“Well, I’m not a lesbian or bisexual, and I have never, ever been in any inappropriate relationship, nor have I ever been sexually involved with any staff.”
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), quoted by Sources Say News.
Just dropped · Trial Balloon · Ep. 187
Bad Instincts
Trial Balloon · Ep. 187: Bad Instincts
Republican Enthusiasm Is Fading
Wall Street Journal: “With Election Day approaching, Republican worries about voter enthusiasm are spilling beyond swing states into red bastions such as Kansas, Texas, Alaska, Ohio, Iowa and Nebraska. Trump’s approval rating sits near record lows, and frustrations are growing over the state of the economy, tariffs and the war in Iran. At stake is control of Congress: Democrats need to pick up just three seats to retake the House and four to win back the Senate.”
Trump Turns On Media After Recent Losses
New York Times: “Despite his attempts to talk his way out of it, the war against Iran continues to be immensely unpopular with Americans concerned with Mr. Trump’s handling of the economy and high gasoline prices. The Supreme Court, including justices he appointed, blocked Mr. Trump’s attempts to restrict mail-in voting.”
“And with the midterm elections looming, the president’s political authority appears to be ebbing after years in which he dominated not just his party but also the national discourse.”
“So after these losses, an increasingly frustrated Mr. Trump, seeking to change the subject, has turned to a new assault on his preferred foe: the news media.”
CNN: First Amendment lawyer says Trump’s media outlet ban “not allowed.”
India Is Squeezed Between Trump Tariffs and Russian Oil
“A new sanctions law giving President Trump broad authority to impose steep tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil adds a new layer of uncertainty to India’s already fraught trade relationship with the United States,” the New York Times reports.
“The bill, signed by President Trump on Friday, gives him the power to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from countries that continue to buy Russian energy. The aim of Congress was to choke off the revenue that finances Moscow’s war in Ukraine.”
“The law, however, gives Mr. Trump considerable discretion over when and how to wield those tariffs, and it’s not clear when — or even whether — he would impose tariffs that would raise the cost of American imports of Indian goods.”
Bloomberg: Trump signs Russia sanctions bill granting new tariff powers.
Newsom Signs Influencer Disclosure Law
“Gov. Gavin Newsom of California signed legislation on Saturday that will penalize social media influencers who do not properly disclose paid political content posted on the internet,” the New York Times reports.
“The state has required the disclosures for paid posts about state- and local-level campaigns since 2023, but until now, content creators couldn’t be fined or prosecuted if they failed to comply. Now, California campaign finance regulators are empowered to impose fines on influencers of up to $5,000 for each violation or to refer those violations to law enforcement as potential misdemeanors.”
Yemen’s Houthis Claim Attack On Saudi Capital
“Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed an attack Saturday on Saudi Arabia’s capital that apparently targeted jet-fuel storage at its airport, marking the first direct assault on Riyadh in months as the group squeezes the kingdom’s Red Sea route for its oil exports,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Black smoke could be seen at King Khalid International Airport, in the latest escalation in the attacks targeting the kingdom.”
“The strike hit jet-fuel facilities at the airfield, three officials with knowledge of the incident said.”
Trump to Form ‘AI Force’
“President Donald Trump said he will name an official responsible for artificial intelligence and form an unspecified ‘AI Force,’ rejecting calls from lawmakers and industry leaders for new guardrails on the rapidly advancing technology,” the Washington Post reports.
”Trump compared the new ‘AI Force’ to the ‘Space Force’ he added to the Armed Services in his first term. The White House did not immediately respond to a request to clarify whether the agency would be military or civilian.”
Democrats’ Influencer Era Has Arrived
Politico: “After Trump’s 2024 victory, Democrats are playing catch up by taking a page from the GOP playbook: Influencers are being deeply embedded into campaigns, from Florida to Alaska, and candidates are popping up on screen with them, on their turf. Developing an influencer program is now a common component of a campaign, mapped alongside traditional voter outreach methods like door-knocking and phone-banking.”
“This approach isn’t without controversy. Within the Democratic Party there’s a raging discussion about the ethics of engaging boisterous online personalities — and sharp disagreement about whether influencers should be brought on board at all. No one can agree if they should be paid or remain volunteers or if they should be considered independent journalists or campaign surrogates or something else entirely.”
