Friday, August 23, 2024

Deranged Donald Trump plans a January 6th awards gala

Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Junior Explains His Trump Endorsement."


littleunior


Another day, another string of bad news for Convicted Felon Donald Trump.  Erin Alberty (AXIOS) reports:



Infighting over Utah's Republican primary results contributed to former President Trump's decision to call off a fundraiser next week in the deep-red state, according to a new report.
Driving the news: Trump's team told donors Thursday that next week's planned Park City visit was "postponed" due to "changes in the President's schedule," the Deseret News reported.

Friction point: The Deseret News reported that a source close to the decision said top Trump campaign officials were concerned about the ongoing intra-party dispute over rightwing state Rep. Phil Lyman's write-in campaign against incumbent Gov. Spencer Cox, who defeated Lyman in June's primary.

Catch up quick: Lyman, a longtime Trump ally who has previously spread baseless claims of election fraud, mounted multiple challenges to the primary results after his loss.





So Phil Lymun, a Mike Lindell look alike, lost the election and is crying fraud?  What kind of a loser does that?  Oh.  Got it.  A friend of Mr. Trump's does that.  Of course, that makes sense.  Especially considering Maya Boddie's reporting today:


During an in-depth interview with TIME earlier this year, former President Donald Trump warned that he just might attempt to overturn another presidential election if he doesn't win.
"If we don’t win, you know, it depends," the MAGA leader said. "It always depends on the fairness of the election."
Jake Traylor, who's covering the 2024 presidential election for NBC News wrote via X that NBC correspondent Vaughn Hilliard reported Wednesday that Trump presented a similar warning to a North Carolina crowd this week.

He said: "Our primary focus is not to get out the vote, it is to make sure they don't cheat. Because we have all the votes we'll need."

Legal analyst Joyce Vance replied: "Trump is not being subtle. He's never subtle. He's telling us out in the open that if he loses the election, he'll say it was fraud. He'll try to take power anyhow like in 2020. We must turnout in numbers that are so overwhelming that his claims will be ridiculous."

He is a criminal who tried to overthrow the U.S. government.  And he is apparently setting up his 2024 attempt right now.  Treason?  You can be executed for it.  James Bickerton (NEWSWEEK) reports:


A January 6 "awards gala" is due to be hosted at Donald Trump's New Jersey golf resort, and the former president is listed as an "invited guest speaker," along with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The event, in Bedminster, has sparked outrage on social media. One former Republican White House official branded it "absolutely horrid," accusing Trump of "glorifying violence."

On January 6, 2021, hundreds of Trump supporters stormed Congress in a bid to prevent Joe Biden's 2020 presidential election victory from being certified, following a rally addressed by the then president who made discredited claims of election fraud. In the ensuing violence one demonstrator, 36-year-old Ashli Babbitt, was shot dead by policefive other deaths were linked to the mayhem, and many police and demonstrators were injured.




Things are going so poorly for Mr. Trump that his episodes of anger -- probably due to cognitive issues -- are becoming more alarming.  Scarlett O'Toole (THE MIRROR) reports:


Donald Trump appeared "unhinged" as he yelled down the phone on Fox News following Kamala Harris' powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention.

Harris was met with huge applause as she took to the stage on the final night of the DNC at the United Center in Chicago. During the event, Harris formerly accepted her party's presidential nomination and launched into a blistering attack against Trump.

Harris warned the crowd Trump has a "dark" agenda and slammed him as an "unserious man" who "sent an armed mob" to the US Capitol. Trump was outraged by Harris' comments and went into a meltdown over the speech on Fox News, where viewers said he appeared "incoherent" as he yelled.



That is a hilarious article, I have to say.  Read on because it gets especially good right where I stopped my excerpt.   He lost it.  In the middle of his on air phone call, he lost it, and showed everyone just how nuts he has become.  


