The Conversation -- April 8, 2024

A Method to His Lies. Angelo Fichera of the New York Times: "In the week starting with Mr. Trump's victory speech in Iowa through his win in the New Hampshire primary -- the contests that put him on the path to becoming his party's nominee for the third consecutive time -- The New York Times analyzed all of his public statements, including speeches, interviews and social media posts. His words focused heavily on attacking his political rivals, self-aggrandizing and stoking fear to make his case for 2024. In doing so, Mr. Trump often relied on repeated falsehoods and half-truths. He has yet to deviate from this approach in the general election....

"He grossly distorts his opponents' records and proposals to make them sound unreasonable.... He exaggerates and twists the facts to make his record sound better than it is.... He relies on both well-worn and fresh claims of election rigging to suggest he can lose only if his opponents cheat.... He has turned his criminal cases into a rallying cry, baselessly asserting that he is being persecuted by his successor.... He makes unverifiable claims about what the world would have been like had he secured a second term.... He describes the United States as a nation in ruins."

Ben Protess, et al., of the New York Times: "Donald J. Trump, a week away from standing trial in Manhattan on criminal charges that he falsified records to cover up a sex scandal, has indicated he plans to file a lawsuit against the judge overseeing the case. Court records showed on Monday that Mr. Trump was filing an action against the judge, Juan M. Merchan, though the papers were not immediately made public. An online court docket where Mr. Trump is expected to file the so-called Article 78 action -- a special proceeding that can be used to challenge New York state government agencies and judges -- showed that the related paperwork was sealed. Two people with knowledge of the matter said that Mr. Trump's lawyers on Monday planned to file the action calling on an appeals court to delay the trial and to challenge a gag order that Justice Merchan recently imposed on the former president.... Mr. Trump's unorthodox move -- essentially an appeal in the form of a lawsuit -- is unlikely to succeed, particularly so close to trial."

Maggie Haberman, et al., of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump said in a video statement on Monday that abortion rights should be left up to the states, remarks that came after months of mixed signals on an issue that he and his advisers have worried could cost him dearly in the election. Mr. Trump said his view was that the states should decide through legislation, and that 'whatever they decide must be the law of the land, and in this case, the law of the state.' But he added that he was 'strongly in favor of exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.'... Mr. Trump appeared to be trying to move past the issue of abortion rights as quickly as possible without discussing a federal ban, which would face steep odds in the House and Senate. He has privately discussed supporting such a ban. But politically, Mr. Trump's announcement that abortion should be left to the states will allow Democrats to tag him with some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, including a six-week ban in Florida that he has said was a 'terrible mistake.'... In the video, Mr. Trump said he was 'proudly the person responsible' for overturning Roe and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion after almost 50 years. Mr. Trump falsely claimed that 'all legal scholars, both sides, wanted and in fact demanded' that Roe should be ended. He then falsely claimed that Democrats wanted babies 'executed after birth.'" CNN's report is here.

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CNN is live-updating the total eclipse of the sun here: "The eclipse will be visible to 32 million people in the US who live along the path of totality, where the moon will appear to entirely block the sun. And a whopping 99% of people in the US will be able to glimpse at least a partial solar eclipse when the moon covers part of the sun. Enter your address to find out what you can expect to see in a city near you." ~~~

~~~ How much of the April 8 eclipse will be visible at your house? And when? Check out the answer here (by Zip Code). ~~~

