Erika Kirk vowed in a speech today to continue her husband’s movement and said that “the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry,” USA Today reports.
Said Kirk: “If you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before, you have no idea. You have no idea what you’ve just unleashed across this entire country, and this world. You have no idea the fire you’ve ignited within this wife.”
“Far-right influencers and violent extremists are posting identifying details about people they view as celebrating or glorifying the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk,” Wired reports.
“The campaign has been swift and widespread and has already led to at least one person losing their job and others receiving death threats.”
“Hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to skip the barbecue and spend their Labor Day protesting President Donald Trump and the billionaires who support him,” USA Today reports.
“America’s largest charitable foundation has quietly ceased backing a nonprofit network closely associated with the Democratic Party and criticized by conservatives, a symbolically significant blow to a powerful player in liberal politics,” the New York Times reports.
“Multiple California Common Cause advisory board members have resigned as the organization grapples with its response to a national gerrymandering battle,” Politico reports.
“The departures speak to a fraught moment for an organization that has historically supported independent redistricting and fought the kinds of partisan map-drawing that California Democrats are now pursuing. Common Cause — the national group — last week reversed on its previous position and said it would not oppose California’s effort to counter Texas.”
“Media Matters, a nonprofit group that has played a key role in liberal politics, is struggling to withstand months of legal assaults by President Trump’s allies, offering a glimpse of what might be in store for even well-funded targets of his retribution campaigns,” the New York Times reports.
“The organization, which is funded by some of the Democratic Party’s biggest donors, has racked up about $15 million in legal fees over the past 20 months to defend itself against lawsuits by Elon Musk, in addition to investigations by Mr. Trump’s Federal Trade Commission and Republican state attorneys general.”
“Americans turned out en masse in communities across the country Saturday, raucously pushing back on what they see as President Donald Trump’s widening authoritarianism, attacks on immigrants and deep cuts to scores of federal programs,” the Washington Post reports.
“Yet the day was marred by the news of deadly violence overnight in Minneapolis, where two Democratic state legislators were shot with their spouses in what Gov. Tim Walz called a ‘politically motivated’ attack.”
Axios: “No Kings” anti-Trump protests attract millions, organizers say.
Wall Street Journal: “A review of dozens of known far-right social-media accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers across leading platforms like X, Truth Social, and Telegram are posting about the ‘No Kings’ rallies and encouraging their people to respond, in some cases with violence.”
“Protesters began filling plazas and streets in cities across the country on Saturday morning, mobilizing for mass demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, cuts to federal services and a large military parade in Washington that coincides with the president’s 79th birthday,” the New York Times reports.
“With a surge of demonstrations expected on Saturday against the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, the authorities in Los Angeles said they were bracing for a turnout that ‘may be unprecedented’ in the city that has been epicenter of days of sustained protests,” the New York Times reports.
“Boasting tanks, cannons, soldiers and fireworks, President Trump’s military parade Saturday is designed to be a spectacle. Opponents to Trump want their nationwide protests that day to be an even bigger one,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Progressive groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers, Planned Parenthood and Sen. Bernie Sanders’s campaign office are planning peaceful protests in over 2,000 cities across the U.S.”
New York Times: Trump bristles at “No Kings” protests.
The Federal Trade Commission is demanding documents from liberal advocacy group Media Matters for America “about possible coordination with other media watchdogs accused by Elon Musk of helping orchestrate advertiser boycotts of X,” Reuters reports.
Oliver Darcy: “If the roles were reversed — if a Democratic administration were using the FTC to target a conservative media watchdog because George Soros didn’t like its reporting — outlets like Fox News would never stop covering it.”
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A practical manual for millennials and Gen Zers taking on positions of power.
“Bernie Sanders, who has been calling for progressives to run for office on his ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour, is putting more organizational muscle behind his appeal,” Politico reports.
“The Vermont senator is teaming up with the liberal group Run for Something and other outside organizations to provide support to potential candidates… The effort, if successful, could help push the party at least incrementally in Sanders’ direction. And it is almost certain to draw the ire of some Democrats, as Sanders and some of his allies help both Democrats and independents run for office.”
“Across the U.S., tens of thousands of people are expected to participate in protests against the Trump administration, its policies and the billionaires supporting them in what organizers are calling ‘a war on working people,'” USA Today reports.
“Over 1,000 demonstrations and rallies are scheduled in every state and abroad, with most being held Thursday, May 1 – historically known as May Day or International Workers’ Day.”
Simon van Zuylen-Wood: “With Trump on the rampage, Alex Soros takes control of his father’s empire. What will he do with his influence?”
“A national day of action against President Donald Trump and his administration has united an outpouring of protesters across the country who are rallying in defiance of what they describe as a relentless assault on democratic institutions and civil liberties,” CNN reports.
“Over 80 protests were held at state capitols, courthouses and city halls in several states as part of the ‘50501’ demonstrations – short for 50 protests, 50 states, one movement – condemning what they describe as Trump’s executive overreach, including deportations without due process, the dismantling of federal agencies and threats to higher education.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) filled a 13,000 seat arena to capacity for their “Fighting Oligarch Tour” in Idaho yesterday, KTVB reports.
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.
