Cut to the News
Cut through the clutter to today's top news
August 27, 2020
Good morning
Welcome to today's top news.
Leading the News . . .
Pence says election will determine whether "America remains America . . . Speaking at the historic fort that inspired the national anthem, Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday said the election will define the country for generations to come. “It's not so much whether America will be more conservative or more liberal, more Republican or more Democrat,” Pence said in his remarks during the Republican National Convention. “The
choice in this election is whether America remains America.” Pence made his convention appearance from Baltimore’s Fort McHenry, the site of an 1814 battle against the British that moved Francis Scott Key to write what became the national anthem. "President Trump set our nation on a path to freedom and opportunity from the very first day of this administration," Pence said. "But Joe Biden would set America on a path of socialism and decline." USA Today
Trump convention moment arrives: Study reveals the arsenal of rhetorical weapons he uses . . . President Trump may not have had the rhetorical brilliance of other presidential nominees during the past century, but a new analysis of his speeches reveals a deep understanding of emotion and one of the heaviest uses of storytelling techniques in American history. Trump will deliver one of the major set-piece speeches of his presidency on Thursday
evening as he accepts the Republican nomination and makes the case for another four-year term. Computer analysis of 6,500 campaign speeches since 1948 by a scholar of presidential rhetoric found that Trump used more anger words in 2016 than any other candidate, an increase that reflected the public mood and helped him win. Washington Examiner
Kamala Harris to counter Trump speech . . . Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) will deliver a speech Thursday to counter President Trump’s remarks at the Republican National Convention formally accepting the GOP presidential nomination. Harris, the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee, will speak in Washington, D.C., “on President Trump's failures to contain COVID-19 and protect working families from the economic fallout” and
the “Biden-Harris plan to contain COVID-19 and build a different path forward in America,” former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign said in a press release. The Hill
Police group calls Biden-Harris more radical anti-police ticket in history . . . The president of the top lobbying group representing police and law enforcement officers tore into Democratic presidential nominee Joe Bi den and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, calling them the “most radical anti-police ticket in history.” Michael McHale, the president of the National Association of Police Organizations, decried what he described as a rash of violence against police officers in recent months
and railed against “failed” elected officials in cities such as Minneapolis, New York and Chicago who he said had made “the conscious decision not to support law enforcement.” Biden, he said, would follow their lead. The Hill
Cheap, fast coronavirus test approved . . . The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency-use authorization to Abbott Laboratories for a $5
rapid-response Covid-19 antigen test that is roughly the size of a credit card. The low-cost, rapid-response test could be administered in a doctor’s or school nurse’s office and uses technology similar to home pregnancy tests. It returns results in about 15 minutes. The emergency approval comes as demand grows for greater access to Covid-19 diagnostic tools that deliver results in minutes, rather than days to help quickly contain infections. Wall Street Journal
Political pressure alleged in CDC testing guidance change . . .
Top Trump administration officials involved with the White House coronavirus task force ordered the Centers for Disease Control and Protection to stop promoting coronavirus testing for most people who have been exposed to the virus but aren't showing symptoms, according to two people with knowledge of the process. Federal testing czar Brett Giroir denied
those allegations Wednesday, telling reporters that the CDC ultimately decided to narrow the recommendations for who should be tested. “The new guidelines are a CDC action,” Giroir said. “As always, the guidelines received appropriate attention, consultation and input from Task Force experts, and I mean the medical and scientific experts, including CDC Director Redfield.” Politico
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Democrats fret over the lack of Biden counter-programming . . . Democrats are worried Joe Biden isn’t doing more to counter-program the GOP convention. They acknowledge that President Trump has the advantage of the bully pulpit,
and that it is difficult for Biden during the GOP's convention week to win his own headlines.
But they still think Biden should be doing more—in person or even virtually— to try to prevent Trump from getting a large bounce from the convention. And they’re frustrated the nation isn’t seeing more of Biden. The Hill
Today's Trump schedule
Dems fear rioting helps Trump in Midwest . . . Some Democrats fear that the looting and rioting and clashes are feeding Trump’s argument that this is what life would be like under the so-called radical left. The worry is that especially among suburban swing voters, the more upheaval and
violence they witness, the more their sympathy for peaceful Black Lives Matters protesters will wane. Politico
Biden offers support for Bucks after they boycott game . . . Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden offered his support for the Milwaukee Bucks after the team boycotted a playoff game Wednesday in solidarity with Jacob Blake. “This moment demands moral leadership.
