After repeatedly denying that it wants to formally ban natural gas-powered stoves, the Energy Department posted to the federal register its finalized regulation targeting kitchen appliances.

Critics from Congress to energy advocacy groups slammed the new rule, which administration officials have long denied would constitute a ban.

But American Energy Alliance president Tom Pyle said it nonetheless wins the “Triple Crown for bad regulations.”

“It’s ineffective, unnecessary, and likely illegal,” Pyle said, going on to acknowledge that the administration had watered-down the original 2023-drafted policy.

BIDEN ADMIN BACKS OFF GAS STOVE CRACKDOWN AFTER WIDESPREAD PUSHBACK

“After receiving severe backlash for moving to ban gas stoves, the Biden-Harris administration settled for this rule, which they claim would lower costs for families. Of course, what they don’t tell you is their so-called savings is a mere 21 cents a year.”

Pyle said that if Democrats continue to hold power, the rule will be a “mere down payment” on future regulatory overreach that will try to control other mundane aspects of daily life like cooking.

“American consumers [are] fully capable of choosing the appliances that best suit their needs.”

The Department of Energy, however, defended the regulation – including against claims that it had waffled on the matter.

A spokesman said the rule posted to the federal register mirrors the regulation devised earlier in the year, and that this final rule has the support of groups like the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said the Department of Energy is “building on decades-long efforts with industry to ensure our appliances work more efficiently and save Americans money.”

“When you look past misleading rhetoric, you’ll see that our appliance standards actions are intended for nothing more than promoting innovation and increasing energy efficiency without sacrificing the reliability and performance that Americans have come to expect and rely on.”

However, lawmakers who have tried to blunt “bans” or regulations on home appliances and other implements that require fossil fuel power were not convinced of the new rule’s benefits.

In 2023, Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., successfully drafted an amendment to an energy bill that would prohibit Granholm’s department from implementing the original energy standard for cooktops.

“If this draconian rule were carried out, it would eliminate anywhere between 50-95% of today’s gas appliances,” Newhouse said at the time.

WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES RULE INCREASING CLEAN ENERGY SUBSIDIES FIVEFOLD IN BID TO SUPPORT GREEN JOBS

“Gas appliances are at the center of American households. They power our stoves, furnaces, water heaters and fireplaces,” he said, calling natural gas “affordable, reliable and safe.”

On Thursday, a spokesman for Newhouse said the lawmaker’s efforts were a “leading factor” in having the original rule rescinded and revised to its current form.

“While this new rule will still require strenuous federal oversight by Congress, it does prevent states like California and Washington from implementing sweeping, radical rules that are completely unreasonable for consumers and producers and will only pave the way for other states to follow,” the spokesman said.

Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., whose Gas Stove Protection & Freedom Act passed the House but has languished in the Senate for a year, called the new rule being posted “incredibly frustrating and out of touch.”

“Americans are concerned about the fentanyl crisis that is crippling communities, and many Americans are worried about being able to provide for their families and put food on the table. Instead of considering the immediate needs of many Americans, the administration has chosen to prioritize attacking gas stoves to appease climate extremists,” Armstrong said, adding that it shows that the administration wants to control every aspect of life.

Heritage Action for America vice president Ryan Walker said the Department of Energy is “villanizing natural gas” despite its affordability and clean-burning qualities.

“After insisting they had no plans to ban gas stoves, the Biden-Harris administration just plowed ahead with its new rule that may price the hugely popular appliances out of existence,” Walker said, adding, “The Left only cares about virtue signaling and pandering to their extreme base, not the hardworking Americans trying to make ends meet and put food on the table. The next conservative administration can and should reverse the Biden-Harris appliance crackdown.”

Democrats who were either vociferously opposed to Republican efforts to blunt regulations or in favor of such rules did not offer reaction to the news.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., the ranking member on the House Energy & Commerce Committee, said of 2023 efforts to stop such regulation that “House Republicans are once again putting polluters over people.”

Pallone did not respond to a request for comment. 

Neither did Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., who previously called cost-related concerns about forcing Americans off natural gas a “conspiracy theory cooked up to embroil Congress in culture wars that shed more heat than light on the issues facing our nation.”

The Philadelphia lawmaker said in 2023 the rule proposed at the time would save consumers $1.7 billion collectively.

One longtime Democrat did, however, speak out against the original 2023 draft of the rule – as Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., said the feds “have no business telling American families how to cook their dinner.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

2024-08-15 21:06:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fexperts-rip-triple-crown-bad-regs-biden-admin-posts-gas-stove-rule-denied-ban?w=600&h=450, After repeatedly denying that it wants to formally ban natural gas-powered stoves, the Energy Department posted to the federal register its finalized regulation targeting kitchen appliances. Critics from Congress to energy advocacy groups slammed the new rule, which administration officials have long denied would constitute a ban. But American Energy Alliance president Tom Pyle said,

After repeatedly denying that it wants to formally ban natural gas-powered stoves, the Energy Department posted to the federal register its finalized regulation targeting kitchen appliances.

Critics from Congress to energy advocacy groups slammed the new rule, which administration officials have long denied would constitute a ban.

But American Energy Alliance president Tom Pyle said it nonetheless wins the “Triple Crown for bad regulations.”

“It’s ineffective, unnecessary, and likely illegal,” Pyle said, going on to acknowledge that the administration had watered-down the original 2023-drafted policy.

BIDEN ADMIN BACKS OFF GAS STOVE CRACKDOWN AFTER WIDESPREAD PUSHBACK

“After receiving severe backlash for moving to ban gas stoves, the Biden-Harris administration settled for this rule, which they claim would lower costs for families. Of course, what they don’t tell you is their so-called savings is a mere 21 cents a year.”

Pyle said that if Democrats continue to hold power, the rule will be a “mere down payment” on future regulatory overreach that will try to control other mundane aspects of daily life like cooking.

“American consumers [are] fully capable of choosing the appliances that best suit their needs.”

The Department of Energy, however, defended the regulation – including against claims that it had waffled on the matter.

A spokesman said the rule posted to the federal register mirrors the regulation devised earlier in the year, and that this final rule has the support of groups like the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said the Department of Energy is “building on decades-long efforts with industry to ensure our appliances work more efficiently and save Americans money.”

“When you look past misleading rhetoric, you’ll see that our appliance standards actions are intended for nothing more than promoting innovation and increasing energy efficiency without sacrificing the reliability and performance that Americans have come to expect and rely on.”

However, lawmakers who have tried to blunt “bans” or regulations on home appliances and other implements that require fossil fuel power were not convinced of the new rule’s benefits.

In 2023, Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., successfully drafted an amendment to an energy bill that would prohibit Granholm’s department from implementing the original energy standard for cooktops.

“If this draconian rule were carried out, it would eliminate anywhere between 50-95% of today’s gas appliances,” Newhouse said at the time.

WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES RULE INCREASING CLEAN ENERGY SUBSIDIES FIVEFOLD IN BID TO SUPPORT GREEN JOBS

“Gas appliances are at the center of American households. They power our stoves, furnaces, water heaters and fireplaces,” he said, calling natural gas “affordable, reliable and safe.”

On Thursday, a spokesman for Newhouse said the lawmaker’s efforts were a “leading factor” in having the original rule rescinded and revised to its current form.

“While this new rule will still require strenuous federal oversight by Congress, it does prevent states like California and Washington from implementing sweeping, radical rules that are completely unreasonable for consumers and producers and will only pave the way for other states to follow,” the spokesman said.

Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., whose Gas Stove Protection & Freedom Act passed the House but has languished in the Senate for a year, called the new rule being posted “incredibly frustrating and out of touch.”

“Americans are concerned about the fentanyl crisis that is crippling communities, and many Americans are worried about being able to provide for their families and put food on the table. Instead of considering the immediate needs of many Americans, the administration has chosen to prioritize attacking gas stoves to appease climate extremists,” Armstrong said, adding that it shows that the administration wants to control every aspect of life.

Heritage Action for America vice president Ryan Walker said the Department of Energy is “villanizing natural gas” despite its affordability and clean-burning qualities.

“After insisting they had no plans to ban gas stoves, the Biden-Harris administration just plowed ahead with its new rule that may price the hugely popular appliances out of existence,” Walker said, adding, “The Left only cares about virtue signaling and pandering to their extreme base, not the hardworking Americans trying to make ends meet and put food on the table. The next conservative administration can and should reverse the Biden-Harris appliance crackdown.”

Democrats who were either vociferously opposed to Republican efforts to blunt regulations or in favor of such rules did not offer reaction to the news.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., the ranking member on the House Energy & Commerce Committee, said of 2023 efforts to stop such regulation that “House Republicans are once again putting polluters over people.”

Pallone did not respond to a request for comment. 

Neither did Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., who previously called cost-related concerns about forcing Americans off natural gas a “conspiracy theory cooked up to embroil Congress in culture wars that shed more heat than light on the issues facing our nation.”

The Philadelphia lawmaker said in 2023 the rule proposed at the time would save consumers $1.7 billion collectively.

One longtime Democrat did, however, speak out against the original 2023 draft of the rule – as Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., said the feds “have no business telling American families how to cook their dinner.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

, After repeatedly denying that it wants to formally ban natural gas-powered stoves, the Energy Department posted to the federal register its finalized regulation targeting kitchen appliances. Critics from Congress to energy advocacy groups slammed the new rule, which administration officials have long denied would constitute a ban. But American Energy Alliance president Tom Pyle said it nonetheless wins the “Triple Crown for bad regulations.” “It’s ineffective, unnecessary, and likely illegal,” Pyle said, going on to acknowledge that the administration had watered-down the original 2023-drafted policy. BIDEN ADMIN BACKS OFF GAS STOVE CRACKDOWN AFTER WIDESPREAD PUSHBACK “After receiving severe backlash for moving to ban gas stoves, the Biden-Harris administration settled for this rule, which they claim would lower costs for families. Of course, what they don’t tell you is their so-called savings is a mere 21 cents a year.” Pyle said that if Democrats continue to hold power, the rule will be a “mere down payment” on future regulatory overreach that will try to control other mundane aspects of daily life like cooking. “American consumers [are] fully capable of choosing the appliances that best suit their needs.” The Department of Energy, however, defended the regulation – including against claims that it had waffled on the matter. A spokesman said the rule posted to the federal register mirrors the regulation devised earlier in the year, and that this final rule has the support of groups like the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said the Department of Energy is “building on decades-long efforts with industry to ensure our appliances work more efficiently and save Americans money.” “When you look past misleading rhetoric, you’ll see that our appliance standards actions are intended for nothing more than promoting innovation and increasing energy efficiency without sacrificing the reliability and performance that Americans have come to expect and rely on.” However, lawmakers who have tried to blunt “bans” or regulations on home appliances and other implements that require fossil fuel power were not convinced of the new rule’s benefits. In 2023, Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., successfully drafted an amendment to an energy bill that would prohibit Granholm’s department from implementing the original energy standard for cooktops. “If this draconian rule were carried out, it would eliminate anywhere between 50-95% of today’s gas appliances,” Newhouse said at the time. WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES RULE INCREASING CLEAN ENERGY SUBSIDIES FIVEFOLD IN BID TO SUPPORT GREEN JOBS “Gas appliances are at the center of American households. They power our stoves, furnaces, water heaters and fireplaces,” he said, calling natural gas “affordable, reliable and safe.” On Thursday, a spokesman for Newhouse said the lawmaker’s efforts were a “leading factor” in having the original rule rescinded and revised to its current form. “While this new rule will still require strenuous federal oversight by Congress, it does prevent states like California and Washington from implementing sweeping, radical rules that are completely unreasonable for consumers and producers and will only pave the way for other states to follow,” the spokesman said. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., whose Gas Stove Protection & Freedom Act passed the House but has languished in the Senate for a year, called the new rule being posted “incredibly frustrating and out of touch.” “Americans are concerned about the fentanyl crisis that is crippling communities, and many Americans are worried about being able to provide for their families and put food on the table. Instead of considering the immediate needs of many Americans, the administration has chosen to prioritize attacking gas stoves to appease climate extremists,” Armstrong said, adding that it shows that the administration wants to control every aspect of life. Heritage Action for America vice president Ryan Walker said the Department of Energy is “villanizing natural gas” despite its affordability and clean-burning qualities. “After insisting they had no plans to ban gas stoves, the Biden-Harris administration just plowed ahead with its new rule that may price the hugely popular appliances out of existence,” Walker said, adding, “The Left only cares about virtue signaling and pandering to their extreme base, not the hardworking Americans trying to make ends meet and put food on the table. The next conservative administration can and should reverse the Biden-Harris appliance crackdown.” Democrats who were either vociferously opposed to Republican efforts to blunt regulations or in favor of such rules did not offer reaction to the news. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., the ranking member on the House Energy & Commerce Committee, said of 2023 efforts to stop such regulation that “House Republicans are once again putting polluters over people.” Pallone did not respond to a request for comment.  Neither did Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., who previously called cost-related concerns about forcing Americans off natural gas a “conspiracy theory cooked up to embroil Congress in culture wars that shed more heat than light on the issues facing our nation.” The Philadelphia lawmaker said in 2023 the rule proposed at the time would save consumers $1.7 billion collectively. One longtime Democrat did, however, speak out against the original 2023 draft of the rule – as Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., said the feds “have no business telling American families how to cook their dinner.” The Associated Press contributed to this report., , , https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/04/931/523/Gas-Stove.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, Latest Political News on Fox News, Read all about the political news happening with Fox News. Learn about political parties, political campaigns, and international politics today., https://global.fncstatic.com/static/orion/styles/img/fox-news/logos/fox-news-desktop.png, https://moxie.foxnews.com/google-publisher/politics.xml, ,

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

Here’s what’s happening…

– Vance and Walz to debate October 1st 

– RFK Jr. reportedly seeks out Harris cabinet position in exchange for dropping out

– Google confirms Iran targeted the Trump & Harris campaigns…

Vice President Harris is doing an about-face on several far-left policies as she distances herself from President Biden and attempts to make a name of her own as the Democratic presidential nominee. 

In her first policy speech in North Carolina later this week and then next week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Harris plans to present to Americans who she is and how she will govern essentially for the first time since Biden backed out of the race and endorsed her presidential campaign. 

In recent weeks, Harris has shifted on at least five major policy stances: mandatory assault rifle buybacks, fracking, immigration, health care and a federal jobs guarantee. 

While campaigning for president in 2019, she endorsed a mandatory buyback program for assault rifles. 

“We have to have a buyback program, and I support a mandatory gun buyback program,” Harris said in October 2019, according to NBC News. “It’s got to be smart, we got to do it the right way. But there are 5 million [assault weapons] at least, some estimate as many as 10 million, and we’re going to have to have smart public policy that’s about taking those off the streets, but doing it the right way.” 

