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Friday, July 19, 2024

Donald Trump Accepts RNC’s Nomination for President, Tells Story of His Assassination Attempt

Associated Press: Donald Trump, somber and bandaged, accepted the GOP presidential nomination on Thursday at the Republican National Convention in a speech where he described how he felt during an assassination attempt that could have ended his life. The 78-year-old former president, known best for his bombast and aggressive rhetoric, offered a softer and deeply personal message that drew directly from his brush with death. He asked for a moment of silence for Corey Comperatore, the retired fire chief who was slain at the rally (Associated Press). Collin Rugg: Donald Trump tells the story about how he almost lost his life on Saturday, says he will never tell the story again because it’s too painful. Less than a week ago, this man was a quarter inch from death. Today, he is giving the most impactful speech of his career. This is a new man (X). Faith and Freedom: President Donald Trump ACCEPTS the Republican Nomination for President of the United States (X). Townhall: TRUMP: “The movement has never been about me. It has ALWAYS been about you” (X).

Poll Indicates Trump Leads Biden in Seven Swing States

Emerson College: New polling conducted July 15-16 by Emerson College Polling and sponsored by Democrats for Next Generation finds former President Trump leading Biden in seven swing states and in a national poll. In the July 15-16 national poll, 46% of registered voters support Trump, and 42% support Biden; 12% are undecided. There has been a two-point drop in Biden’s support since earlier this month, where 46% supported Trump, and 44% supported Biden. When third-party candidates are added to the ballot test, Trump either maintains or extends his advantage in the national poll and 6 of 7 swing states (Emerson College). Ed Morrissey: None of this is good news for Joe Biden. But at least so far, it’s not catastrophic polling either. Biden’s support may have eroded since the debate, but it hasn’t cratered, and in most places he’s still in or close to virtual ties with Trump. That it itself is surprising, considering (a) the absolute exposure of his cognitive decline at the June 27 debate and (b) the full-court press by fellow Democrats to push him into withdrawing ever since. If Biden’s only losing a couple of points in the polls while fellow Democrats demand his exit, that suggests a lot more resilience than many of us figured (HotAir).

Nancy Pelosi Pushes Biden to Step Down

Just the News: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly told President Joe Biden in a private conversation this week that polling shows that if he continues his reelection bid, he would lose to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump and damage the Democratic Party’s chances of retaking the House and keeping the Senate in November. The conversation came within days of other top Washington Democrats reportedly making similar private statements to Biden about ending his bid, amid signs the 81-year-old president is showing signs of being too old for a second term (Just the News). CNN: The president responded by pushing back, telling Pelosi he has seen polls that indicate he can win, one source said. Another one of the sources described Biden as getting defensive about the polls. At one point, Pelosi asked Mike Donilon, Biden’s longtime adviser, to get on the line to talk over the data. This phone call would mark the second known conversation between the California lawmaker and Biden since the president’s disastrous debate on June 27. While the exact date of the conversation was not clear, one source described it as being within the last week. Pelosi and Biden also spoke in early July (CNN).

Biden’s Favorite Morning News Show Encourages Him to Resign: “Do the right thing”

National Review: MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough went on a lengthy tirade on Thursday morning urging President Joe Biden’s closest allies to help him “do the right thing,” indicating he should drop out of the presidential race without explicitly calling for it. “This is not going to end well if it continues to drag out,” Scarborough said Thursday on Morning Joe, referencing the president’s debate flop and the steady stream of Democrats who have since come out publicly to call on him to withdraw from the ticket. Biden is known to watch the Morning Joe show daily and often speaks with Scarborough about current political issues and media coverage (National Review). Morning Joe: “It’s really incumbent on people around Joe Biden to step up at this point and help the man they love — Joe Biden deserves better. He deserves better than he is getting from those closest to him.” Joe’s advice to Biden’s inner circle, as calls for him to drop out intensify (X).

Trump Pick of J.D. Vance Highlights the “Veteran Vote”

Hugh Hewitt: When he chose his 2024 running mate, Donald Trump was surely thinking about veterans. The “veteran vote” matters enormously in the five key swing states. There are nearly 800,000 veterans in Pennsylvania, a half-million-plus in Michigan and 283,000 in Wisconsin. Arizona has more than 450,000 and Nevada more than 200,000. Add to that tally large numbers of active-duty military in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. Exit polls showed that Trump won 61 percent of the veteran vote in 2016, but only 54 percent in 2020. That seven-point drop mattered in states where he lost by the narrowest of margins: 81,000 votes in the Keystone State; 34,000 votes in the Silver State; 155,000 in Michigan; and only 21,000 in Wisconsin. If he pushes his margin among veterans back up by 7 percent, he wins Wisconsin and Michigan easily, and closes the gap significantly in Pennsylvania as well as the other swing states (Washington Post).

