a message to old Cadet Bone Spurs: Stay out of our doctors' offices, and, while you're at it, out of the Oval Office, too.'"
Rogers: "The video introducing Doug Emhoff, narrated by his son, Cole, is filled with highlights from his life and the sort of light ribbing only a son can provide.... 'We might not look like other families in the White House, but we are ready to represent all families in America,' Cole Emhoff concludes."
Astor: "Doug Emhoff is poking fun at the bumbling voicemail he left for Kamala Harris the first time he called her -- which, he says, Harris saved and makes him listen to every anniversary."
Nagourney: "Doug Emhoff credits Kamala Harris for making him pick up the battle against antisemitism. He talked about taking the bus to Hebrew school, the plastic on his grandmother's living room furniture in Brooklyn, and Harris cooking brisket for Passover. These are all touchstones for Jewish viewers."
Weisman: "One of Doug Emhoff's tasks tonight was to lean into his Judaism and to make clear that Donald Trump's attacks on Harris as somehow hating Jews would have no power. He did that, saying both he and his wife have fought antisemitism, that Harris joins him at synagogue on the High Holy Days and that he accompanies her to church on Easter."
Rogers: "Michelle Obama, one of the biggest superstars in her party, takes the stage to Stevie Wonder and thunderous applause.... She is in mourning, framing her remarks in the context of reaching for hope through despair. She begins by giving a tribute to her mother, Marian Robinson, who died in May.... 'The last time I was here in my hometown,' she says, 'was to memorialize my mother, the woman who showed me the meaning of hard work and humility and decency, the woman who set my moral compass high and showed me the power of my own voice.'... 'No one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American -- no one,' Michelle Obama says, her voice strong and clear.... 'She [Harris] understands that most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward.... The affirmative action of generational wealth.... If we see a mountain in front of us, we don't expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top.'... 'Who's going to tell him that the job he's currently seeking might just be one of those "Black jobs"?' Michelle Obama asks of Donald Trump, turning one of his lines back on him."
Haberman: "Michelle Obama is giving a sharp, focused speech extolling the background of Kamala Harris. It's one of the best-delivered speeches of this convention so far."
Nagourney: "Michelle Obama;s speech might be remembered as the most effective takedown we've heard of Donald Trump yet here."
Astor: "That speech from Michelle Obama is going to be a tough act to follow, which Barack Obama alludes to self-deprecatingly, calling himself 'the only person stupid enough to speak after Michelle Obama.'"
Haberman: Barack "Obama lays it bare: 'Donald Trump sees power as nothing more than a means to his ends.' He describes him as trying to help himself and his 'rich friends.'"
Browning: "Obama played up his signature piece of health care legislation, the Affordable Care Act, which Donald Trump tried to tear up early in his presidency. 'I've noticed, by the way, that since it has become popular, they don't call it Obamacare no more,' he joked."
Simon Levien: "Obama encouraged people to have empathy for a grandparent who might have old-school values not in line with a society that's 'moving fast.' He is delivering a powerful unity message, explicitly asking the audience to reach across generations and ideological divides."
Amy Wang of the Washington Post: "Among the more eyebrow-raising speakers Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention was a former Trump administration official: Stephanie Grisham, who previously served as press secretary to Donald Trump as well as chief of staff to first lady Melania Trump.... She wasn't just a supporter of the former president, she said, but 'a true believer' and one of his closest advisers.... Grisham claimed that, behind closed doors, Trump mocked his supporters as 'basement dwellers' and once, on a hospital visit, he was upset that cameras were focused on intensive care unit patients rather than on him.... 'On Jan. 6, I asked Melania if we could at least tweet that while peaceful protest is the right of every American, there's no place for lawlessness and violence. She replied with one word: 'No,' Grisham said. Behind her, an image of the alleged text conversation flashed on a screen." The NBC News story is here.
Nicholas Nehamas of the New York Times: "Vice President Kamala Harris will hold a rally in Milwaukee on Tuesday night at the same basketball arena where ... Donald J. Trump accepted the Republican nomination just a month ago, at a time when his party believed he was coasting to victory against a hapless President Biden. Ms. Harris's choice of venue is the latest in a series of aggressive moves that seem designed to get under Mr. Trump's notoriously thin skin." (Also linked yesterday.)
