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Wednesday, August 14, 2024

EU Member Sends Scathing Letter to Elon Musk Over Trump Interview, Gets Hit With Election Interference Accusations

In case you need a reminder of how important free speech truly is. Politico: The European Union’s top digital enforcer tried to take on Elon Musk. Within hours, he faced accusations of meddling in American politics and his own staff were back-pedalling hard. Thierry Breton, who oversees the bloc’s enforcement of new social media rules, sent Musk a letter posted on X that warned the tech mogul about spreading “harmful content,” ahead of Musk’s livestreamed interview with Donald Trump… Four separate EU officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Breton’s warning to Musk had surprised many within the Commission. The bloc’s enforcers were still investigating the platform for potential wrongdoing and the EU did not want to be seen as potentially interfering in the U.S. presidential election (Politico). X CEO Linda Yaccarino: This is an unprecedented attempt to stretch a law intended to apply in Europe to political activities in the US. It also patronizes European citizens, suggesting they are incapable of listening to a conversation and drawing their own conclusions (X).

Elon Musk, Donald Trump’s X Chat Reaches 1 Billion Views

Fox News: Elon Musk’s conversational interview with former President Trump on Monday evening pulled in a combined 1 billion views, according to the tech billionaire, who has now offered to host Vice President Kamala Harris for a similar X chat…Trump spoke with Musk on Monday evening on Twitter Space for two hours in an expansive audio-only interview that included the 45th president speaking at length about immigration woes, spiraling inflation issues, the assassination attempt against his life and policies he would implement if he wins at the polls on Nov. 5 (Fox News). Elon Musk: Combined views of the conversation with Donald Trump and subsequent discussion by other accounts now about 1 billion (X). Catholic Vote: CNN freaks out after over 1 billion people tuned into the Trump/Elon Space for their uncensored discussion on the state of the country (X).

American Society of Plastic Surgeons Does Not Endorse “Gender Affirming Care” Treatments

City Journal: The main justification for “gender-affirming care” for minors in the United States has been that “all major U.S. medical associations” support it. Critics of this supposed consensus have argued that it is not grounded in high-quality research or decades of honest and robust deliberation among clinicians with different viewpoints and experiences. Instead, it is the result of a small number of ideologically driven doctor-association members in LGBT-focused committees, who exploit their colleagues’ trust. Physicians presenting different viewpoints are silenced or kept away from decision-making circles, ensuring the appearance of unanimity… But the U.S. consensus now appears to have its first big fracture. In July, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a major medical association representing 11,000 members and over 90 percent of the field in the U.S. and Canada, told me that it “has not endorsed any organization’s practice recommendations for the treatment of adolescents with gender dysphoria.” ASPS acknowledged that there is “considerable uncertainty as to the long-term efficacy for the use of chest and genital surgical interventions” and that “the existing evidence base is viewed as low quality/low certainty” (City Journal). Dr. Leor Sapir: The consensus of medical associations is a chief reason for the growing divide between the U.S. and Europe, where countries have reversed course on youth gender medicine after finding the evidence too weak to support the routine use of Rx (X).

Tim Walz Praised Teacher Who Admired Hitler, Supports Antisemitic Rhetoric

Townhall: Last Friday, days after he was selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, it was reported that Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) had hosted Asad Zaman, an imam who spoke out against Israel on October 7 and shared pro-Hitler propaganda. While the Harris-Walz campaign claimed that Walz had no personal relationship with Zaman, a new report is out showing otherwise (Townhall). Reporter Gabe Kaminsky: Tim Walz—in footage unearthed by Washington Examiner—called Hitler-promoting imam Asad Zaman a “master teacher” who offered Walz lessons over the time they “spent together.” The footage further contradicts the Harris campaign’s claim Walz has no personal relationship with Zaman (X). J.D. Vance Comms Director William Martin: Even CNN has turned on him. Walz once praised Muslim leader who shared antisemitic propaganda (X).

CNN Presses Kamala Harris Spokesperson About Her Refusal to do Media Interviews Even With an Empty Schedule

Daily Wire: CNN anchor John Berman asked a Harris campaign spokeswoman about the Democratic nominee’s schedule on Tuesday as Harris is seemingly avoiding the media. Senior Spokeswoman Adrienne Elrod joined Berman on Tuesday morning and was pushed to answer why Harris has yet to hold a press conference or sit down for a major interview since becoming the Democrats’ presidential nominee. “The reason I was asking about today is because it seems like she has time if she wanted to do an interview with a member of the media or do a news conference, correct? There does appear to be that time if she wanted” (Daily Wire). RNC Research: CNN: What’s on Kamala’s schedule today? Kamala spokesman Adrienne Elrod: “She’s talking to voters and getting her message out there.” CNN: She has literally nothing on her schedule today (X).