He is enraged.  Mandy Taheri (NEWSWEEK) reports:


Former President Donald Trump's favorability rating is lower than his Democratic rival for the first time in over a year, according to a new Gallup poll.
The survey of 1,015 adults conducted from August 1 to August 20 found that Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, has a 41 percent favorability rating, a 5-percentage point drop from Gallup's June poll.
Trump's rating also trails the mark of his Democratic presidential opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, who has a 47 percent favorability rating, according to the poll. Harris' favorability appears to have risen significantly since she entered the race following President Joe Biden's exit in late July. The June Gallup poll had her favorability 13 percent lower, at 34 percent.

The survey broke down her favorability among parties, revealing that Harris has a 93 percent approval rating among Democrats and 41 percent among independents. The percentage of Republicans who view her favorably, 5 percent, did not change from June to August.


According to Gallup's polling, this is Trump's first dip below his Democratic challenger since July 2023, when he was tied with Biden at 41 percent favorability. The poll found that 55 percent of surveyed adults have an unfavorable opinion of Trump, with this sentiment largely comprised of Democrats and independents: 94 percent of Democrats, 57 percent of independents, and only 12 percent of Republicans expressed an unfavorable view of the former president.


This is C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot" for today:


Friday, August 23, 2024.  When we fight, we win: The Democratic Party's National Convention wraps up with Kamala Harris explaining what this country can be.


Last night, the fourth night of the Democratic Party's National Convention, Kamala Harris closed out the night with her speech accepting the party's presidential nomination.




Good evening. To my husband, Doug, thank you for being an incredible partner to me and father to Cole and Ella. And happy anniversary. I love you so very much. 

To Joe Biden -- Mr. President. When I think about the path we have traveled together, I am filled with gratitude. Your record is extraordinary, as history will show. And your character is inspiring. Doug and I love you and Jill. And I am forever thankful to you both. 

And to Coach Tim Walz, you are going to be an incredible Vice President. 

And to the delegates and everyone who has put your faith in our campaign -- your support is humbling. America, the path that led me here in recent weeks, was no doubt … unexpected. But I'm no stranger to unlikely journeys. 

My mother Shyamala Harris had one of her own. I miss her every day. Especially now. And I know she's looking down tonight. And smiling. My mother was 19 when she crossed the world alone, traveling from India to California, with an unshakeable dream to be the scientist who would cure breast cancer. When she finished school, she was supposed to return home to a traditional arranged marriage.

But, as fate would have it, she met my father, Donald Harris, a student from Jamaica. They fell in love and got married, and that act of self-determination made my sister Maya and me. 

Growing up, we moved a lot. I will always remember that big Mayflower truck, packed with all our belongings, ready to go: to Illinois, to Wisconsin, and wherever our parents' jobs took us. My early memories of my parents together are joyful ones. A home filled with laughter and music. Aretha. Coltrane. And Miles. At the park, my mother would tell us to stay close. But my father would just smile, and say, "Run, Kamala. Run." "Don't be afraid." "Don't let anything stop you.” 

From my earliest years, he taught me to be fearless. 

But the harmony between my parents did not last. When I was in elementary school, they split up. And it was mostly my mother who raised us. Before she could finally afford to buy a home, she rented a small apartment in the East Bay. In the Bay, you either live in the hills or the flatlands. We lived in the flats. A beautiful working-class neighborhood of firefighters, nurses, and construction workers, all who tended their lawns with pride. 

My mother worked long hours. And, like many working parents, she leaned on a trusted circle to help raise us. Mrs. Shelton, who ran the daycare below us and became a second mother. Uncle Sherman. Aunt Mary. Uncle Freddy. And Auntie Chris. None of them, family by blood. And all of them, Family. By love. Family who taught us how to make gumbo. How to play chess. And sometimes even let us win. Family who loved us. Believed in us. And told us we could be anything. Do anything.

They instilled in us the values they personified. Community. Faith. And the importance of treating others as you would want to be treated. With kindness. Respect. And compassion. 

My mother was a brilliant, five-foot-tall, brown woman with an accent. And, as the eldest child, I saw how the world would sometimes treat her. But she never lost her cool. She was tough. Courageous. A trailblazer in the fight for women’s health. And she taught Maya and me a lesson that Michelle mentioned the other night:   She taught us to never complain about injustice. But…do something about it. 

She also taught us: Never do anything half-assed. That's a direct quote. 

