COVID-19: Trump Shares With Rich Pals at Bedminster

After learning that his close aide Hope Hicks had tested positive for COVID-19, President Donald Trump returned to the White House to begin 14 days of quarantine after testing positive.

But not before meeting — unmasked — with 100 rich supporters at Trump Bedminster golf club in New Jersey. Mr. Trump’s campaign got about $5 million from the event; in exchange, his wealthy supporters got photos with the president and exposure to the novel coronavirus.

Mr. Trump knew Ms. Hicks had COVID-19 before he went to Bedminster, just like he knew the virus was deadly and easily transmitted back in January, before he let 200,000 Americans die from it. Bedminster exhibits a truly nonpartisan callous indifference to human life.

More:

“Donald Trump Mingled Without a Mask at a New Jersey Fundraiser,” Russ Choma, Mother Jones

“Attendees of Trump fundraiser in Bedminster cautioned after president’s positive COVID-19 test,” Nick Muscavage, Bridgewater Courier News

“It’s OK to Be Furious at Trump About His Covid Diagnosis,” Michael Schaffer, Washingtonian

Updates:

“Trump Team Knew of Hicks’ Positive Test—but Went Ahead With Golf Club Fundraiser,”
Jamie Ross, Daily Beast

“Trump critics can’t believe he went to buffet fundraiser hours before his COVID-19 announcement,” Tim O’Donnell, The Week

“Trump Mingled Mask-Less at Golf Club Fundraiser,” Liz Landers, Vice News

“Trump’s New Jersey event showed perilous neglect for his staff, supporters – and himself,” Ed Pilkington, The Guardian

“Officials racing to contact 206 guests who attended Trump’s New Jersey fundraiser,” Sam Sutton, Politico

“NJ contacting Bedminster fundraiser staff, White House taking lead on donors for COVID exposures,” Ashley Balcerzak, NorthJersey.com

“Day after seeing Trump at Bedminster fundraiser, guests ‘flabbergasted’ to learn he was stricken,” Olivia Rubin, Matthew Mosk, Soo Rin Kim, and Will Steakin, ABC News

Related:

“Report: Trump kept quiet about 1st positive COVID-19 test,” Catherine Garcia, The Week

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Trump Gives Orders to Armed Street Thug Supporters

During Tuesday night’s presidential debate sh*tshow–foodfight–hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a trainwreck–national embarrassment, U.S. President and  petulant toddler Donald J. Trump was asked if he would denounce white supremacy, and ask racist self-styled armed “militia” gangs like the “Proud Boys” to stand down.The president declined to condemn white supremacy, then ordered his Proud Boy thugs to “stand back and stand by” for future action.

What country is this again?

More:

“Trump tells far-right extremists to ‘stand back and stand by’ during chaotic first debate,” Chris Sommerfeldt, NY Daily News

“Proud Boys celebrate online after Trump’s debate ‘stand back and stand by’ comment,” Brooke Seipel, The Hill

“Trump’s refusal to condemn white supremacy fits pattern of extremist rhetoric,” Adam Gabbatt, The Guardian

“Donald Trump, Proud Boy in Chief, Gives His Marching Orders,” Kali Holloway, Daily Beast

Trump Accepts 2020 Republican Abdication

In an interminable speech late on Thursday, delivered in front of his public housing project, Donald J. Trump accepted the abject abdication of the Republican Party, formerly known as the Party of Lincoln. During his 70-minute address Mr. Trump shared a lie every three minutes, visions of American armageddon, and an incurable virus with his packed, maskless audience. In a novel coronavirus twist, the incumbent is running as a challenger, blaming his own three-and-a-half years of failure on his political opponent.

The event was celebrated by fireworks at another federal property, as citizens frolicked in the streets:

More:

“Trump’s parade of desperate lies reveals one big and awful truth,” Greg Sargent, Washington Post

“There’s No 2020 Republican Platform. There’s Just Trump.” NotionsCapital

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GOP’s Kanye Spoiler Campaign May Backfire

Republicans have been supporting the 2020 presidential campaign of rapper Kanye West in an attempt to split the Black vote, to the disadvantage of the Democratic ticket. There are reports of a meeting between Trump’s Secretary of Everything and son-in-law Jared Kushner and Yeezy, and the two are said to be frequent chat buddies. At least two people involved in Kanye’s campaign are Republican operatives.

Mr. West’s campaign seems to have little traction with Black voters, and may actually harm the Trump campaign by siphoning off the votes of the mentally ill.

More:

“Kanye West Indicates That His Spoiler Campaign Is Indeed Designed to Hurt Biden,” Randall Lane, Forbes

“Kanye West, who is pursuing a spot on the 2020 ballot, met with Jared Kushner.” Maggie Haberman and Danny Hakim, New York Times

“Here’s How Republicans Are Boosting Kanye West’s Presidential Campaign,” Barbara Sprunt, NPR News

“Kanye West’s presidential bid bolstered by Republican operatives in at least five states,” Rosalind S. Helderman and Josh Dawsey, New York Times

“Kanye flops among Black voters,” Maya King and Alex Isenstadt, Politico

“Kanye West ‘speaks daily’ to Jared Kushner amid fears of ‘mental health exploitation,'” James Brinsford, The Mirror

Updates:

“Judge orders Kanye West off Virginia ballot,” Laura Vozzella, Washington Post

“Kanye West Wisconsin Ballot Lawsuit Linked To Firm Of Former RNC Chief Counsel,” Zoë Richards, TalkingPointsMemo 

 

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Trump Changes Campaign Managers Weeks Before the Election

15 weeks before the 2020 election, Donald Trump demoted Brad Parscale, the campaign manager who won him the 2016 election, and replaced him with former Chris Christie campaign operative Bill Stepien, an unindicted Bridgegate conspirator. Brad Parscale was blamed for the poor turnout at the Tulsa Trump rally and the president’s two-digit tumble in the polls, and was essentially sent down to run the campaign’s Tech Support office.

