Debate or Dodge?

Plus, celebrating love in a twister.

August 01, 2024

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The Flag

Good morning and Happy Thursday! Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:

  • US: Harris to hold first rally with running mate Tuesday in Philadelphia (Politico)

  • World: Killing of Hamas chief in Iran fuels fears of retaliation, Israel stays silent on incident (Reuters)

  • Business: Boeing names new CEO in effort to correct its culture (Axios)

  • Technology: OpenAI rolls out advanced Voice Mode and no, it won't sound like ScarJo (Engadget)

  • Sports: Simone Biles leads U.S. Women's Gymnastics to team gold medal (CBS News)

And of course, some good news: When Tornado Interrupts Wedding They Had First Dance in Basement Shelter: ‘Restored my faith in humanity.’

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Right: Democrats and the Open Border Nightmare, Editorial Board, New York Post

Right: Biden's Pathetic Supreme Court Putsch, Editorial Board, Washington Examiner

Right: Trump's Win-Win Tax Proposal, Andy Puzder, National Review

2024

Debate or Dodge?

Today’s Top Story in One Sentence: In an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingram, former President Donald Trump said he will “probably” debate Vice President Kamala Harris, but “can also make a case for not doing it.”

Reporting from the Right: Trump says he can ‘make a case’ for not debating Kamala Harris (Washington Examiner)

Reporting from the Left: Trump says he ‘probably’ will debate Harris but can ‘make a case for not.’ Her team says he’s scared (AP)

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Debate Plans in Chaos

The Top Argument From The Right: The 2024 Presidential Debate Plan Was Set. Now It’s Chaos., Simonetti et. al, The Wall Street Journal: “Kamala Harris is ready to debate Donald Trump. He is ready to debate her. And just about every TV network wants in on the action. Yet, with less than 100 days to go before voters go to the polls, absolutely nothing is set, with the Trump campaign waffling on an ABC debate scheduled for Sept. 10—the only one currently on the schedule—and the possibility that other face-offs will be added to the calendar. NBC News is in talks with each campaign about adding a debate, while CBS News also has a proposal in, said people familiar with the situation. Fox News last week proposed a Sept. 17 debate. … Harris’s entry in the race—marked by a stunningly quick consolidation of support among Democrats and polls showing she has narrowed the gap with Trump—has upended those plans, leading to unusually chaotic negotiations. Trump has sent mixed signals about debating Harris, with his campaign saying last week he wanted to wait to make sure Harris is really the nominee, and the candidate saying he would like to debate on Fox News rather than ABC.”

Honorable Mention #1: Harris tries to goad Trump into a debate: ‘Say it to my face’, Naomi Lin, Washington Examiner.

Honorable Mention #2: Trump Is Right to Pull Out of Debates, Bradley Devlin, The American Conservative.

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Trump’s Looking for an Out

The Top Argument From The Left: Is Trump Afraid to Debate Kamala Harris?, Andrea González-Ramírez, The Cut: “Within hours of Biden’s withdrawal, Trump began distancing himself from his commitment, posting on Truth Social that the next debate ‘should be held on FoxNews,’ an extremely friendly network to Trump, ‘rather than very biased ABC.’ Fox News quickly proposed a Harris-Trump face-off that it would host on September 17, but to date, neither campaign has commented publicly on whether the candidates would participate. Trump’s campaign then appeared to backtrack further. Trump’s communications director issued a statement saying that due to the ‘continued political chaos surrounding’ Biden and the Democratic Party, ‘general election debate details cannot be finalized until Democrats formally decide on their nominee.’ He went on to say, ‘It would be inappropriate to schedule things with Harris because Democrats very well could still change their minds.’ Four days later, Trump wavered once again in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham. … Still, Trump remained noncommittal: “But I can also make a case for not doing it.’ If Trump ultimately decides to skip a debate, it wouldn’t be the first time. Between August 2023 and January 2024, Republicans held five primary debates. The former president didn’t participate in any.”

Honorable Mention #2: Harris, Rallying Thousands in Georgia, Challenges Trump to ‘Say It to My Face’, Maya King and Rick Rojas, The New York Times.

FLAG THIS

Harris Closing in on Polls

Harris has closed Trump's lead in seven battleground states, with 48% of voters backing Harris compared to Trump's 47%, according to a Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll. This marks a shift from President Joe Biden's previous two-point deficit before exiting the race. Harris leads in Arizona and Nevada and has more than doubled Biden's previous lead in Michigan.

Over one-third of voters in these key states are now more likely to vote, with enthusiasm notably higher among Black (49%) and Hispanic (44%) voters. Nearly two-thirds of Black voters are somewhat or much more likely to vote in November (Bloomberg)

Who do you believe would fare better in a debate?

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WATERCOOLER

Harlem Riot, Nocturnal Musings, Great Big Yard Sale

On This Day in 1943, Simmering racial tensions and economic frustrations boiled over in New York City on the night of August 1, culminating in what is now known as the Harlem Riot of 1943. During an altercation in the lobby of the Braddock Hotel, a white police officer shoots a Black soldier, Robert Bandy, triggering a massive uprising.

Today I learned there’s an annual yard sale so large it runs through six states.

Tired of Unoriginal Investing News? Try The Daily Upside.

99% of news outlets serve algorithms, not readers, churning out uninspired content by "journalists" who barely understand the topics. In the financial and investing space, this is a complete waste of time.

But The Daily Upside is different. Created by Wall Street insiders and bankers, this fresh, insightful newsletter delivers valuable insights that go beyond the headlines.

And the best part? It’s completely free. Join 1M+ readers and subscribe today.

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