Sen. Booker: Democrats Hope to ‘Finally Kill’ MAGA Strain of Republican Party This Election
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) claimed on CNN that the upcoming election could “finally kill” the MAGA offshoot of the Republican Party.
Interesting choice of words.
“State of the Union” host Jake Tapper began his line of questioning by rightly pointing out that the Democrats have controlled the White House for most of the last 16 years.
“America is wanted for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story a, new, chapter. I mean, she’s the incumbent vice president. Democrats have controlled the White House for 12 of the last 16 years. How can Democrats talk about a new chapter? Turning the page, you guys are the ones writing the book?” Tapper asked Booker.
Booker pushed back, claiming Republicans have been responsible for stymying “pragmatic progress.”
“Well, you know that that’s not true, Jake, because you know, politics like I do right now, we see the MAGA Republicans in Congress killing all kind of pragmatic policies that we need to get done,” Booker explained.
“On the most contentious issue we had a bipartisan deal settle on by Senator Lankford are right-wing Republican and Chris Murphy, a blue state Democrat. And what killed that deal, what killed the pragmatic progress, wasn’t the sensible Republicans, but really people that were kowtowing to Donald Trump whose influence is egregious and incredible from his appointment of three people to the Supreme Court that are now rolling back the most fundamental of our rights and freedoms like bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.”
“So to say that the MAGA Republicans are not still undermining common sense pragmatic, sensible politics is just wrong and what I know this election can do is finally kill that strain of the Republican Party in a way that I think helps the pragmatic Republicans come back.”
Given former President Donald Trump was nearly assassinated just 42 days ago, Booker’s choice of words should have been more tactfully phrased.
And what would killing the MAGA Republican movement look like if Dems win the election?
Well, according to top Democrats, re-education camps would definitely be on the table.
Watch Democrats Call To Throw Americans Into Reeducation Camps pic.twitter.com/R088lM5Gwn
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) August 20, 2024
‘She’s Come to the Middle’: Colorado Governor Insists Kamala Harris Has ‘Moderated’ Her Radical Policy Positions
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) dismissed criticism over Kamala Harris’s rhetorical shift away from the far-left, claiming she’s “moderated” her policy positions since becoming the Democrat Party’s presidential nominee.
“The truth of the matter is, yes, she’s come to the middle. She’s pragmatic, she’s a tough leader, she’s the leader we need for the future,” Polis said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Kamala surrogate Jared Polis says that Kamala has “moderated” on her Socialist polices.
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) August 25, 2024
This is a lie. Kamala Harris is still a radical that supports ending cash bail for violent criminals. pic.twitter.com/4XYaZsz1CT
“So again, while she may have in the past, ran on things, just as President Trump ran on single payer — supported single payer health care years ago and has moved away from that — Kamala Harris did support things that she’s now moderated.”
(For context on his laughable comparison, Trump said he was open to single payer healthcare 25 years ago. He condemned it in 2011 after witnessing the disastrous rollout of Obamacare, long before running for president in 2015.)
Polis argued that Harris is working to meet the priorities of all Americans regardless of their political affiliation.
“She’s going to be a president for all the American people,” he said. “Look, whether you’re conservative, whether you’re moderate, whether you’re liberal, I think you’re going to see a lot of your priorities reflected in President Harris, who’s really just out for the people, as she said, fighting to make housing more affordable, improve our schools, make education, more affordable and strengthen the jobs market.”
Polis also insisted Harris will do “a lot more interviews in the future,” citing her scheduled debate against former President Donald Trump on Sept. 10.
“She’s already taking questions at a number of different venues as she’s moving in and out,” he added.
Of course, Harris has been open about her radical left agenda while running in 2020, including ending the filibuster to force through a “Green New Deal,” defunding the police, gun confiscation, eliminating private insurance, state-funded healthcare for illegal aliens, and backing a bail fund for violent BLM rioters and criminals.
Kamala Harris: Weak. Failed. Dangerously Liberal. #MAGA2024 pic.twitter.com/PL0DeFss93
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 17, 2024
This is why Harris has been avoiding the press and interviews to answer for her radical record and policy proposals.
Watch the full Polis interview:
WATCH: @jaredpolis on Vice President Harris’ economic proposals. pic.twitter.com/nwfEzd7mmH
— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) August 25, 2024
Watch: Jon Stewart Blasts Hypocrisy of ‘Often Contradictory’ DNC
“The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart ridiculed the open hypocrisy displayed at the DNC last week, calling it “often contradictory.”
