Just Ask The Question Newsletter - 8.10.24
Biden's chance to save the Press, Harris's momentum, and Trump's implosion
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Trump left spinning by Kamala Harris’ surprise strength
As Democrats go populist with the selection of Tim Walz, Trump’s implosion is nearly complete
It didn’t take long.
Shortly after Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris appeared Tuesday on stage in Philadelphia with Gov. Tim Walz, D- Minn., her choice for running mate, the Trump disinformation team vaulted into action. Walz, according to the Trump crowd, was a proponent of defunding the police. He wanted to let convicted felons vote – something you might think the Republicans would support since their own candidate for president is a convicted felon. They criticized Walz’s populist roots, made fun of his demeanor, his speech and attacked his record of serving in the National Guard – conveniently forgetting their own candidate never served a day in the service and got out of military service because of “bone spurs.”
After reading all of the instant accusations against Walz, I was half expecting to hear he had flat feet, eczema, psoriasis and halitosis. One social media posting accused him of being a bedwetter.
Democratic activist Richard Ojeda, who spent 24 years in the military, defended Walz, accusing Republicans of distorting the governor’s record (there’s a shock). “This man did 24 years in the National Guard, deployed overseas and he was selected for the highest seat in the enlisted world,” Ojeda told me of Walz. “He was operating in that position and then he retired. This guy is a solid guy.”
At the end of the day, the GOP looked like those chimpanzees in the zoo who are kept behind glass walls because they fling their fecal remains at everyone. So far, very little of this has stuck to Walz, who remains affable and effective at blocking the demagoguery. Still, the GOP won’t give up its attempts to demonize Walz and Harris. The Democrats had to know it was coming, and if they didn’t then they’re more headless than I thought. The Republicans are certainly heartless…
Ep : 283 - Just Ask the Press - The GOP's Circular Firing Squad, Harris's potential VP, and Trump at the NABJ
In todays episode, Brian, Mark, and John discuss a number of issues including Trump's appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention, the election interference case, and the return of prisoners from Russia. They also touch on the GOP's circular firing squad and the question of whether Trump gave up too much in the hostage swap. The conversation highlights the emotional nature of these issues and the challenges of reporting on them objectively. In this part of the conversation, the hosts discuss the release of American prisoners by Russia and the role of the Trump and Biden administrations in securing their freedom. They also delve into the ongoing Democratic race for president and the selection of Kamala Harris's vice presidential running mate. The conversation touches on the importance of swing states, the enthusiasm factor, and the potential impact of the VP choice on the election.
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Joe Biden must bust up the media
After a historic antitrust ruling against Google, the president has an opportunity to break up the biggest monopoly
Don’t look now, but we just witnessed a major seismic event in American media.
Monday afternoon a federal judge ruled that Google’s parent company violated U.S. antitrust laws. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in the District of Columbia opens the door to a second trial to determine potential remedies to Google's monopolization of the search market. It is the Justice Department's first victory over a monopoly in more than 20 years.
With this victory, Joe Biden now has in front of him a unique and historic opportunity. He can help end divisiveness, increase voter education, score a huge victory for the cause of diversity of thought and do it by correcting a problem created by Ronald Reagan. Biden can bust up the media monopolies and thus fix the biggest communication problem facing our country — he can fix the press.
Reagan began this slippery slide into a monolithic communication industry by erasing federal guidelines to media ownership. He did it, in part, to help out a friend, Rupert Murdoch. If that name seems familiar, congratulations; you haven’t been asleep. But Reagan did more than remove the guardrails, he ditched the Fairness Doctrine…
Trump searches for lines of attack on Harris, defaults to personal jabs
GOP presidential nominee is trying to draw out Democratic counterpart, strategist says
ANALYSIS — Donald Trump has been chucking plenty of messaging spaghetti at the proverbial wall as he searches for a line of attack against Vice President Kamala Harris.
During a wide-ranging news conference on Thursday, the former president and GOP nominee threw out some new messaging noodles meant to slow the early momentum of the surprise Democratic presidential nominee. Meanwhile, at campaign stops this week in key battleground states, Harris stuck to her main arguments that Trump, if elected, would erode constitutional norms and gut popular social programs.
As Harris has taken a lead, albeit narrowly, in some national polls and made a number of battleground state polls competitive again, Trump has been mostly at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
While Harris has hit the road with her new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the former New York businessman and reality television host who dubbed himself a marketing “genius” kept trying new lines on Thursday — even as he contended that his fundamental message hasn’t changed since President Joe Biden bowed out of the race on July 21.
“I haven’t recalibrated strategy at all. It’s the same policies: open borders, weak on crime. I think she’s worse than Biden,” Trump told reporters…
Save the Press!
He's not running for reelection - but he could save the First Amendment
Joe Biden has in front of him a unique and historic opportunity.
He can help end divisiveness, increase voter education, score a huge victory for the cause of diversity of thought and do it by correcting a problem brought to us by Ronald Reagan and every president since him.
He can fix the press - or at least begin the process.
Reagan created the problem by allowing large companies to own as many media properties as they wanted. He did it to help out a friend, Rupert Murdoch. If that name seems familiar, congratulations; you haven’t been asleep. Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes both benefitted from Ronald Reagan’s dismantling of journalistic guardrails which also included killing the Fairness Doctrine.
Every other president since then has been complicit in large and small ways in the destruction of the news industry. There are twice the number of people on the planet since the day I was born, and perhaps only a quarter of a number of reporters. Downsizing, consolidation, buyouts, newspaper, radio and television station failures are all a part of the media landscape…
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