And these players answered by standing up, speaking out, and using their platform for good,” Biden tweeted. “Now is not the time for silence.” New York Post
Trump wants drug tests before Biden debate . . . Biden does look suspiciously coherent at times. Not that they are letting him out of his basement. And even if they pump him up on amphetamines, he’ll only do so well in a debate, but he might make it through. According
to the Washington Examiner, Trump says he will call for drug tests for both former Vice President Joe Biden and himself before the first candidates’ debate on September 29. White House Dossier
Bette Midler backtracks after mocking Melania . . . Bette Midler says she was 'wrong' to mock Melania Trump in social media posts she shared while watching the Republican National Convention. On Thursday night, the award-winning performer, 74, sparked a furore by poking fun at
the First Lady's accent as she addressed the nation in a televised speech. 'Oh, God. She still can't speak English,' Middler quipped on Twitter, after initially writing: '#BeBest is back! A UGE bore! She can speak several words in a few languages. Get that illegal alien off the stage!' Daily Mail
Sen. Ed Markey up ten points on Joe Kennedy in Mass. Democratic primary . . . Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy III will likely be booted from Congress at the end of his term with Sen. Ed Markey in a comfortable position ahead of their Senate primary next week, according to a new poll. Markey is about 10 percentage points ahead of Kennedy, 51% to 41%, a Suffolk University survey released Wednesday found. Another 8%
of respondents told researchers they were still undecided. Washington Examiner
Jacob Blake's mother tells Don Lemon she has "the utmost respect" for Trump . . . The mother of Jacob Blake, a Black man whose police-involved shooting sparked riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin, said Tuesday she has the “utmost respect” for President Trump and thinks the destruction plaguing her city is “disgusting.”
Speaking to CNN’s Don Lemon in a Skype interview, Julia Jackson slammed the
rioters who are using her son’s name as an excuse to loot and burn businesses. “My family and I are very hurt and quite frankly disgusted,” she said. “And as his mother, please don’t burn up property and cause havoc and tear your own homes down in my son’s name. You shouldn’t do it. Washington Times
Whoops! Not the answer Don was expecting.
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Sailor investigated for arson after burning of US warship . . . A sailor is being investigated for arson in the fire that engulfed the warship U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard in July, according to a senior Navy official who did not want to speak publicly during the inquiry. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have focused their investigation on one sailor from that ship,
the official said. No motive has been identified and no one has been charged, the official said. New York Times
Chinese missiles warn US aircraft carriers away . . .China’s latest volley of missile launches into the world’s most hotly contested body of water served as a warning to two key U.S. targets: aircraft carriers and regional bases. The missiles launched into the South China Sea on Wednesday included the DF-21D and DF-26B, the South China Morning Post reported, citing a person close to the People’s Liberation Army. Those weapons are central to
China’s strategy of deterring any military action off its eastern coast by threatening to destroy the major sources of U.S. power projection in the region. Bloomberg
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US service members injured in skirmish with Russian forces in Syria . . . U.S. service members were injured after an altercation with Russian forces in northeast Syria on Wednesday, according to a draft military statement and a person familiar with the matter. Four U.S. troops have been diagnosed with mild concussion-like symptoms after the incident involving Russian and coalition armored vehicles. The incident occurred around 10
a.m. Syria time on Wednesday, when a routine security patrol encountered Russian troops near Dayrick in northeast Syria, Ullyot said. A Russian vehicle struck a coalition vehicle, injuring its crew, he said, adding that the coalition patrol then left the area "to de-escalate the situation." Politico
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Elon Musk wealth tops $100 billion . . . Three of the world’s richest people have achieved staggering new levels of personal wealth. The net worth of Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff
Bezos eclipsed $200 billion on Wednesday as shares of the e-commerce giant climbed to a record. The move simultaneously pushed his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott, 50, to the brink of becoming the world’s richest woman, just behind L’Oreal SA heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers. Elon Musk, meanwhile, extended an extraordinary stretch of wealth gains to become a centibillionaire. Tesla Inc. shares rallied Wednesday, pushing his net worth to $101 billion, according to
the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a listing of the world’s 500 richest people. Bloomberg
America's malls are in crisis . . . Most Americans have never been to Crystal Mall, nestled between a stand-alone Target and a sprawling Home Depot on a nondescript four-lane turnpike that could be anywhere. And that’s just the point: This two-level shopping center in Waterford, Connecticut—with its disappearing department stores, bankrupt retailers and landlord trying to prop up its own tenants—could be just about any mall in the U.S. Similar to
the hundreds just like it across suburban America, this mall is in crisis, and there might not be a way out of it this time around. Bloomberg