Maeve Reston & Clara Morse of the Washington Post: "Kamala Harris's campaign and the Democratic National Committee raised three times as much as Donald Trump's campaign and the Republican National Committee in July, and ended the month with a cash advantage that positions the newly minted Democratic presidential nominee to air more ads and maintain a larger payroll than her Republican opponent in the final months of the race for the White House. Those results, which are based on federal filings released Tuesday and Wednesday, do not capture the full fundraising picture because several committees that support the candidates will not report their quarterly tallies until October."
Jeff Stein of the Washington Post: :Vice President Kamala Harris;s proposal last week to ban price gouging in certain sectors has spurred backlash from some Democratic economists, provoked consternation among business groups and emerged quickly as a focus of Donald Trump's on the campaign trail. Harris's allies, however, are arguing both publicly and privately that her plans have been taken out of context, and that the idea is a targeted expansion of existing state powers rather than new government 'price controls' that would transform the U.S. economy.... Harris and several Democratic lawmakers ... have stressed that most states already have rules that make price hikes illegal in certain contexts, such as in the aftermath of a natural disaster or other calamity. They pointed out that Trump had used the Defense Production Act during the pandemic to crack down on price gouging of critical medical supplies, and that Harris, as California's attorney general, had already pursued charges against prescription drug companies and firms that had conspired to keep the prices of electronics high."
Marie: I didn't know this was a thing till RAS pointed it out in yesterday's Comments. It turns out it's a thing: ~~~
~~~ Vanessa Friedman of the New York Times: "When Kamala Harris ... popped up to speak ... [at the Democratic convention, she was] wearing a tan suit. A tan suit!... The last time a tan suit made political waves, it was also late August, and the person wearing it was President Barack Obama. The occasion was a news conference on Iraq and Syria, but the response from a large swath of the watching public was shock! horror! at the outfit." Friedman then goes into a number of possible symbolic meanings&" Harris may have meant to impart by her wardrobe choice. MB: It turns out, according to Friedman, Harris's suit -- which looks like a plain prêt-à-porter pants suit to me -- is a designer thing which "came from the French label Chloé, designed by Chemena Kamali." My personal feeling is that the clothing you wear should be as forgettable, as simple and as comfortable as possible (within the vague parameters of suitability to the occasion), and at the top of that list of forgettable, simple comfy clothing would be a boring, loosely-fitted tan pants suit. (Also linked yesterday.)
Several reporters and commentators have noted that Donald Trump must be very upset by the huge number of people who showed up for the DNC in Chicago and the concurrent Harris rally in Milwaukee. So how do you suppose the ratings-obsessed Trump will take this? ~~~
~~~ Josh Marcus of the Independent: "The first night of the ongoing Democratic National Convention in Chicago had significantly better ratings than the opening of the Republican National Convention last month, according to overnight data. The DNC had 11.4 percent of sampled households watching in 44 major metro areas across seven networks on Monday, compared with the RNC's 9.4 percent rating, a difference of over 20 percent, according to TV analyst Michael Mulvihill, president of insights and analytics at FOX Sports, FOX Entertainment, and Tubi."
What with all the famous, distinguished beloved people speaking at the Democratic convention, maybe you're wondering why such speakers didn't appear at the RNC. But wait! You're forgetting this guy, featured on the Thursday night of the convention in the run-up to Trump's acceptance speech: ~~~
~~~ Charlie Nash of Mediaite: "During an event in Medina, Ohio to promote his new Real American Beer, [wrestler Hulk] Hogan called out to the crowd, 'You want me to body slam somebody? You want me to body-slam Kamala Harris? I said, do you want me to body slam Kamala Harris?! You want me to drop the leg on Kamala?' He continued, 'Is Kamala a chameleon? Is she Indian?' before raising his left hand and saying, 'How,' in imitation of a stereotypical native American, or 'American Indian.' 'I'm gonna get heat for that one, brother,' added Hogan, who was fired from the WWE in 2015 after he was caught on tape using the N-word." Thanks to Akhilleus for the link. See also his commentary below.
