Donald Trump gave a speech at a rally in Asheville, North Carolina supposedly focused on the economy, as inflation falls below three per cent for the time since 2021. Republicans are imploring the former president to focus on key issues of concern to voters rather than personal attacks on Kamala Harris.
Nevertheless, Trump veered in and out of his usual attacks and falsehoods before saying he would halve the cost of energy bills if re-elected without giving any specifics.
Meanwhile, there was good news for the vice president from the non-partisan Cook Political Report, which showed Harris has all but erased any lead Trump had in six of the seven key battleground states, taking the lead in Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
The two candidates are tied in Georgia and Trump is leading in Nevada, according to the latest poll. Harris has even greatly narrowed Trump’s lead in deep-red Florida.
CBS News provided an update on the upcoming vice presidential debate, saying that they had provided both campaigns with four possible dates in September and October in New York.
Governor Tim Walz seized the initiative and tweeted moments later: “See you on October 1, JD.”
Key Points
- Cook Political Report poll sees Harris erase Trump leads in key battleground states
- Donald Trump offers explanation for Elon Musk interview ‘lisp’
- Is Florida in play for Harris?
- UAW files federal labor complaint against Trump over Musk interview
- Polls show Walz slightly more popular than Vance as potential vice president
Megyn Kelly attributes Trump ‘rambling’ in Elon Musk interview to his age
Wednesday 14 August 2024 22:35
Oliver O'Connell
Conservative media personality Megyn Kelly suggested that Donald Trump’s “rambling” during his interview with Elon Musk could have to do with his age.
“In that discussion with Elon, to me, he seemed quite rambling,” Kelly said on her podcast The Megyn Kelly Show on Tuesday. “That’s probably an age-related change.”
Ariana Baio has the story.
Will Vance show up for October 1 debate?
Wednesday 14 August 2024 22:26
Oliver O'Connell
From a Harris campaign official: "Harris for President has accepted CBS' invitation to a Vice Presidential Candidate Debate on October 1. Governor Walz looks forward to debating JD Vance -- if he shows up." https://t.co/5gsw6O3Ac8
— Joey Garrison (@joeygarrison) August 14, 2024
Watch: Trump again wrongly takes credit for $35 insulin
Wednesday 14 August 2024 22:20
Oliver O'Connell
Trump wrongly takes credit for $35 insulin while accusing Biden and Harris of wrongly taking credit for $35 insulin: I did that… I remember when I did it. I said I hope I’m elected because someone is going to get a lot of credit for doing what I got done. pic.twitter.com/81qgFu32KW
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 14, 2024
Polls show Walz slightly more popular than Vance as potential vice president
Wednesday 14 August 2024 22:15
Oliver O'Connell
New polling has come back on public opinion regarding the US’s potential next vice presidents — Ohio Senator JD Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — the running mate picks of former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, respectively.
In good news for the Democratic ticket, Walz appears to be held in slightly higher regard.
A YouGov poll found 36 per cent of US adults had a favorable view of Vance compared to 47 per cent who found him unfavorable, making his net favorability -11 points.
The same poll showed 40 per cent of adults had a favorable view of Walz and 39 per cent said he was unfavorable, giving him a net favorability rating of +1.
Meanwhile, a Monmouth University poll of registered voters found Vance and Walz had fairly similar favorability numbers (36 per cent and 37 per cent respectively), but voters were more likely to have a negative opinion of Vance, 41 per cent, than Walz, 30 per cent.
Dan Bongino accuses Kellyanne Conway of ‘sabotage’ against Trump
Wednesday 14 August 2024 22:13
Oliver O'Connell
A former Fox News host has accused Kellyanne Conway and other key GOP players of sabotaging Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
Dan Bongino accused Conway and other Republican operatives of leaking stories claiming Trump regrets picking JD Vance as his running mate to media outlets.
One report from The Bulwark claimed Conway regularly criticized Vance and claimed Trump would pick him over her “dead body.” Bongino called the idea that Trump may regret the decision “absolute bulls***.”
Katie Hawkinson has the story.
Will McCain Republicans come through for Harris?
Wednesday 14 August 2024 22:05
Oliver O'Connell
Eric Garcia writes:
Vice President Kamala Harris’s rally last week in Arizona featured several speeches from prominent Democrats in the state, from Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is running for Senate against Kari Lake, to Sen. Mark Kelly, who was at one point on Harris’s short list of potential running rates.
But perhaps one of the most impassioned speeches came from a local leader who isn’t a Democrat at all. John Giles, the mayor of Mesa, delivered a message for disaffected Republicans like him and was met with vigorous applause.
Continue reading...
‘See you October 1, JD'
Wednesday 14 August 2024 21:55
Oliver O'Connell
CBS News provided both campaigns with four date options for the vice presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz — September 17, September 24, October 1, and October 8.
Walz responded on X, saying: “See you on October 1, JD.”
See you on October 1, JD. https://t.co/ssi0FdseN9
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) August 14, 2024
Trump wants to cut energy bills in half, but doesn’t say how
Wednesday 14 August 2024 21:52
Oliver O'Connell
Trump makes the promise that he will cut electricity prices by half. He doesn't say how he would do this because the government doesn't make its own energy, so we've reached the point in the campaign where Trump is losing and making insane and impossible promises. pic.twitter.com/uUuTQTrHy0
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) August 14, 2024
After mocking wind energy in his usual manner, Donald Trump announces a new policy goal, of cutting energy prices in half in 12-18 months.