I grew up immersed in the ideals of the Civil Rights Movement. My parents had met at a civil rights gathering. And they made sure we learned about civil rights leaders, including lawyers like Thurgood Marshall and Constance Baker Motley. Those who battled in the courtroom to make real the Promise of America. So, at a young age, I decided I wanted to do that work. I wanted to be a lawyer. And when it came time to choose the type of law I would pursue,  I reflected on a pivotal moment in my life. 

When I was in high school, I started to notice something about my best friend Wanda. She was sad at school. And there were times she didn't want to go home. So, one day, I asked if everything was alright. And she confided in me that she was being sexually abused by her step-father. And I immediately told her she had to come stay with us. And she did. 

That is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor. To protect people like Wanda. Because I believe everyone has a right: To safety. To dignity. And to justice. 

As a prosecutor, when I had a case, I charged it not in the name of the victim. But in the name of. "The People." For a simple reason. In our system of justice, a harm against any one of us is a harm against all of us. I would often explain this, to console survivors of crime. To remind them: No one should be made to fight alone. We are all in this together.

Every day in the courtroom, I stood proudly before a judge and said five words: "Kamala Harris, for the People." And to be clear: My entire career, I have only had one client. The People. And so, on behalf of The People, On behalf of every American. Regardless of party. Race. Gender. Or the language your grandmother speaks. On behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey. On behalf of Americans like the people I grew up with. People who work hard. Chase their dreams. And look out for one another. On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth. I accept your nomination for President of the United States of America. 

With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past. A chance to chart a New Way Forward. Not as members of any one party or faction. But as Americans. I know there are people of various political views watching tonight. And I want you to know: I promise to be a President for all Americans. You can always trust me to put country above party and self. To hold sacred America’s fundamental principles. From the rule of law. To free and fair elections. To the peaceful transfer of power. 

I will be a President who unites us around our highest aspirations. A President who leads. And listens. Who is realistic. Practical. And has common sense. And always fights for the American people. From the courthouse to the White House, that has been my life’s work. 

As a young courtroom prosecutor in Oakland, I stood up for women and children against predators who abused them. As Attorney General of California, I took on the Big Banks. Delivered $20 billion for middle-class families who faced foreclosure. And helped pass a Homeowner Bill of Rights -- one of the first of its kind. I stood up: For veterans and students being scammed by Big for-Profit colleges. For workers who were being cheated out of the wages they were due. For seniors facing elder abuse. I fought against cartels who traffic in guns, drugs, and human beings. Who threaten the security of our border and the safety of our communities. 

Those fights were not easy. And neither were the elections that put me in those offices. We were underestimated at every turn. But we never gave up. Because the future is always worth fighting for. And that's the fight we are in right now. A fight for America's future. 

Fellow Americans, this election is not only the most important of our lives. It is one of the most important in the life of our nation. In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man. But the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious. 

Consider not only the chaos and calamity when he was in office, but also the gravity of what has happened since he lost the last election. Donald Trump tried to throw away your votes. When he failed, he sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol, where they assaulted law enforcement officers. When politicians in his own party begged him to call off the mob and send help, he did the opposite. He fanned the flames. 

And now, for an entirely different set of crimes, he was found guilty of fraud by a jury of everyday Americans. And separately, found liable for committing sexual abuse. And consider what he intends to do if we give him power again. Consider his explicit intent to set free the violent extremists who assaulted those law enforcement officers at the Capitol. His explicit intent to jail journalists. Political opponents. Anyone he sees as the enemy. His explicit intent to deploy our active-duty military against our own citizens. Consider the power he will have --  especially after the United States Supreme Court just ruled he would be immune from criminal prosecution. Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. How he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States. Not to improve your life. Not to strengthen our national security. But to serve the only client he has ever had: Himself. 

And we know what a second Trump term would look like. It's all laid out in Project 2025. Written by his closest advisors. And its sum total is to pull, our country back into the past. 

But America, we are not going back. We are not going back to when Donald Trump tried to cut Social Security and Medicare. We are not going back to when he tried to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. When insurance companies could deny people with pre-existing conditions. We are not going to let him eliminate the Department of Education that funds our public schools. We are not going to let him end programs like Head Start that provide preschool and child care. 