In 2024, a Harris spokesperson says she wouldn’t push a mandatory buyback program for assault rifles. …Read more

NO ‘GENIUS’ NEEDED: Retired NYPD Lt. exposes how Biden-Harris administration cooked the books on crime record …Read more

LATE ENTRY: DOJ finds 11th-hour Biden transcripts: watchdog …Read more

STAY THE COURSE: Biden says Harris ‘not going to’ distance herself from his economic policies …Read more

NO ‘MAGIC WAND’: Unearthed video shows longtime Dem rebuked student loan forgiveness before flip-flopping …Read more

POINT SCORING: Tense US, China standoff over Olympic drug testing hits House GOP …Read more

DISGRACED AND REPLACED: NJ Gov Phil Murphy has a pick ready to fill disgraced Sen. Menendez’s seat …Read more

‘DUCK AND HIDE’: Trump flips script on Harris with second press conference in a week as pressure mounts to face media …Read more

‘WE DON’T BELIEVE IT’: Vance accuses media of painting Harris as ‘second coming of Abraham Lincoln’ …Read more

STAGE IS SET: Vance agrees to debate Walz on Oct. 1 in NYC …Read more

‘COMPLETELY SCRIPTED’: Harris, Walz ripped for interviewing each other before doing media interviews …Read more

25 DAYS AND COUNTING: Harris camp still silent on when VP will hold formal press conference …Read more

QUID PRO QUO: RFK Jr. reportedly asked Harris for Cabinet position in exchange for dropping out …Read more

‘BEYOND CONTROL’: Trump says under Biden-Harris admin US has ‘new category’ of crime …Read more

STAMP OF APPROVAL: More Americans are liking both Harris, Trump: poll …Read more

‘PLAYING POLITICS’: Harris campaign ‘playing politics’ by announcing her stance on key issues: strategist …Read more

‘SO UNIMAGINABLE’: Federal judge rules against UCLA in lawsuit over ‘Jew Exclusion Zone’ …Read more

POLICE CLASH: Anti-Israel protesters clash with law enforcement, unleash smoke bombs following Harris rally …Read more

‘NOT MY GOVERNOR’: Minnesota small business owner rips Harris VP pick’s ‘radical’ policies dealing with this key issue …Read more

HOSTILE INTERFERENCE: Google report confirms Iranian hackers targeted Trump, Harris campaigns …Read more

‘PREGNANT PERSONS’: Ohio Sen Sherrod Brown scrubbed ‘women’ from bill on pregnancy …Read more

‘QUESTIONABLE’: Climate Judiciary Project accused of ‘corruptly influencing courts’ through judge training program …Read more

‘NAKED ELECTION-INTERFERENCE’: Trump legal team calls for sentencing in Bragg case to be delayed until after election …Read more

Subscribe now to get the Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

2024-08-15 20:52:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Ffox-news-politics-kamalas-180?w=600&h=450, Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail.  Here’s what’s happening… – Vance and Walz to debate October 1st  – RFK Jr. reportedly seeks out Harris cabinet position in exchange for dropping out – Google confirms Iran targeted the Trump & Harris,

Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

Here’s what’s happening…

– Vance and Walz to debate October 1st 

– RFK Jr. reportedly seeks out Harris cabinet position in exchange for dropping out

– Google confirms Iran targeted the Trump & Harris campaigns…

Vice President Harris is doing an about-face on several far-left policies as she distances herself from President Biden and attempts to make a name of her own as the Democratic presidential nominee. 

In her first policy speech in North Carolina later this week and then next week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Harris plans to present to Americans who she is and how she will govern essentially for the first time since Biden backed out of the race and endorsed her presidential campaign. 

In recent weeks, Harris has shifted on at least five major policy stances: mandatory assault rifle buybacks, fracking, immigration, health care and a federal jobs guarantee. 

While campaigning for president in 2019, she endorsed a mandatory buyback program for assault rifles. 

“We have to have a buyback program, and I support a mandatory gun buyback program,” Harris said in October 2019, according to NBC News. “It’s got to be smart, we got to do it the right way. But there are 5 million [assault weapons] at least, some estimate as many as 10 million, and we’re going to have to have smart public policy that’s about taking those off the streets, but doing it the right way.” 

In 2024, a Harris spokesperson says she wouldn’t push a mandatory buyback program for assault rifles. …Read more

NO ‘GENIUS’ NEEDED: Retired NYPD Lt. exposes how Biden-Harris administration cooked the books on crime record …Read more

LATE ENTRY: DOJ finds 11th-hour Biden transcripts: watchdog …Read more

STAY THE COURSE: Biden says Harris ‘not going to’ distance herself from his economic policies …Read more

NO ‘MAGIC WAND’: Unearthed video shows longtime Dem rebuked student loan forgiveness before flip-flopping …Read more

POINT SCORING: Tense US, China standoff over Olympic drug testing hits House GOP …Read more

DISGRACED AND REPLACED: NJ Gov Phil Murphy has a pick ready to fill disgraced Sen. Menendez’s seat …Read more

‘DUCK AND HIDE’: Trump flips script on Harris with second press conference in a week as pressure mounts to face media …Read more

‘WE DON’T BELIEVE IT’: Vance accuses media of painting Harris as ‘second coming of Abraham Lincoln’ …Read more

STAGE IS SET: Vance agrees to debate Walz on Oct. 1 in NYC …Read more

‘COMPLETELY SCRIPTED’: Harris, Walz ripped for interviewing each other before doing media interviews …Read more

25 DAYS AND COUNTING: Harris camp still silent on when VP will hold formal press conference …Read more

QUID PRO QUO: RFK Jr. reportedly asked Harris for Cabinet position in exchange for dropping out …Read more

‘BEYOND CONTROL’: Trump says under Biden-Harris admin US has ‘new category’ of crime …Read more

STAMP OF APPROVAL: More Americans are liking both Harris, Trump: poll …Read more

‘PLAYING POLITICS’: Harris campaign ‘playing politics’ by announcing her stance on key issues: strategist …Read more

‘SO UNIMAGINABLE’: Federal judge rules against UCLA in lawsuit over ‘Jew Exclusion Zone’ …Read more

POLICE CLASH: Anti-Israel protesters clash with law enforcement, unleash smoke bombs following Harris rally …Read more

‘NOT MY GOVERNOR’: Minnesota small business owner rips Harris VP pick’s ‘radical’ policies dealing with this key issue …Read more

HOSTILE INTERFERENCE: Google report confirms Iranian hackers targeted Trump, Harris campaigns …Read more

‘PREGNANT PERSONS’: Ohio Sen Sherrod Brown scrubbed ‘women’ from bill on pregnancy …Read more

‘QUESTIONABLE’: Climate Judiciary Project accused of ‘corruptly influencing courts’ through judge training program …Read more

‘NAKED ELECTION-INTERFERENCE’: Trump legal team calls for sentencing in Bragg case to be delayed until after election …Read more

Subscribe now to get the Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

, Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington, D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail.  Here’s what’s happening… – Vance and Walz to debate October 1st  – RFK Jr. reportedly seeks out Harris cabinet position in exchange for dropping out – Google confirms Iran targeted the Trump & Harris campaigns… Vice President Harris is doing an about-face on several far-left policies as she distances herself from President Biden and attempts to make a name of her own as the Democratic presidential nominee.  In her first policy speech in North Carolina later this week and then next week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Harris plans to present to Americans who she is and how she will govern essentially for the first time since Biden backed out of the race and endorsed her presidential campaign.  In recent weeks, Harris has shifted on at least five major policy stances: mandatory assault rifle buybacks, fracking, immigration, health care and a federal jobs guarantee.  While campaigning for president in 2019, she endorsed a mandatory buyback program for assault rifles.  “We have to have a buyback program, and I support a mandatory gun buyback program,” Harris said in October 2019, according to NBC News. “It’s got to be smart, we got to do it the right way. But there are 5 million [assault weapons] at least, some estimate as many as 10 million, and we’re going to have to have smart public policy that’s about taking those off the streets, but doing it the right way.”  In 2024, a Harris spokesperson says she wouldn’t push a mandatory buyback program for assault rifles. …Read more NO ‘GENIUS’ NEEDED: Retired NYPD Lt. exposes how Biden-Harris administration cooked the books on crime record …Read more LATE ENTRY: DOJ finds 11th-hour Biden transcripts: watchdog …Read more STAY THE COURSE: Biden says Harris ‘not going to’ distance herself from his economic policies …Read more NO ‘MAGIC WAND’: Unearthed video shows longtime Dem rebuked student loan forgiveness before flip-flopping …Read more POINT SCORING: Tense US, China standoff over Olympic drug testing hits House GOP …Read more DISGRACED AND REPLACED: NJ Gov Phil Murphy has a pick ready to fill disgraced Sen. Menendez’s seat …Read more ‘DUCK AND HIDE’: Trump flips script on Harris with second press conference in a week as pressure mounts to face media …Read more ‘WE DON’T BELIEVE IT’: Vance accuses media of painting Harris as ‘second coming of Abraham Lincoln’ …Read more STAGE IS SET: Vance agrees to debate Walz on Oct. 1 in NYC …Read more ‘COMPLETELY SCRIPTED’: Harris, Walz ripped for interviewing each other before doing media interviews …Read more 25 DAYS AND COUNTING: Harris camp still silent on when VP will hold formal press conference …Read more QUID PRO QUO: RFK Jr. reportedly asked Harris for Cabinet position in exchange for dropping out …Read more ‘BEYOND CONTROL’: Trump says under Biden-Harris admin US has ‘new category’ of crime …Read more STAMP OF APPROVAL: More Americans are liking both Harris, Trump: poll …Read more ‘PLAYING POLITICS’: Harris campaign ‘playing politics’ by announcing her stance on key issues: strategist …Read more ‘SO UNIMAGINABLE’: Federal judge rules against UCLA in lawsuit over ‘Jew Exclusion Zone’ …Read more POLICE CLASH: Anti-Israel protesters clash with law enforcement, unleash smoke bombs following Harris rally …Read more ‘NOT MY GOVERNOR’: Minnesota small business owner rips Harris VP pick’s ‘radical’ policies dealing with this key issue …Read more HOSTILE INTERFERENCE: Google report confirms Iranian hackers targeted Trump, Harris campaigns …Read more ‘PREGNANT PERSONS’: Ohio Sen Sherrod Brown scrubbed ‘women’ from bill on pregnancy …Read more ‘QUESTIONABLE’: Climate Judiciary Project accused of ‘corruptly influencing courts’ through judge training program …Read more ‘NAKED ELECTION-INTERFERENCE’: Trump legal team calls for sentencing in Bragg case to be delayed until after election …Read more Subscribe now to get the Fox News Politics newsletter in your inbox. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com ., , , https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/931/523/efdac28c-0fae1fd9-Kamala-Harris-Las-Vegas-August-10-2024-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, Latest Political News on Fox News, Read all about the political news happening with Fox News. Learn about political parties, political campaigns, and international politics today., https://global.fncstatic.com/static/orion/styles/img/fox-news/logos/fox-news-desktop.png, https://moxie.foxnews.com/google-publisher/politics.xml, ,

FIRST ON FOX: A group of leading bipartisan senators conducting oversight of homeland security and governmental matters are demanding answers from FBI Director Christopher Wray and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after an alleged Iranian agent was charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for orchestrating a scheme to assassinate a politician or U.S. official — potentially former President Trump. 

Pakistani national Asif Merchant was charged with seeking to carry out a murder-for-hire, the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said earlier this month. 

“This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today’s charges allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook,” Wray said in the press release. “A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any U.S. citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.”   

‘PREGNANT PERSONS’: OHIO SEN SHERROD BROWN SCRUBBED ‘WOMEN’ FROM BILL ON PREGNANCY

In a joint letter to Wray and Mayorkas on Wednesday, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., Ranking Member Rand Paul, R-Ky., Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Ranking Member Ron Johnson, R-Wis., noted that the court documents detailed that Merchant had been “orchestrating his assassination plot since at least April 2024 when he ‘flew from Pakistan to Istanbul and then on to Houston, Texas on or about April 13, 2024, to recruit individuals to carry out his plot to assassinate U.S. government officials.” 

The senators pointed to a Fox News Digital report citing multiple federal law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation, who claimed that the FBI had been watching Merchant before he entered the U.S. According to those sources, the bureau needed him to enter the country in order to cement its case and arrest him. 

‘PATH TO JUSTICE’: DURBIN URGES AUSTIN TO RETHINK REVOKING 9/11 MASTERMINDS’ PLEA DEALS

Arresting Merchant at Customs would not have allowed agents to get the necessary evidence regarding the plot, per the sources. 

“In light of this new information and to understand the extent of FBI’s and DHS’s awareness of Merchant and his plot, including the justification to allow him to enter the U.S.,” Peters, Paul, Blumenthal, and Johnson asked that the FBI and DHS leaders provide answers on when and how the Pakistani national became known to the FBI, what the bureau knew at that time and whether it had shared the information with the Secret Service. 

The lawmakers further asked the entities for information on whether the FBI had sponsored Significant Public Benefit Parole (SPBP) for Merchant for “security interests.” The suspect was allegedly allowed entry through SPBP, which grants non-citizens entry to the U.S. on a temporary basis. 

KAMALA HARRIS LED DEMS IN 2018 CALL TO REJECT MORE FUNDING FOR BORDER PATROL, ICE

They additionally questioned Mayorkas and Wray on the information provided to DHS by the FBI prior to the decision to allow Merchant into the country. “Did FBI inform DHS about Merchant’s assassination plot? When and how did DHS officials become aware of Merchant?” the senators questioned. 

In their correspondence, the senators noted that a request made last month is still outstanding for “documents and information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including any intelligence regarding a series of enumerated threats known or being investigated in advance of the July 13, 2024 rally,” where Trump survived an assassination attempt.

The initial request on July 24 came in response to an attempted assassination against Trump at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooting wounded the former president’s ear, leaving him bloodied, and killed one spectator as well as critically injuring two others.

GOOGLE EXECS PRESSED TO TESTIFY AFTER ADMITTING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SEARCH OMISSIONS WERE BY DESIGN

“Please explain what, if any, steps federal law enforcement has taken to investigate any connection between Merchant’s assassination plot and the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump,” the lawmakers requested in the latest letter. 

The FBI confirmed receipt of the letter to Fox News Digital but declined to comment. 

DHS did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. 

Fox News’ Louis Casiano, Bill Melugin, David Spunt and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report. 

2024-08-15 20:38:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fdhs-fbi-probed-info-alleged-iranian-agents-assassination-plot-possibly-targeting-trump?w=600&h=450, FIRST ON FOX: A group of leading bipartisan senators conducting oversight of homeland security and governmental matters are demanding answers from FBI Director Christopher Wray and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after an alleged Iranian agent was charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for orchestrating a scheme to assassinate a politician,

FIRST ON FOX: A group of leading bipartisan senators conducting oversight of homeland security and governmental matters are demanding answers from FBI Director Christopher Wray and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after an alleged Iranian agent was charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for orchestrating a scheme to assassinate a politician or U.S. official — potentially former President Trump. 

Pakistani national Asif Merchant was charged with seeking to carry out a murder-for-hire, the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said earlier this month. 

“This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today’s charges allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook,” Wray said in the press release. “A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any U.S. citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.”   