After Assassination Attempt, Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) Doubles Down on Call to Remove Secret Service Protection for Donald Trump

Townhall: When former and potentially future President Donald Trump was nearly assassinated during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last week, reactions from both sides of the aisle came pouring in to wish him well. Some Democrats, however, had to contend with the reality of how just months before they had introduced a bill to revoke Trump’s Secret Service protection. Among those members was Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX)… In a lengthy and particularly defensive post, Crockett appears to double down on her belief that Trump does not deserve Secret Service protection (Townhall). Jasmine Crockett: As a sitting member of congress we don’t even get secret service protection so why should taxpayers foot the bill for someone who a jury of his/her peers has deemed guilty of a felony or in this case 34 of ‘em, if they are sentenced to time. The prison is full of officers not to mention, why should we make an entire team of public servants have to go to prison, too (X)?

Appeals Court Blocks Biden’s Attempt to Cancel Student Loans and Send $475 Billion Price Tag to Taxpayers

Daily Wire: A federal appeals court on Thursday temporarily shut down President Joe Biden’s nearly half-trillion dollar plan to cancel or lower student debt by transferring it to taxpayers. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday paused Biden’s Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan in response to a petition from a group of red states led by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. The petitioners asked the court to “enter an immediate administrative stay of Defendants’ actions to prevent millions of dollars in irreparable harm.” The states sued Biden over the SAVE Plan, which Bailey said would cost taxpayers $475 billion by transferring debt taken out by wealthy, elite college graduates to the working class (Daily Wire). Hill: Earlier Thursday, the administration announced it would forgive another $1.2 billion in student loans for 35,000 people. The people who would have loans forgiven are teachers, nurses, law enforcement officers and first responders under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The announcement brings the total number of people who have received relief to 4.76 million. The SAVE plan has faced two separate legal challenges (Hill).

Riot Breaks Out in England, Police Officers Attacked by Mob

Daily Mail: Shocking video footage circulating online shows large crowds of people gathered in the Harehills area of the northern city, where thugs overturned and smashed up a police car with scooters, prams and bikes. Locals were also seen running towards a fire started in the middle of the road with a large fridge, which they hurled onto the fire as locals cheered. Images later showed the double decker bus reduced to a charred and twisted wreck. Senior officers and local councilors have urged people to go home as dozens of police, including cops in riot gear, flooded the streets around Harehills and roads were closed off. But locals have continued to turn out in the area, with many livestreaming footage of the stand-off on social media (Daily Mail). End Wokeness: All heII is breaking loose in Leeds after British police are forced to retreat. Migrant mobs are now taking over (X). Reporter Tommy Robinson: Muslims are rioting across Leeds , police are under attack & are running away. The far right are the problem according to government (X).

Closing Arguments Begin for American Journalist Evan Gershkovich Held in Russian Prison

Associated Press: Closing arguments in the espionage trial of U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich will be held Friday, a court said, as the proceedings in Russia’s highly politicized legal system picked up speed in a case that has seen the reporter held behind bars for over a year. Gershkovich attended a trial session for a second day behind closed doors on Thursday, the court said. The Wall Street Journal reporter faces charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government vehemently deny. Unlike previous sessions in which reporters were allowed to see Gershkovich briefly before the proceedings began, there was no access to the courtroom and he was not seen, with no explanation given. Espionage and treason cases are typically shrouded in secrecy. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested March 29, 2023, while on a reporting trip. Authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the U.S. The American-born son of immigrants from the USSR, Gershkovich is the first Western journalist arrested on espionage charges in post-Soviet Russia (Associated Press).

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NYC Residents Told Limit Their Air Conditioner to 78 Degrees to Help Preserve Energy Grid

Just the News: New York City residents have been told during the past roughly two weeks of an ongoing heat wave to turn their air conditioners up to 78 degrees Fahrenheit from 2-10 p.m. – including Tuesday when temperatures were around 100 degrees. The request came as utility Con Edison became concerned that power demands would create grid reliability problems. Turning down air conditioning would help prevent blackouts, Democrat Mayor Eric Adams said during a news conference Monday. The state of New York set an aggressive goal of getting 70% of its electricity from hydroelectric and intermittent wind and solar power by 2030. Politico reported earlier this month that Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration was looking at pushing back the goal to 2033 after state officials issued a report stating New York likely would miss the 2030 target (Just the News). New York Post: Energy-saving methods like turning down air conditioners will help prevent blackouts and overburdening the electrical grid, Mayor Eric Adams said during a Monday news conference (New York Post).