NATIONAL STRAIGHT EDGE DAY UPDATES
Hooray for Old-School Shavers! Hooray for Math Nerds! Hooray for U2! HOORAY TO EDGES!
-If there were people worried about Kamala Harris' appearance yesterday on Fox 'News,' masterfully handling the failed-by-his-own-admission gotcha attempts by Bret Baier while exposing the deceit his network displays every day trying to prop up Republican Nominee Old REALLY Weird Convicted Felon Ex-President Trump (R-apist), they may have been spiked by the news later today that Harris' appearance was the highest-rated show on Fox 'News' this year. In fact, the 7.1 million audience who saw her interview beat the last two town halls Fox hosted for Trump combined - and undoubtedly led to the latest Trump social media meltdown today where he lambasted Fox executives for letting Harris on.
-Not only that, but Trump continued to cry and whine about Harris' 60 MINUTES appearance in other social media whines, not only again threatening to rescind CBS' broadcast license for Harris' interview but also demanding that, in apparent punishment for their transgression, that Harris be forced off the Democratic ticket and be replaced by Joe Biden. That last bit may have come from seeing internal MAGAGOP polling about his race - who can say? - but needless to say, the screeching is annoying if somewhat gratifying.
-That screeching, by the way, is coming as the Trump campaign desperately looks to shield Trump as best they can from any audience whatsoever. Trump had two town halls - the first the previously mentioned Fox town hall billed as a "woman's forum." It was nothing more than a group of undisclosed Trump supporters gathered to try to fluff Trump's bona fides with (whose pro-Trump cheers and comments were conveniently edited - unlike Harris' interview with Baier) in which Trump still managed to step in it twice.
-Trump first asininely called himself "the king of IVF" (it is clear that he would happily sign an IVF ban if a MAGA Congress gives it to him, which they would under the Project 2025 blueprint), then doubled on the WTF by defiling the memory of Amber Thurman, the woman whose death from pregnancy came thanks to the Trump ban on abortion in the state of GA. When host Harris Faulkner mentioned the family of Thurman was taping a 'pre-buttal' to the Trump rally, Trump shat out "Oh, that's nice - we'll get better ratings, I promised." Faulkner and the audience laughed (and THIS JUST IN: YOUR AUDIENCE WAS WORSE, VONSHITZINPANTZ).
-Apparently not satisfied by that humiliation, Trump then went to Univision to allegedly answer a series of very pointed questions by a group of voters skeptical of Trump - and, if you saw photos of the audience reactions to Trump's incoherent non-answers (among which included trying to sell January 6 as a "day of love" and insisting that reports "he heard" about immigrants eating pets was still probably true according to him), you could tell from the collective side-eyes and folded arms that Trump did not likely leave that venue having won more votes to his side.
-Don't believe me? Believe his and his campaign's actions today. Trump followed up on a cancelled appearance before Trump-friendly interviewers on CNBC yesterday with a cancellation of a scheduled interview on NBC. Even more shockingly, a GA rally scheduled for this weekend produced by the National Rifle Association -- I repeat, THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION - was also cancelled. Given the continued and deserved flack from his 39-minute music-and-neurology episode in PA, makes it appear as if the campaign is desperately looking to limit Trump's appearances as early voting begins and the stretch run to November 5 has truly begun.
-Should that be the case, it truly puts his campaign in a very tough spot. (STANDS ON SOAPBOX) Harris has amped up her personal appearances throughout the battleground states (with a great update on one of those soon!) along with an impressive phalanx of surrogates to help her - Bill Clinton and Mark Cuban today, Joe Biden earlier this week, Barack and Michelle Obama coming, Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer and any number of Hollywood stars knocking doors and giving speeches and pushing to drive up the vote (GA and PA early numbers are impressing and building an early vote wall, with NC starting early voting today) - and Trump has ... nobody else stumping for him. No spawn, no MAGAt stars, no quasi-celebrities, barely even JD Vance, whose likeability numbers have plunged after the momentary blip after the VP debate (and his official 2020 election loss denial that he admitted to yesterday). Given the reliance on mega-rallies that have been shrinking - often in mid-rally - and Trump's increasingly erratic 'performances,' the mass rally which has been so crucial to Trump overperforming polling in 2016 and 2020 is a weapon that may not be relied upon in 2024. Sad. (STEPS OFF SOAPBOX)
-Harris continues to rock her appearances. At a speech in Green Bay, WI tonight, Harris got interrupted by a clique of MAGA heckers. Unfazed and with perfect delivery, Harris eyeballed them and zinged, "You guys are at the wrong rally." Then with a smile and a wave, she added, "I think you meant to go to the smaller one down the street!"
-Trump, at the time of this update, was at the annual Al Smith charity dinner in New York City attempting 'zingers' of his own, and in between stump speech talking points and yammering about Al Gore for some reason, he also attempted to "get" Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that since Harris has made the Democrats "woke" that "if Harris loses you have a chance to become the first woman president."
-I don't get it either - but Trump is probably bothered because THIS JUST IN: Judge Tanya Chutkan basically took Team Trump's beg that she not allow public release of evidence tying Trump to the January 6 insurrection (per Jack Smith's motion to circumvent the Trump-munity the Corrupt SCOTUS Six granted him) because ELECTION INTERDEFERENCE! and threw it into a trash can - and has ordered that the evidence be released TOMORROW (FRIDAY), and he's gearing up to give his poor CAPS LOCK key more abuse later tonight ...
-The rest of us? Order up the popcorn!
-Harris and Biden did not mourn the announcement that HAMAS terrorist leader and October 7 architect Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli military forces today. Harris went further, calling on Israel to finally end their brutal war in Gaza, which Benjamin Netanyahu originally said was launched to cut off HAMAS leadership. With Israel also attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon to equal brutal effect and whatever leadership it has insisting they will escalate their fighting, it is feared Israel's attacks and international condemnation of their tactics (which are bringing severe starvation to Palestinians in Gaza and massive civilian casualties there and in Beirut) will continue.
-In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is warning that the war Vladimir Putin launched against his country has "become a World War" with his claims that up to 10,000 North Korean troops are preparing to join Russian forces on the front lines. The comments were made as Zelenskyy continued to push for aid from the European Union as he awaited results of the election - one that would likely mean Ukraine's doom should Trump and return to power and give Ukraine to Russia - and other reports that Russia's economy is teetering on the edge of collapse thanks to nearly three years of wars and economic boycotts of sorts. Zelenskyy has offered both a new "victory plan" to NATO countries andfor the first time a 'peace plan' that has scared the bejesus out of the current European Union chair, Hungarian Putin marionette and new Trump object of affection Viktor Orban. Lots of moving parts there, so as always, SLAVA UKRAINI!
-And in closing today, some Everyday Annoyance Getting Better News ... yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission announced a new proposal aimed to make it less likely that you will get burned by seven-day-trials or arcane paths and instructions to try to end a subscription you don't want anymore. The "click-to-cancel" regulation would, if enacted, force businesses to make it as easy to cancel a subscription to an app or a newsletter than it was to sign up for it. FTC Chair Lina Khan promised that this new rule "will end these tricks and traps," adding "Nobody should be stuck paying for a service they no longer want." Given Harris' proposed policies that would continue to regulate services and Trump having been caught several times ensnaring followers to make donations he would automatically turn into monthly donations without even asking, it is yet another detail that would be maintained with the right vote.
-DON'T HIT CANCEL HERE, PLEASE! I do hope you are enjoying these updates - and stick around for a BONUS since this update was very late!
-On this date in 1777, American forces won the Battle of Saratoga. On this date in 1963, The Beatles recorded "I Want To Hold Your Hand." And on this date in 1989, a major earthquake hit San Francisco - and did so just as a World Series game between San Francisco and Oakland was about to begin.
-Debuts on this date: The British Open (1860), transatlantic wireless communications (1907), MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939), BULLITT (1968), the OPEC oil embargo (1973), THE RIVER and MAKING MOVIES (1980), THE COLBERT REPORT (2014).
-Happy Birthday to Jean Arthur, Irene Ryan, Jerry Siegel, Arthur Miller, Rita Hayworth, Montgomery Clift, Tom Poston, Don Coryell, Beverly Garland, Julie Adams, Jimmy Breslin, Dr. Robert Atkins, Paxton Whitehead, Evel Knievel, Jim Seals, Gary Puckett, Cameron Mackintosh, Michael McKean, George Wendt, Margot Kidder, Bill Hudson, Howard Rollins, Fred Hickman, Mae Jemison, Lawrence Bender, Steve McMichael, Alan Jackson, Norm MacDonald, Richard Roeper, Rob Marshall, Mike Judge, David Cromer, Danny Ferry, Ziggy Marley, Wyclef Jean, Eminem, Matthew Macfadyen, Kimi Raikkonen, and Felicity Jones.
-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power to Frediric Chopin, Carl Hubbard, SJ Perelman, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Christopher Glenn, Teresa Brewer, Levi Stubbs, Vic Mizzy, Sylvia Kristel, Gord Downie, Elijah Cummings, and today, Mitzi Gaynor.
== !!!! BONUS !!!! ==
Since this is hitting inboxes late on the 17th, here's bonus On This Day Stuff for FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18!
-On OCTOBER 18, 1867, William Seward's deal to purchase the Alaska Territory was approved. On OCTOBER 18, 1898, Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory. On OCTOBER 18 1931, Al Capone was convicted of tax evasion. On OCTOBER 18, 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave the Black Power salute after winning medals in track and field at the Mexico City Olympics Games. On OCTOBER 17, 1974, Al Green was attacked in his bathtub with scalding hot water over a romantic dalliance. On OCTOBER 17, 1977, Reggie Jackson hit three home runs with three swings during the World Series, earning the nicknames "Mr. October" and "The Straw That Stirs the Drink." And on OCTOBER 18, 2007, Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan and survived an assassination attempt.
-Debuts on OCTOBER 18: MOBY DICK (1851), the British Broadcasting Company (1922), WEST SIDE STORY (1961), WALT DISNEY'S THE JUNGLE BOOK (1967), Led Zeppelin (1968), the Clean Water Act (1972), U.S. aid to Contra rebels (1986), ROSEANNE (1988), MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO (1991), MAMMA MIA! (2001).
-Happy Birthday on OCTOBER 18 to Lotte Lenya, Bobby Troup, Pierre Trudeau, Melina Mercouri, Chuck Berry, Klaus Kinski, George C. Scott, Keith Jackson, Forrest Gregg, Inger Stevens, Peter Boyle, Dawn Wells, Mike Ditka, Cynthia Weill, Howard Shore, Laura Nyro, Ntozake Shange, Ed Farmer, Gary Richrath, Wendy Wasserstein, Pam Dawber, Terry McMillan, Chuck Lorre, Martina Navratilova, Leticia James, Thomas Hearns, Erin Moran, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Wynton Marsalis, Ne-Yo, Esperanza Spaulding, Lindsey Vonn, Zac Efron, Brittany Griner, and Barry Keoghan.
-Rest in Peace/Rest in Power on OCTOBER 18 to Charles Babbage, Thomas Edison, Walt Kelly, Bess Truman, Jon-Erik Hexum, Nancy Dickerson, Gwen Verdon, Julie London, Norman Corwin, Bum Phillips, Tom Foley, Colin Powell, and Dwight Twilley.
-Feed the Worms: Jesse Helms and Lee Harvey Oswald entered Earth on OCTOBER 18.
-Baseball player and cheating Manager Alex Cora was born on OCTOBER 18. You decide if he gets a Happy Birthday or if he Feeds the Worms.