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Trump Targets Harris’s Heritage
Plus, LEGO therapy.
Good morning and Happy Monday! Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:
US: VP contenders interviewing with Harris on Sunday (CBS News)
World: UK police brace for more far-right protests as government warns of tough response (AP)
Business: Delta CEO offers employees free flights after CrowdStrike-Microsoft chaos (CNBC)
Technology: Apple plans to launch two foldable devices in 2026 (9to5Mac)
Sports: Suni Lee wins bronze in uneven bars; Kaylia Nemour earns Africa's first gymnastics medal (NBC News)
And of course, some good news: How LEGO Is Being Used to Reduce Stress, Combat Childhood Trauma, and Manage PTSD.
TRENDING
Right: With Elite Capture of the Democrats, GOP Has Big Opportunity, Henry Olsen, New York Post
Right: Here We Go Again: Zuckbucks Dumps Cash Into Election, Logan Washburn, Federalist
Right: Harris' Border Chutzpah, Byron York, Washington Examiner
Left: Harris Can Take the High Road to Victory, Ed Kilgore, New York Magazine
Left: An Influencer Is Running for Senate. The First of Many? Rebecca Jennings, Vox
Left: Crunch Time in Harris 'Veepstakes' Martin Pengelly, The Guardian
2024
Trump Targets Harris’s Heritage
Today’s Top Story in One Sentence: Last Wednesday, during an interview before the National Association of Black Journalists, former President Donald Trump put Vice President Kamala Harris’s mixed heritage into the spotlight, implying she only recently began identifying as Black because it is politically advantageous.
Reporting from the Right: Trump digs in on attacking Kamala Harris’s biracial identity (Washington Examiner)
Reporting from the Left: Donald Trump falsely suggests Kamala Harris misled voters about her race (AP)
RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT
Could Be Damaging
The Top Argument From The Right: Trump’s digs at Kamala’s racial identity could prove damaging, Ella Johnson, The Spectator: “While Donald Trump’s outlandish behavior usually garners free publicity for him in the news, this time, there is a lot on the line. … Race is the last thing GOP political strategists want Trump to mention when it comes to Kamala’s campaign. ‘Maybe they don’t know how to handle the campaign, and so you default to issues that just should simply not be an issue,’ Republican senator Lisa Murkowski told Axios. ‘That was not a demonstration on how to win over undecided voters,’ said another House Republican. … Instead of strategically attacking her border policies or lack of a platform, Trump leaned further into calling Kamala not black. The former president posted a picture of a young Kamala with family members dressed in traditional Indian garb on Truth Social. There are some, including Trump’s vice presidential pick J.D. Vance, who thought Trump’s performance was ‘hysterical.’ But House Speaker Mike Johnson has cautioned conservatives against leveling attacks on Harris related to her race, according to Politico. Trump currently holds an average of just above a one-point lead ahead of Harris in a number of polls, but he may be beginning to realize his usual newsworthy behavior won’t win him the election.”
Honorable Mention #1: Five ways Trump’s appearance at NABJ conference went off the rails, Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner.
Honorable Mention #2: When They Go Low, Trump Also Goes Low, Sarah Schutte, National Review.
LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT
Trump’s Trademark Racism
The Top Argument From The Left: Trump’s Racist Attacks on Kamala Harris Are Part of a Larger, Unhinged Plan, Asawin Suebsaeng and Andrew Perez, Rolling Stone: “Donald Trump’s comments on Wednesday questioning whether Vice President Kamala Harris is Black were not an off-the-cuff expression of racism, but part of a broader campaign strategy that Trump and many of his key lieutenants plan to make a heavy focus of their final three-month sprint to retake the White House. … As unhinged as this sounds — and is — Team Trump believes this is a politically smart message, according to three people on and close to the 2024 Trump-Vance campaign. In their private conversations, Trump and some of his closest advisers appear to believe that leveling this attack as loudly as they could help sell the idea that Harris is a ‘phony’ in the minds of independent voters. Trump believes he wins battles when he gets to define the messaging terrain and have Democrats and his media nemeses fight him on his terms (hence, Trump’s deep annoyance at Harris and Democrats’ relentless drive to call him, J.D. Vance, and other conservative leaders ‘weird’). So, Trump and his allies have been reveling in this line of racial-identity sniping, hoping to bait Democratic leaders into a mud fight.”
Honorable Mention #1: Trump and his allies had a plan for how to hit Harris. Then he opened his mouth., Natalie Allison and Alex Isenstadt, Politico.
Honorable Mention #2: Why Kamala Harris’ biracial identity upsets Donald Trump so much, Sarah E. Gaither, MSNBC.
FLAG THIS
Polling Update
FiveThirtyEight has released new polling averages, and as of Friday at 10 a.m. Eastern, Harris holds a slight lead with 45% of voter support, compared to Trump's 43.5%. This 1.5% lead falls within the uncertainty interval, similar to a margin of error. The site also provides Harris versus Trump polling averages for swing states Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, all of which are also within the uncertainty interval. Additional state averages will be included as more polls become available (ABC News).
How will these comments from Trump affect his campaign? |
WATERCOOLER
Mass Firing, Group Chat Pro, Dolphin Family
On August 5, 1981, President Ronald Reagan began firing 11,359 air traffic controllers who were striking in violation of his order for them to return to work. The executive action, regarded as extreme by many, significantly slowed air travel for months.
Gizmodo: How to Be a Group Chat Pro
Popular Science: Burnout Is Real. Here’s How to Spot It—and Recover.
Today I learned killer whales are actually dolphins.
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