London Attack, Trump Melts in August
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Vol. 5, No. 217
London Attack: An American woman was killed last night in a random knife attack in London’s Russell Square that also left five people injured. The killer, a 19-year-old Norwegian man of Somali origin, was quickly captured. Investigators say the suspect appears mentally ill.
Up Ballot: The Trump presidential campaign outdoes itself every day. Yesterday vice presidential candidate Mike Pence broke with Trump and endorsed House Speaker Paul Ryan for re-election to his Wisconsin seat, just a day after Trump said, “I’m just not quite there yet.”
Pence said Trump had encouraged him to endorse Ryan, who faces a primary challenge on Tuesday. But the split opinion is just one sign of the chaos within the Trump campaign. Reports have surfaced that the Trump campaign organization, such as it is, is crumbling from the inside. Campaign manager Paul Manafort has been reported to be “mailing it in,” in part because Trump doesn’t listen anyway.
Republican Chairman Reince Priebus is reported to be “livid” over Trump’s refusal to endorse Ryan, the most powerful elected Republican. Reports say Priebus has talked to Trump’s children, but not the candidate himself. In what alternate universe does the Republican Chairman have to go through the Republican candidate’s children to get to the candidate?
Down Ballot: Republicans are beginning to worry about the effect Trump might have on Republican candidates lower on the ballot, the so-called “down ballot” of senate, congressional, and gubernatorial candidates. If Republicans vote for Hillary Clinton, or just don’t vote, it’s going to hurt the down ballot candidates as well.
Trump’s wing-and-a-prayer campaign is not the kind of professional operation designed to help other Republicans. On the upside, Trump and the Republicans say they raised $82 million in July, cashing in on the goldmine of small donors. They came close to even with Clinton, who collected $90 million.
Somewhere in this campaign there are issues people ought to be thinking about.
Bund Rally: The NY Times has posted recordings of things people shout and chant at Trump rallies. They have a favorite four-letter word, and it’s not “vote.” Some samples:
“F— those dirty beaners! Build the wall!”
“F— Islam, f— ‘em. God bless Donald Trump.
“F— that nigger!” (President Obama)
“Ignorance and immigrants they mix together!”
“Hang the Bitch!”
“Kill her!”
Cold Tea: Frustrated Kansas voters dumped their Tea Party congressman Tim Huelskamp in a landslide vote in favor of a moderate political novice who promised to go to Washington to actually get things done. Huelskamp was so obstreperous he was kicked off the Agriculture Committee, which didn’t do him any good in Kansas.
Kansas voters also rebelled against the tax-cutting allies of Gov. Sam Brownback, who’s cutting government services while his budget is running in the red.
Gooooal!: The American women’s soccer team won their opening match 2-0 against New Zealand. The goals were scored by Carli Lloyd and star forward Alex Morgan. Spectators booed US goalie Hope Solo because she had posted online photos of herself in beekeeper’s netting in a joke about the Zika threat.
Drone Warfare: The US has begun sea trials of a drone submarine called the Sea Hunter that may revolutionize warfare at sea. The 132-foot unmanned ship would be capable of staying at sea for months without support. Defense Secretary Bob Work said, “You can imagine anti-submarine warfare pickets, you can imagine anti-submarine warfare wolf packs, you can imagine mine warfare flotillas, you can imagine distributed anti-surface warfare action groups… and you might be able to put a six-pack or a four-pack of missiles on it.”
Well, we should all look forward to that.
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