‘PREGNANT PERSONS’: OHIO SEN SHERROD BROWN SCRUBBED ‘WOMEN’ FROM BILL ON PREGNANCY

In a joint letter to Wray and Mayorkas on Wednesday, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., Ranking Member Rand Paul, R-Ky., Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Ranking Member Ron Johnson, R-Wis., noted that the court documents detailed that Merchant had been “orchestrating his assassination plot since at least April 2024 when he ‘flew from Pakistan to Istanbul and then on to Houston, Texas on or about April 13, 2024, to recruit individuals to carry out his plot to assassinate U.S. government officials.” 

The senators pointed to a Fox News Digital report citing multiple federal law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation, who claimed that the FBI had been watching Merchant before he entered the U.S. According to those sources, the bureau needed him to enter the country in order to cement its case and arrest him. 

‘PATH TO JUSTICE’: DURBIN URGES AUSTIN TO RETHINK REVOKING 9/11 MASTERMINDS’ PLEA DEALS

Arresting Merchant at Customs would not have allowed agents to get the necessary evidence regarding the plot, per the sources. 

“In light of this new information and to understand the extent of FBI’s and DHS’s awareness of Merchant and his plot, including the justification to allow him to enter the U.S.,” Peters, Paul, Blumenthal, and Johnson asked that the FBI and DHS leaders provide answers on when and how the Pakistani national became known to the FBI, what the bureau knew at that time and whether it had shared the information with the Secret Service. 

The lawmakers further asked the entities for information on whether the FBI had sponsored Significant Public Benefit Parole (SPBP) for Merchant for “security interests.” The suspect was allegedly allowed entry through SPBP, which grants non-citizens entry to the U.S. on a temporary basis. 

KAMALA HARRIS LED DEMS IN 2018 CALL TO REJECT MORE FUNDING FOR BORDER PATROL, ICE

They additionally questioned Mayorkas and Wray on the information provided to DHS by the FBI prior to the decision to allow Merchant into the country. “Did FBI inform DHS about Merchant’s assassination plot? When and how did DHS officials become aware of Merchant?” the senators questioned. 

In their correspondence, the senators noted that a request made last month is still outstanding for “documents and information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including any intelligence regarding a series of enumerated threats known or being investigated in advance of the July 13, 2024 rally,” where Trump survived an assassination attempt.

The initial request on July 24 came in response to an attempted assassination against Trump at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooting wounded the former president’s ear, leaving him bloodied, and killed one spectator as well as critically injuring two others.

GOOGLE EXECS PRESSED TO TESTIFY AFTER ADMITTING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SEARCH OMISSIONS WERE BY DESIGN

“Please explain what, if any, steps federal law enforcement has taken to investigate any connection between Merchant’s assassination plot and the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump,” the lawmakers requested in the latest letter. 

The FBI confirmed receipt of the letter to Fox News Digital but declined to comment. 

DHS did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication. 

Fox News’ Louis Casiano, Bill Melugin, David Spunt and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report. 

, FIRST ON FOX: A group of leading bipartisan senators conducting oversight of homeland security and governmental matters are demanding answers from FBI Director Christopher Wray and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after an alleged Iranian agent was charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for orchestrating a scheme to assassinate a politician or U.S. official — potentially former President Trump.  Pakistani national Asif Merchant was charged with seeking to carry out a murder-for-hire, the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said earlier this month.  “This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today’s charges allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook,” Wray said in the press release. “A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any U.S. citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.”    ‘PREGNANT PERSONS’: OHIO SEN SHERROD BROWN SCRUBBED ‘WOMEN’ FROM BILL ON PREGNANCY In a joint letter to Wray and Mayorkas on Wednesday, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., Ranking Member Rand Paul, R-Ky., Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Ranking Member Ron Johnson, R-Wis., noted that the court documents detailed that Merchant had been “orchestrating his assassination plot since at least April 2024 when he ‘flew from Pakistan to Istanbul and then on to Houston, Texas on or about April 13, 2024, to recruit individuals to carry out his plot to assassinate U.S. government officials.”  The senators pointed to a Fox News Digital report citing multiple federal law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation, who claimed that the FBI had been watching Merchant before he entered the U.S. According to those sources, the bureau needed him to enter the country in order to cement its case and arrest him.  ‘PATH TO JUSTICE’: DURBIN URGES AUSTIN TO RETHINK REVOKING 9/11 MASTERMINDS’ PLEA DEALS Arresting Merchant at Customs would not have allowed agents to get the necessary evidence regarding the plot, per the sources.  “In light of this new information and to understand the extent of FBI’s and DHS’s awareness of Merchant and his plot, including the justification to allow him to enter the U.S.,” Peters, Paul, Blumenthal, and Johnson asked that the FBI and DHS leaders provide answers on when and how the Pakistani national became known to the FBI, what the bureau knew at that time and whether it had shared the information with the Secret Service.  The lawmakers further asked the entities for information on whether the FBI had sponsored Significant Public Benefit Parole (SPBP) for Merchant for “security interests.” The suspect was allegedly allowed entry through SPBP, which grants non-citizens entry to the U.S. on a temporary basis.  KAMALA HARRIS LED DEMS IN 2018 CALL TO REJECT MORE FUNDING FOR BORDER PATROL, ICE They additionally questioned Mayorkas and Wray on the information provided to DHS by the FBI prior to the decision to allow Merchant into the country. “Did FBI inform DHS about Merchant’s assassination plot? When and how did DHS officials become aware of Merchant?” the senators questioned.  In their correspondence, the senators noted that a request made last month is still outstanding for “documents and information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including any intelligence regarding a series of enumerated threats known or being investigated in advance of the July 13, 2024 rally,” where Trump survived an assassination attempt. The initial request on July 24 came in response to an attempted assassination against Trump at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooting wounded the former president’s ear, leaving him bloodied, and killed one spectator as well as critically injuring two others. GOOGLE EXECS PRESSED TO TESTIFY AFTER ADMITTING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SEARCH OMISSIONS WERE BY DESIGN “Please explain what, if any, steps federal law enforcement has taken to investigate any connection between Merchant’s assassination plot and the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump,” the lawmakers requested in the latest letter.  The FBI confirmed receipt of the letter to Fox News Digital but declined to comment.  DHS did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication.  Fox News’ Louis Casiano, Bill Melugin, David Spunt and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report. , , , https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/931/523/Wray-Mayorkas-assassination.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, Latest Political News on Fox News, Read all about the political news happening with Fox News. Learn about political parties, political campaigns, and international politics today., https://global.fncstatic.com/static/orion/styles/img/fox-news/logos/fox-news-desktop.png, https://moxie.foxnews.com/google-publisher/politics.xml, ,

MINNEAPOLIS – A retired police lieutenant in Minnesota is pushing back against the narrative that Gov. Tim Walz is a “moderate” and tells Fox News Digital that the governor “intentionally” let Minneapolis burn during the 2020 riots because he “truly doesn’t like police.”

“He is not a moderate, he has never been a moderate and here in Minnesota he has been anti-police, he has raised taxes, he is nowhere near being a moderate,” retired Minnesota State Patrol Lt. John Nagel told Fox News Digital.

“He’s anti-police, defund the police, when you have police families, and we have an officer killed in the line of duty, when that family looks at the governor and says we don’t want you at the funeral. That should tell you a great deal of how law enforcement in general feels about Walz.”

Last year, the widow of Pope County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Owen, who was killed in the line of duty responding to a domestic violence call, told Walz he was not invited to her late husband’s funeral because “he does not support law enforcement,” Alpha News reported.

SHOP OWNER REVEALS HEART-WRENCHING EXPERIENCE AFTER BLM RIOTS ‘DESTROYED’ HIS STORE ON GOV WALZ’S WATCH

Nagel told Fox News Digital that a major reason law enforcement in Minnesota is unhappy with Walz was his slow response when asked to send in the National Guard as the city burned during the 2020 George Floyd riots, which Walz has faced fierce criticism for since becoming the Democratic vice presidential nominee.

Nagel, who is running for office as a Republican in Minnesota House District 46A, explained that he believes the slow response was due in part to a political calculation.

“We’re hearing this over and over and over again, he let Minneapolis burn,” Nagel said. “I think he intentionally let Minneapolis burn.”

MINNESOTA MURDER STATS ROSE UNDER WALZ’S LEADERSHIP AS HE TRIES TO TIE VIOLENT CRIME TREND TO TRUMP: DATA

“I think it was all part of a much greater scheme because he truly doesn’t like the police. [Minnesota Attorney General] Keith Ellison has never liked the police. They have been involved with people who are defunding the police.”

Walz, who publicly backed “alternatives to policing” as the Minnesota City Council was pushing to disband the police department in 2020, has been widely criticized by Republicans for not doing more to support law enforcement during the riots. 

“Tim Walz let Minneapolis burn for three straight nights without doing anything,” GOP Rep. Pete Stauber, who represents Duluth, Minnesota and surrounding areas, previously told Fox News Digital. “And he called the riots, he stated their actions were, this is a quote, ‘righteous anger.’ Hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to family businesses and buildings in Minneapolis.”

Stauber told Fox News Digital the “vast majority” of law enforcement in Minnesota are “disgruntled” with Walz’s “lack of support.”

MINNESOTA DEM LAWMAKER DEFENDS WALZ AGAINST ‘RADICAL’ LABEL FROM GOP: ‘COULDN’T DISAGREE MORE’

Nagel, who served in uniform for 30 years, told Fox News Digital that Democrat policies are “hurting Minnesota,” causing people to leave “in droves” and argued that Walz has played a key part in the “dismantling of public safety in Minnesota.”

Fox News Digital asked Nagel what he thinks voters who were not familiar with Walz need to know about him from a veteran law enforcement officer’s perspective.

“I think they need to understand that he’s not truthful, I think they need to understand that he’s power hungry, they need to understand that he’s not doing this for the good of the people,” Nagel said. 

“He’s doing it for the good of himself, and he is going to be lockstep with whatever the Democrats want, and I think it would be, just take a look at Minnesota, he’s ruined Minnesota along with this trifecta of the Democrats. Can you only imagine what he’s going to be able to do with your federal tax dollars? And when North Korea decides to knock on the door, he and his president, are they going to be able to actually handle a national crisis when he couldn’t handle a crisis in Minneapolis?”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris-Walz campaign for comment and did not receive a response.

2024-08-15 19:29:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fretired-police-lieutenant-rips-walz-surrendering-city-rioters?w=600&h=450, MINNEAPOLIS – A retired police lieutenant in Minnesota is pushing back against the narrative that Gov. Tim Walz is a “moderate” and tells Fox News Digital that the governor “intentionally” let Minneapolis burn during the 2020 riots because he “truly doesn’t like police.” “He is not a moderate, he has never been a moderate and,

MINNEAPOLIS – A retired police lieutenant in Minnesota is pushing back against the narrative that Gov. Tim Walz is a “moderate” and tells Fox News Digital that the governor “intentionally” let Minneapolis burn during the 2020 riots because he “truly doesn’t like police.”

“He is not a moderate, he has never been a moderate and here in Minnesota he has been anti-police, he has raised taxes, he is nowhere near being a moderate,” retired Minnesota State Patrol Lt. John Nagel told Fox News Digital.

“He’s anti-police, defund the police, when you have police families, and we have an officer killed in the line of duty, when that family looks at the governor and says we don’t want you at the funeral. That should tell you a great deal of how law enforcement in general feels about Walz.”

Last year, the widow of Pope County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Owen, who was killed in the line of duty responding to a domestic violence call, told Walz he was not invited to her late husband’s funeral because “he does not support law enforcement,” Alpha News reported.

SHOP OWNER REVEALS HEART-WRENCHING EXPERIENCE AFTER BLM RIOTS ‘DESTROYED’ HIS STORE ON GOV WALZ’S WATCH

Nagel told Fox News Digital that a major reason law enforcement in Minnesota is unhappy with Walz was his slow response when asked to send in the National Guard as the city burned during the 2020 George Floyd riots, which Walz has faced fierce criticism for since becoming the Democratic vice presidential nominee.

Nagel, who is running for office as a Republican in Minnesota House District 46A, explained that he believes the slow response was due in part to a political calculation.

“We’re hearing this over and over and over again, he let Minneapolis burn,” Nagel said. “I think he intentionally let Minneapolis burn.”

MINNESOTA MURDER STATS ROSE UNDER WALZ’S LEADERSHIP AS HE TRIES TO TIE VIOLENT CRIME TREND TO TRUMP: DATA

“I think it was all part of a much greater scheme because he truly doesn’t like the police. [Minnesota Attorney General] Keith Ellison has never liked the police. They have been involved with people who are defunding the police.”

Walz, who publicly backed “alternatives to policing” as the Minnesota City Council was pushing to disband the police department in 2020, has been widely criticized by Republicans for not doing more to support law enforcement during the riots. 

“Tim Walz let Minneapolis burn for three straight nights without doing anything,” GOP Rep. Pete Stauber, who represents Duluth, Minnesota and surrounding areas, previously told Fox News Digital. “And he called the riots, he stated their actions were, this is a quote, ‘righteous anger.’ Hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to family businesses and buildings in Minneapolis.”

Stauber told Fox News Digital the “vast majority” of law enforcement in Minnesota are “disgruntled” with Walz’s “lack of support.”

MINNESOTA DEM LAWMAKER DEFENDS WALZ AGAINST ‘RADICAL’ LABEL FROM GOP: ‘COULDN’T DISAGREE MORE’

Nagel, who served in uniform for 30 years, told Fox News Digital that Democrat policies are “hurting Minnesota,” causing people to leave “in droves” and argued that Walz has played a key part in the “dismantling of public safety in Minnesota.”

Fox News Digital asked Nagel what he thinks voters who were not familiar with Walz need to know about him from a veteran law enforcement officer’s perspective.

“I think they need to understand that he’s not truthful, I think they need to understand that he’s power hungry, they need to understand that he’s not doing this for the good of the people,” Nagel said. 

“He’s doing it for the good of himself, and he is going to be lockstep with whatever the Democrats want, and I think it would be, just take a look at Minnesota, he’s ruined Minnesota along with this trifecta of the Democrats. Can you only imagine what he’s going to be able to do with your federal tax dollars? And when North Korea decides to knock on the door, he and his president, are they going to be able to actually handle a national crisis when he couldn’t handle a crisis in Minneapolis?”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris-Walz campaign for comment and did not receive a response.