~~~ The New York Times has cloud cover forecasts for 3 pm ET today. You can check by city. ~~~

~~~ NASA's solar eclipse page is here. PBS is covering the eclipse here. NBC News will cover it here.

"Yellen in China" Will Not Be an Opera. Alan Rappeport of the New York Times: "Four days of top-level economic meetings between the United States and China concluded in Beijing on Monday with no major breakthroughs, but the world's two largest economies agreed to hold more discussions to address rising friction over trade, investment and national security. The conversation is poised to become even more difficult, however, as hopes of greater economic cooperation collide with a harsh political reality: It is an election year in the United States, and antipathy toward China is running high. At the same time, Chinese officials appeared unmoved by Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen's urging that China scale back its recent surge of green energy technology exports, which could threaten American jobs."

Turner Admits House Republicans Are Putin Puppets. Sarah Fortinsky of the Hill: "House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) stressed the expansive reach of Russian propaganda and said Sunday it has even presented itself on the floor of the U.S. Congress. In an interview on CNN's 'State of the Union' with Jake Tapper, Turner said he agreed with Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who singled out conservative news outlets and said, 'Russian propaganda has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it's infected a good chunk of my party's base.... There are members of Congress today, who still incorrectly say that this conflict between Russia and Ukraine is over NATO, which of course it is not,' Turner said. '[Russian President] Vladimir Putin having made it very clear, both publicly and to his own population, that his view is that this is a conflict of a much broader claim of Russia, to Eastern Europe, and including claiming all of Ukraine territory as Russia's.' Turner said the propaganda has made it increasingly more difficult to pass Ukraine aid and to present a clear picture of a battle between democracy and authoritarianism." (Also linked yesterday.) The Washington Post's report is here.

Ed Scarce of Crooks & Liars notes that Donald's handpicked RNC chair Michael Whatley lumped Ukraine in with China & Iran as the U.S.'s "aggressive" enemies who will meddle in U.S. elections. See also Comrade Trump's plan, linked under "Ukraine, et al." below.

Presidential Race

Maham Javaid & Kyle Melnick of the Washington Post: "Democrats may miss a deadline to get President Biden on the general election ballot in Ohio, according to the state's election management office. In a letter seen by The Washington Post, the Ohio secretary of state's office told Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters that the Democratic National Committee's nominating convention is scheduled too late for Biden to make the Ohio ballot because a state law requires nominees to be certified at least 90 days before the general election. The letter, citing Ohio's presidential ballot laws, said the deadline to certify a presidential candidate in Ohio is 90 days before the general election. The election is Nov. 5 this year, putting the Ohio deadline at Aug. 7 -- but the Democratic National Convention, which is expected to nominate Biden for a rematch against Donald Trump, isn't scheduled to convene until Aug. 19. The letter from Paul Disantis, chief legal counsel for Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R), asked Democratic state legislative leaders for clarification to assure the party's 'timely compliance with Ohio law.'" ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: Whaddaya bet the Supremes would think keeping a Democrat off the ballot was just fine even as they could hardly wait to make sure a Republican insurrectionist could remain on every state ballot?

Maggie Haberman & Michael Gold of the New York Times: "... Donald J. Trump, speaking at a multimillion-dollar fund-raiser on Saturday night, lamented that people were not immigrating to the United States from 'nice' countries 'like Denmark' and suggested that his well-heeled dinner companions were temporarily safe from undocumented immigrants nearby, according to an attendee.... Mr. Trump also lamented the surge of migrants, particularly from Latin America.... 'In fact, I don't think they're on this island [Palm Beach], but I know they're on that island right there. That's West Palm,' Mr. Trump said, gesturing across the [Intercoast Waterway].... 'Congratulations over there. But they'll be here. Eventually, they'll be here.'... Dozens of wealthy donors helped write checks that the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee claim totaled more than $50 million, an amount that would set a record but had not been verified." MB: West Palm Beach, BTW, is not an island. It's on the Florida mainland. According to the reporters, "... nearly a third of residents [of WPB] are Black and a quarter are Hispanic." ~~~

~~~ Jonathan Allen, et al., of NBC News: "... Donald Trump emphasized the importance of extending his signature tax cuts to some of the nation's wealthiest political donors, according to a readout of his private remarks Saturday night provided by a Trump campaign official. 'Trump spoke on the need to win back the White House so we can turn our country around, focusing on key issues including unleashing energy production, securing our southern border, reducing inflation, extending the Trump Tax Cuts, eliminating Joe Biden's insane [electric vehicle] mandate, protecting Israel, and avoiding global war,' the campaign official said of a roughly 45-minute speech to donors in Palm Beach, Florida." MB: Okay, the tax-cut-for-billionaires thing is totally believable. The rest, maybe not so much. But the speech proves Trump can tell the truth sometimes. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE, over at "Fox & Friends" weekend, the hosts can't figure out how much of that $50MM haul will go to Trump's legal fees, and they think it's very unfair that Biden gets to spend all of his campaign cash for, you know, his campaign, while Trump is "fighting with one hand behind his back" because Biden's "election interference" is forcing Trump to shell out so much to lawyers. (Also linked yesterday.)

RAS found this summary of some of our more recent presidents' goals. MB: I think maybe I'm seeing a pattern: ~~~

Aileen in Wonderland. Joyce Vance on Substack: Judge Aileen Cannon's court is "increasingly reminiscent of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,' where important matters are upside down.... Judge Cannon ordered Jack Smith to provide her with jury instructions on the application of the Presidential Records Act (PRA) long before the case could even conceivably be ready to go to trial -- jury instructions are typically filed shortly before trial begins. Judge Cannon hasn't even ruled definitively on the role the Presidential Records Act will play in permitting Trump to mount a defense (which, of course, it shouldn't do at all). Increasingly, the common theme seems to be that she finds disingenuous paths around rulings that would permit the Special Counsel to appeal her errors.... This case is very likely headed to the Eleventh Circuit before trial.... If Judge Cannon continues as she has, the outcome seems to be all but a foregone conclusion. And it's difficult to believe that, at this point, any panel of Eleventh Circuit judges wouldn't believe the Judge needs to step aside."

Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. digby figures Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update (embedded yesterday) is about the only "news" outlet to properly cover some of Trump's latest rantings. MB: I remember first remarking on this back in (probably) late 2015 or early 2016, when I noticed that the media carefully "translated" Trump's garbled remarks into forms that sounded at least comprehensible. They got used to it, and as he got crazier -- as digby emphasizes -- they just skipped some of the nuttier lunacy and translated only the few remarks which they could couch as probable "policy" matters. (These admittedly are usually crazy, too: Trump will solve the U.S./Mexico border crisis by building a "beautiful" wall which Mexico will pay for.) Maybe every "real" news outlets should have a little box headlined, "Crazy Things Trump Said Today," and report it out. Raw.

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Vermont. Johnny Diaz of the New York Times: "The authorities in Vermont arrested a man they said used an accelerant and a lighter to start a fire on Friday outside of Senator Bernie Sanders's office in Burlington. The man, Shant Soghomonian (also known as Michael Soghomonian), 35, previously of Northridge, Calif., was arrested on Sunday on a charge of using fire to damage the building at One Church Street in Burlington, Vt., the U.S. Attorney's office for the district of Vermont said in a statement on Sunday. Prosecutors and the police did not identify a possible motive for the fire."

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Israel/Palestine, et al.

The Washington Post's live updates of developments Monday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "Israel and Hamas sent delegations to Cairo for the latest round of cease-fire negotiations. CIA chief William J. Burns was in Cairo on Sunday for the talks, in a possible sign that diplomatic momentum is building after the sides couldn't reach an agreement before Ramadan."

Louisa Loveluck, et al., of the Washington Post: "Israel said on Sunday -- the six-month mark of the ruinous conflict in Gaza -- that it was withdrawing all but one brigade from the south of the enclave, describing the move as an opportunity for troops to rest and retool for the next chapter of the war. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that its 98th commando division, which consists of special ground forces, had 'concluded its mission' in the city of Khan Younis and left Gaza 'to recuperate and prepare for future operations.' The Nahal brigade, made up of ground troops stationed along a corridor that divides northern and southern Gaza, would continue to operate, the army said. The drawdown announcement Sunday seemed to mirror a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza City earlier this year, after the army said it had dismantled Hamas brigades in the north and was pivoting to more targeted operations."

Ukraine, et al. Who Would Have Guessed? Isaac Arnsdorf, et al., of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump has privately said he could end Russia's war in Ukraine by pressuring Ukraine to give up some territory, according to people familiar with the plan. Some foreign policy experts said Trump's idea would reward Russian President Vladimir Putin and condone the violation of internationally recognized borders by force. Trump's proposal consists of pushing Ukraine to cede Crimea and the Donbas border region to Russia.... That approach, which has not been previously reported, would dramatically reverse President Biden's policy, which has emphasized curtailing Russian aggression and providing military aid to Ukraine."

The Conversation -- April 7, 2024

Sarah Fortinsky of the Hill: "House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) stressed the expansive reach of Russian propaganda and said Sunday it has even presented itself on the floor of the U.S. Congress. In an interview on CNN's 'State of the Union' with Jake Tapper, Turner said he agreed with Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who singled out conservative news outlets and said, 'Russian propaganda has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it's infected a good chunk of my party's base.... There are members of Congress today, who still incorrectly say that this conflict between Russia and Ukraine is over NATO, which of course it is not,' Turner said. '[Russian President] Vladimir Putin having made it very clear, both publicly and to his own population, that his view is that this is a conflict of a much broader claim of Russia, to Eastern Europe, and including claiming all of Ukraine territory as Russia's.' Turner said the propaganda has made it increasingly more difficult to pass Ukraine aid and to present a clear picture of a battle between democracy and authoritarianism."

