October 22, 2024

Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Annette’s News Roundup.

Kamala is always busy.

Yesterday Vice President Harris held campaign events with Liz Cheney in Malvern, Pennsylvania; Birmingham, Michigan; and Brookfield, Wisconsin.

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Endorsements, and the opposite of an endorsement.

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The States.

Texas, Ted Cruz and Colin Allred.

Ted Cruz Suffers Blow as Texas' Biggest Newspaper Endorses Opponent

In another blow to Republican Senator Ted Cruz, Texas' biggest newspaper has endorsed his Democratic opponent, Rep. Colin Allred.

Cruz is facing Allred, a three-term congressman from Dallas, in a closely watched race that could determine which party wins control of the U.S. Senate.

Democrats see Texas as one of the party's best chances to pick up a Senate seat in November, while Cruz has urged Republicans to take Texas seriously as polls suggest the race could be competitive.

The Dallas Morning News, the state's top newspaper by daily circulation, endorsed Allred in a front-page editorial on Sunday.

Allred has also been endorsed by the Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The Morning News' editorial heavily criticized Cruz, saying that he has "long embraced the politics of division" and on items of crucial importance to the country, he "digs in the most partisan mode possible, making no room for common ground." (The Hill).

Colin Allred for the Senate from Texas.

https://app.oath.vote/donate?p=niemtzow-allred&ref=PPIAM0N1

Ohio. Sherrod Brown.

Former Republican Ohio Governor backs Democrat Sherrod Brown for Senate

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, scion of one of the state's best-known Republican families, threw his support Sunday behind Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in his hotly contested reelection race against GOP nominee Bernie Moreno.

Taft, 82, made known his intention to vote for Brown over Moreno, a Donald Trump-backed Cleveland businessman, in a letter to the editor of the Dayton Daily News.

The grandson of “Mr. Republican” Robert A. Taft Sr. and great-grandson of William Howard Taft, the only person in American history to have been president and chief justice of the United States, praised Brown in the letter without mentioning Moreno.

Taft cited, among the reasons for his decision, Brown’s collaboration with U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, on behalf of the Dayton area, including Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; Brown's 25 years of experience in public office; and Brown's committee assignments as a result of his senior status in the Senate.

“Although not in agreement with Senator Brown on every policy issue, I believe Ohioans very much need a highly effective, experienced advocate in the U.S. Senate — someone who is squarely focused on both Ohio's and America's needs,” Taft wrote.

It remained unclear how Taft’s backing might play at the ballot box given Ohio’s hard shift to the right in recent elections. The endorsement comes as Brown works to attract independent and Republican crossover voters in the record-setting $400 million-plus contest.

Moreno’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

Trump supporters now hold sway within the state GOP and the former president's endorsements have eclipsed those of mainstream Ohio Republicans in recent elections.

Trump's backing elevated Moreno to victory in a crowded primary field this spring, despite both GOP Gov. Mike DeWine and recently retired Republican Sen. Rob Portman endorsing a rival candidate, for example, and boosted first-time politician JD Vance to a Senate victory over the objections of a cadre of state Republican leaders. (Abc6onyourside).

Return Sherrod Brown to the Senate from Ohio.

https://app.oath.vote/donate?p=niemtzow-brown&ref=PPIAM0N1

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And them polls, them polls, them real (and fake) polls.

From Simon Rosenberg, Hopium Chronicles, October 21, 2024.

Here is today’s Washington Post battleground state poll average, an average which tries hard to screen out bad and R leaning polls. It shows Harris ahead, leading.

Then, last Wednesday, the Rs turned a switch on and dumped a lot of polls into the national polling averages. We saw polls form Emerson, Fox News, Quantas, RMG, and the right-wing firm TIPP's launched a daily tracker, adding 4 more polls. Senate Republicans even joined the party, dropping a favorable national poll, as did ActiVote and Atlas whatever the f—k they are. 538 moved from 2.6 Harris on Wednesday to 1.8 Harris this morning, and many polling averages and forecasters tipped to Trump over the weekend.

This movement, and the tipping to Trump, are, in my view, manufactured and should not be treated as authentic movement in the race. Welcome to red wave 2024.

The red wave 2024 campaign is far bigger this time, and has started far earlier. Here’s what we know:

They’ve released 70+ polls into the averages, with 31 r-aligned groups having released polls since August. These polls are consistently 1-5 points more Republican than the independent polls, as was the case in 2022.

A majority of recent polls in NC and PA are right-aligned.

While their focus has been on the states, last week they really leaned into the national polling average and moved it and other forecasts this weekend.