Helen Coster & Nathan Layne of Reuters: "... Donald Trump will visit a Michigan town on Tuesday one month after white supremacists rallied there.... Trump is scheduled to talk about 'crime and safety' at the Livingston County Sheriff's Office in Howell, a town of some 10,000 people northwest of Detroit.... The town has historical links to the KKK: In the 1970s, Grand Dragon Robert Miles had a Howell mailing address and held meetings on a nearby farm. About a dozen white supremacists chanted 'Heil Hitler' and carried signs reading 'White Lives Matter' during a march through downtown Howell last month. According to local media, another group of demonstrators shouted, 'We love Hitler, we love Trump' from a highway overpass just outside Howell. The Harris campaign has criticized Trump for planning the event in Howell while failing to condemn what it called a 'blatant display of racism and antisemitism in his name.' In an interview with Reuters after a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday, Trump did not directly respond to a question about that criticism." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ So here's what happened: ~~~
~~~ Hannah Knowles & Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump on Tuesday falsely depicted Vice President Kamala Harris's path to the Democratic nomination as violent and distorted her record on crime, even as he defended his supporters who attacked police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump, whose lies about theft of the 2020 election inspired his supporters to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power, falsely accused Harris of orchestrating a 'vicious, violent overthrow' by replacing President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.... He went on to defend the Jan. 6 rioters by falsely claiming 'nobody was killed,' as he compared that day to the protests that erupted after the police killing of George Floyd. Four people died in the mob on Jan. 6, three from medical problems and one shot by a police officer. One officer who fought the mob died of a stroke the next day, and four more officers committed suicide in the days and months that followed.... Asked about the Democrats' criticism over Howell's historic association with the Ku Klux Klan, Trump responded that [President] Biden had visited here in 2021. His campaign has said the location was chosen for being in the Detroit media market." ~~~
~~~ Marie: It is true that President Biden visited Howell in 2021 to promote his infrastructure bill at the International Union of Operating Engineers Construction Career Center. Protesters along the route to the center greeted Biden's motorcade by waving "Fuck Biden" signs.
Sarah Burris of the Raw Story: "The Livingston County Sheriff and his deputies stood behind Trump in uniform to support the ex-president's plan to reduce crime. While Trump didn't outline his strategy, he cited a number of crimes he heard about -- including the dangers of buying bread. 'You can't walk across the street to get a loaf of bread, you get shot, and you get mugged, you get raped, whatever it may be. You've seen it. I've seen it,' Trump said." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Let's posit, for a moment, that Trump's view of street crime is true. Is the best messenger someone who (1) said he could shoot somebody in broad daylight and people would still support him; (2) promised that if re-elected, "no one will lay a finger on your firearms" & he would roll back President Biden's gun control measures; or (3) is an adjudicated rapist?
Lauren Sforza of the Hill: "A spokesperson for former President Trump's campaign [Steven Cheung] used Beyoncé's song 'Freedom' in a video posted to social media featuring the former president.... CNN and The Associated Press reported that Beyoncé gave the Harris campaign permission to use her song 'Freedom' throughout her presidential campaign. Harris used the song in several campaign events and featured it in her first ad, with which she launched her bid for the White House last month.... Beyoncé endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 and previously headlined a preelection concert for then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in Cleveland alongside her husband, Jay-Z." MB: Gosh, why do I suspect the Trump campaign pirated the song?
Rebecca O'Brien of the New York Times: "Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate [Nicole Shanahan] said in a podcast interview that they were considering dropping their struggling independent presidential bid and endorsing Republican Donald J. Trump, blaming the Democratic Party for what she said was a 'sabotage' of their campaign.... She accused the Democratic Party of 'planting insiders into our campaign to disrupt it and create actual legal issues for us.' A spokeswoman for the Democrats dismissed those allegations." Politico's story is here. ~~~
~~~ Update. Eric Bradner of CNN: "Donald Trump said Tuesday he would 'certainly' be open to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. playing a role in his administration if the independent candidate drops out of the 2024 race and endorses the former president. 'I like him, and I respect him,' Trump told CNN's Kristen Holmes in an interview after a campaign stop in Michigan. 'He's a brilliant guy. He's a very smart guy. I've known him for a very long time,' the Republican presidential nominee said. 'I didn't know he was thinking about getting out, but if he is thinking about getting out, certainly I'd be open to it.'" Thanks to Ken W. for the link. See also his comment below.
David Sanger of the New York Times: "President Biden approved in March a highly classified nuclear strategic plan for the United States that, for the first time, reorients America's deterrent strategy to focus on China's rapid expansion in its nuclear arsenal. The shift comes as the Pentagon believes China's stockpiles will rival the size and diversity of the United States' and Russia's over the next decade. The White House never announced that Mr. Biden had approved the revised strategy, called the 'Nuclear Employment Guidance,' which also newly seeks to prepare the United States for possible coordinated nuclear challenges from China, Russia and North Korea. The document, updated every four years or so, is so highly classified that there are no electronic copies, only a small number of hard copies distributed to a few national security officials and Pentagon commanders."