Jonathan Allen, et al., of NBC News: "... Donald Trump emphasized the importance of extending his signature tax cuts to some of the nation's wealthiest political donors, according to a readout of his private remarks Saturday night provided by a Trump campaign official. 'Trump spoke on the need to win back the White House so we can turn our country around, focusing on key issues including unleashing energy production, securing our southern border, reducing inflation, extending the Trump Tax Cuts, eliminating Joe Biden's insane [electric vehicle] mandate, protecting Israel, and avoiding gobal war,' the campaign official said of a roughly 45-minute speech to donors in Palm Beach, Florida." MB: Okay, the tax-cut-for-billionaires thing is totally believable. The rest, maybe not so much. But the speech proves Trump can tell the truth sometimes. ~~~

~~~ MEANWHILE, over at "Fox & Friends" weekend, the hosts can't figure out how much of that $50MM haul will go to Trump's legal fees, and they think it's very unfair that Biden gets to spend all of his campaign cash for, you know, his campaign, while Trump is "fighting with one hand behind his back" because Biden's "election interference" is forcing Trump to shell out so much to lawyers.

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Presidential Race

Tamara Keith & Franco Ordoñez of NPR: "The Biden reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee significantly outraised ... Donald Trump and the Republican Party in the month of March, according to new fundraising numbers released by the Biden campaign on Saturday. The Biden campaign and DNC combined to raise $90 million in March, according to figures released by the campaign. [President] Biden's reelection effort ended the month with $192 million cash on hand, a significant war chest even as the campaign is spending millions on television ads and opening field offices in key states around the country. 'The money we are raising is historic,' said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden-Harris 2024 campaign manager. 'It's a stark contrast to Trump's cash-strapped operation that is funneling the limited and billionaire-reliant funds it has to pay off his various legal fees.'" (Also linked yesterday.)

Fredreka Schouten of CNN: "Donald Trump's campaign said it raised $50.5 million at a Saturday fundraiser in Florida, a staggering sum as the former president's political operation scrambles to close its big financial gap with President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party. The haul announced by the campaign and top officials with the Republican National Committee far eclipses the $26 million that Biden reported collecting recently at a star-studded gathering in New York City that featured former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The Trump total from the 'Inaugural Leadership Dinner' at the Palm Beach, Florida, home of billionaire investor John Paulson sets a record for a single fundraising event.... The price tag for the fundraiser ranged from $250,000 per person for those serving on the 'host committee' to $824,600 per person to serve as a 'chairman.' Perks for those contributing at the top level included dinner seating at Trump's table." MB: Of course this should make you feel sick.

Maureen Dowd of the New York Times on Donald Trump's obsession with bloodbaths & bloodlines. (Also linked yesterday.)

Rachel Leingang of the Guardian: "Donald Trump's speeches on the 2024 campaign trail so far have been focused on a laundry list of complaints, largely personal, and an increasingly menacing tone. He's on the campaign trail less these days than he was in previous cycles.... But when he has held rallies, he speaks in dark, dehumanizing terms about migrants, promising to vanquish people crossing the border. He rails about the legal battles he faces and how they're a sign he's winning, actually. He tells lies and invents fictions. He calls his opponent a threat to democracy and claims this election could be the last one.... He's also, quite frequently, rambling and incoherent, running off on tangents that would grab headlines for their oddness should any other candidate say them." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If you wonder what ails Trump when he rambles on about irrelevant matters -- like Cary Grant in a bathing suit -- and jumps from topic to topic, it turns out "it's called intelligence." Let him explain:

The fake news will say, 'Oh, he goes from subject to subject.' No, you have to be very smart to do that. You got to be very smart. You know what it is? It's called spot-checking. You're thinking about something when you're talking about something else, and then you get back to the original. And they go, 'Holy shit. Did you see what he did?' It’s called intelligence.

Michael Kranish of the Washington Post: "As ... Donald Trump escalated his attacks on President Biden's health and mental fitness last fall, Trump released the first updated report on his own condition in more than three years. This assessment, however, stood in stark contrast to the relatively detailed reports released by the White House during his term. Instead of specifics like blood pressure and medications, the letter had just three paragraphs without specific numbers proclaiming that Trump was in 'excellent health' and had 'exceptional' cognitive ability. It did not disclose Trump's weight.... [His doctor:] Bruce A. Aronwald, a 64-year-old osteopathic physician from New Jersey -- and a longtime member of Trump's Bedminster golf club.... Trump ... began his political career in 2015 by releasing a vague and hyperbolic medical report declaring that he'd be the healthiest president in history, which his physician at the time later said Trump had dictated to him. The new letter also provides none of the usual details for the public to examine, such as the precise extent to which Trump has continued to battle obesity and high cholesterol, as he did in office.... A Post review of Aronwald found him to be a well-respected local doctor who had found notable success with a 'concierge' medical service catering to well-off clientele like Trump; some patients say he has never been openly political."