Democrats Try to Ride Data Center Backlash to Victory
Reuters: “The groundswell building against data centers during election season has given Democratic candidates a new opening in the rural U.S. Midwest, where they have struggled to compete during Donald Trump’s presidency.”
Oil Prices Could Be Much Higher
Associated Press: “When President Donald Trump launched his war against Iran in late February, energy analysts issued dire warnings that oil prices could more than double during a protracted conflict and urged investors and motorists to buckle up for a bumpy ride.”
“The war grinds on and oil prices certainly remain volatile. But the most dire projections have not yet come to pass six months into a conflict that has no end in sight.”
“Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is making a much-anticipated state visit to Washington next week, could make a credible argument that the world has his country’s energy strategy to thank for that.”
South Dakota’s Top Election Official Backs Democrat
South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson (R) endorsed the Democrat running to succeed her, Terrence Davis (D), The Downballot reports.
Johnson lost the GOP nomination at a party convention over the summer to Heather Baxter (R), a member of the state Freedom Caucus who wants to hand-count all ballots.
Mike Waltz Quietly Signals He’s Looking Past the UN
Politico: “Around Washington, there’s speculation that he might someday go for a Senate seat from Florida, and no one rules out a presidential run… The late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told people that Waltz had sought his support in becoming secretary of State should Marco Rubio, whom many pols suspect has presidential aspirations, leave the role.”
Complaint Alleges Lauren Boebert Slept with Three Staffers
“A sworn ethics complaint filed yesterday with the U.S. House Committee on Ethics alleges that Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) engaged in sexual relationships with three House employees under her direct supervision,” the Colorado Times Recorder reports.
New Battleground District Poll Shows Democrats Up
Cook Political Report: “A new Battleground District Project poll of the most competitive House districts in the country finds Democrats in a strong position to flip control of the chamber this fall. It also finds an electorate eager to see a new Congress do more than simply hold President Donald Trump to account, but also to make fundamental changes to the political system.”
“The poll, which was conducted for The Cook Political Report by Democratic firm New River Strategies and Republican firm GS Strategy Group, surveyed voters in the 37 districts we rate as Toss Up, Lean Republican or Lean Democrat. In those competitive districts, which Trump won by an average of five points in 2024, Democrats now hold a two-point advantage on the generic congressional ballot, 49% to 47%.”
“In other words, a district that Trump carried by five points in 2024 would have a Democratic advantage of two points today — a seven-point swing in Democrats’ favor.”
Denmark Optimistic About Greenland Agreement with U.S.
“Denmark’s government was cautiously optimistic on Saturday following Donald Trump’s announcement of a deal on Greenland to bolster U.S. military presence there but keep the island under Danish control after months of threats by the U.S. president to seize the semiautonomous territory of a NATO ally,” the Associated Press reports.
“The Arctic island’s top leaders echoed that stance and said the deal, which has not yet been made public, was long in coming.”
CNBC: Trump says U.S. to build a “large Military presence” in Greenland as part of a security deal with it and Denmark.
More U.S. Troops Have Died Amid Iran War Than Disclosed
“More American service members have died in the Middle East during the ongoing Iran war than the Pentagon has disclosed publicly, according to six U.S. officials familiar with the Defense Department’s internal casualty accounting data,” the Washington Post reports.
“Five of the officials said there have been at least 22 military fatalities — four more than what appears in the Pentagon’s public database.”
“A sixth official, who like the others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the figures, said 23 service members have died since Feb. 28, when the Trump administration, in concert with Israel, initiated the Iran war.”
Mother Jones: What else is the Pentagon hiding from us?
Trump’s Greenland Pact Follows New Magnet Mining Deal
“President Trump’s new Greenland security deal comes just 17 days after a U.S.-based company quietly closed a deal to purchase a Greenland mining company that would produce more than a third of the world’s rare earth magnet supply outside of China,” the New York Post reports.
Hochul Ahead by Double-Digits for New York Governor
A new Moxie Strategies poll in New York finds Kathy Hochul (D) leading Bruce Blakeman (R) in the governor’s race, 49% to 37%.
New York Governor’s Race
Kathy Hochul (D) 49%
Bruce Blakeman (R) 37%
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