We have too much content, and there is too much late news, for us to write up full items. Instead, here are
capsules on the big news stories from the final day (or two, or three) of the campaign:
Live From New York, It's Saturday Night! (Part I): We intended to write this up yesterday, but
Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live this week. You can watch it
here,
if you haven't already seen it:
It was set up so there was a "big reveal" (about 6 minutes in), and during her roughly 2 minutes of screen time, Harris was very good.
Not too many politicians can be that natural on camera, but she's up there with Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and St. Ronnie of Reagan.
We see no plausible way this could hurt Harris, but could it help her? Maybe. Showing the (young-skewing) audience that she's a good
sport might win over a few voters. More likely, however, is that her appearance could serve to remind the (young-skewing) audience
that it's time to vote or get off the pot.
Live From New York, It's Saturday Night! (Part II): FEC Commissioner Brendan Carr (a Republican appointee)
is all over eX-Twitter,
carping that Harris' SNL appearance was "a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC's Equal Time rule." Many
Republican politicians,
such as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL),
joined in.
We'll point out a few things about these complaints. First, if the FEC had any power to do something about this, the
Commissioner would be doing it, instead of whining on eX-Twitter. Second, NBC did give Donald Trump equal time, during
the football games on Sunday, allowing him to record a message for broadcast. Third, while Carr and Rubio imply that
somehow Harris has done something wrong, it's not her job to manage NBC's broadcast schedule. If an infraction was
committed, it's 100% on NBC. Fourth, and finally, there is much leeway in the rules when the lines between "news" and
"entertainment" are blurred. For example, The Howard Stern Show had a permanent FCC waiver back when it was aired
on public airwaves, because while Stern interviews politicians on a regular basis, he does so as an entertainer. If this
were to go to court, which it won't, NBC's lawyers would undoubtedly make an argument along those lines, and would
likely win.
The Light...: Kamala Harris decided that what people really want is hope, so she decided
to make
her closing message 100% positivity, and to omit all mentions of Trump.
...and the Darkness: On the other hand, the Ann Selzer Iowa poll was a
"gut punch"
for the Trump campaign, and the candidate decided he needed to turn up the volume on the sturm and drang. So, he has
spent the final couple of days
channeling his inner fascist,
repeatedly describing the Democrats as "the most sinister and corrupt forces on Earth."
Saying the Crazy Part Out Loud (Part I): The Democrats would like you to remember that if
you elect Donald Trump, you risk putting a wannabe dictator in office. And Trump, as part of his ever-more-dark turn,
delivered the goods,
ruminating yesterday that he "shouldn't have left" the White House when his term was up. Curious closing message.
Saying the Crazy Part Out Loud (Part II): The Democrats would also like you to remember that
if you elect Donald Trump, you risk putting crazies in charge of the various federal departments. And Robert F. Kennedy,
who wants desperately to help pull Trump over the finish line,
announced
that one of the first things Trump would do on re-entering the White House would be to order the removal of fluoride
from the nation's water supplies, because RFK Jr. believes it causes cancer, and impotence, and broken bones, and
all kinds of other things. This not only ignores the science, which is an RFK calling card, but it also re-litigates
the culture wars of... the 1950s. Time to join us in the 21st century, Bobby Jr. We actually believe that Trump is
gaslighting Kennedy, and would never give a meaningful job to someone with such loose lips. That does not mean that
Trump would not appoint other crazies, though.
The Least Surprising News of the Day: A Trump campaign staffer
was fired yesterday
after reporters discovered that he's a leading white supremacist.
...And Speaking of White Supremacists: Nick Fuentes, who is probably the best-known
white supremacist in the country, outside of David Duke,
turned against
Trump yesterday, because he (Fuentes) says he just realized that Trumpism is a cult. Boy, nothing gets past him.
You Win Some...: Elon Musk
won
dismissal of the emergency motion that had been filed against him in Pennsylvania, over the $1 million giveaways he's been
doing. In short, Team Elon argued that the giveaways aren't really a lottery because the winners were predetermined,
and the stunt only gave the appearance of looking like anyone who participated had a chance. We don't know if that's
true, or if Musk just said it to win. All we know is that he's either duplicitous or a liar, which are
pretty close to the same thing.
...And You Lose Some: Musk's disastrous ground-game efforts are also... kind of cruel, as it turns
out. Yesterday,
it was reported
that workers in Michigan dared talk to a reporter about their difficult working conditions, including being transported
in a U-Haul van without seats. The workers, many of them Black, were summarily fired, and in some cases were not paid
and were left stranded wherever they happened to be working when the termination order came down.
A Late Endorsement: Joe Rogan has stopped pretending to be politically neutral, and has
officially endorsed
Donald Trump. Here is Rogan's explanation: "The great and powerful @elonmusk.
If it wasn't for him we'd be fu**ed. He makes what I think is the most compelling case for Trump you'll hear, and I agree with him every step of the way."
It is a very special kind of person who takes their cues from Elon Musk. It is an even more special kind of person who
believes that Musk is somehow singlehandedly saving the country or the world from being "fu**ed." Wethinks that may just
be the words of a guy who depends heavily on eX-Twitter to promote his podcast.
We really don't understand why people wait until nearly 80 million ballots have been cast to give their endorsements. In
any case, between that and the fact that Rogan's audience is overwhelmingly made up of bros, we doubt his endorsement
will matter much.
The Yin to Rogan's Yang: The New York Times, which has the good fortune to not be
owned by Jeff Bezos, posted
this brief statement
to its website:
You already know Donald Trump. He is unfit to lead. Watch him. Listen to those who know him best. He tried to subvert an
election and remains a threat to democracy. He helped overturn Roe, with terrible consequences. Mr. Trump's corruption
and lawlessness go beyond elections: It's his whole ethos. He lies without limit. If he's re-elected, the G.O.P. won't
restrain him. Mr. Trump will use the government to go after opponents. He will pursue a cruel policy of mass
deportations. He will wreak havoc on the poor, the middle class and employers. Another Trump term will damage the
climate, shatter alliances and strengthen autocrats. Americans should demand better. Vote.
It's succinct and compelling, though we tend to doubt that the Times' readership includes all that many people
who are persuadable and aren't already voting for Kamala Harris.
It's a Tie!: Renewing a custom that dates back to 1960, the residents of Dixville Notch
cast their ballots a little after midnight last night.
Four Republicans and two independents, all of whom are senior citizens, all of whom cast their primary ballots for Nikki Haley,
split their votes evenly between Harris and Trump. Read into that what you will.
Nevada: Jon Ralston, who has his finger on the pulse of Nevada politics in a manner similar
to Ann Selzer and Iowa (though Ralston is not a pollster),
announced yesterday
that he thinks Harris will win the state.
And that's the way it is. (Z)
This item appeared on www.electoral-vote.com. Read it Monday through Friday for political and election news,
Saturday for answers to reader's questions, and Sunday for letters from readers.
