-Fresh off a rally in Arizona that featured 11 people needing to be treated for heat stroke, MAGAGOP Presumptive Nominee Convicted Felon Ex-President Trump (R-apist) will try to break that record by holding another outdoor daytime rally in 100-plus degree temperature in the battleground state of Nevada. Organizers will concede the heat by handing out water (no word on whether they are Trump-branded), hiring more medics to treat people, and allowing umbrellas to be used for patrons to shield the heat from them.
-Most Trump events have been taking place in the afternoon or early evening in this cycle, with some speculation that it is being done in large part to keep Trump from sundowning later in the day and saying things that could hurt him in future legal actions or advertising. It is also cost-saving, as increasingly events are being held in far-flung venues that do not cost as much (and are smaller) than the venues he held rallies in for 2016 and 2020.
-As for the ‘content’ … well …the ‘content’ of a Trump rally has not changed. Attacks on Biden as the most corrupt worst President in history, Biden being mocked for “not being able to put two sentences together” (often in syntax and sentences that, shall we say, do not flow together), claiming he cannot say things he then says because of corrupt gag orders, attacks on every Judge except the ones on the Supreme Court and a certain fangirl in Florida, and ridiculous lies .
-The most recent Trump ridiculous lie: Trump is now claiming he was responsible for capping the price of insulin at $35/dose. Fact check … uh, no. Trump did not do that, Biden did. But do not be surprised if Trump claims he did.
-And by the way, if you’re thinking the event just described sounds like a band that was hot 15-30 years ago trying to recapture the moment by playing hits at county fairs, well, you wouldn’t be all that far off from the typical vibe at a Trump rally these days.
-As for Biden, he is completing a European tour today centered around commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Right-wing media has been trying to knock down Biden’s generally positive press at his speeches, working to deceptively edit video of Biden sitting down or moving from one place to another as “evidence” that Biden is sundowning and having ‘senior moments.’ More interestingly, several commentators accused Biden of personally attacking Trump in his speeches. The reality: Biden has never once mentioned Trump by name – although he has been pointed in pushing the world to push back against authoritarians, and if there are MAGAts who are equating “authoritarian” with “MY Dear MAGA Leader,” well, they’re telling on themselves, aren’t they?
-In Endorsement Watch … we can report talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has become a vocal Biden supporter, and is being featured in a large fundraising push (which, if you get the texts and the emails, you likely already KNOW) … we can report that former Vice President Mike Pence and former House Speaker Paul Ryan have announced they are NOT going to endorse or vote for Trump (though they apparently remain anti-Biden as well) … and the deeply-weird Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has gotten the prized endorsement of SHAZAM! and SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS lead actor Zachary Levi, which may make everyone reassess their feelings about the sequel flopping …
-In other domestic political news, FL Representative and reported Trump Veep wannabe Byron Donalds continues to tour talk shows to deny that he’s touring talk shows after stating in an event designed to bring more Black support to Trump that Black families were stronger under Jim Crow than under Democratic rule. After being attacked by Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and more, Donalds went on the dreaded-for-MAGA MSNBC and got pilloried by Joy Reid (“Is there a specific period between 1867 and 1968 that you thought was this golden era for Black families?”) and Al Sharpton (who told Donalds “How can you even live with yourself?” for making that comment) before going on Fox News Sunday this morning to insist the LAST thing he was doing was defending the comments or going on some kind of media tour to defend those comments.
-Hi. Larious.
-In SCOTUS news, right-wing media has been having a field day after yearly gift disclosures revealed Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was gifted four tickets by Beyonce to see Beyonce in concert in 2023 at a cost of $4,000. Oddly, that same right wing media shrugged and thought is was no biggie that Justice Clarence Thomas was gifted a series of vacations – including to a luxury resort in Bali – by multibillionaire and Nazi collection aficionado Harlan Crow going as far back as 2019, bringing the total amount of gifts received by Thomas (a lion’s share from Crow) to over $4 million. Supreme Court justices make a little over $274,000, and the net worth of Justice Thomas and wife Ginni is reportedly about $4 million, and reportedly Thomas has ‘admitted’ he ‘probably’ should have reported the vacays sooner, but oopsie!
