Members phkrause Posted March 14 Author Members Share Posted March 14 Trump floods the zone Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images With yesterday triggering the start of a 34-week general election campaign, critics of former President Trump are imploring voters and the media to hold the presumptive GOP nominee to the same standard as any politician. Why it matters: For eight years, the hurricane of news conjured by Trump's unprecedented behavior and rhetoric has enraged, exhilarated and eventually numbed much of the American public. Many voters have tuned out — or priced in — Trump's baggage and legal issues to the point where he's now favored to defeat President Biden in November, according to RCP's polling average. A Suffolk poll out today found that 49% of voters now approve of Trump's job performance as president — matching the highest point he ever reached in office. The big picture: Financial Times columnist Ed Luce calls this phenomenon "the banality of chaos." Trump's candidacy is "so far off the charts it is almost paranormal," Luce writes, but most of the former president's controversies no longer break through to the public. In 2018, former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon argued that the best way to neutralize the media — which he labeled "the real opposition" — is to "flood the zone with shit." Mission accomplished, Luce argues — citing events from the last five days alone: On Friday, Trump posted a nearly $92 million bond in a New York court to appeal damages a jury ordered him to pay to writer E. Jean Carroll after he was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming her. On Saturday, Trump mocked Biden's lifelong stutter and called the journalists attending his rally in Georgia "criminals." On Sunday, Hungary's authoritarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Trump promised him that he will end Russia's war with Ukraine by not giving "a single penny" in aid. On Monday, Trump vowed to free "wrongfully imprisoned" Jan. 6 rioters as one of his first acts if he's re-elected in November. On Tuesday, CNN's Jim Sciutto reported in his new book that Trump privately had praised Adolf Hitler for doing "some good things," according to former chief of staff John Kelly. There's plenty more to choose from — including Trump's false claim today that Democrats used "artificial intelligence" to create a montage of his gaffes in yesterday's House hearing with former special counsel Robert Hur. The other side: Biden — who, like Trump, clinched his party's nomination after yesterday's primaries — is fighting another side of the "Americans tuning out" equation. Biden has gotten little credit in the polls for the strong U.S. economy, while concerns over his Israel policy, his age and his frequent gaffes tend to dominate media coverage. FiveThirtyEight's average of polls suggests Biden's energetic State of the Union address has not produced a bump in his approval rating, which currently sits at a low of 38%. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 14 Author Members Share Posted March 14 📱 Dems fear TikTok revolt Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios House Democrats are warning that the TikTok bill passed today risks intensifying their party's problems with young voters heading into the 2024 election, Axios' Andrew Solender reports. Why it matters: Young voters have made up the backbone of the Democratic coalition in recent elections, but both parties have ramped up their courtship of the critical voting bloc this year. Young voters have railed against Biden for his continued support of Israel as it conducts military operations in Gaza. Trump opposed the TikTok bill despite his past efforts to ban the app, while Biden said he would sign it. Driving the news: The bill, which would require Chinese-based ByteDance to divest from TikTok, passed 352–65–1 today. 155 Democrats voted for the bill along with 197 Republicans, and 50 Democrats and 15 Republicans voted against it. The intrigue: The bill produced some strange bedfellows: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (D-Ga.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) both voted against it, for example. Rep. Jeff Jackson (D-N.C.) — who has 2.5 million followers on TikTok — voted for the bill. What they're saying: "You pile this on top of Gaza — very different reasons for concern, but yes, you could push people away," Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), who voted for the bill, told Axios. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), a leading opponent of the bill, called it "horrific politics," comparing it to "taking away your phone and not allowing you to text." Keep reading Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 14 Author Members Share Posted March 14 👀 RFK Jr.'s intrigue play Screenshot via CNN A day after floating Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura as potential running mates, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told ABC News he had made his decision. The independent presidential candidate plans to announce his VP pick at a campaign event in Oakland on March 26, Axios' Erin Doherty reports. Why it matters: Teasing out the selection process and joining forces with a celebrity like Rodgers, Ventura or Mike Rowe — the host of "Dirty Jobs" — could significantly boost the Kennedy campaign's national profile. Kennedy has already qualified for the ballot in Utah and collected the necessary signatures to appear on the ballot in at least six more states, including three battlegrounds. The intrigue: Rodgers, a vaccine skeptic, was reportedly in Costa Rica on an ayahuasca trip when the news broke about Kennedy's VP shortlist, according to ESPN's Pat McAfee. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 18 Author Members Share Posted March 18 Trump ramps up dark rhetoric at a campaign rally for a Senate candidate Former President Donald Trump claimed that he — not President Joe Biden — will protect Social Security and warned of a “bloodbath” if he loses in November as he campaigned for Senate candidate Bernie Moreno in Ohio. The winner of Tuesday’s GOP primary will face third-term Sen. Sherrod Brown, viewed as among the nation’s most vulnerable Democrats, in November. Read more. Why this matters: At Saturday’s rally backing Moreno’s candidacy, Trump used the stage to deliver a profanity-filled version of his usual rally speech that again painted an apocalyptic picture of the country if Biden wins a second term. A Biden campaign spokesperson accused Trump of doubling “down on his threats of political violence.” “He wants another January 6, but the American people are going to give him another electoral defeat this November because they continue to reject his extremism, his affection for violence, and his thirst for revenge,” James Singer charged in a statement. Trump’s decision to back Moreno marked a major blow to Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who had taken a number of steps to win his favor. LaRose and Moreno have aligned themselves with the pro-Trump faction of the party, while a third candidate, state Sen. Matt Dolan, is backed by more establishment Republicans. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Ohio primary will set up a fall election that could flip partisan control of the state supreme court Former Vice President Mike Pence says he’s not endorsing Trump Biden says at that of 2 presidential candidates, 1 was mentally unfit. ‘The other’s me’ Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 25 Author Members Share Posted March 25 Editorial: Be as wary of No Labels as you are of Trump Barring a miracle, Donald Trump and Joe Biden will carry their parties’ nomination to the top of the ballot in November. And a miracle is what many are looking for: They want a viable third option to rescue them from a choice many abhor. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/03/21/be-as-wary-of-no-labels-as-you-are-of-trump-editorial-2/? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 26 Author Members Share Posted March 26 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. picks Nicole Shanahan as his running mate for his independent White House bid OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. chose Nicole Shanahan on Tuesday to be his vice presidential pick as he mounts an independent White House bid that has spooked national Democrats. https://apnews.com/article/rfk-bobby-kennedy-vp-running-mate-6be6d7e04ba7d9e74190b8c01a1bf075? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 27 Author Members Share Posted March 27 Trump is slow to invest in key states and some in the GOP fear a ‘skeleton’ campaign In his bid to retake the White House, few states hold as much promise for Donald Trump as Michigan. Trump’s campaign promises an aggressive play there as part of a robust swing-state strategy. But, at least for now, those promises appear to be mostly talk. Read more. Why this matters: It’s much the same in presidential battleground states across the country, according to Republican operatives and party officials involved in campaign planning elsewhere. Officials on the ground in top swing states are not panicking, but the disparity with the Biden campaign is stark. Trump’s political operation has been slow to pivot toward the general election in the weeks after executing a hostile takeover of the Republican Party’s national political machinery. In fact, the former president’s team has rolled back plans under previous leaders to add hundreds of staff and dozens of new minority-outreach centers in key states without offering a clear alternative. In contrast, Biden launched a $30 million advertising blitz targeting swing-state voters, with a focus on Black and Hispanic-owned outlets. A campaign spokesperson also said Biden opened 100 new offices and added over 350 new staffers in key swing states. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ AP-NORC Poll: Trump evokes more anger and fear from Democrats than Biden does from Republicans Trump is selling ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles for $59.99 as he faces mounting legal bills Trump’s classified documents case is mired in delays that may run past election Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 28 Author Members Share Posted March 28 Trump's messianic message Former President Trump in front of St. John's Church near the White House in June 2020. Photo: Patrick Semansky/AP President Trump's decision to begin selling $60 Bibles for Holy Week has outraged his critics — but drawn little reaction from evangelical leaders, Axios' Zachary Basu writes. Why it matters: Trump has developed impunity when it comes to religious messaging — forged through a grand compromise with Christian conservatives who see him as a flawed, but effective, champion. Trump has long treated Christian imagery as a powerful rhetorical tool, including comparing his legal woes to the persecution of Jesus. In office, Trump pursued policies that thrilled his white evangelical supporters, including the appointment of three conservative Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. 