America, we are not going back. 

We are charting. A. New. Way. Forward. Forward -- to a future with a strong and growing middle class. Because we know a strong middle class has always been critical to America's success. And building that middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency. 

This is personal for me. 

The middle class is where I come from. My mother kept a strict budget. We lived within our means. Yet, we wanted for little. And she expected us to make the most of the opportunities that were available to us. And to be grateful for them. Because opportunity is not available to everyone. 

That's why we will create what I call an opportunity economy. An opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed. Whether you live in a rural area, small town, or big city. 

As President, I will bring together: Labor and workers, Small business owners and entrepreneurs, And American companies. To create jobs. Grow our economy. And lower the cost of everyday needs. Like health care. Housing. And groceries. We will: Provide access to capital for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and founders. We will end America’s housing shortage. 

And protect Social Security and Medicare. 

Compare that to Donald Trump. He doesn't actually fight for the middle class. Instead, he fights for himself and his billionaire friends. He will give them another round of tax breaks, that will add 5 trillion dollars to the national debt. All while he intends to enact what, in effect, is a national sales tax -- call it, a Trump tax --  that would raise prices on middle-class families by almost 4 thousand dollars a year. Well, instead of a Trump tax hike, we will pass a middle class tax cut that will benefit more than 100 million Americans. 

Friends, I believe America cannot truly be prosperous unless Americans are fully able to make their own decisions about their own lives. Especially on matters of heart and home. But tonight, too many women in America are not able to make those decisions. 

Let's be clear about how we got here. 

Donald Trump hand-picked members of the United States Supreme Court to take away reproductive freedom. And now he brags about it. His words: Quote: "I did it, and I'm proud to have done it." End quote. 

Over the past two years, I have traveled across our country. And women have told me their stories. Husbands and fathers have shared theirs. Stories of: Women miscarrying in a parking lot…Getting sepsis…Losing the ability to ever have children again… All because doctors are afraid of going to jail for caring for their patients. Couples just trying to grow their family…cut off in the middle of IVF treatments. Children who have survived sexual assault, potentially forced to carry the pregnancy to term. This is what is happening in our country. 

Because of Donald Trump. 

And understand, he is not done. 

As a part of his agenda, he and his allies would: Limit access to birth control, Ban medication abortion, And enact a nation-wide abortion ban with or without Congress. And. Get this, he plans to create a National. Anti-Abortion. Coordinator. And force states to report on women's miscarriages and abortions. Simply put. They are. Out. Of. Their. Minds. 

And one must ask: Why exactly is it that they don't trust women? Well. We. trust. women. And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom, as President of the United States, I will proudly sign it into. law. 

In this election, many other fundamental freedoms are at stake. The freedom to live safe from gun violence

The freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. 

The freedom to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live free from the pollution that fuels the climate crisis. 

And the freedom that unlocks all the others. The freedom to vote. 

With this election, We finally have the opportunity to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. 

And let me be clear. After decades in law enforcement, I know the importance of safety and security, especially at our border. Last year, Joe and I brought together Democrats and conservative Republicans to write the strongest border bill in decades. The Border Patrol endorsed it. But Donald Trump believes a border deal would hurt his campaign. So he ordered his allies in Congress to kill the deal. Well, I refuse to play politics with our security. 

Here is my pledge to you: As President, I will bring back the bipartisan border security bill that he killed. And I will sign it into law. I know we can live up to our proud heritage as a nation of immigrants -- And reform our broken immigration system. We can create an earned pathway to citizenship ==  And secure our border. America, we must also be steadfast in advancing our security and our values abroad. As Vice President, I have: confronted threats to our security, negotiated with foreign leaders, strengthened our alliances, and engaged with our brave troops overseas. As Commander-in-Chief, I will ensure America always has the strongest, most lethal fighting force in the world. I will fulfill our sacred obligation to care for our troops and their families. And I will always honor, and never disparage, their service and their sacrifice. I will make sure that: We lead the world into the future on space and Artificial Intelligence. That America -- not China -- wins The competition for the 21st century. And that we strengthen -- not abdicate -- our global leadership. 

