A new Gallup poll finds President Trump’s approval rating is holding steady at 42%.
Rand Paul Had Part of His Lung Removed
Sen. Rand Paul announced that he is recovering from a surgery to treat injuries from his 2017 assault, Roll Call reports.
Said Paul: “Unfortunately, I will have to limit my August activities. Part of my lung damaged by the 2017 assault had to be removed by surgery this weekend.”
We Already Know How Trump’s Remarks Will Play Out
President Trump is due to speak from the White House about the mass shootings over the weekend at 10 a.m. ET.
George Conway predicts what will happen:
- Trump will go on TV and give a speech. On paper, the speech may say some of the right things. It will look somewhat presidential. There’s an off chance it might even be good (grading on a curve).
- But the problem will be that it was given by Trump, who’s incapable of sincere empathy. So it’ll be hard to believe that he believes the words he said. And his speech won’t address his own hateful, racist rhetoric.
- So he’ll be roundly criticized for that. And he’ll also be criticized on policy grounds, because whatever he says on that score will not suffice for many people.
- He’ll see and hear all this criticism on TV, and he’ll stew. And stew. He’ll grow angry and resentful that he was forced to give the speech in the first place.
- Finally, perhaps within 24 or 48 hours, the narcissistic pressure will break the dam, and his anger and frustration will gush forward.
- He’ll tweet, otherwise say, or do something that’ll completely undo whatever positive benefit came from the speech.
- We’ve seen this movie before how many times?
Trump Blames Fake News for Mass Violence
In a morning tweet, President Trump blamed “Fake News” for having “contributed greatly to the anger and rage that has built up over many years.”
Michael Calderone notes Trump was echoing a line from the El Paso shooter’s manifesto: “The media is infamous for fake news.”
Nadler Compares Trump Reaction to Nazi Germany
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) told MSNBC that President Trump’s response to mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton over the weekend “reminds me of the 1930s in Germany.”
Said Nadler: “What’s connection between background checks and immigration reform? That we have to keep guns out of the hands out of the invading hordes?”
Quote of the Day
“Jesus Christ, of course he’s racist.”
— Beto O’Rourke, talking about President Trump on Morning Joe.
Trump Donors Financing White Supremacy
MNSBC host Joe Scarborough said that President Trump’s reelection campaign donors are funding white supremacy, The Hill reports.
Said Scarborough: “The president never tones down his rhetoric. In fact, for those of you who are funding Donald Trump’s reelection campaign you may want to take note that because you keep writing checks to this president it’s on you, it really is, because you are funding this white supremacist campaign.”
GOP Lawmaker Blames Obama for Mass Shootings
Ohio state Rep. Candice Keller (R) blamed the mass murders in Dayton over the weekend on gay marriage, recreational marijuana, video games and former President Barack Obama among other things, WBNS reports.
Keller began her post by saying “liberals start the blame game” after every mass shooting and “why not place the blame where it belongs?”
O’Rourke Slams Trump, Media In Expletive-Filled Rant
Beto O’Rourke tore into President Trump in an emotional rant when asked by a reporter if there was anything that the president could do after the latest two mass shootings.
Said O’Rourke: “What do you think? You know the shit he’s been saying. He’s been calling Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals. I don’t know, like, members of the press, what the fuck?”
He added: “I mean, connect the dots about what he’s been doing in this country. He’s not tolerating racism, he’s promoting racism. He’s not tolerating violence, he’s inciting racism and violence in this country. So, uhm, you know, I just… I don’t know what kind of question that is.”
GOP Lawmaker Says Trump Is Enabling White Supremacy
Nebraska state Sen. John McCollister (R) called out President Trump and the Republican party for “enabling white supremacy,” the Washington Post reports.
Said McCollister: “We have a Republican president who continually stokes racist fears in his base. He calls certain countries ‘shitholes,’ tells women of color to ‘go back’ to where they came from and lies more than he tells the truth. We have Republican senators and representatives who look the other way and say nothing for fear that it will negatively affect their elections.”