, MINNEAPOLIS – A retired police lieutenant in Minnesota is pushing back against the narrative that Gov. Tim Walz is a “moderate” and tells Fox News Digital that the governor “intentionally” let Minneapolis burn during the 2020 riots because he “truly doesn’t like police.” “He is not a moderate, he has never been a moderate and here in Minnesota he has been anti-police, he has raised taxes, he is nowhere near being a moderate,” retired Minnesota State Patrol Lt. John Nagel told Fox News Digital. “He’s anti-police, defund the police, when you have police families, and we have an officer killed in the line of duty, when that family looks at the governor and says we don’t want you at the funeral. That should tell you a great deal of how law enforcement in general feels about Walz.” Last year, the widow of Pope County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Owen, who was killed in the line of duty responding to a domestic violence call, told Walz he was not invited to her late husband’s funeral because “he does not support law enforcement,” Alpha News reported. SHOP OWNER REVEALS HEART-WRENCHING EXPERIENCE AFTER BLM RIOTS ‘DESTROYED’ HIS STORE ON GOV WALZ’S WATCH Nagel told Fox News Digital that a major reason law enforcement in Minnesota is unhappy with Walz was his slow response when asked to send in the National Guard as the city burned during the 2020 George Floyd riots, which Walz has faced fierce criticism for since becoming the Democratic vice presidential nominee. Nagel, who is running for office as a Republican in Minnesota House District 46A, explained that he believes the slow response was due in part to a political calculation. “We’re hearing this over and over and over again, he let Minneapolis burn,” Nagel said. “I think he intentionally let Minneapolis burn.” MINNESOTA MURDER STATS ROSE UNDER WALZ’S LEADERSHIP AS HE TRIES TO TIE VIOLENT CRIME TREND TO TRUMP: DATA “I think it was all part of a much greater scheme because he truly doesn’t like the police. [Minnesota Attorney General] Keith Ellison has never liked the police. They have been involved with people who are defunding the police.” Walz, who publicly backed “alternatives to policing” as the Minnesota City Council was pushing to disband the police department in 2020, has been widely criticized by Republicans for not doing more to support law enforcement during the riots.  “Tim Walz let Minneapolis burn for three straight nights without doing anything,” GOP Rep. Pete Stauber, who represents Duluth, Minnesota and surrounding areas, previously told Fox News Digital. “And he called the riots, he stated their actions were, this is a quote, ‘righteous anger.’ Hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to family businesses and buildings in Minneapolis.” Stauber told Fox News Digital the “vast majority” of law enforcement in Minnesota are “disgruntled” with Walz’s “lack of support.” MINNESOTA DEM LAWMAKER DEFENDS WALZ AGAINST ‘RADICAL’ LABEL FROM GOP: ‘COULDN’T DISAGREE MORE’ Nagel, who served in uniform for 30 years, told Fox News Digital that Democrat policies are “hurting Minnesota,” causing people to leave “in droves” and argued that Walz has played a key part in the “dismantling of public safety in Minnesota.” Fox News Digital asked Nagel what he thinks voters who were not familiar with Walz need to know about him from a veteran law enforcement officer’s perspective. “I think they need to understand that he’s not truthful, I think they need to understand that he’s power hungry, they need to understand that he’s not doing this for the good of the people,” Nagel said.  “He’s doing it for the good of himself, and he is going to be lockstep with whatever the Democrats want, and I think it would be, just take a look at Minnesota, he’s ruined Minnesota along with this trifecta of the Democrats. Can you only imagine what he’s going to be able to do with your federal tax dollars? And when North Korea decides to knock on the door, he and his president, are they going to be able to actually handle a national crisis when he couldn’t handle a crisis in Minneapolis?” Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris-Walz campaign for comment and did not receive a response., , , https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/931/523/file-77.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, Latest Political News on Fox News, Read all about the political news happening with Fox News. Learn about political parties, political campaigns, and international politics today., https://global.fncstatic.com/static/orion/styles/img/fox-news/logos/fox-news-desktop.png, https://moxie.foxnews.com/google-publisher/politics.xml, ,

We don’t know whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Trump will win the White House this fall.

But there are two things we do know:

The 2024 presidential election is likely to be tight. And regardless of the victor, Harris will co-preside over her victory or defeat when the House and Senate convene a joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College results on Jan. 6, 2025.

She’s required to do so.

FOX NEWS POLL: CLOSE RACES IN BATTLEGROUND STATES SHOW VOTERS LOCKED IN

The House and Senate are the quadrennial arbiters of the electoral vote on Jan. 6. That’s why the date was so controversial four years ago. It devolved into a riot and emerged as one of the ugliest days in American history. What was usually a sleepy, ceremonial affair on Jan. 6 to tabulate and sign off on the electoral vote emerges forevermore as a major national security event — along the lines of State of the Union. And like it or not, possible controversy over the certification process next Jan. 6 likely gains momentum by the fact that Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee and will be on the dais for her defeat or victory.

This scenario is just another radiating political isotope, augmenting our already unsteady political climate. It doesn’t help matters that Jan. 6, 2025, will be the first time Congress has met to certify the Electoral College since the mayhem of almost four years ago. That’s augmented by the fact that Trump stands to either officially win or lose on that day, too.

The vice president presides over joint sessions of Congress alongside the speaker of the House. Under the Constitution, the vice president also serves as president of the Senate — the only leader mentioned in the Constitution when it comes to the Senate. Joint sessions of Congress are special parliamentary events. Congress only convenes in such a conclave for the president’s State of the Union address and to certify the Electoral College results. 

Vice presidents sometimes duck joint meetings of Congress (note the slight difference). They look the same, but aren’t. Both bodies of Congress assemble in the House chamber for a joint meeting. Those circumstances are reserved for lawmakers to receive a foreign dignitary. Notably, Harris did not preside over a joint meeting of Congress for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month.

However, the speaker of the House always presides as the lead figure of that body — and the constitutional officer of the legislative branch of government.

LEGAL EXPERTS SAY BIDEN ADMIN’S LEGAL THEORY IN JAN 6 PROSECUTION ‘ON THE ROPES’ AFTER SUPREME COURT ARGUMENT

We don’t know who will appear alongside Harris on the dais for the Electoral College certification next year. That hinges on which party wins the House. Under the Constitution, the new Congress starts Jan. 3 at noon and must first elect a speaker. It will likely either be House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., if Republicans retain control, or if Democrats flip the House, expect them to tap House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

The certification of the electoral vote falls on Jan. 6 by design. That gives the new Congress a few days to prepare after it begins on Jan. 3. Moreover, Congress is tasked with certifying the election on Jan. 6 so that there’s ample time to prepare for the inauguration of the president on Jan. 20.

It’s not unheard of for a vice president with skin in the game to preside over the Electoral College certification joint session of Congress. Vice President Richard Nixon presided over his own re-election alongside President Dwight Eisenhower in the January 1957 joint session. Nixon was also vice president for the January 1961 session, watching himself lose to President John F. Kennedy. Vice President Hubert Humphrey was the Democratic nominee in 1968, so he co-presided over the joint session in January 1969 when Nixon finally ascended to the presidency.

SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF JAN. 6 CAPITOL RIOT PARTICIPANT WHO CHALLENGED OBSTRUCTION CONVICTION

Speaking of Minnesota, Vice President Walter Mondale chaired the loss of President Jimmy Carter and himself to President Ronald Reagan in the 1981 joint session. Future President George H.W. Bush was on hand for the re-election of Reagan and himself in January 1985. As vice president, Bush then officiated over his own victory as president in January 1989. However, things were not as pleasant for former Vice President Dan Quayle four years later. Quayle co-moderated the loss by Bush and himself to President Bill Clinton in the January 1993 joint session.

Vice President Al Gore was on the dais for the re-election of Clinton and himself in January 1997. But Gore found himself in a particularly awkward spot on the dais four years later. Gore presided over his own defeat in 2001 to President George W. Bush, after the election of 2000, one of the most controversial in U.S. history. During the joint session, a parade of members of the Congressional Black Caucus tried to contest the slate of electoral votes from Florida — which Gore famously lost. However, none of the House members had a Senate co-sponsor to challenge the Florida vote.

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., was one of those pushing for debate on Florida’s electoral voters. Gore asked Waters if she had a Senate petitioner.

Waters replied that she didn’t and that she “did not care.”

Gore famously cut off Waters with a magnanimous line which drew applause.

“The rules do care,” observed Gore.

Vice President Dick Cheney was there for the re-election of Bush 43 and himself in January 2005. However, there was a bona fide challenge to the Ohio slate of electors by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio.

Biden presided for President Barack Obama’s re-election in January 2013. That also returned Biden to the vice presidency. And Biden helped oversee things in January 2017 when Trump prevailed.

And of course, we all now know the efforts employed by Trump loyalists to pressure former Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6, 2021.

Things will be a little different in January 2025. In late 2022, Congress adopted major changes to the archaic, 19th-century Electoral Count Act, which governed the electoral certification process. Among the biggest changes: a clarification that the role of the vice president is only ceremonial. Lawmakers wanted to make it clear that the vice president lacked power to accept or reject certain slates of electors. Moreover, the new law made it harder for lawmakers to challenge a state’s electoral slate. Before, it just required a sole House member and sole senator to join a petition. The current statute raises the bar to one-fifth of each chamber to contest a state’s electoral ballots.

So — win or lose — Harris doesn’t have much of a role other than to show up.

But just her presence on the ballot as the Democratic standard-bearer, presiding over her own election or loss, intensifies the nature of that proceeding. Especially after what we witnessed four years ago.

2024-08-15 19:13:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fwin-lose-harris-must-attend-highly-anticipated-jan-6-presidential-election-certification?w=600&h=450, We don’t know whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Trump will win the White House this fall. But there are two things we do know: The 2024 presidential election is likely to be tight. And regardless of the victor, Harris will co-preside over her victory or defeat when the House and Senate convene,

We don’t know whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Trump will win the White House this fall.

But there are two things we do know:

The 2024 presidential election is likely to be tight. And regardless of the victor, Harris will co-preside over her victory or defeat when the House and Senate convene a joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College results on Jan. 6, 2025.

She’s required to do so.

FOX NEWS POLL: CLOSE RACES IN BATTLEGROUND STATES SHOW VOTERS LOCKED IN

The House and Senate are the quadrennial arbiters of the electoral vote on Jan. 6. That’s why the date was so controversial four years ago. It devolved into a riot and emerged as one of the ugliest days in American history. What was usually a sleepy, ceremonial affair on Jan. 6 to tabulate and sign off on the electoral vote emerges forevermore as a major national security event — along the lines of State of the Union. And like it or not, possible controversy over the certification process next Jan. 6 likely gains momentum by the fact that Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee and will be on the dais for her defeat or victory.

This scenario is just another radiating political isotope, augmenting our already unsteady political climate. It doesn’t help matters that Jan. 6, 2025, will be the first time Congress has met to certify the Electoral College since the mayhem of almost four years ago. That’s augmented by the fact that Trump stands to either officially win or lose on that day, too.

The vice president presides over joint sessions of Congress alongside the speaker of the House. Under the Constitution, the vice president also serves as president of the Senate — the only leader mentioned in the Constitution when it comes to the Senate. Joint sessions of Congress are special parliamentary events. Congress only convenes in such a conclave for the president’s State of the Union address and to certify the Electoral College results. 

Vice presidents sometimes duck joint meetings of Congress (note the slight difference). They look the same, but aren’t. Both bodies of Congress assemble in the House chamber for a joint meeting. Those circumstances are reserved for lawmakers to receive a foreign dignitary. Notably, Harris did not preside over a joint meeting of Congress for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month.

However, the speaker of the House always presides as the lead figure of that body — and the constitutional officer of the legislative branch of government.

LEGAL EXPERTS SAY BIDEN ADMIN’S LEGAL THEORY IN JAN 6 PROSECUTION ‘ON THE ROPES’ AFTER SUPREME COURT ARGUMENT

We don’t know who will appear alongside Harris on the dais for the Electoral College certification next year. That hinges on which party wins the House. Under the Constitution, the new Congress starts Jan. 3 at noon and must first elect a speaker. It will likely either be House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., if Republicans retain control, or if Democrats flip the House, expect them to tap House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

The certification of the electoral vote falls on Jan. 6 by design. That gives the new Congress a few days to prepare after it begins on Jan. 3. Moreover, Congress is tasked with certifying the election on Jan. 6 so that there’s ample time to prepare for the inauguration of the president on Jan. 20.

It’s not unheard of for a vice president with skin in the game to preside over the Electoral College certification joint session of Congress. Vice President Richard Nixon presided over his own re-election alongside President Dwight Eisenhower in the January 1957 joint session. Nixon was also vice president for the January 1961 session, watching himself lose to President John F. Kennedy. Vice President Hubert Humphrey was the Democratic nominee in 1968, so he co-presided over the joint session in January 1969 when Nixon finally ascended to the presidency.

SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF JAN. 6 CAPITOL RIOT PARTICIPANT WHO CHALLENGED OBSTRUCTION CONVICTION

Speaking of Minnesota, Vice President Walter Mondale chaired the loss of President Jimmy Carter and himself to President Ronald Reagan in the 1981 joint session. Future President George H.W. Bush was on hand for the re-election of Reagan and himself in January 1985. As vice president, Bush then officiated over his own victory as president in January 1989. However, things were not as pleasant for former Vice President Dan Quayle four years later. Quayle co-moderated the loss by Bush and himself to President Bill Clinton in the January 1993 joint session.

Vice President Al Gore was on the dais for the re-election of Clinton and himself in January 1997. But Gore found himself in a particularly awkward spot on the dais four years later. Gore presided over his own defeat in 2001 to President George W. Bush, after the election of 2000, one of the most controversial in U.S. history. During the joint session, a parade of members of the Congressional Black Caucus tried to contest the slate of electoral votes from Florida — which Gore famously lost. However, none of the House members had a Senate co-sponsor to challenge the Florida vote.

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., was one of those pushing for debate on Florida’s electoral voters. Gore asked Waters if she had a Senate petitioner.

Waters replied that she didn’t and that she “did not care.”

Gore famously cut off Waters with a magnanimous line which drew applause.

“The rules do care,” observed Gore.

Vice President Dick Cheney was there for the re-election of Bush 43 and himself in January 2005. However, there was a bona fide challenge to the Ohio slate of electors by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio.

Biden presided for President Barack Obama’s re-election in January 2013. That also returned Biden to the vice presidency. And Biden helped oversee things in January 2017 when Trump prevailed.

And of course, we all now know the efforts employed by Trump loyalists to pressure former Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6, 2021.

Things will be a little different in January 2025. In late 2022, Congress adopted major changes to the archaic, 19th-century Electoral Count Act, which governed the electoral certification process. Among the biggest changes: a clarification that the role of the vice president is only ceremonial. Lawmakers wanted to make it clear that the vice president lacked power to accept or reject certain slates of electors. Moreover, the new law made it harder for lawmakers to challenge a state’s electoral slate. Before, it just required a sole House member and sole senator to join a petition. The current statute raises the bar to one-fifth of each chamber to contest a state’s electoral ballots.

So — win or lose — Harris doesn’t have much of a role other than to show up.

But just her presence on the ballot as the Democratic standard-bearer, presiding over her own election or loss, intensifies the nature of that proceeding. Especially after what we witnessed four years ago.