RFK Jr. Is Still Crazy. Philip Bump of the Washington Post: "Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s approach to national politics is uncomplicated. Whatever the conventional wisdom -- however sound it might be and no matter the scale of the evidence supporting it -- he's against it.... On Thursday, his scattershot presidential bid was ruffled (to the extent that it can be) by an assertion that people in jail for having participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol had been 'stripped of their Constitutional liberties.' The campaign quickly asserted that this presentation, one that echoes the views of ... Donald Trump, was an error introduced by 'a new marketing contractor.' Kennedy subsequently decided to clarify his position on the Capitol riot. In a statement released on Friday afternoon, he affirmed that ... he broadly agreed with the position of ... Donald Trump." (Also linked yesterday.)

Daring the Judge. Maegan Vazquez of the Washington Post: "... Donald Trump said Saturday that it would be a 'great honor' to be jailed for violating a gag order, marking an escalation in attacks he's made against New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan and other court officials in a case about to go to trial.... Writing on the Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump dared Merchan to throw him in jail. He also compared himself again to Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner who became the first president of a post-apartheid South Africa."

Tom Boggiani of the Raw Story: "By his words and by his actions, Donald Trump is making it difficult for Judge Aileen Cannon to put her thumb on the scale in his favor as she issues rulings that appear to be designed to derail his obstruction of government trial.... As [Greg Sargent of the New Republic] explained, Cannon's latest ruling, 'actually made it easier for herself to kill the case later, or to steer a jury toward an acquittal,' however Trump couldn't leave well enough alone by pointing out, 'He [Trump] doesn't bother hiding his expectation that Cannon ... will put a heavy thumb on the scale in his favor. That complicates Cannon's efforts to maintain that objective legal aura she's striving for.... At issue is Trump's assertion that Smith must be 'sanctioned or censured for the way he is attacking a highly respected Judge, Aileen Cannon.'... [Sargent writes,] 'Trump [is] openly telling the world exactly what he expects her to do for him. We can only hope Trump has left her no option but to prove him wrong.'"

Saving Trump Media. Matthew Goldstein & Sharon LaFraniere of the New York Times: "Marty Davis, the wealthy Minnesota head of a kitchen countertop manufacturing company..., contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to help elect Mr. Trump in 2020, and encouraged him to fight to overturn the 2020 election results. Shortly after Mr. Trump's social media company said in October 2021 that it planned to go public by merging with a cash-rich shell company, Mr. Davis was one of the first to lend the fledgling business millions so that it could stay afloat.... Other early backers include two Texas billionaires, a Florida hedge fund manager, and a trust with ties to a Russian American owner of an offshore bank who is the nephew of a former high-ranking Russian government official.... It's not uncommon for start-ups to seek out wealthy investors for financing, but the stock holdings raise questions about the potential for conflicts of interest and undue influence over Mr. Trump should he return to the White House.... Mr. Trump, who owns 57 percent of Trump Media, did not personally put a significant amount of money into getting the company off the ground."

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Colorado. Freedom of the Press? Not So Much. Jennifer Brown of the Colorado Sun: "Colorado Sun politics reporter was escorted out of the state GOP assembly by a sheriff's deputy Saturday after being told that party Chairman Dave Williams found her 'current reporting to be very unfair.' Reporter Sandra Fish, who has covered politics since 1982, received a text at 3:45 a.m. Saturday from a Colorado Republican Party event organizer saying that she was no longer allowed to attend. Fish went anyway to the assembly at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo, where she checked in at the door and received a press credential to enter. About an hour later, she was told to leave. Fish initially refused, but was later escorted out by a law enforcement officer, who told her, 'You have to be invited here. They don't want you here. We have to get you out of here,' according to video of the scene taken by other journalists.... Several Republican leaders criticized the ousting of a reporter from the state assembly, one of the most important events of the year as the party chooses its candidates for the November election."

Montana Senate Race. Meet Yer GOP Candidate. Liz Goodwin of the Washington Post: "Tim Sheehy, a charismatic former Navy SEAL who is the Republican candidate in a U.S. Senate race in Montana..., has cited a gunshot wound he received in combat that he said left a bullet in his right arm as evidence of his toughness. '... I have a bullet stuck in this arm still from Afghanistan,' Sheehy said in a video of a December campaign event posted on social media, pointing to his right forearm. It was one of several inconsistent accounts Sheehy has shared about being shot while deployed. And in October 2015, more than a year after he left active duty, he told a different story. After a family visit to Montana's Glacier National Park, he told a National Park Service ranger that he accidentally shot himself in the right arm that day.... Asked this week about the citation [he received] ... for illegally discharging his weapon in a national park..., Sheehy told The Washington Post that the statement he gave the ranger was a lie. He said he made up the story about the gun going off to protect himself and his former platoonmates from facing a potential military investigation into an old bullet wound that he said he got in Afghanistan in 2012." Read on if you'd like to know Sheehy's many tall tales about when and where and how many times he was shot. (Also linked yesterday.)

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Israel/Palestine, et al.

The New York Times' live updates of developments Sunday in the Israel/Hamas war are here.

