Monday, September 16, 2024

September 16, 2024

Good morning,

Leading the News . . .

Trump is safe after apparent second attempted assassination . . . Former President Trump was safe after the Secret Service fired at a gun-toting man outside Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Sunday. Authorities are treating the case as a potential assassination attempt, and arrested a man sources identified as Ryan Wesley Routh. Routh was allegedly armed with a rifle when agents fired at him. Authorities said Routh, who had a GoPro camera and two backpacks, shoved the muzzle of his rifle through a chain-link fence and may have been aiming at the president when agents fired at him. The Secret Service opened fire after they saw the suspect raising the weapon. The suspect fled in a black Nissan, but was quickly apprehended, authorities said. Fox News

Would-be Trump assassin's sniper's nest revealed: Photos show AK-47 rifle, GoPro and backpack

Trump shocked but upbeat . . . Former President Donald J. Trump was said to be shocked at what the F.B.I. described as the second attempt on his life in two months, but he was already cracking jokes about it on Sunday afternoon in phone calls with advisers and allies. One such call, with his former White House doctor, Rep. Ronny L. Jackson of Texas, reflected the mixture of unease and jocularity. "He told me he was always glad to hear from me but he was glad he didn't need my services today," said Mr. Jackson. New York Times

Neighbor says Ryan Wesley Routh was "cuckoo" and everyone was afraid of him

Questions raised about how gunman knew Trump would be there . . . Reporter Marc Caputo said Sunday that Trump has already raised questions about the first attempt on his life two months ago and that Sunday's events are likely to cause wilder speculation about 'dark forces' trying to take him down. Caputo says that what's bedeviled both observers and authorities is how Routh was able to plot this from out of state. 'The question no one's able to answer yet and hopefully will be answered: the alleged assassin appeared to have been from out of state. How did he drive down there? How did he case the joint? How did he know when the former president would be there and come within his potential line of sight?' Daily Mail

MSNBC host asks if TRUMP will call for 'toning down' rhetoric after shooting

If the victim is Trump, then the media are gonna blame the victim

Routh echoed Harris, Biden's anti-Trump rhetoric as he backed Dem candidates . . . The alleged gunman who authorities said targeted former President Trump while he golfed in Florida Sunday afternoon previously declared on social media that "Democracy is on the ballot" this year, and "we cannot lose" — echoing the anti-Trump rhetoric used by Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden. Routh, who has a lengthy criminal record from North Carolina, frequently posted about politics and exclusively donated to Democratic candidates and causes dating back to 2019. New York Post

Harris says she is "deeply disturbed"

Politics

Democrats bet Harris will move left as president . . . Democratic lawmakers are giving Vice President Harris a pass on her policy flip-flops and efforts to tack toward the political center, confident that she's still a progressive at heart and will fight hard to achieve their goals on tax policy, climate change and other priorities. Even the Senate's most liberal Democrats say they aren't worried about Harris backing away from her previous support for Medicare for All or a fracking ban because they believe she will push hard to rein in insurance and pharmaceutical companies or to crack down on fossil fuel consumption. The Hill

This is what's known as "a safe bet."

Sen. Tom Cotton compares Harris fixing the border to OJ Simpson finding 'the real killer'

States rush to clean voter rolls after 2020 election questions . . . State election officials visited Capitol Hill last week to discuss preparations for the November vote, and a "top this" competition broke out. West Virginia Secretary of State Andrew "Mac" Warner, a Republican, said he had erased the names of 400,000 people who had moved, died or were otherwise ineligible. Florida's elections chief, Secretary of State Cord Byrd, a Republican, said his state has pulled 1 million names off its active-voter list since 2022. Washington Times

JD Vance calls out Dana Bash for "propaganda" . . . Republican Ohio Sen. and former President Donald Trump's 2024 running mate J.D. Vance questioned CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday, asking her point-blank if she realized she was engaging in "basic propaganda."Media focus on Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio surged due to concerns raised by Trump about local residents' pets allegedly being eaten. On CNN's "State of the Union," Vance criticized Bash and the media for focusing on "every possible distraction" instead of local residents, and accused Bash of implying that he caused a recent bomb threat in the town by speaking out on the issue. Daily Caller

Of course, this all stemmed from when a Haitian family in the town named their cat "Lunch."

Trump says he hates Taylor Swift . . . Former President Donald Trump has been feeling some bad blood after superstar Taylor Swift gave Vice President Kamala Harris her endorsement last week. "I hate Taylor Swift!" Mr. Trump wrote in all capital letters in a post on his Truth Social site on Sunday. The post consisted of just those four words. Washington Times

Culture

Lack of civics knowledge leads to colleges filling the gap . . . "Thirty, 35% of the students will pass it," says Prof. Kevin Dopf, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former West Point instructor. "The rest of them are clueless." Most states require some sort of high school civics instruction. But with surveys showing that a third of American adults can't name the three branches of the federal government, and one in which 10% of college graduates think Judith Sheindlin – TV's "Judge Judy" – serves on the U.S. Supreme Court, many think we should be aiming higher. Over the past few years, a small but growing number of states have begun requiring students at publicly funded colleges to complete a civics requirement. Associated Press

Can you pass the civics test? Take the quiz.