, We don’t know whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Trump will win the White House this fall. But there are two things we do know: The 2024 presidential election is likely to be tight. And regardless of the victor, Harris will co-preside over her victory or defeat when the House and Senate convene a joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College results on Jan. 6, 2025. She’s required to do so. FOX NEWS POLL: CLOSE RACES IN BATTLEGROUND STATES SHOW VOTERS LOCKED IN The House and Senate are the quadrennial arbiters of the electoral vote on Jan. 6. That’s why the date was so controversial four years ago. It devolved into a riot and emerged as one of the ugliest days in American history. What was usually a sleepy, ceremonial affair on Jan. 6 to tabulate and sign off on the electoral vote emerges forevermore as a major national security event — along the lines of State of the Union. And like it or not, possible controversy over the certification process next Jan. 6 likely gains momentum by the fact that Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee and will be on the dais for her defeat or victory. This scenario is just another radiating political isotope, augmenting our already unsteady political climate. It doesn’t help matters that Jan. 6, 2025, will be the first time Congress has met to certify the Electoral College since the mayhem of almost four years ago. That’s augmented by the fact that Trump stands to either officially win or lose on that day, too. The vice president presides over joint sessions of Congress alongside the speaker of the House. Under the Constitution, the vice president also serves as president of the Senate — the only leader mentioned in the Constitution when it comes to the Senate. Joint sessions of Congress are special parliamentary events. Congress only convenes in such a conclave for the president’s State of the Union address and to certify the Electoral College results.  Vice presidents sometimes duck joint meetings of Congress (note the slight difference). They look the same, but aren’t. Both bodies of Congress assemble in the House chamber for a joint meeting. Those circumstances are reserved for lawmakers to receive a foreign dignitary. Notably, Harris did not preside over a joint meeting of Congress for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month. However, the speaker of the House always presides as the lead figure of that body — and the constitutional officer of the legislative branch of government. LEGAL EXPERTS SAY BIDEN ADMIN’S LEGAL THEORY IN JAN 6 PROSECUTION ‘ON THE ROPES’ AFTER SUPREME COURT ARGUMENT We don’t know who will appear alongside Harris on the dais for the Electoral College certification next year. That hinges on which party wins the House. Under the Constitution, the new Congress starts Jan. 3 at noon and must first elect a speaker. It will likely either be House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., if Republicans retain control, or if Democrats flip the House, expect them to tap House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. The certification of the electoral vote falls on Jan. 6 by design. That gives the new Congress a few days to prepare after it begins on Jan. 3. Moreover, Congress is tasked with certifying the election on Jan. 6 so that there’s ample time to prepare for the inauguration of the president on Jan. 20. It’s not unheard of for a vice president with skin in the game to preside over the Electoral College certification joint session of Congress. Vice President Richard Nixon presided over his own re-election alongside President Dwight Eisenhower in the January 1957 joint session. Nixon was also vice president for the January 1961 session, watching himself lose to President John F. Kennedy. Vice President Hubert Humphrey was the Democratic nominee in 1968, so he co-presided over the joint session in January 1969 when Nixon finally ascended to the presidency. SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF JAN. 6 CAPITOL RIOT PARTICIPANT WHO CHALLENGED OBSTRUCTION CONVICTION Speaking of Minnesota, Vice President Walter Mondale chaired the loss of President Jimmy Carter and himself to President Ronald Reagan in the 1981 joint session. Future President George H.W. Bush was on hand for the re-election of Reagan and himself in January 1985. As vice president, Bush then officiated over his own victory as president in January 1989. However, things were not as pleasant for former Vice President Dan Quayle four years later. Quayle co-moderated the loss by Bush and himself to President Bill Clinton in the January 1993 joint session. Vice President Al Gore was on the dais for the re-election of Clinton and himself in January 1997. But Gore found himself in a particularly awkward spot on the dais four years later. Gore presided over his own defeat in 2001 to President George W. Bush, after the election of 2000, one of the most controversial in U.S. history. During the joint session, a parade of members of the Congressional Black Caucus tried to contest the slate of electoral votes from Florida — which Gore famously lost. However, none of the House members had a Senate co-sponsor to challenge the Florida vote. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., was one of those pushing for debate on Florida’s electoral voters. Gore asked Waters if she had a Senate petitioner. Waters replied that she didn’t and that she “did not care.” Gore famously cut off Waters with a magnanimous line which drew applause. “The rules do care,” observed Gore. Vice President Dick Cheney was there for the re-election of Bush 43 and himself in January 2005. However, there was a bona fide challenge to the Ohio slate of electors by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio. Biden presided for President Barack Obama’s re-election in January 2013. That also returned Biden to the vice presidency. And Biden helped oversee things in January 2017 when Trump prevailed. And of course, we all now know the efforts employed by Trump loyalists to pressure former Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6, 2021. Things will be a little different in January 2025. In late 2022, Congress adopted major changes to the archaic, 19th-century Electoral Count Act, which governed the electoral certification process. Among the biggest changes: a clarification that the role of the vice president is only ceremonial. Lawmakers wanted to make it clear that the vice president lacked power to accept or reject certain slates of electors. Moreover, the new law made it harder for lawmakers to challenge a state’s electoral slate. Before, it just required a sole House member and sole senator to join a petition. The current statute raises the bar to one-fifth of each chamber to contest a state’s electoral ballots. So — win or lose — Harris doesn’t have much of a role other than to show up. But just her presence on the ballot as the Democratic standard-bearer, presiding over her own election or loss, intensifies the nature of that proceeding. Especially after what we witnessed four years ago., , , https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/05/931/523/Kamala.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, Latest Political News on Fox News, Read all about the political news happening with Fox News. Learn about political parties, political campaigns, and international politics today., https://global.fncstatic.com/static/orion/styles/img/fox-news/logos/fox-news-desktop.png, https://moxie.foxnews.com/google-publisher/politics.xml, ,

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is attempting to remove from a swing state ballot a Green Party presidential candidate – who, in 2016, received more votes than former President Trump’s margin of victory in the state.

An employee at the DNC filed a complaint against Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s placement on the ballot Wednesday, suggesting that since the Wisconsin Green Party doesn’t hold any statewide offices, Stein wouldn’t be able to be properly nominated as a candidate, according to a statement the DNC shared with Fox News Digital.

“We take the nomination process for President and Vice President very seriously and believe every candidate should follow the rules,” said Adrienne Watson, a senior adviser to the DNC. “Because the Wisconsin Green Party hasn’t fielded candidates for legislative or statewide office and doesn’t have any current incumbent legislative or statewide office holders, it cannot nominate candidates and should not be on the ballot in November.”

Stein’s campaign director pushed back on the complaint, telling Fox that the move is part of “anti-democratic shenanigans.”

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON ONLY AMERICANS SHOULD DECIDE OUR ELECTIONS. HERE’S HOW CONGRESS CAN GUARANTEE IT

“This is a fishing expedition conjured up by the DNC, and is in line with their statements back in March that they will hire an army of lawyers and infiltrators to find any angle of attack to prevent Green Party ballot access,” said Jason Call, Stein’s campaign manager. “We absolutely will be hiring counsel to defend our ballot line in Wisconsin.”

Trump won the state of Wisconsin in the 2016 presidential election, defeating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by about 27,000 votes.

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION USING TAXPAYER MONEY TO MASK MEDICARE PREMIUM HIKES BEFORE ELECTION: CRITICS

Stein, the Green Party candidate in 2016, garnered 30,980 votes in Wisconsin that year – a number that surpassed the margin of Trump’s triumph over Clinton in that state.

Similar results were mirrored in other crucial states won by Trump that cycle.

Dave Wasserman, senior elections analyst for the Cook Political Report, made a Dec. 1, 2016, post on X, then-Twitter, highlighting Stein’s votes being greater than Trump’s margin of victory in three swing states that play a crucial role in determining presidential elections: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

In Michigan, Trump defeated Clinton by about 10,000 votes. Stein received more than 50,000 votes in the state, once again exceeding his margin of victory.

Stein is expected to be virtually nominated as the Green Party’s nominee at their annual national meeting in August.

2024-08-15 18:49:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fdnc-trying-remove-candidate-from-state-ballot-who-received-more-votes-than-trump-margin-victory-2016?w=600&h=450, The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is attempting to remove from a swing state ballot a Green Party presidential candidate – who, in 2016, received more votes than former President Trump’s margin of victory in the state. An employee at the DNC filed a complaint against Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s placement on the ballot Wednesday,

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is attempting to remove from a swing state ballot a Green Party presidential candidate – who, in 2016, received more votes than former President Trump’s margin of victory in the state.

An employee at the DNC filed a complaint against Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s placement on the ballot Wednesday, suggesting that since the Wisconsin Green Party doesn’t hold any statewide offices, Stein wouldn’t be able to be properly nominated as a candidate, according to a statement the DNC shared with Fox News Digital.

“We take the nomination process for President and Vice President very seriously and believe every candidate should follow the rules,” said Adrienne Watson, a senior adviser to the DNC. “Because the Wisconsin Green Party hasn’t fielded candidates for legislative or statewide office and doesn’t have any current incumbent legislative or statewide office holders, it cannot nominate candidates and should not be on the ballot in November.”

Stein’s campaign director pushed back on the complaint, telling Fox that the move is part of “anti-democratic shenanigans.”

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON ONLY AMERICANS SHOULD DECIDE OUR ELECTIONS. HERE’S HOW CONGRESS CAN GUARANTEE IT

“This is a fishing expedition conjured up by the DNC, and is in line with their statements back in March that they will hire an army of lawyers and infiltrators to find any angle of attack to prevent Green Party ballot access,” said Jason Call, Stein’s campaign manager. “We absolutely will be hiring counsel to defend our ballot line in Wisconsin.”

Trump won the state of Wisconsin in the 2016 presidential election, defeating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by about 27,000 votes.

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION USING TAXPAYER MONEY TO MASK MEDICARE PREMIUM HIKES BEFORE ELECTION: CRITICS

Stein, the Green Party candidate in 2016, garnered 30,980 votes in Wisconsin that year – a number that surpassed the margin of Trump’s triumph over Clinton in that state.

Similar results were mirrored in other crucial states won by Trump that cycle.

Dave Wasserman, senior elections analyst for the Cook Political Report, made a Dec. 1, 2016, post on X, then-Twitter, highlighting Stein’s votes being greater than Trump’s margin of victory in three swing states that play a crucial role in determining presidential elections: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

In Michigan, Trump defeated Clinton by about 10,000 votes. Stein received more than 50,000 votes in the state, once again exceeding his margin of victory.

Stein is expected to be virtually nominated as the Green Party’s nominee at their annual national meeting in August.

, The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is attempting to remove from a swing state ballot a Green Party presidential candidate – who, in 2016, received more votes than former President Trump’s margin of victory in the state. An employee at the DNC filed a complaint against Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s placement on the ballot Wednesday, suggesting that since the Wisconsin Green Party doesn’t hold any statewide offices, Stein wouldn’t be able to be properly nominated as a candidate, according to a statement the DNC shared with Fox News Digital. “We take the nomination process for President and Vice President very seriously and believe every candidate should follow the rules,” said Adrienne Watson, a senior adviser to the DNC. “Because the Wisconsin Green Party hasn’t fielded candidates for legislative or statewide office and doesn’t have any current incumbent legislative or statewide office holders, it cannot nominate candidates and should not be on the ballot in November.” Stein’s campaign director pushed back on the complaint, telling Fox that the move is part of “anti-democratic shenanigans.” SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON ONLY AMERICANS SHOULD DECIDE OUR ELECTIONS. HERE’S HOW CONGRESS CAN GUARANTEE IT “This is a fishing expedition conjured up by the DNC, and is in line with their statements back in March that they will hire an army of lawyers and infiltrators to find any angle of attack to prevent Green Party ballot access,” said Jason Call, Stein’s campaign manager. “We absolutely will be hiring counsel to defend our ballot line in Wisconsin.” Trump won the state of Wisconsin in the 2016 presidential election, defeating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by about 27,000 votes. BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION USING TAXPAYER MONEY TO MASK MEDICARE PREMIUM HIKES BEFORE ELECTION: CRITICS Stein, the Green Party candidate in 2016, garnered 30,980 votes in Wisconsin that year – a number that surpassed the margin of Trump’s triumph over Clinton in that state. Similar results were mirrored in other crucial states won by Trump that cycle. Dave Wasserman, senior elections analyst for the Cook Political Report, made a Dec. 1, 2016, post on X, then-Twitter, highlighting Stein’s votes being greater than Trump’s margin of victory in three swing states that play a crucial role in determining presidential elections: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In Michigan, Trump defeated Clinton by about 10,000 votes. Stein received more than 50,000 votes in the state, once again exceeding his margin of victory. Stein is expected to be virtually nominated as the Green Party’s nominee at their annual national meeting in August., , , https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/931/523/jill-stein.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, Latest Political News on Fox News, Read all about the political news happening with Fox News. Learn about political parties, political campaigns, and international politics today., https://global.fncstatic.com/static/orion/styles/img/fox-news/logos/fox-news-desktop.png, https://moxie.foxnews.com/google-publisher/politics.xml, ,

President Biden claims Vice President Kamala Harris is not going to distance herself from his economic policy agenda.

Reports have circulated that the Democratic presidential nominee is seeking to stand apart from the policies of the Biden administration, which insiders say are too unpopular and could prove to be a liability.

“How much does it bother you that Vice President Harris might soon, for political reasons, start to distance herself from your economic plan?” Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked Biden during a press conference on Thursday.

TRUMP CAMP THANKS WH FOR CONFIRMING THERE’S ‘NO DAYLIGHT’ BETWEEN HARRIS, BIDEN: ‘KAMALA CREATED THIS MESS’

“She’s not going to,” Biden replied, before walking away from the reporter.

The comment shows surprising confidence in the face of recent reports that Harris is not in lockstep with the administration.

An Axios report published Wednesday claimed the Harris-Walz campaign is consciously seeking to disentangle the vice president from the Biden administration’s unpopular economic policies.

FORMER BIDEN ADVISER SUSAN RICE SAYS HARRIS HAS BEEN AN ‘INTEGRAL ARCHITECT’ OF THE ADMINISTRATION’S AGENDA

Key positions Harris is looking to pivot away from Biden include fracking, decriminalization of illegal immigration into the country and health care – according to the Axios report.

The vice president is reportedly most concerned with tackling inflation in new, more direct ways in order to free herself from the negative baggage that over three years of rapid inflation has created for the Democratic Party.

Harris announced on Thursday her intention to ban “price gouging” on groceries, which have seen a cost increase of over 20% over the last three years.

Conversely, the White House has been keen to emphasize unity between Biden and Harris, claiming there is “no daylight” between their individual agendas.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday during the White House press briefing that Biden and Harris have been “aligned” throughout the administration.

“[Harris is] going to lay out her vision. But again, they’ve been aligned, you know, they’ve been aligned for the last three and a half years. There’s not been any daylight,” Jean-Pierre said. 

2024-08-15 18:27:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fbiden-says-harris-not-going-to-distance-herself-from-his-economic-policies?w=600&h=450, President Biden claims Vice President Kamala Harris is not going to distance herself from his economic policy agenda. Reports have circulated that the Democratic presidential nominee is seeking to stand apart from the policies of the Biden administration, which insiders say are too unpopular and could prove to be a liability. “How much does it,

President Biden claims Vice President Kamala Harris is not going to distance herself from his economic policy agenda.