Kareem Fahim, et al., of the Washington Post: "Israel's military said Friday that a deadly attack on a World Central Kitchen humanitarian convoy that killed seven of the organization's members was a 'serious violation' of its policies after the airstrikes prompted global outrage and a rare rebuke from the Biden administration. The findings of the Israel Defense Forces' own investigation, presented in a seven-paragraph statement, were unusual for the speed with which they were released: four days after an IDF drone repeatedly struck the three-car convoy on a coastal road in Gaza used as a humanitarian corridor, and two days after President Biden said he was 'outraged and heartbroken' over the deaths and that the investigation should be 'swift.' The statement said the attack was the result of 'errors' and was 'contrary' to military procedures. It added that two officers would be dismissed and commanders reprimanded but made no mention of legal actions like prosecutions."

CNN's live updates of developments Saturday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "The US is preparing for a significant Iranian attack on US or Israeli assets in the region as soon as next week, a US official told CNN, after an Israeli strike in Syria killed Iranian commanders. Israel's ongoing conflicts with Iran and its proxy groups have intensified since October 7. There were large protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in Israeli cities once again on Saturday. Protesters called for Israeli hostages to be freed and slammed Netanyahu's handling of the war after six months in Gaza. World Central Kitchen and some Western leaders are calling for an independent investigation into an Israeli strike that killed seven of the group's aid workers in Gaza, after Israel said its forces made a 'grave mistake' in its preliminary report. Dozens of Democrats -- including former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- called for the US to halt arms sales to Israel until a full investigation into the strike is completed." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Saturday are here. (Also linked yesterday.)

The Conversation -- April 6, 2024

Tamara Keith & Franco Ordoñez of NPR: "The Biden reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee significantly outraised ... Donald Trump and the Republican Party in the month of March, according to new fundraising numbers released by the Biden campaign on Saturday. The Biden campaign and DNC combined to raise $90 million in March, according to figures released by the campaign. [President] Biden's reelection effort ended the month with $192 million cash on hand, a significant war chest even as the campaign is spending millions on television ads and opening field offices in key states around the country. 'The money we are raising is historic,' said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden-Harris 2024 campaign manager. 'It's a stark contrast to Trump's cash-strapped operation that is funneling the limited and billionaire-reliant funds it has to pay off his various legal fees.'"

Maureen Dowd of the New York Times on Donald Trump's obsession with bloodbaths & bloodlines.

Rachel Leingang of the Guardian: "Donald Trump’s speeches on the 2024 campaign trail so far have been focused on a laundry list of complaints, largely personal, and an increasingly menacing tone. He’s on the campaign trail less these days than he was in previous cycles.... But when he has held rallies, he speaks in dark, dehumanizing terms about migrants, promising to vanquish people crossing the border. He rails about the legal battles he faces and how they’re a sign he’s winning, actually. He tells lies and invents fictions. He calls his opponent a threat to democracy and claims this election could be the last one.... He’s also, quite frequently, rambling and incoherent, running off on tangents that would grab headlines for their oddness should any other candidate say them." ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: If you wonder what ails Trump when he rambles on about irrelevant matters -- like Cary Grant in a bathing suit -- and jumps from topic to topic, it turns out "it's called intelligence." Let him explain:

The fake news will say, ‘Oh, he goes from subject to subject.’ No, you have to be very smart to do that. You got to be very smart. You know what it is? It’s called spot-checking. You’re thinking about something when you’re talking about something else, and then you get back to the original. And they go, ‘Holy shit. Did you see what he did?’ It’s called intelligence.

RFK Jr. Is Still Crazy. Philip Bump of the Washington Post: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s approach to national politics is uncomplicated. Whatever the conventional wisdom — however sound it might be and no matter the scale of the evidence supporting it — he’s against it.... On Thursday, his scattershot presidential bid was ruffled (to the extent that it can be) by an assertion that people in jail for having participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol had been 'stripped of their Constitutional liberties.' The campaign quickly asserted that this presentation, one that echoes the views of ... Donald Trump, was an error introduced by 'a new marketing contractor.' Kennedy subsequently decided to clarify his position on the Capitol riot. In a statement released on Friday afternoon, he affirmed that … he broadly agreed with the position of ... Donald Trump.”

Montana. Meet Yer GOP Candidate. Liz Goodwin of the Washington Post: “Tim Sheehy, a charismatic former Navy SEAL who is the Republican candidate in a U.S. Senate race in Montana..., has cited a gunshot wound he received in combat that he said left a bullet in his right arm as evidence of his toughness. '... I have a bullet stuck in this arm still from Afghanistan,' Sheehy said in a video of a December campaign event posted on social media, pointing to his right forearm. It was one of several inconsistent accounts Sheehy has shared about being shot while deployed. And in October 2015, more than a year after he left active duty, he told a different story. After a family visit to Montana’s Glacier National Park, he told a National Park Service ranger that he accidentally shot himself in the right arm that day.... Asked this week about the citation [he received] ... for illegally discharging his weapon in a national park..., Sheehy told The Washington Post that the statement he gave the ranger was a lie. He said he made up the story about the gun going off to protect himself and his former platoonmates from facing a potential military investigation into an old bullet wound that he said he got in Afghanistan in 2012.” Read on if you'd like to know Sheehy's many tall tales about when and where and how many times he was shot.