🔎 Zoom in: On the 2024 campaign trail, the religious undertones employed by Trump and allies have grown more apocalyptic — even messianic — as his legal troubles have mounted. In a video shared on Truth Social and played at Trump's rallies, a narrator, imitating Paul Harvey, booms: "On June 14, 1946, God looked down on his planned paradise and said: 'I need a caretaker.' So God gave us Trump." On the first day of his New York civil fraud trial in October, Trump shared an AI-generated courtroom sketch depicting himself sitting next to Jesus. This week, Trump posted a message he said he received from a follower: "It's ironic that Christ walked through His greatest persecution the very week they are trying to steal your property from you." Flashback: Trump was neither a regular churchgoer nor prone to displays of faith before running for president. His 2016 campaign produced a series of memorable gaffes as he courted the GOP's evangelical base. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 28 Author Members Share Posted March 28 💥 Scoop: Kellyanne Conway eyes return Photo illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios. Photos: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images Kellyanne Conway, the former Trump campaign manager who coined the phrase "alternative facts," is considering a return to Trumpworld, Axios' Sophia Cai reports. Why it matters: Conway has been inserting herself into hot debates in what many Republicans see as an effort to make herself relevant again — and show that she's willing to go to bat for the former president. Conway is weighing an offer to join Trump's 2024 team, according to a person familiar with her thinking who wouldn't specify what that role would be or who made the offer. Senior Trump advisers contend no offer is on the table. "I've been doing the last few years what I've been doing the last few decades," Conway told Axios. "But this time, with the brass ring of having helped elect a president and serving in the White House." Conway — a fixture on Fox News — is using her direct access to Trump to influence his thinking about a second term. She's being paid by Club for Growth to lobby against the bipartisan bill in Congress that could ban TikTok. Trump opposes the bill. Conway also has gotten attention in GOP circles by weighing in on in vitro fertilization, abortion and Trump's upcoming vice-presidential pick. Keep reading. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 28 Author Members Share Posted March 28 Biden leans on his Democratic predecessors as Trump remains isolated from other Republican leaders This Thursday, President Joe Biden will be joined by Barack Obama and Bill Clinton at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for an event that brings together over three decades of Democratic leadership. Read more. Why this matters: The display of solidarity is a sharp contrast to Donald Trump’s isolation from other Republican leaders. Although Trump has solidified his grip on his party on the way to becoming the presumptive nominee, not even his own former vice president, Mike Pence, is willing to endorse his bid for another White House term. The only other living Republican president, George W. Bush, is not a supporter, either. Obama and Clinton are helping Biden expand his already significant cash advantage over Trump. It’s a dramatic show of force intended to rally the Democratic Party faithful to secure a second term for Biden despite his stubbornly low poll numbers and concerns over his age. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Biden fundraiser in NYC with Obama, Clinton nets a whopping $25M, campaign says. It’s a new record Trump will attend the wake of a slain NYPD officer as he goes after Biden over crime Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP pick in 2000, dead at 82 Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 29 Author Members Share Posted March 29 RFK TikTok rising A campaign flag for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at an event in Oakland, California, this week. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has quietly built up a formidable TikTok presence, Axios' Erin Doherty reports. By the numbers: With 1.1 million TikTok followers, Kennedy has some of the most of any U.S. politician, according to the political newsletter FWIW. Kennedy's State of the Union rebuttal got 12.1 million views and 1.7 million likes. The Biden campaign, which joined TikTok last month, has just under 273,000 followers. Former President Trump does not have an official account. Zoom out: Kennedy's prolific TikTok presence comes while Congress has been pushing to force the platform's China-based parent company to sell TikTok or face a ban, citing national security concerns. Go deeper Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 29 Author Members Share Posted March 29 🎤 5. Three presidents, one podcast Photo: Biden for President Ahead of a monster fundraiser tonight in New York City (expected to rake in $25 million), President Biden and former presidents Obama and Clinton taped an episode of the "SmartLess" podcast that will release at a later date. Photo: Biden for President The podcast is hosted by comedians Jason Bateman, left, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted March 30 Author Members Share Posted March 30 💪 Trump's flex As the Biden campaign touted last night's $25 million fundraiser as a political record, word leaked about a Trump event that organizers say will raise even more — at least $33 million. Former President Trump will host donors April 6 at Mar-a-Lago for a fundraiser hosted by New York hedge fund billionaire John Paulson, who has been floated by Trump as a possible Treasury secretary, AP reports. Co-chairs include Las Vegas-based businessman Robert Bigelow, casino mogul Steve Wynn and New York grocery billionaire John Catsimatidis. Admission is $250,000 — or $814,600 to be named a "chairman." Perks include a personalized copy of "Our Journey Together," Trump's coffee-table book of photos from his administration. 