Reports have circulated that the Democratic presidential nominee is seeking to stand apart from the policies of the Biden administration, which insiders say are too unpopular and could prove to be a liability.

“How much does it bother you that Vice President Harris might soon, for political reasons, start to distance herself from your economic plan?” Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked Biden during a press conference on Thursday.

TRUMP CAMP THANKS WH FOR CONFIRMING THERE’S ‘NO DAYLIGHT’ BETWEEN HARRIS, BIDEN: ‘KAMALA CREATED THIS MESS’

“She’s not going to,” Biden replied, before walking away from the reporter.

The comment shows surprising confidence in the face of recent reports that Harris is not in lockstep with the administration.

An Axios report published Wednesday claimed the Harris-Walz campaign is consciously seeking to disentangle the vice president from the Biden administration’s unpopular economic policies.

FORMER BIDEN ADVISER SUSAN RICE SAYS HARRIS HAS BEEN AN ‘INTEGRAL ARCHITECT’ OF THE ADMINISTRATION’S AGENDA

Key positions Harris is looking to pivot away from Biden include fracking, decriminalization of illegal immigration into the country and health care – according to the Axios report.

The vice president is reportedly most concerned with tackling inflation in new, more direct ways in order to free herself from the negative baggage that over three years of rapid inflation has created for the Democratic Party.

Harris announced on Thursday her intention to ban “price gouging” on groceries, which have seen a cost increase of over 20% over the last three years.

Conversely, the White House has been keen to emphasize unity between Biden and Harris, claiming there is “no daylight” between their individual agendas.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday during the White House press briefing that Biden and Harris have been “aligned” throughout the administration.

“[Harris is] going to lay out her vision. But again, they’ve been aligned, you know, they’ve been aligned for the last three and a half years. There’s not been any daylight,” Jean-Pierre said. 

, President Biden claims Vice President Kamala Harris is not going to distance herself from his economic policy agenda. Reports have circulated that the Democratic presidential nominee is seeking to stand apart from the policies of the Biden administration, which insiders say are too unpopular and could prove to be a liability. “How much does it bother you that Vice President Harris might soon, for political reasons, start to distance herself from your economic plan?” Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked Biden during a press conference on Thursday. TRUMP CAMP THANKS WH FOR CONFIRMING THERE’S ‘NO DAYLIGHT’ BETWEEN HARRIS, BIDEN: ‘KAMALA CREATED THIS MESS’ “She’s not going to,” Biden replied, before walking away from the reporter. The comment shows surprising confidence in the face of recent reports that Harris is not in lockstep with the administration. An Axios report published Wednesday claimed the Harris-Walz campaign is consciously seeking to disentangle the vice president from the Biden administration’s unpopular economic policies. FORMER BIDEN ADVISER SUSAN RICE SAYS HARRIS HAS BEEN AN ‘INTEGRAL ARCHITECT’ OF THE ADMINISTRATION’S AGENDA Key positions Harris is looking to pivot away from Biden include fracking, decriminalization of illegal immigration into the country and health care – according to the Axios report. The vice president is reportedly most concerned with tackling inflation in new, more direct ways in order to free herself from the negative baggage that over three years of rapid inflation has created for the Democratic Party. Harris announced on Thursday her intention to ban “price gouging” on groceries, which have seen a cost increase of over 20% over the last three years. Conversely, the White House has been keen to emphasize unity between Biden and Harris, claiming there is “no daylight” between their individual agendas. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday during the White House press briefing that Biden and Harris have been “aligned” throughout the administration. “[Harris is] going to lay out her vision. But again, they’ve been aligned, you know, they’ve been aligned for the last three and a half years. There’s not been any daylight,” Jean-Pierre said. , , , https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/931/523/Biden-says-Harris-not-going-to-distance-herself-from-his-economic-policies.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, Latest Political News on Fox News, Read all about the political news happening with Fox News. Learn about political parties, political campaigns, and international politics today., https://global.fncstatic.com/static/orion/styles/img/fox-news/logos/fox-news-desktop.png, https://moxie.foxnews.com/google-publisher/politics.xml, ,

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance accused the mainstream media of attempting to turn Harris into the “second coming of Abraham Lincoln.”

The senator from Ohio made the remarks while speaking at a rally in New Kensington, Pennsylvania on Thursday.

“I just can’t quite get over how dishonest the American media is about Kamala Harris. Isn’t it the craziest thing?” Vance said at the rally. “Now we have to remember for three and a half years […] Democratic leaders all across the country would say things and the American media would back ’em up. That President Biden, for three and a half years — he’s as sharp as he’s ever been, sharp as a tack. Remember that?”

JD VANCE SAYS HE WANTS A ‘REAL’ DEBATE WITH OPPONENT TIM WALZ, NOT A ‘FAKE NEWS MEDIA GARBAGE’ ONE

He continued, “The American media acted for three and a half years like this guy was Albert Einstein — and now they would tell us that Kamala Harris is the second coming of Abraham Lincoln. We don’t buy it. We don’t believe it.”

Vance has made frequent comments about his deep distrust of the mainstream news media since being chosen by former President Donald Trump to be his running mate.

Speaking with Fox News on Wednesday, Vance said he wanted multiple debates with his vice-presidential opponent Tim Walz — but drew a distinction between “real” and “fake” debates.

CNN’S BRIANNA KEILAR WALKS BACK JD VANCE SWIPE FOLLOWING BACKLASH: HE ‘SERVED HONORABLY IN IRAQ’

Vance said he is “not going to do one of these fake debates where they don’t actually have an audience there, where they don’t actually set the parameters in a way where we can have a good exchange of ideas.”

“In other words, we’re not going to walk into a fake news media garbage debate. We’re going to do a real debate, and if CBS agrees to it, then certainly we’ll do it,” he added.

Vance got into a public feud with CNN’s Brianna Keilar after the anchor questioned his military bona fides on air.

“Because we have, as you introduced him, as a combat correspondent, which is what [Vance’s] title was,” Keilar told her CNN colleague Dana Bash Thursday. “But when you dig a little deeper into that, he was a public affairs specialist, someone who did not see combat, which certainly the title ‘combat correspondent,’ kind of gives you a different impression. So he may be the imperfect messenger on that.”

“Brianna this is disgusting, and you and your entire network should be ashamed of yourselves,” Vance wrote on X. “When I got the call to go to Iraq, I went. Tim Walz said he carried a gun in a war. Did he? No. It was a lie.”

Keilar later appeared to walk back her remarks, acknowledging in a monologue that Vance “served honorably in Iraq.”

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

2024-08-15 17:05:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fvance-says-media-acted-like-biden-einstein-aim-make-harris-second-coming-abraham-lincoln?w=600&h=450, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance accused the mainstream media of attempting to turn Harris into the “second coming of Abraham Lincoln.” The senator from Ohio made the remarks while speaking at a rally in New Kensington, Pennsylvania on Thursday. “I just can’t quite get over how dishonest the American media is about Kamala Harris.,

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance accused the mainstream media of attempting to turn Harris into the “second coming of Abraham Lincoln.”

The senator from Ohio made the remarks while speaking at a rally in New Kensington, Pennsylvania on Thursday.

“I just can’t quite get over how dishonest the American media is about Kamala Harris. Isn’t it the craziest thing?” Vance said at the rally. “Now we have to remember for three and a half years […] Democratic leaders all across the country would say things and the American media would back ’em up. That President Biden, for three and a half years — he’s as sharp as he’s ever been, sharp as a tack. Remember that?”

JD VANCE SAYS HE WANTS A ‘REAL’ DEBATE WITH OPPONENT TIM WALZ, NOT A ‘FAKE NEWS MEDIA GARBAGE’ ONE

He continued, “The American media acted for three and a half years like this guy was Albert Einstein — and now they would tell us that Kamala Harris is the second coming of Abraham Lincoln. We don’t buy it. We don’t believe it.”

Vance has made frequent comments about his deep distrust of the mainstream news media since being chosen by former President Donald Trump to be his running mate.

Speaking with Fox News on Wednesday, Vance said he wanted multiple debates with his vice-presidential opponent Tim Walz — but drew a distinction between “real” and “fake” debates.

CNN’S BRIANNA KEILAR WALKS BACK JD VANCE SWIPE FOLLOWING BACKLASH: HE ‘SERVED HONORABLY IN IRAQ’

Vance said he is “not going to do one of these fake debates where they don’t actually have an audience there, where they don’t actually set the parameters in a way where we can have a good exchange of ideas.”

“In other words, we’re not going to walk into a fake news media garbage debate. We’re going to do a real debate, and if CBS agrees to it, then certainly we’ll do it,” he added.

Vance got into a public feud with CNN’s Brianna Keilar after the anchor questioned his military bona fides on air.

“Because we have, as you introduced him, as a combat correspondent, which is what [Vance’s] title was,” Keilar told her CNN colleague Dana Bash Thursday. “But when you dig a little deeper into that, he was a public affairs specialist, someone who did not see combat, which certainly the title ‘combat correspondent,’ kind of gives you a different impression. So he may be the imperfect messenger on that.”

“Brianna this is disgusting, and you and your entire network should be ashamed of yourselves,” Vance wrote on X. “When I got the call to go to Iraq, I went. Tim Walz said he carried a gun in a war. Did he? No. It was a lie.”

Keilar later appeared to walk back her remarks, acknowledging in a monologue that Vance “served honorably in Iraq.”

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance accused the mainstream media of attempting to turn Harris into the “second coming of Abraham Lincoln.” The senator from Ohio made the remarks while speaking at a rally in New Kensington, Pennsylvania on Thursday. “I just can’t quite get over how dishonest the American media is about Kamala Harris. Isn’t it the craziest thing?” Vance said at the rally. “Now we have to remember for three and a half years […] Democratic leaders all across the country would say things and the American media would back ’em up. That President Biden, for three and a half years — he’s as sharp as he’s ever been, sharp as a tack. Remember that?” JD VANCE SAYS HE WANTS A ‘REAL’ DEBATE WITH OPPONENT TIM WALZ, NOT A ‘FAKE NEWS MEDIA GARBAGE’ ONE He continued, “The American media acted for three and a half years like this guy was Albert Einstein — and now they would tell us that Kamala Harris is the second coming of Abraham Lincoln. We don’t buy it. We don’t believe it.” Vance has made frequent comments about his deep distrust of the mainstream news media since being chosen by former President Donald Trump to be his running mate. Speaking with Fox News on Wednesday, Vance said he wanted multiple debates with his vice-presidential opponent Tim Walz — but drew a distinction between “real” and “fake” debates. CNN’S BRIANNA KEILAR WALKS BACK JD VANCE SWIPE FOLLOWING BACKLASH: HE ‘SERVED HONORABLY IN IRAQ’ Vance said he is “not going to do one of these fake debates where they don’t actually have an audience there, where they don’t actually set the parameters in a way where we can have a good exchange of ideas .” “In other words, we’re not going to walk into a fake news media garbage debate. We’re going to do a real debate, and if CBS agrees to it, then certainly we’ll do it,” he added. Vance got into a public feud with CNN’s Brianna Keilar after the anchor questioned his military bona fides on air. “Because we have, as you introduced him, as a combat correspondent, which is what [Vance’s] title was,” Keilar told her CNN colleague Dana Bash Thursday. “But when you dig a little deeper into that, he was a public affairs specialist, someone who did not see combat, which certainly the title ‘combat correspondent,’ kind of gives you a different impression. So he may be the imperfect messenger on that.” “Brianna this is disgusting, and you and your entire network should be ashamed of yourselves,” Vance wrote on X. “When I got the call to go to Iraq, I went. Tim Walz said he carried a gun in a war. Did he? No. It was a lie.” Keilar later appeared to walk back her remarks, acknowledging in a monologue that Vance “served honorably in Iraq.” Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report., , , https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/931/523/Vance-New-Kensington-e1723741192599.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, Latest Political News on Fox News, Read all about the political news happening with Fox News. Learn about political parties, political campaigns, and international politics today., https://global.fncstatic.com/static/orion/styles/img/fox-news/logos/fox-news-desktop.png, https://moxie.foxnews.com/google-publisher/politics.xml, ,

Former President Trump will take questions from reporters on Thursday at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the second straight week that the former president has grabbed headlines by holding a news conference.

The move is partially to try and blunt the momentum of Vice President Kamala Harris heading into next week’s Democratic National Convention. Harris has been riding a wave of energy and enthusiasm since replacing President Biden at the top of the Democrats’ 2024 ticket three and a half weeks ago. 

But it also appears to be another move to try and put pressure on Harris for not holding a news conference or a major interview since Biden bowed out and backed his vice president.

“It has been 24 days and Kamala Harris continues to duck and hide from the media – no interviews and no press conferences since she announced,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung emphasized on Wednesday.

VANCE SAYS TRUMP’S ‘OFF THE CUFF’ COMMENTS ‘PART OF HIS APPEAL’

Trump, at his news conference last week at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, continued to insult Harris’ intelligence, arguing that “she hasn’t done an interview — she can’t do an interview.”

The former president’s 2024 running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, has also been criticizing the Democrats’ standard-bearer for her lack of engagement with the media.

TRUMP CAMPAIGN PLANS COUNTER-PROGRAMMING DURING DEMOCRATS’ CONVENTION

“She doesn’t have any ability to be unscripted,” Vance charged as he answered reporters’ questions following a campaign event in southwestern Michigan. “She sure as hell isn’t giving interviews. She’s not standing before the American people answering questions.”

And he argued that “it is scandalous that Kamala Harris is running from the media. But more importantly, she’s running from the American people. That’s a disgrace.”

Harris, who to date has briefly taken a few questions from the traveling press, has said she will sit for a major interview before the end of the month.

“We will commit to directly engage with the voters that are actually gonna decide this election and that is gonna be complete with rallies, with sit-down interviews, with press conferences, with all the digital assets we have at our disposal,” Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler told CNN on Wednesday.

While Trump took questions for over an hour at last week’s news conference, he used some of his uneven answers to push unproven claims on a bunch of topics, including his repeated yearslong charge that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, and the size of the crowd at his Jan. 6, 2021, rally ahead of the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL IN THE HARRIS-TRUMP FACE-OFF SHOWS

Hours before Thursday’s news conference, the Harris campaign put out a mock email advisory titled “Donald Trump to Ramble Incoherently and Spread Dangerous Lies in Public, but at Different Home.”

And Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer told Fox News that “Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are talking to voters, laying out a vision of the middle class, and letting Americans know they will fight for their freedoms.”

He argued that “Donald Trump can talk to whoever he wants, but he can’t explain away his toxic Project 2025 agenda, speak in coherent thoughts, or offer anything but insults and higher prices to the middle class.” 

While criticizing Harris over key issues such as border security, crime and inflation, Trump in the past couple of weeks has also continuously slammed the vice president and insulted her during speeches, news conferences and in social media posts.

