General News Trump’s fixation on predators and prey
Trump would seem an odd choice to be the savior of household pets.
Breaking with tradition, Trump didn’t keep a pet at the White House. “I wouldn’t mind having one, honestly, but I don’t have any time,” he said at a rally while he was president.
He has often used the word “dog” as an insult. The Islamic State leader killed by U.S. forces in 2019 “died like a dog.” Arianna Huffington was “a dog,” he tweeted, as was his former administration aide Omarosa Manigault Newman.
Yet at the debate Tuesday night, Trump warned that something horrific is happening in Springfield, Ohio. Immigrants are “eating the pets of the people who live there,” he said.
How a fringe online claim about immigrants eating pets made its way to the debate stage
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Around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, tens of millions of television viewers watched as Trump spread an unsubstantiated and racially charged rumor running wild online.
“In Springfield they’re eating dogs,” he said, referring to an Ohio city dealing with an influx of Haitian immigrants. “They’re eating the cats. They’re eating … the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame.”
The extraordinary moment — the airing of a claim worthy of a chain email while participating in a prime-time presidential debate — probably puzzled most of the 67.1 million people tuned in for Trump’s clash with Harris. But the rumor, which has been criticized as perpetuating racist tropes, was already thriving in right-wing corners of the internet and being amplified by those close to Trump, including Vance.
Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown hits opponent Bernie Moreno over abortion rights
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, slammed Republican opponent Bernie Moreno over his support this year for a national abortion ban after Ohio voters approved a 2023 measure to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution.
Speaking on MSNBC tonight, Brown said “there’s an arrogance” to opposing the position of a majority of Ohio voters.
“I’m on the side that women should be making these decisions, not a bunch of politicians like Moreno,” Brown told MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell.
Moreno said during this year’s GOP primary campaign that he would support a federal ban at 15 weeks.
Brown’s campaign has released an ad that takes aim at Moreno over abortion rights, digging into his past comments on the issue. During tonight’s interview Brown said, “Bernie Moreno thinks he knows better.”
Trump loses request for appeals court to pause hush money proceedings
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Trump was denied his request for a federal appeals court to pause proceedings in his hush money case in New York.
Circuit judges today cited the state court’s delay of his sentencing in the case until Nov. 26 in rejecting Trump’s motion for an administrative stay.
The decision will allow Judge Juan Merchan to hand down his decision on the presidential immunity ruling in November, as he had said he would.
Merchan last week rescheduled Trump’s Sept. 18 sentencing on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
Vance explains how he thinks Trump would end the war in Ukraine
Vance gave his most detailed remarks yet on how he thinks Trump would negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine during a conversation with YouTuber Shawn Ryan.
In an interview that was recorded yesterday, Vance said that the “current line of demarcation” between the two countries would become a demilitarized zone and that Ukraine would be barred from entering the NATO alliance.
“It’s heavily fortified so the Russians don’t invade again. Ukraine remains its independent sovereignty,” he said. “Russia gets the guarantee of neutrality from Ukraine. It doesn’t join NATO, it doesn’t join some of these sort of allied institutions.”
He also said U.S. support for NATO should come “with certain strings attached,” including a promise to promote free speech.
During Tuesday’s presidential debate, Trump refused to say whether he wanted Ukraine, a U.S. ally, to win the war against Russia.
Walz thanks Taylor Swift for her support
The “love story” between Taylor Swift and the Harris campaign continued, as Walz thanked the pop icon for her endorsement, referring to her as “my fellow cat owner” during his remarks in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Vice President Harris and I couldn’t be more excited to have her support. Really grateful,” Walz said. “So, and look, look, it’s not as if I didn’t warn these guys a few months ago. You mess with cat people and you will find out. You will find out.”
Walz makes fun of Trump for declining to debate Harris again
Walz cracked jokes at Trump during his speech in Grand Rapids, Michigan, calling out Trump for saying he would not debate Harris again.
“Give him a little break. That one left a mark. That one left a mark,” Walz said. “So he’s with it. So look, who he was was on full display the other night. His true colors were out there, not just his makeup.”
Walz also praised Harris’ debate performance, saying that she “commanded the room” and that “all of us are incredibly proud” of her.