Marie: Donald Trump and his Congressional friends' tax cuts for rich people & corporations have substantially raised my taxes every year since the GOP imposed them. This was not an unintended consequence of the "cuts"; Republicans meant to raise my taxes. Trump's tax cut, among other things, was punishment for human decency. Now hear this: ~~~
~~~ Alexander Bolton of the Hill: "Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told reporters at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago Tuesday that he will not allow the Trump-era cap on state and local tax deductions to continue after its scheduled expiration at the end of next year. Former President Trump and his Republican allies in Congress inserted a provision in the 2017 tax reform bill to cap state and local tax deductions at $10,000. That provision hit residents of expensive blue states such as New York, New Jersey and California with higher state and local taxes especially hard, but it raised a lot of revenue to offset the cost of Trump's other proposals, such as cutting the corporate tax rate from 28 percent to 21 percent.... 'We Democrats, as long as I'm leader, when state and local deductibility expires, it will be gone,' [Schumer] declared." (Also linked yesterday.)
Danielle Kaye of the New York Times: "A federal judge on Tuesday upheld a challenge to the Federal Trade Commission's ban on noncompete agreements, blocking it from taking effect in September as scheduled. Judge Ada Brown of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled that the antitrust agency lacked authority to issue substantive rules related to unfair methods of competition, including the noncompete rule, which would have prohibited companies from restricting their employees' ability to work for rivals. The push to adopt the rule is part of the Biden administration's effort to crack down on practices that regulators argue are anticompetitive, unfairly constraining workers. Judge Brown had temporarily blocked the ban in July. Her decision on Tuesday renders that injunction permanent, and nationwide in scope." See Ken W.'s comment below.
You Can Embarrass Mickey Mouse. Claire Fahy of the New York Times: "Disney withdrew its request to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit out of court on Monday, clearing the way for the case of a woman who died from a severe allergic reaction to food she ate at a Disney World restaurant to be heard in front of a jury. The woman, Kanokporn Tangsuan ... was severely allergic to nuts and dairy. She died in October after eating dishes her server assured her were allergen-free, according to a lawsuit filed by her husband against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Disney's request was met with swift backlash last week, after news outlets reported on the company's claim that Dr. Tangsuan's husband, Jeffrey Piccolo, had agreed to arbitration when he signed up for a free trial of the streaming service Disney+ and was therefore not eligible to sue.... Initially, Disney argued in legal filings that the matter should be settled by an outside arbitrator, because Mr. Piccolo had agreed to settle any disputes out of court when he signed up for a free trial of its streaming service on his PlayStation and again when he purchased tickets to Epcot through the MyDisney website."
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Florida Senate Race. Patricia Mazzei of the Washington Post: "Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a former one-term congresswoman from Miami, won the Democratic nomination in the race for U.S. Senate in Florida on Tuesday, setting up a challenge against Rick Scott, the Republican incumbent. Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, 53, who led in fund-raising and had President Biden's support, easily defeated three other Democrats. Mr. Scott, 71, who is seeking his second Senate term, also won, after facing nominal opposition in his party's primary."
Florida Congressional Race. Patrick Svitek of the Washington Post: "Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) on Tuesday defeated a primary challenger backed by former House speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as part of his push to unseat the handful of Republicans who helped oust him last year. Gaetz, who led the effort to remove McCarthy, defeated retired Navy officer Aaron Dimmock, according to the Associated Press, who was endorsed by the former speaker."
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⭐Israel/Palestine, et al.
Robert Jimison, et al., of the New York Times: "Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken pressed on Tuesday for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, but officials familiar with the latest U.S.-backed proposal said it left major disagreements between Hamas and Israel unresolved. After meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Monday, Mr. Blinken said that Israel had accepted the U.S. proposal -- the details of which have not been made public -- and that the onus was now on Hamas to agree to it as well. But Israeli and Hamas officials have downplayed the idea that a deal could be imminent, saying that mediators' efforts -- and the latest American proposal aimed at bridging gaps between the two sides -- have failed to resolve some of the most substantive disputes in the talks."
digby: "Judy Woodruff [of NPR] reports that as the administration is trying hard to get a cease fire and hostage release in Gaza, Donald Trump is on the phone exhorting his buddy Netanyahu not to do it. How can this be ok? More importantly how have we come to the point where it's just a passing comment instead of front page news? I realize that the Logan Act is pretty much a joke. And there are certainly previous examples of Republicans doing this for political gain during an election (I'm looking at you Nixon and Reagan.) But it's still not right, especially now what with Trump being a convicted criminal and a fascist and all. The media should never treat this as normal but they especially shouldn't be doing it now." Thanks to Patrick for the link. Patrick remarks that "We used to call this treason." Others, commenting near the end of yesterday's thread, are in agreement. Me, too.