There are new actors this year - offshore crypto company Polymarket, Elon and X, and a slew of very aggressive right-wing amplifiers and influencers.

The launching of a new daily national tracking poll by TIPP, a far right institution, is an escalation that will be putting downward pressure on the national average every day until the election.

The emergence of TIPP as the pointy edge of the red wave spear is notable given how outrageously right wing it is. It’s corporate slogan is “talent loaned from God” - Rush Limbaugh’s catchphrase. It offers a steady stream of commentary that would be at home at Fox News or the RNC site. Some recent examples:

Harris’s Fiery Campaign of Rage Exposes Her Unpresidential Temperament

The Left Is Still Obsessed With 2020 Election Deniers

U.S. Government Pushing Climate Lies On Schoolchildren

Night And Day: Trump’s Command Of Economy Exposes Harris’s Novice Approach

Yes, it’s all very ugly and illiberal. It’s outrageous Democrats are being asked to accept the legiticacy of polling averages that have been flooded with dozens and dozens of right-aligned polls. It is why we have to go slow here, understand the game, and be smart my friends. In 2022 I worked to separate the red wave polls from the legit polls, have been doing so again here, and will keep doing it through Election Day.

But the most important thing you need to know about red wave 2024 is that they would only be going to these extraordinary lengths to shape the election narrative if they believed we are winning and they are losing.

This morning the Washington Post released a series of high-quality battleground state polls with data very similar to where the non-red wave polls had the race early last week - Harris leading, more likely to win. We are winning, and they are losing:

These new WaPo polls are a huge narrative buster for the “Trump is gaining” crowd.

To be clear - I do not believe the election is moving to Trump, nor are they outperforming us in the early vote. While these things could happen, I do not believe either is actually happening today.

I believe we are winning but have not won it yet, and we just need to put our heads down and go win this thing, together, in these last two weeks. It is up to us peeps. Let’s get to work.

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Trump is always crazy.

You may have heard. Not only was the former occupant of the White House making up lies and spewing insults at our Vice President on Sunday, but he was playing MacDonald’s worker.

The MacDonald’s where he chose to play was closed and the 5 so-called customers were Trump loyalists. No money changed hands when Trump handed them fries.

One more thing. Or two.

President Biden received the highest class of Germany’s Order of Merit, which was also bestowed on former U.S. President George H.W. Bush for his support of German reunification.

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Your Daily Reminder.

Trump is a convicted felon.

On May 30th, he was found guilty on 34 felony counts by the unanimous vote of 12 ordinary citizens.

The Convicted Felon Donald J. Trump was scheduled to be sentenced on July 11th and September 18th. He will now be sentenced on November 26.

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Joe is always busy.

Last week, President Biden was honored in Germany. Yesterday President Biden hosted a ceremony at the White House to present the National Medals of Arts and National Humanities Medals for 2022 and 2023. Recipients include Steven Spielberg, LeVar Burton, Aaron Sorkin, Eva Longoria, Spike Lee, Ken Burns, Jon Meacham, Missy Elliott, Idina Menzel and Queen Latifah.

Steven Spielberg.

Spike Lee.

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Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!

New York’s WNBA franchise won its first league championship.

Liberty 6’6 center Jonquel Jones won MVP for the Championship Series against the Lynx with 17.8 points per game, 7.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists. In the decisive Game 5, JJ scoring a team-high 17 points to go along with six rebounds, as she scored foul shot after foul shot… 7 of 7 in total.She was the only Liberty starter to shoot 50% or better in the Championship Game.

New York Liberty championship celebrations: What you need to know - Brooklyn Magazine

This week, the New York Liberty clinched their first WNBA championship, so it's time for a parade—and more.

By Brooklyn Magazine

On Sunday, after 28 years in the WNBA and multiple trips to the finals, the New York Liberty notched their first league championship, beating the Minnesota Lynx in the fifth game of a five-game series at Barclays Center. In the lead-up to the victory, New York City Mayor Eric Adams promised a ticker-tape parade. And now, as fans load up on celebratory merch, the city has announced dates and times for the corresponding celebrations, which you’ll find below. Note that, in addition to the parades, New York will mark the occasion of its first basketball title in 48 years by lighting up municipal buildings like city hall and Brooklyn’s borough hall in the Liberty’s seafoam green.

Victory parade Thursday, Oct. 24 10 a.m. Canyon of Heroes (Broadway, between Battery and city hall, Manhattan) Free, open to the public

City hall ceremony Thursday, Oct. 24 Immediately after the parade City hall (Manhattan) Ticketed event

Championship celebration Thursday, Oct. 24 7 p.m.–10 p.m. Barclays Center (620 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn) Ticketed event

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