Trump, on the other hand, threatened to abandon NATO. He encouraged Putin to invade our allies. Said Russia could -- quote -- "do whatever the hell they want." Five days before Russia attacked Ukraine, I met with President Zelensky to warn him about Russia's plan to invade. I helped mobilize a global response over 50 countries -- to defend against Putin's aggression. And as President, I will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies. 

With respect to the war in Gaza. President Biden and I are working around the clock. Because now is the time to get a hostage deal and ceasefire done. Let me be clear: I will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself and I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself. Because the people of Israel must never again face the horror that the terrorist organization Hamas caused on October 7th. Including unspeakable sexual violence and the massacre of young people at a music festival. At the same time, what has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost. Desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking. President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity. Security. Freedom. And self-determination. And know this: I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists. And I will not cozy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim-Jong-Un, who are rooting for Trump. Because they know he is easy to manipulate with flattery and favors. They know Trump won’t hold autocrats accountable -- because he wants to be an autocrat. 

As President, I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals. Because, in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand -- and where the United States of America belongs. Fellow Americans, I love our country with all my heart. Everywhere I go -- in everyone I meet -- I see a nation ready to move forward. Ready for the next step, in the incredible journey that is America. I see an America where we hold fast to the fearless belief that built our nation. That inspired the world. That here, in this country, anything is possible. Nothing is out of reach. An America, where we care for one another, look out for one another, and recognize that we have so much more in common than what separates us. That none of us has to fail for all of us to succeed. And that, in unity, there is strength.

Our opponents in this race are out there, every day, denigrating America. Talking about how terrible everything is. Well, my mother had another lesson she used to teach. Never let anyone tell you who you are. You show them who you are. America, let us show each other -- and the world -- who we are. And what we stand for. Freedom. Opportunity. Compassion. Dignity. Fairness. And endless possibilities. 

We are the heirs to the greatest democracy in the history of the world. And on behalf of our children and grandchildren, and all those who sacrificed so dearly for our freedom and liberty, we must be worthy of this moment. 

It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done. Guided by optimism and faith, to fight for this country we love. To fight for the ideals we cherish. And to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth. The privilege and pride of being an American. 

So, let's get out there and let's fight for it. 

Let's get out there and let's vote for it. And together, let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told. 

Thank you. God bless you. 

May God bless the United States of America.

In a week of good speeches -- great speeches like Oprah's speech and Michelle Obama's speech to name just two -- Kamala lived up to the moment and delivered.  Why is she running?  Why should you vote in this election?  Why should you vote for her?  It was all laid out -- powerfully -- in the speech above.

Thursday night saw Pink perform her 2017 hit "What About Us?" 



And it was the perfect song for a night ending with Kamala explaining what about us -- what about our country, what about our democracy.


Many spoke last night, including Senator Tammy Baldwin.



After serving in the House of Representatives, Tammy became one of Wisconsin's senators and she's served her state very well for the last 11 years.  Colin Allred is a US House Rep running for the US Senate in Texas.


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Mike's a big fan of Colin's and is among those around the country rooting for him.  Last night, Mike noted:

Ruth knows I've mentioned being impressed with Collin Allred who's running for the US Senate out of Texas and she saw this in a report by Aaron Parnas  (MEDIASTOUCH NEWS):


Meanwhile, Republicans got an even worse omen in the Senate polling as the poll has Texas Senator Ted Cruz up just 2 points against his Democratic challenger, Collin Allred. Given the fact that this is just a 2 point race two months before Election Day, it is not inconceivable that Allred would be able to make up the ground between now and November 5th and expand the Senate map for Democrats. 


And in case you're not getting how great Collin is, Alex Henderson reports:

Allred knows that he's fighting an uphill battle, as Texas is still a red state. But a University of Texas poll released in early August found Allred trailing Cruz by only 2 percent.

One of Allred's many lines of attack against Cruz is the far-right senator's response to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol Building. In an interview with Baptist News, Allred recalled the day the Capitol was attacked — noting that he played in the National Football League before serving in Congress.