Sources in Trump’s political orbit tell Fox News that top advisers to the former president are quietly aiming to persuade him to tamp down the insults to Harris and the questioning of the vice president’s racial identity and instead focus on branding her an ultra-liberal and spotlighting her stance on the border, crime and inflation

TRUMP ARGUES HARRIS IS MORE LIBERAL THAN BERNIE SANDERS — HERE’S WHAT THE VERMONT SENATOR TOLD FOX NEWS 

Trump allies are also publicly pitching the former president to refocus his attention.

“You’ve got to make this race not on personalities,” former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Monday in an interview on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.” “Stop questioning the size of her crowds and start questioning her position.”

McCarthy emphasized that Trump has “a short time frame to do it, so don’t sit back. Get out there and start making the case.”

During an interview Tuesday with Bret Baier on Fox News’ “Special Report,” former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — Trump’s top rival from the Republican presidential primaries earlier this year — also had some unsolicited advice for her former boss.

Haley, who reiterated that she wants Trump to win the presidential election, emphasized that “the campaign is not going to win talking about crowd sizes. It’s not going to win talking about what race Kamala Harris is. It’s not going to win talking about whether she’s dumb. It’s not. You can’t win on those things. The American people are smart. Treat them like they’re smart.”

Vance, in an interview with Fox News Digital ahead of his campaign event in Michigan, responded to the blunt advice from fellow Republicans.

“I think one of the things people actually love about Donald Trump in politics is he’s not unwilling to speak off the cuff. He says what’s actually on his mind. He’s not always filtered. I think that’s a good thing and part of his appeal,” the GOP vice presidential nominee said.

But Vance also emphasized that “if you look at this race, we’re talking about policy. That’s 90% of what we’re doing. And I think that’s going to keep on happening.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

2024-08-15 17:05:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-flips-script-harris-duck-hide-media-strategy-second-press-conference-week?w=600&h=450, Former President Trump will take questions from reporters on Thursday at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the second straight week that the former president has grabbed headlines by holding a news conference. The move is partially to try and blunt the momentum of Vice President Kamala Harris heading into next week’s Democratic National,

Former President Trump will take questions from reporters on Thursday at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the second straight week that the former president has grabbed headlines by holding a news conference.

The move is partially to try and blunt the momentum of Vice President Kamala Harris heading into next week’s Democratic National Convention. Harris has been riding a wave of energy and enthusiasm since replacing President Biden at the top of the Democrats’ 2024 ticket three and a half weeks ago. 

But it also appears to be another move to try and put pressure on Harris for not holding a news conference or a major interview since Biden bowed out and backed his vice president.

“It has been 24 days and Kamala Harris continues to duck and hide from the media – no interviews and no press conferences since she announced,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung emphasized on Wednesday.

VANCE SAYS TRUMP’S ‘OFF THE CUFF’ COMMENTS ‘PART OF HIS APPEAL’

Trump, at his news conference last week at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, continued to insult Harris’ intelligence, arguing that “she hasn’t done an interview — she can’t do an interview.”

The former president’s 2024 running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, has also been criticizing the Democrats’ standard-bearer for her lack of engagement with the media.

TRUMP CAMPAIGN PLANS COUNTER-PROGRAMMING DURING DEMOCRATS’ CONVENTION

“She doesn’t have any ability to be unscripted,” Vance charged as he answered reporters’ questions following a campaign event in southwestern Michigan. “She sure as hell isn’t giving interviews. She’s not standing before the American people answering questions.”

And he argued that “it is scandalous that Kamala Harris is running from the media. But more importantly, she’s running from the American people. That’s a disgrace.”

Harris, who to date has briefly taken a few questions from the traveling press, has said she will sit for a major interview before the end of the month.

“We will commit to directly engage with the voters that are actually gonna decide this election and that is gonna be complete with rallies, with sit-down interviews, with press conferences, with all the digital assets we have at our disposal,” Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler told CNN on Wednesday.

While Trump took questions for over an hour at last week’s news conference, he used some of his uneven answers to push unproven claims on a bunch of topics, including his repeated yearslong charge that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, and the size of the crowd at his Jan. 6, 2021, rally ahead of the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL IN THE HARRIS-TRUMP FACE-OFF SHOWS

Hours before Thursday’s news conference, the Harris campaign put out a mock email advisory titled “Donald Trump to Ramble Incoherently and Spread Dangerous Lies in Public, but at Different Home.”

And Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer told Fox News that “Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are talking to voters, laying out a vision of the middle class, and letting Americans know they will fight for their freedoms.”

He argued that “Donald Trump can talk to whoever he wants, but he can’t explain away his toxic Project 2025 agenda, speak in coherent thoughts, or offer anything but insults and higher prices to the middle class.” 

While criticizing Harris over key issues such as border security, crime and inflation, Trump in the past couple of weeks has also continuously slammed the vice president and insulted her during speeches, news conferences and in social media posts.

Sources in Trump’s political orbit tell Fox News that top advisers to the former president are quietly aiming to persuade him to tamp down the insults to Harris and the questioning of the vice president’s racial identity and instead focus on branding her an ultra-liberal and spotlighting her stance on the border, crime and inflation

TRUMP ARGUES HARRIS IS MORE LIBERAL THAN BERNIE SANDERS — HERE’S WHAT THE VERMONT SENATOR TOLD FOX NEWS 

Trump allies are also publicly pitching the former president to refocus his attention.

“You’ve got to make this race not on personalities,” former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Monday in an interview on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.” “Stop questioning the size of her crowds and start questioning her position.”

McCarthy emphasized that Trump has “a short time frame to do it, so don’t sit back. Get out there and start making the case.”

During an interview Tuesday with Bret Baier on Fox News’ “Special Report,” former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — Trump’s top rival from the Republican presidential primaries earlier this year — also had some unsolicited advice for her former boss.

Haley, who reiterated that she wants Trump to win the presidential election, emphasized that “the campaign is not going to win talking about crowd sizes. It’s not going to win talking about what race Kamala Harris is. It’s not going to win talking about whether she’s dumb. It’s not. You can’t win on those things. The American people are smart. Treat them like they’re smart.”

Vance, in an interview with Fox News Digital ahead of his campaign event in Michigan, responded to the blunt advice from fellow Republicans.

“I think one of the things people actually love about Donald Trump in politics is he’s not unwilling to speak off the cuff. He says what’s actually on his mind. He’s not always filtered. I think that’s a good thing and part of his appeal,” the GOP vice presidential nominee said.

But Vance also emphasized that “if you look at this race, we’re talking about policy. That’s 90% of what we’re doing. And I think that’s going to keep on happening.”

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

, Former President Trump will take questions from reporters on Thursday at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the second straight week that the former president has grabbed headlines by holding a news conference. The move is partially to try and blunt the momentum of Vice President Kamala Harris heading into next week’s Democratic National Convention. Harris has been riding a wave of energy and enthusiasm since replacing President Biden at the top of the Democrats’ 2024 ticket three and a half weeks ago.  But it also appears to be another move to try and put pressure on Harris for not holding a news conference or a major interview since Biden bowed out and backed his vice president. “It has been 24 days and Kamala Harris continues to duck and hide from the media – no interviews and no press conferences since she announced,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung emphasized on Wednesday. VANCE SAYS TRUMP’S ‘OFF THE CUFF’ COMMENTS ‘PART OF HIS APPEAL’ Trump, at his news conference last week at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, continued to insult Harris’ intelligence, arguing that “she hasn’t done an interview — she can’t do an interview.” The former president’s 2024 running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, has also been criticizing the Democrats’ standard-bearer for her lack of engagement with the media. TRUMP CAMPAIGN PLANS COUNTER-PROGRAMMING DURING DEMOCRATS’ CONVENTION “She doesn’t have any ability to be unscripted,” Vance charged as he answered reporters’ questions following a campaign event in southwestern Michigan. “She sure as hell isn’t giving interviews. She’s not standing before the American people answering questions.” And he argued that “it is scandalous that Kamala Harris is running from the media. But more importantly, she’s running from the American people. That’s a disgrace.” Harris, who to date has briefly taken a few questions from the traveling press, has said she will sit for a major interview before the end of the month. “We will commit to directly engage with the voters that are actually gonna decide this election and that is gonna be complete with rallies, with sit-down interviews, with press conferences, with all the digital assets we have at our disposal,” Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler told CNN on Wednesday. While Trump took questions for over an hour at last week’s news conference, he used some of his uneven answers to push unproven claims on a bunch of topics, including his repeated yearslong charge that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, and the size of the crowd at his Jan. 6, 2021, rally ahead of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL IN THE HARRIS-TRUMP FACE-OFF SHOWS Hours before Thursday’s news conference, the Harris campaign put out a mock email advisory titled “Donald Trump to Ramble Incoherently and Spread Dangerous Lies in Public, but at Different Home.” And Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer told Fox News that “Vice President Harris and Governor Walz are talking to voters, laying out a vision of the middle class, and letting Americans know they will fight for their freedoms.” He argued that “Donald Trump can talk to whoever he wants, but he can’t explain away his toxic Project 2025 agenda, speak in coherent thoughts, or offer anything but insults and higher prices to the middle class.”  While criticizing Harris over key issues such as border security, crime and inflation, Trump in the past couple of weeks has also continuously slammed the vice president and insulted her during speeches, news conferences and in social media posts. Sources in Trump’s political orbit tell Fox News that top advisers to the former president are quietly aiming to persuade him to tamp down the insults to Harris and the questioning of the vice president’s racial identity and instead focus on branding her an ultra-liberal and spotlighting her stance on the border, crime and inflation TRUMP ARGUES HARRIS IS MORE LIBERAL THAN BERNIE SANDERS — HERE’S WHAT THE VERMONT SENATOR TOLD FOX NEWS  Trump allies are also publicly pitching the former president to refocus his attention. “You’ve got to make this race not on personalities,” former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Monday in an interview on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.” “Stop questioning the size of her crowds and start questioning her position.” McCarthy emphasized that Trump has “a short time frame to do it, so don’t sit back. Get out there and start making the case.” During an interview Tuesday with Bret Baier on Fox News’ “Special Report,” former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — Trump’s top rival from the Republican presidential primaries earlier this year — also had some unsolicited advice for her former boss. Haley, who reiterated that she wants Trump to win the presidential election, emphasized that “the campaign is not going to win talking about crowd sizes. It’s not going to win talking about what race Kamala Harris is. It’s not going to win talking about whether she’s dumb. It’s not. You can’t win on those things. The American people are smart. Treat them like they’re smart.” Vance, in an interview with Fox News Digital ahead of his campaign event in Michigan, responded to the blunt advice from fellow Republicans. “I think one of the things people actually love about Donald Trump in politics is he’s not unwilling to speak off the cuff. He says what’s actually on his mind. He’s not always filtered. I think that’s a good thing and part of his appeal,” the GOP vice presidential nominee said. But Vance also emphasized that “if you look at this race, we’re talking about policy. That’s 90% of what we’re doing. And I think that’s going to keep on happening.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub., , , https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/931/523/Donald-Trump-Mar-a-Lago-news-conf-Aug-8-2024-scaled.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, Latest Political News on Fox News, Read all about the political news happening with Fox News. Learn about political parties, political campaigns, and international politics today., https://global.fncstatic.com/static/orion/styles/img/fox-news/logos/fox-news-desktop.png, https://moxie.foxnews.com/google-publisher/politics.xml, ,

Let me take you back to another Aug. 15 so as to put to bed a meme prevalent on the Right today — namely, the idea that the only way to win politically is to be mean and to be willing to go low against opponents. The meme is claptrap.

When then-President Ronald Reagan approached the podium of the Republican National Convention 36 years ago, his vice president, the elder George Bush, trailed Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis by 17 points in the polls. Reagan’s address that night, his last-ever great political speech — he made good speeches afterward, but of a more unifying or elegiac nature — jump-started what had seemed like a moribund campaign. Bush ended up winning in a 426-111 Electoral College landslide.

The speechwriter and political consultant who worked with Reagan on that speech, Ken Khachigian, released last month a memoir of his time writing for both Reagan and former President Richard Nixon, but the Reagan chapters predominate. What comes across most clearly is that Reagan, the biggest political winner in modern American history, showed toughness and firm personal agency while still being a remarkably nice human being. Nixon repeatedly expressed worry to Khachigian that, in one iteration among several, he should “not let Reagan carry the nice guy thing so far,” but Reagan knew that bedrock toughness could easily co-exist with human decency.

In Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan and Nixon, one of Khachigian’s most fascinating accounts is about his meetings with both Ronald and Nancy Reagan in preparation for that 1988 speech. Nancy wanted the speech to be “visionary and emotional. … This is not the place of a hard political speech, but to play on the emotions of the day and to show a lot of love.” It was the president, though, who wanted something that drew sharper contrasts with the Democrats who were tearing down his administration’s accomplishments and belittling Bush.

Khachigian agreed: “I could write it either way, but it was contradictory to deliver a nonpolitical speech at a political convention, especially when the president clearly wanted a vigorous defense. … I didn’t invent Reagan the ‘tough guy.’ His indignation and combativeness for issues about which he cared” were “honed” for decades.

What emerged was a tour de force, combining Reagan the uniting visionary with Reagan the policy advocate and promoter of his vice president to finish the job. Whether sitting in the New Orleans Superdome that night, at least in the parts where the sound system wasn’t bad, or watching on TV, listeners were treated to a Reagan classic.

“Facts are stubborn things,” he kept repeating, striking sledgehammer blow after blow, with specificity, for his conservative results against the disasters under Democratic predecessor Jimmy Carter. Inflation was way down, employment way up, interest rates down, manufacturing up, tax rates down, bureaucratic red tape cut immensely, the Soviet Union in retreat, and international freedom on the march. Reagan limned it all quite brilliantly.

Yet amid all this, Reagan’s tone wasn’t harsh, nor was his mood of anger. He appealed not to his countrymen’s fears and resentments, but to their better selves.

“When our children turn the pages of our lives,” he said, “I hope they’ll see that we had a vision to pass forward a nation as nearly perfect as we could, where there’s decency, tolerance, generosity, honesty, courage, common sense, fairness, and piety.”

Also, there was the prototypically sweet Reaganite anecdote, about a letter he received from “a young boy” who wrote that he loves America “because you can join the Cub Scouts if you want to. You have a right to worship as you please. If you have the ability, you can try to be anything you want to be. And I also like America because we have about 200 flavors of ice cream.”

What’s amazing is that when sounding so charming, Reagan, the actor, was not just acting a part. As Khachigian details all his speechwriting episodes with Reagan, the Gipper comes across as a man both thoughtful and kind. In his diary after his very first week with Reagan, Khachigian writes “he’s genuinely a nice man.” Reagan usually made sure to thank Khachigian for his work, even in instances when Reagan himself rewrote much of it. When the rewrites were substantial, Reagan would offer words to “soften the blow” to Khachigian’s pride of authorship. And on one big occasion where Reagan had not done his usual major editing, and the speeches went wonderfully, Reagan made a special cross-continental phone call to Khachigian, the president’s voice like “sunshine traveling over a phone line” saying, “I want you to know how grateful I am for the help you gave with the speeches for the European trip.”