Israel/Palestine, et al. CNN's live updates of developments Saturday in the Israel/Hamas war are here: "The US is preparing for a significant Iranian attack on US or Israeli assets in the region as soon as next week, a US official told CNN, after an Israeli strike in Syria killed Iranian commanders. Israel's ongoing conflicts with Iran and its proxy groups have intensified since October 7. There were large protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in Israeli cities once again on Saturday. Protesters called for Israeli hostages to be freed and slammed Netanyahu's handling of the war after six months in Gaza. World Central Kitchen and some Western leaders are calling for an independent investigation into an Israeli strike that killed seven of the group's aid workers in Gaza, after Israel said its forces made a 'grave mistake' in its preliminary report. Dozens of Democrats — including former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — called for the US to halt arms sales to Israel until a full investigation into the strike is completed." ~~~

     ~~~ The New York Times' live updates for Saturday are here.

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Erin Cox, et al. of the Washington Post: “President Biden flew over the scene of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore on Friday, surveying the wreckage as the recovery enters a pivotal new phase, 10 days after a massive container ship plowed into the span and brought it down in a jumble of twisted steel and concrete. Biden pledged federal support 'every step of the way' in a speech afterward, promising “your nation has your back” and pressing Congress to fund the cost of rebuilding the 1.6-mile bridge, which could total more than $1 billion. Officials announced plans to fully reopen the crippled Port of Baltimore by the end of May, setting a hard target for the first time.... Biden, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) and other officials leading the cleanup did two loops around the disaster site in the Marine One helicopter on Friday, before the president met with first responders and with the families of the six construction workers who perished when the bridge plunged into Patapsco on March 26.”

A'Trolling We Will Go. Filip Timotija of the Hill: “A trio of House Democrats introduced legislation to rename a Miami prison after former President Trump. Congressmen Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), and John Garamendi (D-Calif.) introduced legislation Friday to change the name of the Miami Federal Correctional Institution in Florida to 'Donald J. Trump Federal Correctional Institution.'... The bill comes in response to a measure introduced by a group of Republicans earlier to rename Washington Dulles International Airport after the former President.”

Annie Grayer of CNN: “House Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden were dealt their latest blow this week when the CIA informed them that an allegation they pushed was false, the latest example of House Republicans citing questionable information to make a serious claim.... House Oversight Chair James Comer and House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan accused the CIA in a letter last month of intervening in the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden by preventing IRS and DOJ investigators from interviewing a witness in their probe, based on information they say came from a whistleblower. But the CIA has refuted that claim.... 'Without confirming or denying the existence of any associations or communications, CIA did not prevent or seek to prevent IRS or DOJ from conducting any such interview. The allegation is false,' CIA Director of Congressional Affairs James A. Catella wrote to the Republican Committee Chairs.... The witness who Republicans allege the CIA blocked from being interviewed is Kevin Morris, who serves as Hunter Biden’s lawyer and has previously testified that he cooperated with the criminal investigation by turning over documents and speaking with investigators.”

Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post: “Trump’s assault on our democracy must be viewed not 'merely' as legal infractions; the response must come not only from judges. Reducing all of Trump’s reprehensible offenses to legalities also gives Republicans an excuse to avoid condemning his behavior.... Meanwhile, the media, elected leaders and voters should not ignore that Trump’s conduct need not be illegal to be disqualifying.”

Trump Scams the Appeals Court. Robert Faturechi, et al., of ProPublica: “... Donald Trump scored a victory last week when a New York court slashed the amount he had to put up while appealing his civil fraud case to $175 million. His lawyers had told the appellate court it was a 'practical impossibility' to get a bond for the full amount of the lower court’s judgment, $464 million. All of the 30 or so firms Trump had approached balked, either refusing to take the risk or not wanting to accept real estate as collateral, they said.... But before the judges ruled..., a billionaire lender approached Trump about providing a bond for the full amount. The lawyers never filed paperwork alerting the appeals court. That failure may have violated ethics rules, legal experts say. In an interview with ProPublica, billionaire California financier Don Hankey said he reached out to Trump’s camp several days before the bond was lowered, expressing willingness to offer the full amount and to use real estate as collateral.” Hankey later revised his account to ProPublica, saying he would have needed to evaluate the assets Trump used to secure the bond.