News Lede
CNBC: "The U.S. economy created 818,000 fewer jobs than originally reported in the 12-month period through March 2024, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. As part of its preliminary annual benchmark revisions to the nonfarm payroll numbers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said the actual job growth was nearly 30% less than the initially reported 2.9 million from April 2023 through March of the following year. The revision of the total payrolls level of -0.5% is the largest since 2009. Wall Street had been watching the numbers closely, with many economists expecting a sizeable reduction in the originally reported numbers. Even with the revisions, job creation during the period stood at more than 2 million, but the report could be seen as indication that the labor market is not as strong as the previous BLS reporting had made it out to be." The New York Times report is here. ~~~
~~~ Marie: Say what? How could the Labor Department be this far off? I know Jay Dee gets his statistics from the movies, but I would have thought the Labor Department would have slightly more reliable sources. ~~~
~~~ In a related story, Senator JD Vance, the Republican candidate for vice president, telephoned the New York Police Department Tuesday night to inform them that a gigantic gorilla had climbed the Empire State Building and was holding a "pretty blonde woman" in his huge paw.
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Reader Comments (21)
And this on the Pretender-Kennedy marriage:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/20/politics/trump-consider-appointing-rfk-jr-administration-role/index.html
Makes good sense: The anti-vaxxer and the ivermectin, bleach, it’s just the flu guy.
Another "shopped" Federal judge rules....for employers, of course.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/08/20/noncompete-ban-injunction-texas/
Such a pleasure to see the Obamas again. Smooth without being glib, smart but never nasty, wise but not snarky, compassion with strength, decent, kind, secure, relatable. All qualities glaringly absent from the Weird Racist ticket. Interesting that Barack Obama hushed the crowd when boos monetarily erupted at a Trump mention. As ever, he maintains that we’re all, down deep, the same, but likely he knows that’s not really true. The aggrieved hatred and unquenchable desire for revenge on display at Fatty’s fascist coronation is nowhere to be found in that Chicago crowd, and Obama wanted to make sure that no such comparisons could be made.
Marie suggests that Peter (Both Sides) Baker might be worth reading for once. Maybe. But right away I picked up his use of the word “partisan” to describe the Chicago crowd. Of COURSE it’s a partisan crowd, Peter. It’s a fucking political convention! What do you expect?Just just saying how electrified the crowd was would be good enough. But no. He has to qualify it by calling it a “partisan crowd”.
Sorry, but I’ve become so used to that kind of crap that I look for it, and almost always find it.
The Orange Monster, asked about the significance of his visit to a town with a KKK connection, tried to lay it off by saying “Waaaah! Biden came here too! Waaaah!”
Okay, fine. But there’s a huge difference. Biden’s not a card carrying racist scumbag like Trump. Biden visited Howell because he’s NOT a racist. Trump did it because he IS a racist and wanted that connection to burnish his pointy hat cred with his white supremacist supporters.
@Akhilleus: I also noticed that "partisan" characterization, and had the same reaction you did. I'm not sure Baker meant it as a loaded word, but that's how most readers will receive it. (When you look up synonyms for "partisan," words like "fanatic" & "zealot" pop up.) Baker is a writer. I realize he has short turn-around time, but he or his copy editor should have found another word or, as you say, skipped any characterization at all. Readers don't have to be told that people attending a Democratic conventions are mostly (but not entirely) Democrats.
You want a perfect encapsulation of why Trump supporters are not the same as Harris supporters?
Former phony macho wrestling guy, Hulk Hogan, who was such a hit with the Fatty supporters at his fascist coronation, asked a crowd in Ohio if they thought he should physically assault Kamala Harris.
I am not even kidding. “You want me to body-slam Kamala Harris? I said, do you want me to body slam Kamala Harris?! You want me to drop the leg on Kamala?”
Yeah, “Hulk”. You do that. Very manly of you.
Where do these fucking people come from? Don’t forget how Trump once asked a crowd whether it would be a good idea to shoot and kill Hillary Clinton.
Sorry. We’re not all the same. Not even close.
Marie,
The way I look at Baker’s use of “partisan” is to make it clear that “Hey! I’m no Democrat! I’m no liberal! I’m just reporting what I see. A completely neutral bystander.”
Thanks for clearing that up, Peter, now kindly fuck off, would you please?