Stewart during his monologue pointed out that everything the DNC proclaimed it supported was undermined by its own slate of guests, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) condemning billionaires only to be followed up with a speech by billionaire Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
“But credit where credit is due, the Democrats, on short notice, exploited their newfound momentum and enthusiasm with a display of the breadth and width of this diverse, often contradictory party of Roosevelt,” Stewart began. “At their convention, they had union leaders and CEOs. They had Democratic Party icons and lifelong Republicans.”
“They had a guy yelling ‘screw the billionaires,’ followed immediately by a very happy billionaire,” he noted.
“They had guys making fun of people for going to Yale, and a bunch of people who went to Yale.”
“The Democrats had people who prosecuted sexual predators, and a –”
At that point, the show cut to an image of Jeffrey Epstein associate Bill Clinton.
“There goes that booking,” Stewart said with a faux wince.
The DNC’s display of hypocrisy is just par for the course, pushing a theme of “joy” while simultaneously only disparaging Trump and MAGA Republicans the entire time.
This Video Has 125k+ Likes. Americans Aren’t Falling For The DNC Narratives
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) August 23, 2024
“After watching the Democrat National Convention last night and after seeing their whole convention based on hatred, what they’re doing is they’re trying to program their people to hate the other… pic.twitter.com/JvOaPJrocf
Watch: Gov. Newsom Laughs Over DNC’s ‘Switch’ to Kamala Harris, Says He Was Told To Call It ‘Inclusive’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom laughed about the “open” and “inclusive” process that resulted in the “switch” to Kamala Harris as the Democrat Party’s presidential nominee.
During a Friday appearance on “Pod Save America”, Newsom had a laugh over the undemocratic nature of the DNC’s coronation of Harris after forcing Joe Biden out of the race.
“How are you feeling about the switch?” the host asked him.
Newsom said, “We went through a very open process, a very inclusive process. It was bottom-up, I don’t know if you know that. That’s what I’ve been told to say.”
?Wow. Gavin Newsom mocks the Democrats’ coronation of Kamala Harris:
Host: “How are you feeling about the switch?”
Newsom: “We went through a very open process, a very inclusive process. It was bottom-up, I don’t know if you know that. That’s what I’ve been told to say.” pic.twitter.com/yz9AVq2TN6— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) August 24, 2024
“A 30-minute convention between tweets and other tweets, it’s amazing,” he added.
The host and other guests chuckled as he made the remarks.
Then Newsom got serious, saying, “And you know what is amazing is how unified everyone is. I mean it’s next level.”
The Democrats know they upended the democratic process to hastily install Harris as their presidential nominee — they just don’t care.
Ukraine Has Lost Two Thirds of US-Supplied Tanks – Reports
Ukraine has lost two thirds of its US-supplied Abrams M1 main battle tanks in the space of only half a year, Military Watch Magazine has reported.
The outlet said in an article on Thursday that, according to its estimates, “close to 20” out of 31 tanks provided to Kiev by Washington have already been destroyed by Russian forces.
The latest Abrams was blown up in Russia’s Kursk Region, Military Watch Magazine said, based on videos uploaded by Russian Telegram channels. It appears to be the first American tank lost by Ukraine during its ongoing incursion into internationally recognized Russian territory, it added.
The M1 in question had “a significantly improved” explosive reactive armor, as Ukraine took steps to increase the protection of the US-made tanks, “particularly after they took heavy losses in their first engagements with Russian forces in February-April 2024,” the report read. However, the Abrams still could not withstand a projectile from a handheld anti-tank missile system, likely a Kornet, with which it had reportedly been hit, it stressed.
Military Watch reminded subscribers that Ukrainian troops operating the M1s had previously complained to Western media about “technical issues, including vulnerability of electronic components to condensation, as well as their vulnerability to Russian fire.”
The outlet described the Abrams, the German Leopard 2, the British Challenger 2 and the Soviet era T-80 tanks as “the scarcest tank classes in Ukrainian service.”
But it also pointed out that, while Kiev expects a replacement for its destroyed Leopards from the EU nations, “there have been few indications that the US could make further deliveries of Abrams tanks.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday that, since the start of its incursion into Kursk Region on August 6, Ukraine has already lost more than 5,550 troops and hundreds of units of military equipment, including 71 tanks.