And Reagan was genuinely a sentimentalist, too. Two days before his first inauguration, he confessed that at a ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang so beautifully that he was crying — and that he worried if he could “keep his eyes dry” during the inauguration itself.

Reagan also was unpretentious: When Khachigian and wife Meredith were at Camp David so the writer could work on a speech, the Reagans invited them to dinner, where Reagan happily chowed down on simple corned beef while telling a funny story about how he ruined the actress’s makeup the first time he had to execute a Hollywood screen kiss.

This was the man who stared down a seemingly all-powerful Soviet Union against decades-entrenched Democratic opposition at home that he defeated in two straight wipeout elections while leading the longest-lasting economic recovery in U.S. history.

Yet with this evidence of the biggest political winner of all being a kind and decent man, too many on the Right insist that anger and vicious tactics are a necessary political feature. The myth is that the main reason Republicans John McCain and Mitt Romney lost in 2008 and 2012, respectively, was that they were “too nice.” Nonsense. McCain had a big heart in many ways, but he was wildly irascible and willing to play hardball against anyone. And every single major Republican opponent of Romney’s in 2008 or 2012 would agree that the Romney campaign was easily the most cutthroat operation in the primary field both times.

McCain lost largely because, with the polls dead even, he was hit with Republicans being blamed for the worst financial system crisis (short-term) since the Great Depression. Romney lost largely because his own healthcare policy in Massachusetts made him the only Republican in the field with no good way to argue against incumbent Barack Obama’s biggest Achilles’ heel, namely the Obamacare program that at the time was monumentally unpopular. Niceness had nothing to do with it.

Instead, what Reagan proved was that people are both tough-minded and aspirational. Yes, stirring up their angry inner ids can move votes at times, but successful appeals to nobler sentiments, if grounded in a practical reality where “facts are stubborn things,” can draw together much bigger majorities, vast in scope, and accomplish greater things.

In the closing paragraphs of that 1988 convention speech, Reagan described how “fed by passionate ideas and convictions … we’ve fought for causes we love. … Our freedom must be defended over and over again — and then again.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Then, he said, while he would retire to his ranch, “I’ll leave my phone number and address behind just in case you need a foot soldier. Just let me know, and I’ll be there, as long as words don’t leave me and as long as this sweet country strives to be special during its shining moment on Earth.”

That was Aug. 15, 1988. Today’s politics is missing that grandly generous spirit. We must revive it.

2024-08-15 20:32:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fopinion%2Fbeltway-confidential%2F3123273%2Freagan-showed-nice-guys-finish-first%2F?w=600&h=450, Let me take you back to another Aug. 15 so as to put to bed a meme prevalent on the Right today — namely, the idea that the only way to win politically is to be mean and to be willing to go low against opponents. The meme is claptrap. When then-President Ronald Reagan approached,

Let me take you back to another Aug. 15 so as to put to bed a meme prevalent on the Right today — namely, the idea that the only way to win politically is to be mean and to be willing to go low against opponents. The meme is claptrap.

When then-President Ronald Reagan approached the podium of the Republican National Convention 36 years ago, his vice president, the elder George Bush, trailed Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis by 17 points in the polls. Reagan’s address that night, his last-ever great political speech — he made good speeches afterward, but of a more unifying or elegiac nature — jump-started what had seemed like a moribund campaign. Bush ended up winning in a 426-111 Electoral College landslide.

The speechwriter and political consultant who worked with Reagan on that speech, Ken Khachigian, released last month a memoir of his time writing for both Reagan and former President Richard Nixon, but the Reagan chapters predominate. What comes across most clearly is that Reagan, the biggest political winner in modern American history, showed toughness and firm personal agency while still being a remarkably nice human being. Nixon repeatedly expressed worry to Khachigian that, in one iteration among several, he should “not let Reagan carry the nice guy thing so far,” but Reagan knew that bedrock toughness could easily co-exist with human decency.

In Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan and Nixon, one of Khachigian’s most fascinating accounts is about his meetings with both Ronald and Nancy Reagan in preparation for that 1988 speech. Nancy wanted the speech to be “visionary and emotional. … This is not the place of a hard political speech, but to play on the emotions of the day and to show a lot of love.” It was the president, though, who wanted something that drew sharper contrasts with the Democrats who were tearing down his administration’s accomplishments and belittling Bush.

Khachigian agreed: “I could write it either way, but it was contradictory to deliver a nonpolitical speech at a political convention, especially when the president clearly wanted a vigorous defense. … I didn’t invent Reagan the ‘tough guy.’ His indignation and combativeness for issues about which he cared” were “honed” for decades.

What emerged was a tour de force, combining Reagan the uniting visionary with Reagan the policy advocate and promoter of his vice president to finish the job. Whether sitting in the New Orleans Superdome that night, at least in the parts where the sound system wasn’t bad, or watching on TV, listeners were treated to a Reagan classic.

“Facts are stubborn things,” he kept repeating, striking sledgehammer blow after blow, with specificity, for his conservative results against the disasters under Democratic predecessor Jimmy Carter. Inflation was way down, employment way up, interest rates down, manufacturing up, tax rates down, bureaucratic red tape cut immensely, the Soviet Union in retreat, and international freedom on the march. Reagan limned it all quite brilliantly.

Yet amid all this, Reagan’s tone wasn’t harsh, nor was his mood of anger. He appealed not to his countrymen’s fears and resentments, but to their better selves.

“When our children turn the pages of our lives,” he said, “I hope they’ll see that we had a vision to pass forward a nation as nearly perfect as we could, where there’s decency, tolerance, generosity, honesty, courage, common sense, fairness, and piety.”

Also, there was the prototypically sweet Reaganite anecdote, about a letter he received from “a young boy” who wrote that he loves America “because you can join the Cub Scouts if you want to. You have a right to worship as you please. If you have the ability, you can try to be anything you want to be. And I also like America because we have about 200 flavors of ice cream.”

What’s amazing is that when sounding so charming, Reagan, the actor, was not just acting a part. As Khachigian details all his speechwriting episodes with Reagan, the Gipper comes across as a man both thoughtful and kind. In his diary after his very first week with Reagan, Khachigian writes “he’s genuinely a nice man.” Reagan usually made sure to thank Khachigian for his work, even in instances when Reagan himself rewrote much of it. When the rewrites were substantial, Reagan would offer words to “soften the blow” to Khachigian’s pride of authorship. And on one big occasion where Reagan had not done his usual major editing, and the speeches went wonderfully, Reagan made a special cross-continental phone call to Khachigian, the president’s voice like “sunshine traveling over a phone line” saying, “I want you to know how grateful I am for the help you gave with the speeches for the European trip.”

And Reagan was genuinely a sentimentalist, too. Two days before his first inauguration, he confessed that at a ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang so beautifully that he was crying — and that he worried if he could “keep his eyes dry” during the inauguration itself.

Reagan also was unpretentious: When Khachigian and wife Meredith were at Camp David so the writer could work on a speech, the Reagans invited them to dinner, where Reagan happily chowed down on simple corned beef while telling a funny story about how he ruined the actress’s makeup the first time he had to execute a Hollywood screen kiss.

This was the man who stared down a seemingly all-powerful Soviet Union against decades-entrenched Democratic opposition at home that he defeated in two straight wipeout elections while leading the longest-lasting economic recovery in U.S. history.

Yet with this evidence of the biggest political winner of all being a kind and decent man, too many on the Right insist that anger and vicious tactics are a necessary political feature. The myth is that the main reason Republicans John McCain and Mitt Romney lost in 2008 and 2012, respectively, was that they were “too nice.” Nonsense. McCain had a big heart in many ways, but he was wildly irascible and willing to play hardball against anyone. And every single major Republican opponent of Romney’s in 2008 or 2012 would agree that the Romney campaign was easily the most cutthroat operation in the primary field both times.

McCain lost largely because, with the polls dead even, he was hit with Republicans being blamed for the worst financial system crisis (short-term) since the Great Depression. Romney lost largely because his own healthcare policy in Massachusetts made him the only Republican in the field with no good way to argue against incumbent Barack Obama’s biggest Achilles’ heel, namely the Obamacare program that at the time was monumentally unpopular. Niceness had nothing to do with it.

Instead, what Reagan proved was that people are both tough-minded and aspirational. Yes, stirring up their angry inner ids can move votes at times, but successful appeals to nobler sentiments, if grounded in a practical reality where “facts are stubborn things,” can draw together much bigger majorities, vast in scope, and accomplish greater things.

In the closing paragraphs of that 1988 convention speech, Reagan described how “fed by passionate ideas and convictions … we’ve fought for causes we love. … Our freedom must be defended over and over again — and then again.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Then, he said, while he would retire to his ranch, “I’ll leave my phone number and address behind just in case you need a foot soldier. Just let me know, and I’ll be there, as long as words don’t leave me and as long as this sweet country strives to be special during its shining moment on Earth.”

That was Aug. 15, 1988. Today’s politics is missing that grandly generous spirit. We must revive it.

, Let me take you back to another Aug. 15 so as to put to bed a meme prevalent on the Right today — namely, the idea that the only way to win politically is to be mean and to be willing to go low against opponents. The meme is claptrap. When then-President Ronald Reagan approached the podium of the Republican National Convention 36 years ago, his vice president, the elder George Bush, trailed Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis by 17 points in the polls. Reagan’s address that night, his last-ever great political speech — he made good speeches afterward, but of a more unifying or elegiac nature — jump-started what had seemed like a moribund campaign. Bush ended up winning in a 426-111 Electoral College landslide. The speechwriter and political consultant who worked with Reagan on that speech, Ken Khachigian, released last month a memoir of his time writing for both Reagan and former President Richard Nixon, but the Reagan chapters predominate. What comes across most clearly is that Reagan, the biggest political winner in modern American history, showed toughness and firm personal agency while still being a remarkably nice human being. Nixon repeatedly expressed worry to Khachigian that, in one iteration among several, he should “not let Reagan carry the nice guy thing so far,” but Reagan knew that bedrock toughness could easily co-exist with human decency. In Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan and Nixon, one of Khachigian’s most fascinating accounts is about his meetings with both Ronald and Nancy Reagan in preparation for that 1988 speech. Nancy wanted the speech to be “visionary and emotional. … This is not the place of a hard political speech, but to play on the emotions of the day and to show a lot of love.” It was the president, though, who wanted something that drew sharper contrasts with the Democrats who were tearing down his administration’s accomplishments and belittling Bush. Khachigian agreed: “I could write it either way, but it was contradictory to deliver a nonpolitical speech at a political convention, especially when the president clearly wanted a vigorous defense. … I didn’t invent Reagan the ‘tough guy.’ His indignation and combativeness for issues about which he cared” were “honed” for decades. What emerged was a tour de force, combining Reagan the uniting visionary with Reagan the policy advocate and promoter of his vice president to finish the job. Whether sitting in the New Orleans Superdome that night, at least in the parts where the sound system wasn’t bad, or watching on TV, listeners were treated to a Reagan classic. “Facts are stubborn things,” he kept repeating, striking sledgehammer blow after blow, with specificity, for his conservative results against the disasters under Democratic predecessor Jimmy Carter. Inflation was way down, employment way up, interest rates down, manufacturing up, tax rates down, bureaucratic red tape cut immensely, the Soviet Union in retreat, and international freedom on the march. Reagan limned it all quite brilliantly. Yet amid all this, Reagan’s tone wasn’t harsh, nor was his mood of anger. He appealed not to his countrymen’s fears and resentments, but to their better selves. “When our children turn the pages of our lives,” he said, “I hope they’ll see that we had a vision to pass forward a nation as nearly perfect as we could, where there’s decency, tolerance, generosity, honesty, courage, common sense, fairness, and piety.” Also, there was the prototypically sweet Reaganite anecdote, about a letter he received from “a young boy” who wrote that he loves America “because you can join the Cub Scouts if you want to. You have a right to worship as you please. If you have the ability, you can try to be anything you want to be. And I also like America because we have about 200 flavors of ice cream.” What’s amazing is that when sounding so charming, Reagan, the actor, was not just acting a part. As Khachigian details all his speechwriting episodes with Reagan, the Gipper comes across as a man both thoughtful and kind. In his diary after his very first week with Reagan, Khachigian writes “he’s genuinely a nice man.” Reagan usually made sure to thank Khachigian for his work, even in instances when Reagan himself rewrote much of it. When the rewrites were substantial, Reagan would offer words to “soften the blow” to Khachigian’s pride of authorship. And on one big occasion where Reagan had not done his usual major editing, and the speeches went wonderfully, Reagan made a special cross-continental phone call to Khachigian, the president’s voice like “sunshine traveling over a phone line” saying, “I want you to know how grateful I am for the help you gave with the speeches for the European trip.” And Reagan was genuinely a sentimentalist, too. Two days before his first inauguration, he confessed that at a ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang so beautifully that he was crying — and that he worried if he could “keep his eyes dry” during the inauguration itself. Reagan also was unpretentious: When Khachigian and wife Meredith were at Camp David so the writer could work on a speech, the Reagans invited them to dinner, where Reagan happily chowed down on simple corned beef while telling a funny story about how he ruined the actress’s makeup the first time he had to execute a Hollywood screen kiss. This was the man who stared down a seemingly all-powerful Soviet Union against decades-entrenched Democratic opposition at home that he defeated in two straight wipeout elections while leading the longest-lasting economic recovery in U.S. history. Yet with this evidence of the biggest political winner of all being a kind and decent man, too many on the Right insist that anger and vicious tactics are a necessary political feature. The myth is that the main reason Republicans John McCain and Mitt Romney lost in 2008 and 2012, respectively, was that they were “too nice.” Nonsense. McCain had a big heart in many ways, but he was wildly irascible and willing to play hardball against anyone. And every single major Republican opponent of Romney’s in 2008 or 2012 would agree that the Romney campaign was easily the most cutthroat operation in the primary field both times. McCain lost largely because, with the polls dead even, he was hit with Republicans being blamed for the worst financial system crisis (short-term) since the Great Depression. Romney lost largely because his own healthcare policy in Massachusetts made him the only Republican in the field with no good way to argue against incumbent Barack Obama’s biggest Achilles’ heel, namely the Obamacare program that at the time was monumentally unpopular. Niceness had nothing to do with it. Instead, what Reagan proved was that people are both tough-minded and aspirational. Yes, stirring up their angry inner ids can move votes at times, but successful appeals to nobler sentiments, if grounded in a practical reality where “facts are stubborn things,” can draw together much bigger majorities, vast in scope, and accomplish greater things. In the closing paragraphs of that 1988 convention speech, Reagan described how “fed by passionate ideas and convictions … we’ve fought for causes we love. … Our freedom must be defended over and over again — and then again.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Then, he said, while he would retire to his ranch, “I’ll leave my phone number and address behind just in case you need a foot soldier. Just let me know, and I’ll be there, as long as words don’t leave me and as long as this sweet country strives to be special during its shining moment on Earth.” That was Aug. 15, 1988. Today’s politics is missing that grandly generous spirit. We must revive it., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Reagan-Bush.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Quin Hillyer,