Lisa Rubin & Dareh Gregorian of NBC News: "Lawyers for Donald Trump have again asked the judge presiding over his upcoming criminal trial to recuse himself from the former president's case, this time citing an 'unacceptable appearance of impropriety.' In a court filing made public Friday, Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove contended Judge Juan Merchan has a conflict of interest because his daughter has worked for and has equity in Authentic, which has worked with various Democratic groups, since the 2020 election cycle.... [Although Merchan expanded a gag order that precluded Trump from criticizing his daughter,] Trump has continued to share articles on his Truth Social account about the judge's alleged conflicts, including articles he shared on Friday that are critical of the judge's daughter and his wife. His campaign also sent out an email blast that includes the recusal filing and mentions the judge's daughter by name along with his lawyers' allegations against her." MB: IOW, Trump is finding ways to get around the gag order.

Huffington Post: “Rebecca Lavrenz, a 71-year-old great-grandmother from Falcon, Colorado, was convicted on all four federal misdemeanor charges for trespassing the US Capitol on 06 Jan 2021. During the rally, Rebecca Lavrenz took the microphone and spoke about the 1620 Mayflower Compact that America should be 'dedicated to the glory of God' and 'advancement of the Christian faith.'” Insurrectionists call her the “Praying Grandma.” Sweet!

Dana Milbank of the Washington Post: “Trump Media is sounding more and more like the Trump presidency.... Not for the first time, Trump has played his supporters for suckers.... In a sense, what he did with Trump Media was just a variation on what he does to his supporters every day, whether convincing them to buy Trump-endorsed Bibles and sneakers, or selling them on election lies and white nationalism.... At the heart of [his Green Bay, Wisconsin, rally] speech was his original swindle, and still his go-to scam: convincing his supporters that their lives were being destroyed by dark-skinned invaders. It was the story of how 'Crooked Joe and his migrant armies of dangerous criminals' are producing a 'bloodbath' among innocent, native-born Americans. It’s not the least bit true.” (Also linked yesterday.) 

Presidential Race

“Tax Cheats, Scammers, Racists, and Extremists.” Alex Gangitano of the Hill: “President Biden’s reelection campaign hit former President Trump on Friday over the guest list for his high-dollar fundraiser in Palm Beach, Fla., this weekend. Trump is aiming to outraise Biden’s $26 million fundraiser in New York City last week with the event hosted Saturday by hedge fund founder John Paulson. The event is expected to raise $33 million.... The Biden campaign focused on the expected attendees to hit Trump on his fundraising strategy of looking to billionaires who have targeted programs such as Social Security. 'If you want to know who Donald Trump will fight for in a second term, just look at who he is having over for dinner Saturday night – tax cheats, scammers, racists, and extremists,' Biden campaign senior spokesperson Sarafina Chitika said.”

Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: “The national director of No Labels, the third-party group which on Thursday said it would not run a candidate in the US presidential election, will now vote for Joe Biden, not Donald Trump. 'Me, as a person?' Joe Cunningham told Fox News. 'I would vote for Biden over Trump.' Cunningham did not elaborate. He was also offered the chance to choose Robert F Kennedy Jr, the vaccine sceptic and conspiracy theorist running as an independent.”

Michelle Price of the AP: “As Donald Trump seeks the presidency for a third time, he is being vigorously opposed by a vocal contingent of former officials who are stridently warning against his return to power and offering dire predictions for the country and the rule of law if his campaign succeeds. It’s a striking chorus of detractors, one without precedent in the modern era, coming from those who witnessed first-hand his conduct in office and the turmoil that followed.... Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper has called him a 'threat to democracy.' Former national security adviser John Bolton has declared him 'unfit to be president.' And former Vice President Mike Pence has declined to endorse him, citing 'profound differences.'... Yet the critics remain a distinct minority. Republican lawmakers and officials across the party have endorsed Trump’s bid....” (Also linked yesterday.)

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Israel/Palestine, et al.

Peter Baker of the New York Times: “President Biden threatened on Thursday to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, prompting Israel to commit to permitting more food and other supplies into the besieged enclave in hopes of placating him. During a tense 30-minute call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Mr. Biden for the first time leveraged U.S. aid to influence the conduct of the war against Hamas that has inflamed many Americans and others around the world. The announcement of additional aid routes hours later met some but not all of Mr. Biden’s demands.... But while the president repeated his call for a negotiated deal that would result in an 'immediate cease-fire' and the release of hostages taken by Hamas, White House officials stopped short of saying directly that he might limit U.S. arms supplies if not satisfied.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Frances Vinall of the Washington Post: “McDonald’s is buying the franchise that sparked global boycotts by offering free meals to Israeli forces shortly after the start of the Israel-Gaza war, taking ownership of its 225 stores. Alonyal, a McDonald’s franchise operating in Israel that is owned by Omri Padan, began offering free meals to troops early in the war, a move the U.S.-based umbrella company said was independent of the wider brand.... McDonald’s is among the brands that have been targeted in a boycott movement aimed at protesting Israel’s conduct in Gaza, in addition to companies such as Starbucks — which was criticized for taking its union to court over a social media post related to the war — and Disney, which plans to debut an Israeli superhero in an upcoming Marvel film.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Ukraine, et al. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post: “As Russia steps up airstrikes and once again advances on the battlefield in Ukraine more than two years into its bloody invasion, there is no end to the fighting in sight. And President Volodymyr Zelensky’s options for what to do next — much less how to win the war — range from bad to worse.”