More:

“Bridgegate triggered Bill Stepien’s fall from grace. Now he’s running Trump’s campaign,” Charles Stile and Dustin Racioppi, NorthJersey.com

“Bill Stepien: aide humbled over ‘Bridgegate’ takes charge for Trump,” Adam Gabbatt, The Guardian

“Bill Stepien Takes Helm of Trump Campaign as a Data-Obsessed Political Fighter,” Nick Corasaniti and Stephanie Saul, New York Times

“Trump’s campaign team tries to steady operation after messy shakeup,” Alex Isenstadt, Politico

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Marianne Williamson Fires Staff, Shifts Campaign to Astral Plane

Williamson 2020 Campaign HQ

Presidential candidate, spiritual guru, and professional inspirational speaker Marianne Williamson has dismissed her entire campaign staff, apparently retreating into her power pyramid with some favorite crystals. A sententious, self-centered New Age Donald Trump, she had previously espoused alarming views on vaccination, depression, and AIDS. Even so, she qualified for the first few Democratic debates in 2019.

More:

“Marianne Williamson lays off 2020 campaign staff nationwide,” Hunter Woodall and Alexandra Jaffe, AP, via Washington Post

Related:

“The Iowa Town Where Marianne Williamson Is Already President,” Adam Wren, Politico

Update:

“Marianne Williamson drops out of Democratic presidential race,” Amy B Wang, Washington Post

“Why Marianne Williamson’s Unconventional Presidential Bid Didn’t Catch On,” Nathaniel Rakich, FiveThirtyEight

“Marianne Williamson Has Mindfully Dropped Out,” Bridget Read, The Cut

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Campaign Songs

“What Campaign Songs Tell Us About Presidential Candidates,” a New Yorker video with Amanda Petrusich.

More:

“Deciphering the Presidential-Campaign Songs of the 2020 Race,” Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker

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Gravel 2020 Campaign Goes Back to School

Gravel 2020 campaign poster, Washington DC.

The teenagers who persuaded 88-year-old former senator Mike Gravel to let them run a 2020 presidental campaign on his behalf, are headed back to school, so the campaign is going dormant. The teens had heard about anti-war Alaskan Gravel, who tried to read the Pentagon Papers into the Congressional Record in 1971, on the Chapo Trap House podcast. Mr. Gravel doesn’t like to travel, so the teens waged the campaign through through Twitter and YouTube. That should be a hell of a “What I Did On My Summer Vacation” essay.

More:

“Gravel and his campaign teens end presidential run,” Quint Forgey, Politico

“A Farewell To Mike Gravel, 2020’s Weirdest Presidential Candidate,” Nathaniel Rakich, FiveThirtyEight

Updates:

“Mike Gravel Officially Endorses Bernie Sanders,” Gideon Resnick, Daily Beast

“Mike Gravel drops out of 2020 race. He never wanted to be president anyway.” Catherine Kim, Vox

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Marianne Williamson’s Creepy, Cosmic Campaign

Professional inspirational speaker Marianne Williamson is being praised for praticing her profession at the Democratic Presidential Debates, where she clearly does not belong. She spouts empty sound bites like a sententious, self-centered New Age Donald Trump, and has espoused dangerous views on vaccination, depression, and AIDS.  Ms. Williamson got rich as a spritual guru, so if you feel the urge to give her campaign $5, please burn some sage and gaze into a crystal instead.

More:

“Marianne Williamson isn’t funny. She’s scary.” Zack Beauchamp, Vox

“Marianne Williamson won the debate and we’re probably all doomed,” Brian Boyle, Los Angeles Times

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Marianne Williamson’s Aura Pervades Democratic Debate

Marianne Williamson Campaign Headquarters, Washington DC

On NBC’s live Democratic debate telecast last night, only Marianne Williamson had the vision to say the country doesn’t need any stinking plans, it needs a better bumper sticker.

“I tell you one thing, it’s nice if we have all these plans, but if you think we beat Donald Trump by having all these plans. He didn’t win by having a plan. He just said ‘Make America Great Again.'”

More:

“Marianne Williamson Went Full Goop at the Democratic Debate,” Esther Wang, Jezebel

“The 4 Kookiest Marianne Williamson Moments From The Debate,” Caitlin MacNeal, TalkingPointsMemo

“Marianne Williamson’s Weirdest, Most Wonderful Debate Moments,” Matt Stieb, New York Magazine

“Marianne Williamson’s ‘girlfriend’ call to New Zealand and her other best moments in the debates,” Emily Stewart, Vox

“Marianne Williamson brings love, peace and a distaste for ‘plans’ to the debate stage,” Caitlin Oprysko, Politico

“‘Has anyone tried fixing America with crystals and bee pollen?’: Late-night hosts tackle Marianne Williamson’s surprising debate performance,” Allyson Chiu, Washington Post

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