"When you're a former professional football player in a situation like that," Allred told Baptist News, "people will unsurprisingly look to you for protection. So I took my suit jacket off and got ready to take on whatever came through that door."

The Democratic congressman continued, "That day, we came closer to losing our democracy than a lot of people realize, and Ted Cruz is responsible for that. He spread the lie that the election was stolen and was the senator who objected to the certification of the results in an attempt to overturn the will of the American people. But when the mob stormed the Capitol, he hid in a supply closet."


He hid in a supply closet!!!  Sabina (community member who lives in Dallas) is a big Collin supporter and she says the only ad Ted's running is one attacking Collin on immigration.  I think Collin should run an ad about Ted hiding in a supply closet. 


He hid in a supply closet.

That does strike many as cowardly.  But here's my big problem with it: In real time, he was so scared (and probably with good cause) that he hid.

Yet he tries to pretend today that it was nothing.  


I did not show up the morning of January 7, 2021 screaming coup! Or anything else.  I waited for the facts to emerge.  The facts have emerged.  It was an attempted coup.  It was an assault on our democracy.  As Betty and Rebecca repeatedly make clear at their sites over and over: These people who tried to overthrow the government are damn lucky because what they did was treason.

Treason.

From the start of this site, we've not tossed that word around and I've repeatedly noted why: It's a serious charge with the maximum penalty being execution.  

But treason is the only term of the actions of January 6th and people are damn lucky that they're not being executed.  

Some of those people were misled and that's on Donald Trump and those who plotted the violence.  

But, again, they are lucky, those convicted, that a little time behind bars is the worst they'll be facing.

On January 6th, Ted Cruz was so scared he hid.  And it might have saved his life.  

I wouldn't have called him a coward for hiding alone.

But I do call him a coward in 2024 because he witnessed things that so bothered him that he felt the need to hide but now, today, he wants to pretend like January 6th was no big thing and that Donald is someone worth supporting.

Ted Cruz is a coward and embarrassment, he is a stain on democracy.


Former US House Rep Adam Kinzinger (Republican) addressed that reality in his DNC speech last night.


Good evening. I'm Adam Kinzinger and I'm proud to be in the trenches with you as part of this sometimes awkward alliance-to defend truth, democracy, and decency. I was just a kid when I was drawn to the party of Ronald Reagan-to his vision of a strong America, the shining city on a hill. I was a Republican for 12 years in Congress and I still hold onto the label. I never thought I'd be here, but listen, you never thought you'd see me here did you?

But I've learned something about the Democratic Party. And I want to let my fellow Republicans in on the secret. The Democrats are as patriotic as us.

They love this country just as much as we do. And they are as eager to defend American values at home and abroad as we conservatives have ever been.

I was relieved to discover that because I've learned something about my party, too. Something I couldn't ignore. The Republican Party is no longer conservative. It has switched its allegiance. From the principles that gave it purpose, to a man whose only purpose is himself.

Donald Trump is a weak man pretending to be strong. He is a small man pretending to be big. He's a faithless man pretending to be righteous. He's a perpetrator who can't stop playing the victim. He puts on, listen, he puts on quite a show but there's no real strength there.

As a conservative and a veteran, I believe true strength lies in defending the vulnerable. It's in protecting your family. It's in standing up for our Constitution and our democracy. That, that is the soul of being a conservative. It used to be the soul of being a Republican, but Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican Party.

His fundamental weakness has coursed through my party like an illness, sapping our strength, softening our spine, whipping us into a fever that has untethered us from our values.

Our democracy was frayed by the events of January 6th, as Donald Trump's deceit and dishonor led to a siege on the United States Capitol. That day, I stood witness to a profound sorrow: the desecration of our sacred tradition of peaceful transition of power, tarnished by a man too fragile, too vain, and too weak to accept defeat.

How can a party claim to be patriotic if it idolizes a man who tried to overthrow a free and fair election? How can a party claim to stand for liberty if it sees a fight for freedom in Ukraine, an attack pitting tyranny against democracy, a challenge to everything our nation claims to be, and it retreats? It equivocates. It nominates a man who is weirdly obsessed with Putin. And his running mate, who has said, "I don't care what happens in Ukraine." And he wants to be vice president, yeah.