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Hurricane Laura slams into Louisiana . . . Heavy rains and winds battered Louisiana Thursday morning as a weakening Hurricane Laura roared northward, threatening to spread further damage well inland after slamming the Lake Charles area. The historic Hurricane Laura made landfall early Thursday in Cameron, about 45 miles south of Lake Charles, as a dangerous Category
4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph. "This is a time for all of us to be praying for the best, while we're prepared for the worst. God bless you and your families," Lousiana Gov. John Bel Edwards tweeted just before the storm made landfall, urging much of the state to stay off the road. As the storm roared into Louisiana, a 133 mph gust and an 85 mph sustained wind were measured in Lake Charles. Fox News
Kenosha riots continue for fourth night . . . Protesters gathered near the county courthouse in Kenosha for the fourth consecutive night of demonstrations, defying a 7pm curfew, to denounce the police shooting of black man Jacob Blake. Donald Trump announced Wednesday he will deploy federal law enforcement and the National Guard to Kenosha 'to restore law and order', slamming the looting, arson, and violence unfolding in the embattled
city. Demonstrators continued to pour into Kenosha’s streets on Wednesday evening, setting fire to cars in a lot where Tuesday night's fatal shooting took place. Daily Mail
Jacob Blake had a knife in his car . . . Jacob Blake had a knife inside his vehicle when he was shot seven times by a Wisconsin police officer as he opened the SUV’s door, authorities revealed Wednesday. The discovery of the weapon, found on the driver’s side floorboard of Blake’s SUV, was announced by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, who is investigating the Sunday shooting in Kenosha that has ignited deadly protests in the city.
Officials also said Blake copped to having the knife, but it’s unclear exactly when he made the admission. New York Post
Kenosha shooter an avid Blue Lives Matter backer . . . The teenage Kenosha gunman accused of shooting dead two protesters on Tuesday night with an AR-15 sat front row at a Trump rally earlier this year and is an avid Blue Lives Matter activist who boasted about his role as a vigilante before the shootings. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, was arrested on Wednesday at his home in Antioch, Illinois, some 20 miles from Kenosha, where riots over the shooting of
Jacob Blake have been raging now for four nights. He is accused of killing two people at the protests on Tuesday night while trying to 'defend' the city. Daily Mail
Portland mayor: Let the riot burn itself out . . . Democratic Portland mayor Ted Wheeler —who has yet to provide his police department with consistent directives to quell the riots, arson, and looting that have plagued his city for months—told Oregon Public Radio his strategy was to let the violence "burn itself out." Wheeler told OPR reporter Rebecca Ellis last week that he expects daily protests in the city—which began in May following the death
of George Floyd—to last for some time. He said he expects nightly violence that followed the protests "will ultimately burn itself out." Washington Free Beacon
NBA may shut down in protest over Kenosha shooting . . . The Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers, led by superstar LeBron James, reportedly voted to boycott the rest of the NBA playoffs. According to Shams Charania, lead NBA writer for The Athletic, James walked out of a hastily-called players meeting when other team representatives said they would not join. However, Mr. Charania
reported, other players realize that even if just those two teams boycott the season, enormous problems would be created in finishing the playoffs. Washington Times
Brave diner refuses to be intimidated by BLM mob . . . This is the woman who bravely stood up to a Black Lives Matter mob in Washington DC, refusing to raise her fist on their command.
Lauren B. Victor, a 49-year-old urban planner, was aggressively heckled by marchers on Monday night while she was dining with a friend in the Adams Morgan district. Footage, which showed the demonstrators yelling at Victor, has now gone viral and sparked a widespread backlash. It showed Victor, a MBA graduate of Columbia
Business School, stand her ground. She later told The Washington Post that she felt that she was 'under attack'. Daily Mail
Fugitive who murdered daughters in "honor killing" nabbed . . . A Texas cab driver accused of murder who had been on the FBI’s “Top Ten” list of fugitives has been apprehended after being on the lam since 2008, according to reports. Yaser Abdel Said, 63, of Lewisville, northwest of Dallas, reportedly became upset when his daughters, ages 18 and 17, started dating non-Muslims, police told FOX 4 of Dallas. On New Year’s Day 2008, Said invited his daughters Amina and Sarah out to eat but instead drove them to Irving, where he allegedly fatally shot them inside his vehicle in what
were described as “honor killings,” the station reported. Fox News
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Medieval artist gave himself a nose job . . . Italian researchers have created a 3D reconstruction of the face of Renaissance master Raphael, which they say proves once and for all that the artist was buried in the Pantheon in Rome. But scientists made another,
more surprising discovery -- they think the artist, who lived from 1483 to 1520, gave himself a "nose job" when painting self-portraits, using some artistic license to "refine" his image in the works. CNN
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Keith
Keith Koffler
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