💬 "The response to our fundraising efforts has been overwhelming, and we've raised over $33 million so far," Paulson told the Financial Times. "There is massive support amongst a broad spectrum of donors. The dinner is relatively small in nature, and we are almost at our cap." Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 2 Author Members Share Posted April 2 Trump's donor CPR With the first criminal trial of Donald Trump's life starting two weeks from today, his campaign says it's found its footing again on small-dollar donors. Why it matters: The GOP's small-dollar fundraising is way down from 2020, with exhausted donors and far more candidates chasing their money. But Trump is back up over $1 million a day in online fundraising, his team told the Washington Post. Zoom out: The strategies that helped a small number of insurgent campaigns strike gold online have been cloned to the point that the donations have slowed, influential GOP operatives told the Post. Apex Strategies partner John Hall: "Sending eight emails and texts a day that promise an artificial match, threaten to take away your GOP membership or call you a traitor if you don't donate doesn't build a long-term relationship with donors." Targeted Victory CEO Zac Moffatt: "It's easy to blame texts and emails, but people don't want to state the obvious: There's far more competition in the space." Marc Short, former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence: "You had a new vehicle to raise money, but everyone kind of abused it." Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 2 Author Members Share Posted April 2 🗳️ Conservative media sours on RFK Jr. Data: Stanford Cable TV News Analyzer. (Each mention is treated as one second.) Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals Right-wing media has abruptly shifted its volume and tone of coverage of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now that he's running as an independent instead of as a Democrat, Axios' Alex Thompson and Sara Fischer write. Why it matters: Despite the Kennedy name, RFK Jr. is taking votes from former President Trump as well as from President Biden, polls show. An analysis of data pulled from the Stanford Cable TV News Analyzer shows mentions of Kennedy by Fox News fell sharply after the environmental lawyer-turned politico declared his candidacy as an independent last October. When Kennedy was running against Biden in the Democratic primary last year, mentions of Kennedy on Fox News were more than four times higher than on CNN and MSNBC. Now, Fox News covers Kennedy approximately as much as CNN does. Prominent conservative commentators abruptly switched from friendly to hostile after Kennedy went independent: Last summer, Benny Johnson, an influencer on the right and host of "The Benny Show," approvingly posted many clips of Kennedy interviews talking with Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity. Last June, he posted a picture of the 70-year-old Kennedy shirtless and muscular, adding: "RFK Jr. is a living, breathing anti-vaccine ad ... Men, what is stopping you?" Since Kennedy entered the race as an independent, Johnson has turned hostile and said Kennedy's campaign is a "psyop." Charlie Kirk, founder of the young conservative group Turning Point USA and podcast host, had a similar transformation. Last summer, Kirk wrote that "RFK Jr. is special" and "continues to outclass and outsmart his Democrat detractors." Kirk hosted Kennedy on his show in December, but has also been more critical, writing: "If left unaddressed, RFK Jr. will grant Biden another four years." Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 3 Author Members Share Posted April 3 Biden and Trump victories in four state primaries offer new clues about enthusiasm for an upcoming rematch Voters in four states weighed in Tuesday on their parties’ presidential nominees, with easy wins for Joe Biden and Donald Trump in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and Wisconsin. Their victories, while hardly surprising, nevertheless highlight how base voters feel about a rematch that has left a majority of Americans underwhelmed. Read more. Why this matters: Some Republican Trump critics are still voting for rivals who have dropped out while Biden has faced opposition from activists encouraging Democrats to send a message of disapproval for his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. “Uncommitted” in Rhode Island and Connecticut gained 19% and 13% of the Democratic vote respectively. In Wisconsin, “Uninstructed” stands at 8.4% of the Democratic vote. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Muslim leaders reject chance to break bread with Biden as anger over Gaza festers Yes, we’re divided. But new AP-NORC poll shows Americans still agree on most core American values Trump accuses Biden of causing a border ‘bloodbath’ as he escalates his immigration rhetoric Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 3 Author Members Share Posted April 3 Trump's "bloodbath" campaign Donald Trump and President Biden are painting increasingly dystopian portraits of their rival's prospective second term, sounding the alarm over the issue — immigration or abortion — that each wants to define the election. Why it matters: Both Trump and Biden are deeply unpopular. But they boast decisive polling advantages in two of the country's hottest debates, Axios' Zachary Basu reports. This week, they're intensifying efforts to wage the 2024 campaign on their party's home turf: For Trump, that means a relentless focus on "migrant crime" and new rhetorical stunts spotlighting the border crisis. Biden is seizing on Florida's strict new abortion law + Trump's potential support for a national abortion ban. 🔎 Zoom in: Trump campaign appearances yesterday underscored the degree to which illegal immigration has subsumed virtually every other policy issue in his platform. In Grand Rapids, Mich., Trump titled his campaign event "Biden's Border Bloodbath." The Trump-controlled RNC launched a website, BidenBloodbath.com, to track crimes allegedly committed by immigrants. Biden and top surrogates mobilized after Florida's Supreme Court cleared the way this week for a six-week abortion ban to take effect, and green-lit an abortion rights measure for November's ballot. Biden's campaign ambitiously declared Florida is now "winnable" due to the abortion issue. The campaign began airing a new ad highlighting Trump's history of boasting about his role in overturning Roe. 🖼️ The big picture: Immigration and abortion rights are two of the top issues for swing voters — especially suburbanites. 🔮 What to watch: Activists in two swing states — Arizona and Nevada —announced Tuesday they've exceeded the signature threshold necessary to get abortion rights measures on November's ballot. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 3 Author Members Share Posted April 3 👀 Scoop: George Conway gives $900,000 to Biden Obtained by Axios George Conway, the lawyer who became an online celebrity with his anti-Trump tweeting, will headline a fundraiser for President Biden in D.C. on April 24, Democratic sources tell me. Why it matters: This is Conway's first big pro-Biden event. Conway, who's divorced from former Trump aide Kellyanne Conway, wrote a check for $929,600 — the max you can give to the Biden Victory Fund. The minimum gift for the event is $500. The lead hosts are Melissa Moss, a strategic consultant who's very visible around Washington, and her husband, Jonathan Silver. Susan Brophy helped organize. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 4 Author Members Share Posted April 4 Biden and Trump win CT primaries; Many ‘uncommitted’ votes Connecticut’s presidential primary was moved up weeks earlier than previous election cycles, but not early enough to draw the interest of many voters well aware that President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump had already clinched their parties’ nominations. https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/04/03/biden-and-trump-win-ct-primaries-many-uncommitted-votes/? Turnout cracks 5% as Rhode Island primary voters back Biden and Trump Rhode Island’s lackluster presidential contest fizzled to a close Tuesday, with President Joe Biden and Donald Trump declared winners by the Associated Press 10 minutes after polls closed. https://floridaphoenix.com/2024/04/03/turnout-cracks-5-as-rhode-island-primary-voters-back-biden-and-trump/? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 4 Author Members Share Posted April 4 No Labels won’t run a third-party campaign after trying to recruit a centrist presidential candidate NEW YORK (AP) — The No Labels group said Thursday it will not field a presidential candidate in November after strategists for the bipartisan organization failed to attract a high-profile centrist willing to seize on the widespread dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. https://apnews.com/article/no-labels-2024-third-party-biden-trump-c7477857e1dd05535326b8850f4500a1? Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 5 Author Members Share Posted April 5 Trump's legal losing streak Three judges this week rejected attempts by former President Trump to toss out or further delay his criminal cases, Axios' Erin Doherty reports. Yesterday in New York: A judge denied Trump's attempt to delay the start of his New York hush money trial. Today in Florida: The judge overseeing Trump's classified documents case rejected his bid to dismiss the case based on the Presidential Records Act. Today in Georgia: A judge rejected Trump's attempt to get the state's election-racketeering case dismissed on First Amendment claims. Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 5 Author Members Share Posted April 5 Former Trump officials are among his most vocal opponents Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper has called him a “threat to democracy.” Former national security adviser John Bolton has declared him “unfit to be president.” And former Vice President Mike Pence has declined to endorse him. As Donald Trump seeks the presidency for a third time, a vocal contingent of former officials are stridently warning against his return to power. Read more. Why this matters: The Biden campaign has trumpeted the criticism of former Trump officials in statements and social media posts, hoping to convince at least some Republican voters — including those who backed other candidates during the Republican primary — that they cannot support his candidacy. Sarah Matthews, a former Trump aide who testified before the House Jan. 6 committee, said it’s “mind-boggling” how many members of his senior staff have denounced him. “The American people should listen to what these folks are saying because it should be alarming that the people that Trump hired to work for him a first term are saying that he’s unfit to serve for a second term,” Matthews said. The critics still remain a distinct minority. Republican lawmakers and officials across the party have endorsed Trump’s bid — some begrudgingly, others with fervor and enthusiasm. Many aides and Cabinet officials who served under Trump are onboard for another term, something Trump’s campaign is quick to highlight. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ NY state is demanding more information on Trump’s $175 million appeal bond in civil fraud case Americans think a president’s power should be checked, AP-NORC poll finds — unless their side wins New rule strengthening federal job protections could counter Trump promises to remake the government Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 6 Author Members Share Posted April 6 “Trump cares more about himself than the country”: Florida Republican goes from harsh critic of Trump to potential VP Florida – Representative Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida who is now a strong supporter of Donald Trump, recently came to his defense after the former president was criticized for his claims made during an event at the Black Conservative Federation Honors Gala in South Carolina, where he said that the criminal charges against him might be enhancing his appeal among Black Americans. But the Florida representative wasn’t always “sticking by Trump’s side.” https://thewoodlandstamarac.com/trump-cares-more-about-himself-than-the-country-florida-republican-goes-from-harsh-critic-of-trump-to-potential-vp/1576/ ps:Competition for VP is heating up!! Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 7 Author Members Share Posted April 7 Trump's growing pains Since former President Trump's smooth glide to becoming the GOP's presumptive nominee, his pivot to a general-election campaign has been more chaotic, Axios' Sophia Cai and Alex Thompson report. Why it matters: Many of the hiccups have revolved around Trump's takeover of the RNC. His team now has rehired many of the 60 staffers who were fired when Trump took control last month. It's the latest in a series of reversals by Trump's team at the RNC, now led by chair Michael Whatley and Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law. Those who've been rehired include most of the RNC's staff in key states, including five regional political directors and most of the committee's state directors. Some are unsure what their roles are now. Also rehired: staffers who worked on the RNC's state strategies and data teams. Behind the scenes: Part of the Trump team's challenge is that his primary campaign involved only a few dozen people. Now that the RNC is essentially a part of Trump's campaign, the entire operation needs to grow quickly. The campaign and the RNC — which have lagged President Biden and Democrats in fundraising — have kickstarted fundraising with a joint committee that allows donations of up to $814,600. The RNC and Trump's campaign raised nearly $66 million in March, surpassing the $62 million they raised in the same period four years ago. A fundraiser in Palm Beach tonight at the home of billionaire investor John Paulson is on track to raise at least $43 million. The campaign has hired veteran pollster Tony Fabrizio, who moved over from a pro-Trump Super PAC, and GOP operative Alex Garcia. Zoom in: The team's growing pains were evident from the start of Trump's takeover of the RNC. On his first day, new chief operating officer Sean Cairncross alerted the 60 staffers that they were being asked to resign and reapply, in an email that misspelled his name. After a backlash over the RNC's reported plans to cut community centers and an early voting program, Whatley sent out a memo stating his support for those programs. 🥊 On a call with reporters last week, the campaign said it "terminated a couple people because they leak." Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members phkrause Posted April 7 Author Members Share Posted April 7 Trump’s campaign said it raised a record $50.5 million at a Florida fundraiser NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s campaign said it raised $50.5 million on Saturday, a staggering reported haul as his campaign works to catch up to the fundraising juggernaut of President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party. https://apnews.com/article/trump-republican-party-fundraising-fc057119f3bb5cb2a34a00ccd93fbb13? Trump's record-breaking night Former President Trump's "Inaugural Leadership Dinner" in Palm Beach raised over $50.5 million, "smashing every fundraising record in history for a Republican or Democrat," the RNC announced Saturday. President Biden held that record for eight days, after raising $26 million at a celeb-studded Radio City Musical Hall event with his two predecessors on March 29. Why it matters: Many major Republican donors treated the Trump event as the kickoff for the general election. Trump's dinner, at the home of hedge-fund billionaire John Paulson, invited contributions of $250,000 to $824,600 — the legal max. Trump told reporters as he arrived with his wife, Melania Trump (photo above): "This has been some incredible evening before it even starts because people — they wanted to contribute to a cause of making America great again, and that's what's happened." Quote phkrause Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement. - ChL 60 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.