Navy launches USS New Jersey, first US submarine built for both genders . . . The U.S. Navy commissioned a new submarine on Saturday, the first vessel in its fleet designed to fully integrate male and female sailors. The USS New Jersey, a fast-attack Virginia-class submarine, was commissioned during a ceremony at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown, New Jersey. "You operate the most complex platform on the planet and you continuously strive for excellence," New Jersey's commanding officer Cmdr. Steve Halle addressed the submarine's crew during the ceremony. Fox News

Also, for long missions, there will be a maternity ward.

Group offers $1 million for LGBTQ advocacy org to host Pride parade in Gaza, West Bank . . . A watchdog group that aims to expose hypocrisy announced Monday that it would donate $1 million to "Queers for Palestine" or any U.S. LGBTQ advocacy organization to host a gay pride parade in Gaza or the West Bank. Anti-Israel groups such as "Queers for Palestine" have surfaced across America since the Hamas terror group attacked Israel on October 6, but homosexuality remains deeply taboo in the Palestinian territories. Gay and transgender people in Gaza and the West Bank face a significant level of persecution and are often subjected to horrific acts. Fox News

National Security

Trade grows with Iran under Biden-Harris . . . American trade with Iran jumped 43 percent last year, reaching more than $81 million at a time when Tehran's hardline regime ramped up its terrorist efforts and wreaked havoc across the Middle East, according to a non-public State Department report provided to Congress and reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon. The significant jump in trade relations suggests the Biden-Harris administration is bypassing tough American sanctions on Tehran in order to stimulate its flagging economy and provide the hardline regime with a financial lifeline. Washington Free Beacon

Michigan student attacked after saying he is Jewish . . . According to Ann Arbor police, the 19-year-old male reported that a group of "unknown males behind him" asked if he was Jewish. The group allegedly heard him mention being Jewish before the attack. When the victim said that he was Jewish, he was allegedly thrown to the ground, kicked, and spat on. The victim suffered minor injuries but did not require hospitalization. The attack occurred at approximately 12:45 a.m., and the suspects fled the scene on foot. Washington Examiner

International

The calamitous rape crisis unfolding in Congo's war . . . In the camps around Goma that host some 500,000 displaced people, an estimated 80% of the women have been raped, including girls as young as 8, according to psychologists, nurses and others working with survivors of sexual violence. Kanyamanza believes the number may be higher. "Even 80% seems little to me," she says. "Almost all the women have to go into the forest, and that's where they get raped." Over a decade ago, political leaders and celebrities from around the globe made a high-publicity pledge to put an end the use of rape as a weapon of war. Hillary Clinton, as secretary of state, met survivors in eastern Congo. Wall Street Journal

You should also know

'Shogun' Dominates With 18 Emmy Wins, and 'The Bear' Cooks Up 11 . . . The Bear" broke its own record of 10 comedy wins for a single season, which it achieved last year, with its 11 trophies on Sunday, including directing for Christopher Storer. FX also had a big night with "Shogun," which won outstanding drama, lead actor for Hiroyuki Sanada, actress for Anna Sawai and directing for Frederick E.O. Toye. After it won 14 Creative Arts Emmys last weekend, "Shogun" already broke the record for most wins by a show in a single season. It extended that record to 18 on Sunday. Netflix's viral hit "Baby Reindeer" won outstanding limited series or anthology. Variety

Watch: Henry Winkler and Ron Howard bring 'Happy Days' nostalgia to the Emmys

Tito Jackson dead at 70 . . . Tito Jackson, a member of the famous family band The Jackson 5 and brother to Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, has died. The musician was 70. Jackson died on Sunday, Sept. 15 after suffering an apparent heart attack. Leading up to his death, Tito had been performing with brothers Jackie Jackson and Marlon Jackson as The Jacksons, and had shows in Scotland, California and England over summer 2024. They performed as recently as Sept. 8 in Surrey, England, and had appearances set for Oct. 25 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Nov. 1 in Cincinnati. People

Guilty Pleasures

Packers quarterback changes the call after center vomits on the ball . . . Packers quarterback Malik Willis refused to throw the ball on one third down play vs. the Colts on Sunday - and there is a disgusting reason why. Facing a third-and-10 at one point in the game, Willis ignored the play call and instead took off running. And as Green Bay coach Matt LeFleur revealed after the game, Willis called the confusing audible after center Josh Myers had vomited on the ball before the snap. Daily Mail

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