He added: “No more. When the history books are written, I refuse to be someone who said nothing. The time is now for us Republicans to be honest with what is happening inside our party. We are better than this and I implore my Republican colleagues to stand up and do the right thing.”
He’s Getting Worse
Jeffrey Goldberg: “This most recent phase of the Trump presidency is the most dangerous so far. He has, of course, encouraged violence, or suggested its efficacy, on many occasions in the past… But in this latest phase, his rhetoric has become particularly sweeping. Brown people in general have become his targets. And there is no reason to hope that he will reform. His followers reward his radicalism, and his handlers are among the most cynical figures in American political history.”
Trump Calls for Background Checks
In a pair of tweets, President Trump called for “strong background checks” after the latest massacres over the weekend, the Washington Post reports.
However, he also suggested pairing any gun legislation with immigration reform.
Bob Moore: “Let me see if I got this: A white supremacist comes to my community with a weapon of war, murders my neighbors because they are Latino, and we should tie tepid gun measures to honoring a terrorist’s grievances?”
DNC Hires Staff In 6 Battleground States
“The Democratic National Committee is placing operatives in six states to focus exclusively on attacking President Trump and driving local conversation about his policies ahead of the 2020 election,” Politico reports.
“It’s the DNC’s first round of staff hires in battleground states, drawing an early outline of the 2020 electoral map: Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, four of the closest states that Trump won in 2016, as well as Arizona — which has slowly been moving to the left in recent years and voted for Trump by a narrow 3.5 percentage points in 2016 — and Ohio, a traditional swing state that some Democrats argue should be considered a second-tier priority in 2020.”
Steve King Gets a Familiar Challenger
J. D. Scholten, a Democrat who nearly toppled Rep. Steve King (R-IA) in a heavily Republican district in 2018, will announce on Monday that he will run again for the seat in 2020, the New York Times reports.
“His decision sets up a possible rematch with Mr. King, whose history of racist remarks has made him a pariah among Republican leaders, though not always with voters.”
Said Scholten: “Last time, we were hoping to win. Now, we are expecting to win. We know how to do it.”
Ohio Governor Heckled With Chants of ‘Do Something’
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) was shouted down by a crowd of mourning Dayton residents Sunday night after a gunman shot nine people dead.
DeWine took the stage during a vigil and was met with repeated chants of “Do something!” as he addressed the crowd.
Republicans Struggle to Respond In Wake of Shootings
Washington Post: “The Republican Party, which controls power in Washington and both states where America’s most recent mass shootings occurred, struggled on Sunday to provide a response or offer a solution to what has become a public safety epidemic.”
“There were thoughts and prayers, an appeal to donate blood, accolades for law enforcement and a presidential proclamation to lower flags to half-staff to honor the victims — 29 killed in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, and dozens more wounded over 13 hours.”
“Some Republicans, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, cited the influence of social media and video games or mentioned mental health problems. But on the question of how to stem the rising tide of gun violence, the overwhelming response from the party was silence or generalities.”
Mass Shootings Reshape Presidential Race
Politico: “The back-to-back mass-shootings in Texas and Ohio over the weekend shook up the Democratic presidential primary, elevating the profile of lower-tier candidates, reorienting the focus of the contest and fusing the divisive issues of immigration, racism and gun control for the first time on the campaign trail.”
“The tragedies have the potential to change the dynamics in the broader campaign for the White House, as President Donald Trump and his supporters reeled from comparisons of their rhetoric about immigrants with that of a manifesto suspected of being from the shooter in El Paso, a border city with a mostly Latino population.”
China Opens New Front In Trade War
Reuters: “China let the yuan breach the key 7-per-dollar level on Monday for the first time in more than a decade, in a sign Beijing might be willing to tolerate more currency weakness that could further inflame a trade conflict with the United States.”
“The sharp 1.4% drop in the yuan comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump stunned financial markets by vowing to impose 10% tariffs on the remaining $300 billion of Chinese imports from Sept. 1, abruptly breaking a brief month-long ceasefire in the bruising trade war.”
“Some analysts said the yuan move could unleash a dangerous new front in the trade hostilities – a currency war.”