Kamala Harris Requires ID to Attend Rally; Opposes Showing ID to Vote

Fox News: Vice President Harris was mocked online for requiring campaign rallygoers to present a government-issued ID upon entry, despite the Democratic presidential nominee opposing voter ID laws. Ahead of Harris’ rally alongside vice presidential running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Arizona on Friday, her campaign sent out an email advising that only confirmed RSVPs will be admitted. The email said those on the RSVP list must present a matching government-issued photo ID in order to be admitted to the venue (Fox News). Just the News: While on the campaign trail as Biden’s running mate, Harris maligned “suppressive voter ID laws, racial gerrymandering, voter roll purges, precinct closures and reduced early-voting days”, contending that those measures had been “laser-targeted toward communities of color” (Just the News). Reporter Nick Sortor: So let me get this straight: Requiring ID to vote is racist… But requiring ID to attend a Kamala Harris “rally” is NOT racist? SOMEONE make it make sense for me please (X).

Biden to Deliver $750 Million Worth of Bombs to Saudi Arabia

Wall Street Journal: The Biden administration will send Saudi Arabia shipments of bombs worth more than $750 million in the coming months, removing a major irritant between Washington and Riyadh. The deliveries will include 3,000 Small Diameter Bombs and 7,500 Paveway IV bombs, which have been on hold since President Biden halted the shipments in 2021 over Saudi Arabia’s punishing war in Yemen. The shipments underscore White House attempts to woo Riyadh, hoping closer ties with the oil-rich kingdom will pay dividends in the administration’s final months. The Biden administration has been drafting a defense treaty with Saudi Arabia, as well discussing plans to provide assistance so the kingdom can acquire civil nuclear power. The White House needs Riyadh’s help in its push for a cease-fire in the Gaza war and is trying to broker an agreement for diplomatic recognition between Israel and Saudi Arabia, an influential voice in the Islamic world (Wall Street Journal). Newsmax: The delivery of bombs is expected to start in several months (Newsmax).

Iran Threatens Retaliation Against Israel if Hostage Deal Fails

National Review: Iran has brushed aside warnings from the U.S. and other western nations about the consequences for attacking Israel, signaling its determination to retaliate against Israel for the recent killings of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders (National Review). Israel Hayom: Iran’s potential retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh hinges on the outcome of Gaza ceasefire-hostage release negotiations, according to senior Iranian officials. The assassination, which occurred during Haniyeh’s visit to Tehran, has heightened tensions in the region, with Iran vowing a severe response. Three Iranian sources, speaking to Reuters anonymously, indicated that Iran and its proxies, including Hezbollah, would consider direct action if Gaza talks fail or if Israel is perceived to be prolonging negotiations. The timeline for such a response remains unspecified (Israel Hayom).

Russia Launches Attacks Against Ukrainian Forces in Kursk Region

Reuters: Russian forces on Tuesday struck back at Ukrainian troops with missiles, drones and airstrikes in actions that one senior commander said had halted Ukraine’s advance after the biggest attack on sovereign Russian territory since the war began. Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers smashed through the Russian border a week ago in a surprise attack that Russian President Vladimir Putin said was aimed at improving Kyiv’s negotiating position ahead of possible talks and slowing the advance of Russian forces along the front. The Ukrainian forces carved out a slice of Russian territory, prompting Moscow to evacuate almost 200,000 people while it rushed in reserves (Reuters). Washington Post: Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region has stunned and embarrassed Russia’s military, and residents of Kursk have expressed fury that they were not warned about the attacks and were given little information during evacuations. Several Russian military bloggers predicted that military officials would be sacked for failing to prevent the incursion (Washington Post).

10.

Audience Laughs When Stephen Colbert Tells CNN Pundit, “I know you guys are objective over at CNN”

This is precisely why people do not trust the elite media. It is no secret where they fall on the political spectrum, yet they pretend to be objective. Post Millennial: When Stephen Colbert claimed that CNN was an “objective” news source on his evening show, the largely liberal New York audience cracked up, even though the host did not mean to make it a joke as he was speaking to CNN pundit Kaitlan Collins (Post Millennial). Collin Rugg: Audience starts cracking up after a serious Stephen Colbert tells CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that CNN “just reports the news as it is.” Remarkable. Colbert: “I know you guys are objective over at CNN, you just report the news as it is.” Audience: Laughs hysterically. Collins: “Is that supposed to be a laugh line?” Colbert: “No” (X).