Summit Scrutiny

Plus, a community cat.

July 11, 2024

The Flag

Good morning and Happy Thursday! We’re publishing our first premium newsletter this Sunday. There’s a famous American icon with a typo on it. Click here to sign up, read all about it, and become a Flag Bearer.

Plus: Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:

  • US: Nancy Pelosi stops short of saying Biden should stay in the race, says 'time is running short' for him to decide (NBC News)

  • World: Israeli air strike kills 29 people at Gaza camp for displaced (BBC)

  • Business: Thousands of Samsung workers launch indefinite strike over pay (The Verge)

  • Technology: Samsung’s Galaxy Ring, its first smart ring, arrives July 24 for $399 (TechCrunch)

  • Sports: Injured Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard pulls out of Olympics (NBC News)

And of course, some good news: ‘The cat has changed my life’: how Bootsy turned a street of strangers into a community.

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Right: Jill Biden, Abuser In Chief, Richard Benedetto, Washington Times

Right: Who Enabled Biden? A Case Study, Byron York, Washington Examiner

Left: 'No Way Out': Democrats Fall Into Line Behind Biden, Korecki & Allen, NBC News

Left: Media Breathlessly Attacks Biden. What About Trump? Margaret Sullivan, The Guardian

Left: How Hunter Biden Became His Father’s 'Gatekeeper', Eleanor Clift, The Daily Beast

NATO

Summit Scrutiny

Today’s Top Story in One Sentence: NATO is hosting its 75th annual summit in Washington, D.C. this week, garnering media attention for President Biden amidst domestic political turmoil.

Reporting from the Right: Biden delivers strong speech touting NATO amid health questions, Democrats' concerns (Fox News)

Reporting from the Left: Biden aimed to prove US and global doubters wrong with NATO speech (Politico)

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

The World Needs a Strong American President

The Top Argument From The Right: NATO Faces the World with a Doddering U.S. President, Jim Geraghty, National Review: “This week, NATO holds a summit in the nation’s capital, and it’s the latest excuse for why Biden didn’t making any appearances in front of the cameras Monday… No doubt, Biden’s appearances at the summit will indeed require some preparation, but you’d think this would be something that Biden would be up to speed on, as he’s hosted and attended dozens of these conferences. There just isn’t any easy way to substitute another Western leader for the U.S. president when it comes to the leadership of NATO, or the free world. The United Kingdom just elected a new parliament and with it a new prime minister, Keir Starmer. (The U.K. has had four prime ministers since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.) France’s Emmanuel Macron is in deep trouble. Germany is . . . not quite the full-scale reliable ally that the Biden administration wants to believe that it is. The good news is, in the 2023 numbers, the number of NATO members spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense is up significantly. The bad news is that France is at 1.9 percent, Germany is at 1.6 percent, Italy is at 1.5 percent, Canada is still at 1.4 percent, and Spain is at 1.3 percent. If the U.S. president isn’t an energetic, forceful, and compelling leader of the alliance, it’s really hard for any other figure to pick up the slack.”

Honorable Mention #2: ‘A Playground for Putin’, Charlotte Lawson, The Dispatch.

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

A Test for Biden

The Top Argument From The Left: Before Biden can save Ukraine, he must use the NATO summit to save himself, Stephen Collinson, CNN: “The NATO summit was long planned to celebrate the alliance’s 75th anniversary, to lock in longterm military support for Ukraine and even to future-proof the West against a possible second term for Donald Trump. But no one expected the meeting in Washington this week to turn into a public test of 81-year-old President Joe Biden’s health and cognitive capacity with his reelection campaign facing an existential moment after his disastrous debate performance. Biden’s leadership of NATO and lifeline to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion make him the most significant presidential trustee of the alliance since President George H.W. Bush. But his achievements, including Sweden and Finland’s entry into the group, will be eclipsed at the summit by his battle to save his political future. Every step Biden takes, every gesture he makes, and every word he utters will be under intense scrutiny… A president who is older than the alliance itself will be under enormous pressure to show vigor and mental clarity at a solo news conference on Thursday. Any hint of confusion or weakness could spark a fresh round of panic among Democrats and derail Biden’s aggressive effort to quell talk of him abandoning his campaign.”

Honorable Mention #1: The One Event That Sheds Light on What Will Happen With Biden, Fred Kaplan, Slate.

Honorable Mention #2: Biden takes on a rare challenge: a solo news conference Betsy Klein, CNN

FLAG THIS

American’s Views on NATO

A recent Gallup poll found that 47% of Americans support maintaining current U.S. commitments to NATO, while 20% advocate for increasing them. Support levels have remained unchanged since before Russia's Ukraine invasion and the addition of Finland and Sweden to NATO.

Conversely, 16% would decrease U.S. support, and 12% favor withdrawing entirely. Partisan differences were notable, with 53% of Democrats, 43% of independents, and 46% of Republicans backing current commitments, though Republicans showed the least support (Spectrum News).

Do you believe a successful showing at the NATO summit will be enough to turn things around for Biden and his reelection campaign?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

WATERCOOLER

Burr v. Hamilton, Gridlock, Heart Highway

On This Day in 1804, in one of the most famous duels in American history, Vice President Aaron Burr fatally shoots his long-time political antagonist Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton, a leading Federalist and the chief architect of America’s political economy died the following day.

Today I learned the human circulatory system is more than 60,000 miles long.

POWERED BY GUNDRY MD

Are you tired of feeling sluggish, dealing with digestive discomfort, and struggling to shed those extra pounds? It's time to break free from the chains of misinformation about so-called "health foods" that may be harming your body without you even knowing it.

Dr. Steven Gundry, renowned heart surgeon and health expert, has uncovered a hidden compound lurking in many common foods we've been told are good for us. This substances can lead to a poor intestinal lining potentially causing harmful bacteria and waste products to infiltrate your body, leaving you feeling drained, tired, and bloated.

But fear not! Dr. Gundry has a simple solution that can be easily implemented from the comfort of your own home. By avoiding these harmful foods, countless individuals have experienced transformative recoveries, with some even shedding significant weight and feeling better than they have in years.

Now, for the first time ever, Dr. Gundry is sharing his groundbreaking insights in an eye-opening video, absolutely free. This informative video, which has already taken the internet by storm and been featured on major news sites, reveals the exact foods you need to avoid to reclaim your health.

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