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Harris Steps into the Fox Hole
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Good morning and Happy Friday! Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:
US: Trump says Jan. 6 was a "day of love," glossing over his supporters' assault on officers (CBS News)
World: Hamas terror leader Yahya Sinwar killed in Gaza, Israel says (Fox News)
Business: Meta is laying off employees at WhatsApp, Instagram, and more (The Verge)
Technology: Google’s NotebookLM now lets you guide AI-generated audio conversations, launches business pilot (TechCrunch)
Sports: Lonzo Ball makes triumphant return for first NBA game since Jan. 2022 (USA Today)
And of course, some good news: Lineworkers Volunteer to Hike Through Miles of 'Rough Terrain' to Restore Power to Veterans Hospital After Helene
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😬 Wood? Nope. Ivory? Maybe. Human teeth? Yikes. George Washington’s smile wasn’t just iconic—it was downright strange. Want the full, shocking breakdown? Become a premium subscriber to get all the details!
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TRENDING
Left: Harris and the Problem With Ceding the Argument, Christian Paz, Vox
Left: Welcome to the Uncanny Valley of the 2024 Election, Hayes Brown, MSNBC
Left: Harris' Pennsylvania Team Plagued by Finger-Pointing, Otterbein & Schneider, Politico
Right: My Colorado Home Became a Tren de Aragua War Zone, Cindy Romero, New York Post
Right: Search and Rescue: A Tale of Two Hometowns Neal Freeman, The American Spectator
Right: Only 'a Handful of Apartment Complexes' Were Seized Joe Concha, New York Post
HARRIS
Harris Steps into the Fox Hole
Today’s Top Story: Vice President Kamala Harris sat down with Bret Baier of Fox News for a 27-minute interview that aired Wednesday evening.
Reporting from the Left: Kamala Harris pledges break from Biden presidency in testy Fox News interview (The Guardian)
Reporting from the Right: Harris’s risky Fox News interview turns combative over immigration and Biden’s health (Washington Examiner)
LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT
This Wasn’t Journalism
The Top Argument From The Left: Fox News’s interview of Kamala Harris was grievance theater, not political journalism, Margaret Sullivan, The Guardian: “[Baier’s] aggressive approach was understandable, in a way, since Baier had been under pressure for days from the Donald Trump faithful; they were convinced he was going to go easy on the Democratic nominee for president… So, Baier came out guns blazing, barely allowing the vice-president to finish a sentence before jumping in with objections and arguments. After 10 minutes of playing immigration “gotcha”, Baier pivoted to the obvious next subject, airing a video clip in which Harris expressed support for transgender people in prisons. … Immigrant hatred. Transphobia. And later, Joe Biden’s age. … This was grievance theater, not political journalism. … If [viewers] came to it expecting to learn more about Harris’s policies or get a true sense of her character, they would have been disappointed. … But Harris accomplished something anyway. Merely by sitting down with a Fox host, she made a few statements. First, that she is unafraid and is willing to speak to all voters. It’s hard to imagine Donald Trump, these days, submitting to an interview with, say, Rachel Maddow of MSNBC. … Second, Harris did manage to introduce a few snippets of reality to dedicated Fox viewers who probably haven’t been exposed to some of the most troubling criticisms of Trump.”
Honorable Mention #1: Harris Shuts Down Bret Baier as He Plays the MAGA Hits, Zachary Folk, Daily Beast.
Honorable Mention #2: Harris interview on Fox gets testy — but also gives her a do-over, Tamara Keith, NPR.
RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT
Damaging Move for Harris
The Top Argument From The Right: That Fox News Interview May Have Done To Kamala What The Debate Did To Biden, Eddie Scarry, The Federalist: “What happened Wednesday night to Kamala Harris on Fox News may have been the equivalent to what happened to President Joe Biden at that infamous debate in June — irreparably exposed her as unacceptable to voters. In what was widely seen as a Hail Mary move by Kamala’s campaign, the vice president agreed to an extended interview on Fox News, one of the exceedingly few national TV interviews she’s done since she was anointed the Democrat Party’s post-Biden nominee. Remarkably, she offered nothing new in terms of her weak, often confusing answers to obvious questions, but she did finally face probing lines of inquiry and necessary follow-up when time after time she attempted to change the subject from her performance in the White House to attacks on Donald Trump. … It was genuinely difficult to watch, and not because it was contentious but because you almost had to feel sorry for her. … It was simply the moment nobody could deny the obvious any longer. That’s probably what just happened to Kamala. There’s no longer any denying that she’s a mindless, superficial candidate who in that interview instilled no confidence that she has the vision or aptitude to lead the world’s strongest military and biggest economy.”
Honorable Mention #1: Kamala Harris Is an Idiot, Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review.
Honorable Mention #2: ‘Joy’ eludes Harris in her high-stakes Fox News interview, W. James Antlee III, Washington Examiner.
FLAG THIS
Silver Lining Shift Among Swing Voters
According to Impact Social, Harris received a net score of -10 from swing voters during her Fox News interview, which is an improvement from her usual rating of -16 with this group. In the study, 20% of swing voters viewed her positively, 30% negatively, and 50% remained neutral. Despite the negative sentiment, the analysis suggests this performance reflects an uptick in swing voter perception, which may improve her overall standing (Newsweek).
Do you believe Harris's campaign benefited from the interview with Fox News? |
WATERCOOLER
Clean Water, Aquatic Joy, Camo Outlawed
On This Day in 1972, the Clean Water Act became law. After centuries of reckless treatment of American rivers, streams, lakes and bays, the landmark act institutes strict regulations on pollution and quality controls for the nation’s waters for the first time in its history.
Condé Nast Traveler: Why Being Near Water Really Does Make Us Happier
Fast Company: What Kind of Self-Destructive Perfectionist Are You?
Today I learned it’s illegal to wear camouflage in 20 countries.
POWERED BY HEAR.COM
The world’s first-ever hearing aid with dual processing just hit the market, and it’s a game changer for anyone looking to hear more clearly in conversation. It’s called Horizon by hear.com. See why audiologists are raving about this powerful German technology and start your no-risk trial today.
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