How can a party claim to be conservative when it tarnishes the gift our forebearers fought for? Men like my grandfather, who served in World War II. Who believed in a cause bigger than himself and he risked his life for it behind enemy lines. To preserve American democracy, his generation found the courage to face down armies.

Listen, all we're asked to do is summon the courage to stand up to one weak man.

Some have questioned why I've taken the stand I have. The answer is really simple ladies and gentlemen: We must put country first.

And tonight, as a Republican speaking before you, I'm putting our country first. Because the fact is, I do belong here. I know Kamala Harris shares my allegiance to the rule of law, the Constitution, and democracy. And she is dedicated to upholding all three in service to our country. Whatever policies we disagree on pale in comparison with those fundamental matters of principle, of decency and of fidelity to this nation.

To my fellow Republicans: If you still pledge allegiance to those principles, I suspect you belong here, too. Because democracy knows no party. It is a living, breathing ideal that defines us as a nation. It's the bedrock that separates us from tyranny, and when that foundation is fractured, we must all stand together united to strengthen it.

If you think those principles are worth defending, I urge you: Make the right choice. Vote for our bedrock values and vote for Kamala Harris.

God bless you.


Adam spoke Thursday night and gave a great speech.  Last night, Rebecca noted some of the Republicans speaking at the DNC convention earlier this week:


so night 3 had great speakers and tonight's the night kamala harris speaks and the convention wraps.  i said i'd cover the republicans - i was married to 1 once - so that's what i'm grabbing.

republicans want to reclaim their party and i don't blame them.  to do that, donald trump has to be defeated in november.

now tuesday night say mayor john giles (mesa) speaking and he explained he was 'a lifelong republican. so i feel a little out of place tonight. but i feel more at home here than in today's republican party.'  he cites republican senator john mccain (and 2008 presidential nominee) who passed away in ,'my hero, john mccain has taught us to put country over party.  and that's how vice president harris and governor walz will lead too.'

also on tuesday night, former white house press secretary stephanie grisham spoke, and ruth covered this already in 'I guess you do not have any character at all if you stay married to a Convicted Felonbaila eve zisman reports: '

In her speech, Grisham, once a devoted Trump supporter, shed light on the former president’s true character and painted a picture of a destructive leader who lacked all empathy and morals.
Grisham punctuated her speech with a screenshot of a text exchange between herself and then-First Lady Melania Trump during the January 6 riot. In the texts, Grisham urged Melania to tweet a message that called for peaceful protests and condemned the violence, but the first lady flatly refused, with the single word “No.”
Grisham said, “I became the first senior staffer to resign that day…I couldn’t be part of the insanity any longer.”

She continued, “When I was press secretary, I got skewered for never holding a White House briefing, it’s because, unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand at that podium and lie…Now, here I am behind a podium advocating for a Democrat. And that’s because I love my country more than my party.”


and that's something we've been talking about in roundtables for the community newsletters - maga is the problem.  there are many non-maga republicans and there are probably some maga republicans who have been misled and can return to normal.  but the maga republicans are nuts and they believe any and every conspiracy in the world.

they have destroyed the republican party.  

i disagreed during my 1st marriage politically but we could talk - and still do.  the maga cannot talk to any 1 but themselves.  they're like scientologists - if you're not in their cult, you do not exist and you do not matter.

stephanie also talked in her speech about how donald could not stand it if the attention wasn't on him.  she talked about him getting angry at an i.c.u. when the press cameras were focused on victims of a shooting instead of him.

 stephanie was talking about the el paso texas shooting from 2019.  so we're all on the same page, this is from 'wikipedia:'

On August 3, 2019, a mass shooting occurred at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, United States. The gunman, 21-year-old Patrick Wood Crusius, killed 23 people[n 1] and injured 22 others.[14][15] The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime.[16][17] The shooting has been described as the deadliest attack on Latinos in modern American history.[18][19]

Crusius surrendered and was arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting. He posted a manifesto with white nationalist and anti-immigrant themes on the imageboard 8chan shortly before the attack.[20] The manifesto cites the Christchurch mosque shootings earlier that year, and the far-right conspiracy theory known as the Great Replacement, as inspiration for the attack. On February 8, 2023, following an announcement that the Department of Justice would not seek the death penalty, Crusius pleaded guilty to 90 federal murder and hate crime charges.[21][22] On July 7, 2023, Crusius was sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences, but he is currently pending trial for state charges that would still potentially result in the death penalty under Texas state jurisdiction if found guilty.[23][24]


[. . .]

