Diplomacy: President Trump arrived in Poland yesterday for a quick and friendly stop before moving on to the G-20 summit in Germany.

In a press conference with the Polish president, Trump declined to single out Russia for hacking the US election. “I think it was Russia and I think it could have been other people in other countries,” Trump said.

Trump has his first sit-down tomorrow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It could be like a recreational checkers player facing off in a game of chess with a grandmaster.  Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Glenn Thrush write in the NY Times that the meeting is “a diplomatic and political risk for Mr. Trump, who faces a web of investigations into his campaign’s possible links to Russia, as well as questions about his willingness to take on Moscow for its military misdeeds and election meddling on his behalf.”

A new NPR/News Hour/Marist poll says 25 percent of Americans believe Trump did something illegal in his dealings with Russia.

Putin can be expected to bring up the sanctions placed on Russia for the annexation of Crimea, its military intervention in Ukraine, and election meddling. Trump will look bad if he folds his hand to Putin.

The NY Times quotes Michael A. McFaul, a former ambassador to Russia, saying, “You don’t want to come out of there saying, ‘We’re friends, and the enemy is the deep state and the media.’ ”

Car and Driver: Swedish carmaker Volvo announced yesterday that it will be the first auto company to completely phase out cars powered only by internal combustion engines. By 2019, the company says, all its cars will be hybrids or completely battery powered.

Almost all the car companies are developing advanced hybrid and battery cars, but it’s a pretty bold decision to move to technologies that have a limited share of the market right now.

As Goes Fox: Radio news director Robert Leonard from Iowa has an opinion piece in the NY Times describing the calm and satisfaction of Trump supporters in his state. He writes, “Here, conservatives celebrate the successes in Mr. Trump’s short time in office: a conservative Supreme Court justice now seated; Mexico and Canada back to the trading table; red tape cut; the E.P.A. hamstrung; climate change nonsense tossed aside. It’s exactly what they elected him to do — victory after victory in a bigger battle than just policy, a battle for America’s soul.”

Leonard describes a land where virtually all televisions in public places are tuned to Fox News. “They bend over backward to justify everything Mr. Trump does, largely because they don’t believe what anyone in the news media is telling them, except for maybe Fox News.”

With serious investigations into Russian election hacking and possible collusion with the Kremlin, Leonard says the only way impeachment is possible would be if Fox News calls for it. “The first Republicans to even mention impeachment would probably be vilified by Fox and find themselves facing an angry constituency and a primary opponent next election. Yet if Fox turns, it’s inevitable.”

Hate Speech: Some of President Trump’s most ardent supporters were enraged on the 4^th of July by a series of tweets issued by National Public Radio.  One man threatened, “So everyone at NPR will be killed long before they can incite revolution. You’ve been warned.”

What really set them off was a tweet that said, “A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”

A sample of responses:

• “This is unacceptable hate speech. Trump is the man! All liberals must be deported”
• “Fake news from the ministry of truth. Very triggered.”
• “NPR wants Trump who was elected by the people out? Hmmm”
• “You will RESPECT my vote! I got Trump elected and their will be a Revolution against you if you continue your Communist Propaganda!”
• “Calling four revolution against Are Leader Trump ?? You must go, too prison !!!

  The offending line was from the 241-year-old Declaration of Independence. In its traditional 4^th of July tribute, NPR tweeted the entire Declaration line by line.

    One of NPR’s more literate followers said, “Next time you’re sitting quietly, contemplating how this idiot got elected…just return to this thread and read his supporters’ tweets.”

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