-There were more primaries yesterday, and on balance it was yet another tough day for the GOPMAGA PartyCult. Three candidates who got the COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT of PartyCult leader Convicted Felon Ex-President Trump (R-apist) lost runoffs in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Utah - with SC also voting out of office three GOPMAGA representatives who filibustered an abortion rights bill in that state. Trump himself also underperformed in a primary again, barely cracking 63% in Colorado (which, to be fair, he lost in 2016 and 2020). And, his 'preparations' for tomorrow's scheduled debate in Atlanta continues with Trump basically golfing and reportedly preparing personal attacks on President Biden, his son Hunter, and whatever else flits through his mind.
-That said, the news was not all bad for Team Trump. In Virginia, Trump's desire to defeat Rep. Bob Good is going to a recount with Good losing to Trump-endorsed State Representative John McGuire. Good is considered one of the absolute most pro-MAGA Representatives in Congress, yet because of Good's aposty of endorsing crushed-and-humiliated-and-now-Trump-bootlicker Ron DeSantis, Good was made to potentially sacrifice his seat. Good, following the GOPMAGA playbook, is charging election fraud, including fires being set in three polling places on Election Day - and the rest of the PartyCult is now shunning Good and his maneuvers.
-And, it is my sad duty to report that the attempt by one of the GOPMAGA starlets, the representative voted Best Hands, Lauren Boebert, has at least partially succeeded in her attempt to stay in Congress. Facing a district where she barely won in 2022 and seeing Democrat Adam Frisch be seeded with an enormous money advantage for a rematch, Lauren bravely ran away to a different district - one far more deeply red as no-longer-MAGA Rep. Ken Buck was stepping down. Last night in a crowded field, The Boebs got 44% of the vote - nowhere near a majority, but plenty enough to win the GOP primary in a crowded field. She celebrated by claiming victory wearing cheap knock-off gold lame Trump Sneakers (themselves cheap-but-stupid-expensive sneakers). Boebert's new district now Leans Republican, while Frisch will need to face a non-Trump-endorsed MAGAt in November, making his job much tougher.
-Not to allow a political vacuum, another primary result in New York has triggered multiple breathless DEMOCRATS IN DISARRAY/PROGRESSIVES IN TROUBLE analysis - though the reality seems far less broad and far more specific to the district in question. In the aforementioned primary, New York State Representative George Latimer soundly defeated incumbent House Representative Jamaal Bowman after the most expensive House primary in American history. Bowman became a target because of his vocal support of Palestine in the ongoing war between Israel and HAMAS - and Latimer received massive financial support from the powerful lobby AIPAC.
-The campaign was deeply personal and brutal, Bowman, already saddled with issues including being censured for using a fire alarm door to stop a House vote, becomes the first member of the vaunted Progressive group The Squad to lose an election of any kind, much less a primary. Whether it is a harbinger of trouble with the Squad (the 'leader' of the group. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, won her primary in a romp, while a primary along the lines of Bowman's race involving Rep. Cori Bush in MO is now considered tight) remains to be seen, giddy political columnists aside.
-With only two decisions being handed down today, the Supreme Court's decision on TrumpImmunity remains one of the 11 that still need to be announced. That presents a potential conundrum: if the decision is handed down tomorrow, it is likely to loom over the scheduled Presidential debate - but if the decision is held until Friday, the decision and analysis of it is likely to swamp news coverage of the debate itself. Keep that in mind as you read empty pleas that SCOTUS is not at all political (not that we don't now know that from this Court).
-One of the decisions that did come down was, however, one for The Good Side: by a 6-3 margin, the Court ruled a gaggle of right-wing social media users who sued the Biden Administration for Biden daring to curb their lie-spreading on issues including elections and vaccines did not "have standing" and thereby losing their appeal. If it's confusing, all you need to know is that Samuel Alito - appearing on the court after missing several days last week - was BIG MAD about the decision, and was joined in his crankiness by fellow jags Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas.
-One issue that is sure to come up is the question of economic policy. Trump constantly paints the current economy as "The WORST in the HISTORY of THIS COUNTRY!" yet independent analysis of Trump's economic proposals - such as they are - paint a picture that should be horrifying to everyone alert and alive. Trump's plans include everything from massive tariffs to an end to taxing tips to - of course and always - gigantic tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and an analysis done by 16 Nobel-winning economists back up further analysis that this plan would bring an almost-instant and deep recession, as well as a reignition of inflation that has actually calmed in recent months.
-Most telling, on that notorious Progressive/Liberal/Lefty media outlet CNBC, Chief Executive Leadership Institute CE Jeffrey Sonnenfeld reports that "not one" Fortune 500 CEO plans to vote for or contribute to Trump or his campaign, adding that they are likely to vote for President Biden even with the Trump tax cuts expiring in 2025. That move may reflect continued undercutting of Trump's desperately-needed support, or further proof that the MAGAGOP PartyCult has so insulated Trump from more traditional Republicanism that said Republicanism is well and truly dead ...
-More as elections and debates and events warrant on that score ...
-In Sportsball News, the NBA Draft is tonight, and you likely haven't heard much about it because unlike last year's draft (which featured what looks like a transformative talent in Victor Wembanyama) this year's draft is being called one of the weakest in recent memory. As often happens with sports leagues, the Wembanyama success is leading to many of the top picks coming from young players in European leagues, meaning their potential is quite unknown for teams looking to build to become championship contenders. The NBA, after passing through the "SuperTeam" era and the dominance of the Golden State Warriors and whichever team LeBron James was on, there have been six different Champions in the last six years - and, given that those champions struggled to even make the playoffs the following year, the league is in one of its most competitive eras in its history ... at least until Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs build a potential new dynasty ...
-Plus the NHL Draft is this weekend!
-Let's rest here with a debate and a ton of decisions that should finally be coming ... we think ... right? RIGHT??!?!?!
-On this date in 1948, the Berline airlft began. On this date in 1956, the Federal-Aid Highway Act passed, which created the country's interstate highway system (avoided using the term "paved the way!"). On this date in 1963, John F. Kennedy delivered his "Ich Bin Ein Berlier" speech. On this date in 1975, Sonny Bono and Cher divorced. And on this date in 1977, Elvis Presley performed in public for the last time.
-Debuts on this date: Smallpox vaccines (1721), THE GOLD RUSH (1925), The United Nations (1945), "The Lottery" (1948), The St. Lawrence Seaway (1959), bar codes (1974), The CN Tower (1976), MOONRAKER (1979), HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE (1997).
-Happy Birthday to Abner Doubleday, Pearl S. Buck, Big Bill Broonzy, Dorothy Fuldheim, Salvador Allende, Colonel Tom Parker, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Dave Grusin, Billy Davis Jr., Ricky Jay, Robert Davi, Tara VanDerveer, Mick Jones, Chris Isaac, Patty Smyth, Mark McKinney, Greg LeMond, Terri Nunn, Harriet Wheeler, Shannon Sharpe, Colin Greenwood, Troy Auzene, Chris O'Donnell, Nick Offerman, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sean Hayes, Gretchen Wilson, Derek Jeter, Jason Schwartzman, Aubrey Plaza, Deron Williams, and Ariana Grande.
-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to James Weldon Johnson, Roy Campanella, Don Hutson, Jay Berwanger, Liz Claiborne, Nora Ephron, Max Wright, and Mike Gravel.
-Feed the Worms: Dog-hating footballer Michael Vick entered Earth on this date. Conqueror Francisco Pizarro and uber-racist smegma Strom Thurmond bought it on this date.