Smartmatic’s defamation lawsuit against Newsmax over the 2020 election is headed to trial
A Delaware judge today agreed to send another 2020 election defamation case to trial, ruling that the Newsmax Media published false claims saying Smartmatic voting machines rigged the 2020 election.
A jury will soon decide whether the network defamed the voting machine company — that is, whether it published the claims with actual malice or reckless disregard for truth and damaged the company — and whether damages are due.
“The jury must determine if Newsmax was doing what media organizations typically do — inform the public of newsworthy events — or did Newsmax purposely avoid the truth and defame Smartmatic,” Judge Eric Davis wrote in a 57-page ruling.
Harris rides post-debate momentum into North Carolina with raucous rallies and large crowds
Reporting from Greensboro, N.C.
Riding high on momentum two days after the presidential debate, Harris was greeted by a deafening crowd here today, eager to see her push to the next phase of her campaign.
Harris told supporters it was time to turn the page from Trump while again challenging him to a second debate, which she did earlier in the day at her rally in Charlotte.
“We owe it to the voters. Because here’s the thing: In this election, what’s at stake could not be more important,” she said.
White House press secretary blasts Trump’s association with conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer
Reporting from Washington
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre today slammed Trump’s association with right-wing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, who has become an increasing presence alongside him as he seeks a second term.
“No leader should ever associate with someone who spreads this kind of ugliness, this kind of racist poison,” Jean-Pierre said at a briefing.
Trump attended a Sept. 11 remembrance event yesterday with Loomer, who has pushed the false conspiracy theory about the terrorist attack’s being an “inside job.” A day earlier, Loomer also traveled with Trump on his plane and attended the presidential debate.
Harris’ policy agenda has gaps and ambiguities as she shifts to the center
Reporting from Washington, D.C.
As Harris pivots to the center in the final weeks of the election, the agenda she’s using to convey a pragmatic streak includes various unanswered questions as she cautiously jettisons some past progressive positions.
Two days before her debate with Trump, Harris released a policy page on her campaign website, marking the most comprehensive agenda of her presidential bid. It highlighted her recent cost-focused plans to lower the prices of groceries and housing and to boost the child tax credit, which are the most detailed she has offered.
Trump campaign releases first digital ad on IVF
The Trump campaign is up with a 15-second paid digital ad on YouTube about Trump’s proposal to cover all costs associated with in vitro fertilization treatment.
The spot, the campaign’s first digital ad on the issue, uses video from a recent Trump event in Potterville, Michigan, where he announced his proposal. It ends with text that says, “We want more babies.”
‘600 some?’ Jill Stein misstates number of House lawmakers
Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein was unable to accurately state how many lawmakers are in the House of Representatives when she was asked in an interview on “The Breakfast Club“ show that was posted today.
“How many total are there? What is it, 600 some?” Stein said.
There are 435 members of the House, with a handful of seats sometimes unfilled because of deaths or resignations.
Biden lauds Harris’ record prosecuting sexual violence offenders
Speaking tonight to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, Biden lauded Harris for her record prosecuting domestic abuse in California.
“Let me just say, the first and best decision I made when I was a nominee in 2020 was selecting Kamala Harris as vice president,” Biden said.
He referred to Harris’ roles as a former district attorney, a state attorney general and a senator, saying she has “prosecuted and stood up to sexual violence offenders her entire career.”
“You can’t say that about my predecessor,” Biden added.
Trump says he would end all taxes on overtime pay at first post-debate rally
Trump said at a campaign rally today that he would eliminate taxes on overtime pay if he wins.
“I’m also announcing that as part of our additional tax cuts, we will end all taxes on overtime,” he said in Tucson, Arizona.
“That gives people more of an incentive to work. It gives the companies a lot — it’s a lot easier to get the people,” he added.
LULAC steps up voter registration after Texas attorney general’s raids
Reporting from San Antonio
In the three weeks since Texas’ attorney general executed raids at the homes of several Latino election activists, the state’s oldest civil rights organization has been marshaling members to step up voter registration for what they say is a stand against voter suppression.
Local chapters of the League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC, have been calling on volunteers to get certified so they can register Texas Latinos and other voters.