Crowd Size
Legacy Media's whining.
Too much money
"GOP megadonor drops another $50M into pro-Trump super PAC
Timothy Mellon has now given $115 million this cycle to the group."
Yeah, words do take on a life of their own. "Partisan" and "political" may top the list of objective descriptors that have become swear words or simply required cliches in political reporting . If engaging in politics or partisan behavior is bad by itself, then we're all crooks.
Most everything humans do is political in one way or another. Since in the social dimension of our lives we often express our politics in the name of one political party or another, most everything from opinions to persons to actions in that arena is necessarily partisan. Looked at that way, when those words appear in political reporting, they are either meaningless or are being used for their acquired negative connotation.
Saying that someone or something is political or partisan is like saying that she breathes air or that they made a decision to (raise or lower) taxes. So what?
So? Skip the empty characterization and tell us what the event or action means for people--if it means anything at all.
The question for the Livingston County Sheriff and his deputies is if Trump shot someone in front of them would they arrest him? Standing as a prop for a convicted felonious fraudster and adjudicated rapist who is awaiting trial for Rico charges in Georgia and a coup plot against the United States in DC and stealing classified documents in Florida and owes half a billion dollars in civil judgements speaks volumes.
@RAS: Yes, this is the county with longstanding ties to the KKK and current demonstrations by white nationalists. I have a sneaking suspicion some of those Aryan-looking prop-cops trade in their spiffy uniforms for loose-fitting white hoods of a weekend night.
@Marie: Some of the articles lately that are covering our militia problems have also highlighted the fact that they have had some success recruiting some law enforcement.
I caught that "partisan" remark also, and I thought DUH...How stupid of good ole Bothsides Peter.
Last night another (the fourth) school district in our county voted to accept the free services of the law firm in Harrisburg that is solely in existence to help schools ban books, infiltrate boards, discriminate against gays and eradicate trans kids, and tell sports departments in high schools who can participate, and finally, send trans kids to the wrong bathrooms, deny the pronouns they prefer, and encourage the bullying that is still running rampant in the schools despite systems in place to stop this stuff. And of course the federales have stopped the changes to Title 9. The white nationalists and racists win again, both locally and nationally. I think the Obamas are correct: everyone, in the guise of protecting parenting, are terrified of the "other". and will do anything to deny the changes in our society. It's more than generational, but we oldsters are the worst. I am ashamed of these hidebound people.
In other news, my god, Michelle Obama...I think she has held her tongue for ten years and last night she was flaming...what a great speech. And Barack, was... Barack-- careful, with subtle sarcasm, but just as pointed in his way. What a pleasure to see and hear them.
And Kamala's husband, how adorable is he...
Cute moment from last night.
"Former President Barack Obama joked about Tim Walz's flannel shirts during his speech at the Democratic National Convention"
Mrs. Walz's "so true" reaction is that of someone who has tried to get rid of a few stains on those shirts.
Speaking of Fatty’s “love” for law and order (for his enemies, not for him. He’s got total ‘munity now), I’ve been seeing mixed messages coming from the Party of Traitors regarding crime.
There is no disputing the data that crime rose dramatically under Trump but now, under Biden, has dropped considerably. I heard some loony winger liar on the radio the other day screaming that crime is down because police are cowards and refusing to do their jobs so Joe Biden will like them.
Yeah. There’s so much wrong with that statement, but never mind.
Meanwhile, the Dear Leader is saying cops are doing a great job and should continue busting brown heads. In addition, he has promised the further militarization of police forces.
“Obama wouldn’t give you guys the high tech military weapons you need! I will!!”
Cheers from the white supremacists in blue, no doubt. Because what we really need are unhinged cops with rocket launchers and tanks.
Trump rooting for law and order is like a deadly pathogen cheering on antibiotic research.
Jeanne,
The PoT forces of suppression are hard at work at higher levels as well as at local school boards and weaseling their way into control of elementary schools.
The other day, the University of Kentucky, the biggest and most influential educational establishment in the state, ordered the cessation of all diversity programs, effective immediately.
School officials, bullied by PoT pols, aren’t even bothering to try to reduce diversity hiring and training. It’s dead. Immediately. Gone. Over. Gotta get back to hiring only straight white Christians.
Fear and bullying really do work. Just ask Donald Trump.
Posts disappearing again…looks like.
Looks like Kennedy might be joining Trump
"RFK Jr. to ‘address the nation’ as he weighs whether to drop out and endorse Trump"