-Uh. Huh …
-Reports of the rescue of four Israelis held hostage by HAMAS since the October 7 attack on a music festival have been countered by reports from the Palestinian Health Ministry that the raid that freed the hostages may have resulted in the deaths of at least 274 people, including what they claim are “dozens” of children. Israeli military officials concede that, according to the Associated Press, “forces came under hevy fire during the complex daytime operation deep inside the territory.” As the hostages were reunited with their families, reports are that internal political rifts within the Israeli government working for a cease-fire and allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that may want even more brutal measures in their war with HAMAS may result in a faction of Netanyahu’s government to resign, though that would reportedly not force elections that could replace Netanyahu (support for Netanyahu has reportedly swung for and against him wildly, and there are almost nightly protests in the streets of Tel Aviv demanding Netanyahu’s ouster).
-In sportsball news, the latest kerfuffle surrounding rookie WNBA star Caitlin Clark is the announcement that she will not be a part of the U.S. Women’s Olympic Team next month in Paris. Reportedly the decision was made in part out of fear of disappointment that a rookie would have limited minutes in a team who will be overwhelmingly favored to win their eight consecutive gold medal – and, truth be told, playing in the tournament would force Clark to be playing continuously for close to a year, factoring in her season with Iowa and moving to the Indiana Fever virtually immediately after the WNBA draft (as women play their season as the NBA move into playoffs and the summer). In short, look for Clark and her graduation class to be featured in the 2028 Summer Games (in Los Angeles!) and the 2032 Summer Games (in Brisbane, Australia).
-And while we’re on the subject … bids are being lined up for the 2036 Summer Games, with Nusantara (Indonesia), Istanbul (Turkey), a yet-to-be-chosen city in India, and Santiago (Chile) officially filing bids, with others expected or being debated from Egypt, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Denmark, and Canada. Not bad for an event still considered to be an economic albatross and herd of white elephants for host cities (but still sorta-kinda cool for the concept, at lest IMHO) …
-With the Paris Olympics less than two months away, we can think about that as Olympics Trials begin this week for swimming, track and field, and gymnastics, and wrap this main update with USA USA USA!
-On this date in 1944, a foxhound welped 23 puppies, believed to be the biggest litter on record. On this date in 1954, the reign of terror of Joseph McCarthy was punctured when Army Special Counsel Joseph Welch asked him “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last?” On this date in 1969, Brian Jones left the Rolling Stones. On this date in 1972, Columbia Records signed Bruce Springsteen. On this date in 1973, Secretariat – moving “like a tremendous machine!” – obliterated his field by 31 lengths in winning the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown. On this date in 1983, Margaret Thatcher was re-elected as Prime Minister of Great Britain. And on this date in 2008, Ken Griffey Jr. became the sixth player in Major League Baseball history to hit 600 home runs.
-Debuts on this date: “Jelly Roll Blues” (1924), Donald Duck (1934), Tweety-Bird (1945), SOME GIRLS (1978), PLEASE HAMMER, DON’T HURT ‘EM (1990), CARS (2006).
-Happy Birthday to George Stephenson, Cole Porter, Robert Cummings, Les Paul, George Axelrod, Jackie Mason, Marvin Kalb, Bill Virdon, Joe Santos, Jackie Wilson, Dick Vitale, Dave Parker, James Newton Howard, George Perez, Cruz Miguel Ortiz Cuadra, Aaron Sorkin, Michael J. Fox, Gloria Reuben, Eric Wynalda, Teddy Bruschi, Randy Winn, Peja Stojakovic, and Natalie Portman.
-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Charles Dickens, Victoria Woodhull, Robert Donat, Harold Lloyd Jr., Allen Ludden, Alexis Smith, Reid Shelton, George Segal, Roosevelt Brown, Rik Mayall, and Adam West.
-Feed the Worms: Vietnam War architect Robert McNamara entered Earth on this date.
-Johnny Depp was born on this date. You decide if he gets a Happy Birthday or if he Feeds the Worms.
-The Number One Movie in America on this date … in 2024, THE GARFIELD MOVIE … in 2014, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS … in 2004, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN … in 1994, SPEED … in 1984, GHOSTBUSTERS … and in 1974, THE STING.