The shooting has been described as the deadliest anti-Latino attack in recent U.S. history,[18][19][43][44] resulting in 23 deaths and 22 injuries. Twenty of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, one victim died the day after the event, another victim died two days after,[45] and a third died eight months later on April 26, 2020.[4] Among the dead were thirteen Americans, eight Mexicans and one German.[46] The names, ages, and citizenships of 22 of the dead were released by the El Paso Police Department on August 5. Seventeen were 56 or older, two were in their 40s, two in their 20s, one was 36, and one was 15.[47]

Thirteen victims were taken to the University Medical Center of El Paso,[17] and another eleven to the Del Sol Medical Center.[48] Two children, ages 2 and 9, were transferred to El Paso Children's Hospital after their conditions were stabilized.[49] The Del Sol Medical Center patients were between 35 and 82 years old.[17]

[. . .]

Patrick Wood Crusius (born July 27, 1998) was arrested shortly after the shooting and charged with capital murder.[49][50][51] A 21-year-old of German and Italian descent,[52][53][54] he was last known to have lived in his family's home in Allen, Texas, in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex,[17][48][55] approximately 650 miles (1,050 km) from El Paso.[56] He graduated in 2017 from Plano Senior High School, and was enrolled at Collin College from 2017 until spring 2019.[56]

Crusius legally purchased a GP WASR-10 semiautomatic rifle and 1,000 rounds of hollow-point ammunition online in June 2019.[3][57] During his first interrogation, he told detectives he had targeted Mexicans, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.[58][59][60][61][53] Crusius was also diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder.[62]

Crusius registered to vote in 2016 as a Republican and had a Twitter account from 2017 that showed a photo of Donald Trump in the Oval Office. He also had a pro-Trump poll that included responses such as "#BuildTheWall, #NoSanctuaryCities, #KeepGitmoOpen and #BanSyrianRefugees".[63]


wednesday night, advisor to mike pence olivia troye spoke about how she'd dreamed her whole life about growing up and working in the white house.  and she was so happy to be there but then she was forced to resign.



ok, so ollvia explained in her speech last night that she saw donald repeatedly undermine the military leaders and the intelligence analysts and 'ultimately our democratic process' and that's why she had to resign. 


she said, 'now he's doing it again - lying and laying the groundwork to undermine this election - it's his m.o. to sew doubt and division.  that's what trump wants.  it's the only way he wins.  and that's what our foreign adversaries want because that's the only way they win.'

she said, 'what keeps me up at night is what'll happen if he gets back there.' 

'the guard rails are gone,' she explained.  'the few adults in the room the 1st time resigned or were fired.'

she painted accurate picture which is why it's so scary.

 
last night saw georgia's former lt. governor (a republican) geoff duncan speak of why he was voting for kamala harris, 'look you don't have to agree with every policy position of kamala harris - i don't.  but you do have to recognize her prosecutor mindset that understands right from wrong, good from evil. she's a steady hand and will bring leadership to the white house that donald trump could never do. let me be clear to my republican friends at home watching: if you vote for kamala harris in 2024, you're not a democrat, you're a patriot.'

well said.

Marcia posted early yesterday because she didn't want to miss a moment of the prime time speeches last night and she and her wife planned to pop open a bottle of champaign for a toast when Kamala spoke.  And that's what Kamala's speech was, what the entire convention was: Yes, these are some dark times but we are not defeated and we not left without options and that's something we can act on and celebrate.  We can fight for this country and for democracy.  The convention slogan said it all:  When we fight, we win.

The following sites updated: