Recap of Today in Politics, 10/21/24

… Hundreds of people in Asheville, NC were furious today after another Trump staged photo op at the disaster site blocked off roads including I-240 for hours in the middle of the work day. People complained that they couldn’t get to work, doctor’s appointments, grocery stores, pharmacies, pick up children, even an appointment with an insurance adjuster.

… You can read our exclusive story about that here.

… All so Trump could get his award from a local McDonald’s franchisee - his official French Fry Certification Pin.

… Kamala Harris set an all-time record for fundraising in the last quarter, raising over $1 Billion.

… Judges in MI & NC denied attempts by the RNC to block ballots from overseas, many of which are military, unless that voter can first prove that they resided in that state. Democrats see these voters as a crucial bloc and have spent millions of dollars in outreach to them. Something else for Trump to cry “rigged!” about.

… The number of women and minorities who serve in the military now has never been higher, and neither has the percentage of Democrats serving in decades. The DNC and Harris campaign recognized this early on.

… Elon Musk is in multiple legal disputes with multiple government agencies over violations of regulations by his various companies including big fines. His backing of Donald Trump is about more than just racism. He wants to do whatever he wants without government regulation and he wants the US to intervene on his behalf in his disputes with foreign entities like Brazil and the EU.

… Musk also needs a waiver from those massive Trump tariffs on goods imported by US businesses from China for his EV car batteries.

… Musk also said that he is increasing his security detail because harsh criticism of him from the Left has made him a potential target for assassination. Musk went on to say, “I’m a little shook by the level of vitriolic hatred on the Left.”

… Gavin Newsom said he used to like and respect Elon Musk but doesn’t recognize him anymore, “This is not the person I knew. I just don’t have confidence that there’s other things he’s not up to behind the scenes.” (I’ll translate: he means Ketamine)

… The Dallas Morning News, the largest newspaper in Texas, endorsed Colin Allred over Ted Cruz. The paper said that on the most important issues that the country has faced during Ted’s time in the Senate, Cruz “digs in in the most partisan mode possible, making no room for common ground.” They were also critical of him about J6: “His actions were a catalyst for what became one of the worst days in our nation’s history.”

… Steve Bannon’s daughter complained today that he is eligible for early release from prison but is being denied because Democrats want to prevent him from rallying the grass roots MAGA voters to get to the polls. Poor guy. All he had to do was show up for a deposition.

… Kamala Harris was in Chester County, PA, Oakland County, MI, and Waukesha County, WI today campaigning with Liz Cheney and she continues to appeal for those 5% of voters who identify as Nikki Haley Republicans who say they won’t vote for Trump but aren’t sure if they are willing to vote for Harris or just vote none of the above like I did in 2016. (I know, I screwed up).

… Cheney’s message was specifically aimed at Republicans who don’t like Trump but don’t want to get grief from MAGA friends and family members: “You can vote your conscience and you never have to tell a soul.”

… To keep former GA election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss from auctioning off Rudy Giuliani’s Yankees World Series rings to help pay off their defamation judgment, Rudy’s son Andrew has filed a motion with the court claiming that his father “gifted” the rings to him previously.

… Amazing folk artist Joni Mitchell returned to the stage at age 80 and got a standing ovation from the crowd when she said, “Fuck Trump!” So many great songs, but I think my favorites are ‘Both Sides Now’ and ‘Help Me.’ Millennials, listen to those two songs and fall in love with Joni like I did.

… Trump claimed that there were 25,000 people “circling around” the McDonald’s yesterday trying to see him at the frier. I saw the footage. It appeared to be slightly less. Ok, maybe a lot less. Ok, not even remotely close.

… In a new interview, Federalist Society Chairman Leonard Leo told right-wing Daily Wire that he is shifting his focus when doling out his $1B+ war chest in the future from people who largely focus on policy research and ideas to those who are “operationalizing and weaponizing those ideas and policies … It’s time for the conservative movement to be much more leveraged in the way it tries to implement its beliefs.”

… Leo gave 3 examples of groups who are doing the “weaponizing” of right-wing ideas: Teneo Network in finance, Moving Picture Institute in entertainment, Fund for American Studies in journalism.

… You can read my full story on the new Leo interview here.

… Trump responded to Generals Mattis and Milley’s criticisms of him by called them “woke.” He then claimed that he “fired them both,” when he never fired either one. Milley continued to serve into the Biden Admin and Mattis resigned in protest over Trump’s incompetence and stupidity.

… Never in American history has an American president’s current or former VP, Chair of Joints Chiefs, and 2 Secretaries of Defense publicly declared that they will not support the president who appointed him in his attempt at another term. Nothing likely this has ever happened before.

… Former Republican Senator from AZ Jeff Flake found out what Musk’s platform has become with his post that he is endorsing Harris. He was swarmed by Musk’s army of blue-checked, largely foreign bots as most pro-Harris or anti-Trump posts are these days. The algorithm puts their replies at the top of every post. Twitter has become a right-wing cesspool of hate and gets worse every day.

… Mitch McConnell has shifted millions of dollars into the Nebraska Senate race to shore up a surprisingly close election there. Former union leader and Democrat Dan Osborn is making a serious run at Republican incumbent Deb Fischer will polls tightening daily. Sen. John Thune said the race as become “closer than a lot of us thought it was going to be.”

… Right-wing Pizzagate provocateur Jack Posobiec complained on Twitter that the broadcast network covering the NFL game showed Taylor Swift multiple times at previous Chiefs games but only showed Trump once when we went to the Steelers game last night. Snowflakery and Victimhood are part of the MAGA brand.

… Florida Department of Health’s General Counsel John Wilson resigned in protest over letters he was ordered to send out to TV stations airing ads in support of the