Israel Launched ‘Preemptive’ Strike On Hezbollah In Lebanon ‘To Prevent Major Attack’
Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia in Lebanon, exchanged some of the heaviest fighting in months on Sunday as fears mount that a direct Iranian retaliatory strike on Israel could spark an all-out regional war.
Israel’s military launched preemptive strikes in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah’s high-value targets after allegedly detecting movement on the ground that militia forces were preparing to launch a barrage of missiles, rockets, and kamikaze drones into Israel.
Hezbollah announced in a statement that Israel’s claim that it launched a pre-emptive attack against Hezbollah’s forces to thwart a missile attack was “baseless,” further saying, “These are empty claims.” The militia said approximately 320 rockets and drone waves were launched into Israel. The IDF said the militia launched about 200 rockets. Hezbollah called the operation a “complete success.”
??? IRON DOME INTERCEPTIONS UNDERWAY IN WESTERN GALILEE
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 25, 2024
Numerous Iron Dome interceptions have been reported over the Western Galilee.
Footage shows the Iron Dome system engaging rockets fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon.
Source: Times of Israel https://t.co/DlVE96ibPD pic.twitter.com/UJ8oyGvpPy
Nadav Shoshani, the Israeli military spokesman, said hundreds of rockets and drones were fired by Hezbollah forces into residential areas of northern Israel, noting, “This is part of a larger attack that was planned, and we were able to thwart a big part of it this morning.”
Meanwhile, the preemptive strikes by the IDF involved over 100 fighter jets that bombarded Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels across southern Lebanon. The IDF said over 40 high-value targets were destroyed.
?BREAKING: In a self-defense act to remove Hezbollah’s threat, the IDF is striking targets in south Lebanon, from which the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror organization was planning to launch their attacks on Israeli civilians.
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) August 25, 2024
Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks are targeting… pic.twitter.com/BtuUAqtgsv
Still needs to be confirmed.
?????ISRAEL WARSHIP HIT BY HEZBOLLAH?!
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 25, 2024
A scene has surfaced showing the exact moment an Israeli Navy’s Dvora-class warship was struck by Hezbollah, resulting in the death of a soldier on board.
The attack occurred during initial response operations following the assassination… pic.twitter.com/OaxVSoVbFa
The cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah was some of the most severe in months, resulting in at least three fatalities in Lebanon, according to the country’s health ministry. However, within hours after the fight began, both sides appeared to de-escalate, with Hezbollah declaring its military operations “finished for the day.” In a further indication that the situation was stabilizing, Israel, which shuttered Ben-Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv earlier, reopened the airport later in the day.
Furthermore, Israel’s military lifted most of the emergency orders it imposed nationwide during the pre-emptive strike mission and resulting missile and drone strikes into Israel by militia forces.
8,000 + rockets.
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) August 25, 2024
Every rocket has an address.
What would you do if that address was yours? pic.twitter.com/gN5WZVpWoV
The UN missions in Lebanon pleaded to “refrain from further escalatory action” and urged “a return to the cessation of hostilities” between both sides due to the risks of regional conflict.
Hezbollah is heavily armed with missiles and drones. CNN provides a threat map of the militia’s missile ranges.
The IDF outnumbers Hezbollah forces by a significant margin.
Before Sunday, regional conflict risks across the Middle East have been elevated following Israel’s assassinations of senior leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, with Tehran warning about retaliatory strikes.
Meanwhile, an Israeli delegation will head to Egypt on Sunday to advance cease-fire talks and hostage deals in Gaza, according to NYTimes, citing two Israeli officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Senior officials from Qatar, the US, and Egypt were brokering the talks. Hamas officials arrived in Cairo on Saturday night, though it wasn’t entirely clear if they would participate in the direct negotiations.
In markets last week, Brent crude rebounded to $79/bbl after sliding to $76/bbl.
Here is Goldman’s Lindsay Matcham’s take on crude markets last week:
Crude; bullish factors include positioning which has dropped to an all-time low, global oil commercial stocks have pivoted to modest draws and brent call options implied vol skew jumped to its highest level since April as Iran reiterated its intentions to retaliate against Israel and amid Ukraine’s incursion into Western Russia.
GS shows Brent’s net managed money positioning plunged to its all-time low in data going back to 2011.
Traders are split between geopolitical concerns and a slowdown in China and the US, and there is no clear direction in Brent price action.