Kennedy’s Crossroads

Plus, pup catches a home.

The Flag

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

  • US: Growing number of Democrats call for Palestinian speaker on final night of DNC (The Hill) + Democratic Party refused to give Palestinian Americans DNC speaking slot (Axios)

  • World: 'It's all blown up': Video shows fiery Ukrainian drone attack on Russian airbase (NBC News)

  • Business: Canadian railway work stoppage begins, threatens US supply chains (USA Today)

  • Technology: Apple is still standing in the way of Epic’s app store (The Verge)

  • Sports: Falcons signing CB A.J. Terrell to four-year, $81 million contract extension (NFL)

And of course, some good news: A determined Lab has found a new home in Georgia after galloping alongside a doggie daycare bus until he won over the driver and found a new home.

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🌕 Sneak Peak: In this weekend’s edition…A small town in the middle of nowhere, a bomber on a mission, and a colossal mistake. Find out how one night in 1943 turned ordinary life upside down.

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Left: All Eyes on America's 'Blue Wall', Ed Pilkington, The Guardian

Right: Veterans in House, Senate Condemn Walz's 'Stolen Valor', Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner

Right: 'Big Guy' Joe Biden Escaped Impeachment, Miranda Devine, New York Post

Right: The DNC Has Just Been One Long Litany Of Stupid, Obvious Lies, John Daniel Davidson, The Federalist

2024

Kennedy’s Crossroads

Today’s Top Story: Later today, at a rally in Phoneix, Arizona, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy is expected to announce an end to his campaign and join forces with former President Donald Trump, according to sources close to his campaign.

Reporting from the Left: RFK Jr considers dropping out to help Trump, running mate says (The Guardian)

Reporting from the Right: Robert Kennedy Jr.'s running mate suggests ticket may drop out, join forces with Trump to stop Harris (Fox News)

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Unclear How Consequential This Could Be

The Top Argument From The Left: How Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Exit Would Affect the Election, Ed Kilgore, New York Magaine: “A suspension of Kennedy’s campaign might marginally help Trump against Kamala Harris. … A Kennedy endorsement of Trump is a different proposition. It might dominate the news and step on any sort of post-convention “bounce” in the polls that Harris might have expected (though the expectations of that happening were relatively low). But it’s much less clear how much benefit Trump would get from the doughty conspiracy theorist going forward. It’s been pretty clear all along that a significant part of Kennedy’s support was based on having the most famous name in U.S. politics and was centered on low-information (and low-propensity-to-vote) folks who knew he was an alternative to Biden and Trump, but didn’t know much about his record or agenda. If RFK Jr. endorses Trump, he will be (and will be perceived as) just another noisy voice in the MAGA chorus. The Trump campaign may even need to marginalize him as someone with inconvenient views on issues ranging from abortion to climate change to Big Pharma. The bottom line is that it’s unclear whether Kennedy has a significant base of support to deliver, and if he can in fact deliver it to Trump. But if nothing else, RFK Jr. moving into his camp, or even moving out of the way, will give the former president a moment of positive news to talk about after a post-RNC drought marked by bitter and erratic Trump commentary from the sidelines.”

Honorable Mention #1: RFK Jr. Endorsing Trump? Why Dems Needn’t Sweat the End of His Campaign, Aneeta Mathur-Ashton, U.S. News.

Honorable Mention #2: Where it all went wrong for RFK Jr., Avery Lotz and Dave Lawler, Axios.

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

What’s Trump Saying?

The Top Argument From The Right: Trump open to giving RFK Jr. Cabinet position in move that could neutralize third-party threat to GOP, Brady Knox, Washington Examiner: “Former President Donald Trump said he would ‘certainly’ consider giving independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a position in his administration in return for an endorsement. In an interview with CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Trump was asked about recent comments from Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, which appeared to take him off guard. … He dismissed concerns that appointing Kennedy would anger his Republican supporters. ‘I like smart people, and Republicans like me,’ Trump said. The former president also acknowledged that the dynamics of the race had changed since President Joe Biden dropped out but maintained that his strategy hadn’t changed. ‘I’m leading in the polls but not by as much,’ he said. … ‘There’s two options that we’re looking at, and one is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and Walz presidency because we draw more votes from Trump,’ she said. ‘Or we walk away right now and join forces with Donald Trump and explain to our base why we’re making this decision.’ Kennedy mainly hurt President Joe Biden’s election chances in previous months, but the switching of the nominee to Vice President Kamala Harris flipped the script to mainly hurt Trump’s.”

Honorable Mention #1: RFK Jr. considering dropping out to ‘join forces’ with Trump, former prez ‘open’ to giving him a role, Victor Nava and Ryan King, New York Post.

Honorable Mention #2: What’s happened to RFK Jr? Freddy Gray and Ben Domenech, The Spectator.

FLAG THIS

What Are the Polls Saying?

If Kennedy were to end his campaign, polling data suggests that the impact would likely favor Trump slightly more than Harris. Recent polling NBC News polling shows Kennedy has a net-positive rating of +11 among Republicans, while his standing has significantly declined among independents (-18) and Democrats (-38). This suggests that some of Kennedy’s supporters, particularly Republicans, may support Trump, although the effect may be marginal.

In national polling, Harris currently leads with 47% support compared to Trump’s 44%, with Kennedy and other third-party candidates drawing only 7% of the vote. The New York Times/Siena College battleground polls indicate that Kennedy’s support is now just 4% overall, but this small percentage could still play a decisive role in a tight race. Therefore, while the impact of Kennedy’s potential withdrawal might not drastically alter the dynamics, it could sway the election outcome in key battleground states (NBC News).

Should the Harris Campaign be concerned about RFK Jr. dropping out and endorsing Trump?

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WATERCOOLER

Sacco and Vanzetti, Longevity Tips, Sustainable Snacks

On This Day in 1927, despite worldwide demonstrations in support of their innocence, Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are executed for murder.

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Our Best Pet Insurance list can help you find affordable coverage starting at just $10 a month so you can focus on what matters most – your furry friend's well-being.

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