The former president does not say how he intends to do this. The US is already producing more oil and gas than any nation in the history of the world.
"We will drill baby drill," Trump says in NC.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 14, 2024
In response, his crowd chants "drill baby drill!" https://t.co/YkyIUvMeu8
Watch: Trump brings back ‘The Apprentice’ catchphrase
Wednesday 14 August 2024 21:35
Oliver O'Connell
Trump: Kamala! You're fired! Go, get outta here! Get her out! Boom. pic.twitter.com/NfmM6FWs4q
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 14, 2024
Trump says Harris will copy his economic plan (if he had one)
Wednesday 14 August 2024 21:30
Oliver O'Connell
While Donald Trump’s remarks today in Asheville, North Carolina, were billed as revolving around economic messaging, so far he is only touching on the topic and is instead reeling through a version of his stump speech with extra jabs at Kamala Harris — including that if he unveiled an economic plan, she would copy it as she did with his no tax on tips policy.
Trump: This is talking about a thing called the economy. So we are doing this as an intellectual speech. You are all intellectuals today. Today we’re doing it. And we’re doing it right now pic.twitter.com/xIyzrJkcoc
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 14, 2024
Watch LIVE: Trump delivers remarks on economy at North Carolina rally
Wednesday 14 August 2024 21:09
Oliver O'Connell
Harris-Walz to rally at RNC arena where Trump accepted nomination hours before Obama’s DNC speech
Wednesday 14 August 2024 21:05
Oliver O'Connell
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz are planning to hold a rally in Milwaukee in the same arena used for the Republican National Convention hours before former President Barack Obama speaks at the Democratic convention in Chicago on Tuesday.
It is one of the many stops planned for the Democratic ticket in the next week as they look to continue to build momentum heading into November’s election.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Wednesday 14 August 2024 20:55
Oliver O'Connell
Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump? Here’s what the latest polls say...
Wednesday 14 August 2024 20:45
Alicja Hagopian
Vice President Kamala Harris is making a bid for the White House with running mate Tim Walz after replacing President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket just a few months before Election Day.
A new poll suggests that Trump might even be losing speed in his deep red state of Florida.
So how will Harris actually fare against Donald Trump and his vice-presidential pick, JD Vance, this November?
Harris campaign called out for editing news headlines in Google ads to make them seem more favorable
Wednesday 14 August 2024 20:30
Oliver O'Connell
Kamala Harris’s team has provoked backlash for its practice of running Google ad campaigns featuring manipulated headlines from published news articles to make them appear more favorable to her campaign.
The headlines which appear on Google as sponsored posts link to articles about Harris and her rival, Donald Trump, in nearly a dozen publications, most of which have confirmed they had no idea their headlines were being repurposed and used in a political campaign.
James Liddell has the story.
Election-denying, pro-Trump lawyer removed from Dominion defamation case
Wednesday 14 August 2024 20:15
Oliver O'Connell
A federal judge has issued a blistering order to remove an attorney representing a prominent, election-denying conspiracy theorist accused of defaming a voting machine company with bogus claims about the 2020 election.
In a 62-page order on Tuesday, District Judge Moxila Upadhyaya booted attorney Stefanie Lambert from representing former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne in the case after she publicly leaked the company’s internal emails.
Alex Woodward reports.
Watch: Vance mixes up cabinet secretaries
Wednesday 14 August 2024 19:56
Oliver O'Connell
A supporter in the crowd at JD Vance’s campaign event today shouted out: “Fire Granholm” — meaning Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.
Vance replied: “We’re going to fire the Agriculture Secretary. She’s not doing a very good job.”
The Secretary of Agriculture is Tom Vilsack.
Supporter: Fire Granholm
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 14, 2024
Vance: We’re going to fire the Agriculture Secretary. She’s not doing a very good job pic.twitter.com/DChxFlozhj
Merch update: Coin company selling $2 bill featuring Trump fist pump for $20
Wednesday 14 August 2024 19:45
Oliver O'Connell
A coin-producing company with a controversial past is selling $2 bills that depict an image of Donald Trump raising his fist in the air moments after a gunman attempted to assassinate him with the words ‘fight, fight fight!’ for $19.95.
National Collector’s Mint Inc., a company that sells collectible coins, bills and more, is selling a “Trump Fight For America” $2 bill to “commemorate” the historic moment – the eighth variation of Trump-related $2 bill the company sells on its website.
Ariana Baio reports.
Tim Walz responds over ties to Muslim leader who shared antisemitic propaganda
Wednesday 14 August 2024 19:15
Oliver O'Connell
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has distanced himself from a Muslim leader who allegedly circulated antisemitic rhetoric online, after a resurfaced video captured the Minnesota governor praising the cleric.
A 2018 video, shared by The Washington Examiner, shows Walz praising Imam Asad Zaman, executive director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota. The video captures Walz repeatedly calling the Muslim cleric a “master teacher.”
Kelly Rissman has the story.
Wednesday 14 August 2024 19:11
Oliver O'Connell
Watch: Trump challenged over making false accusation about Harris’s crowd size
Wednesday 14 August 2024 18:52
Oliver O'Connell
Reporter: You said Harris’ crowds were AI and that there weren’t people there. There’s video evidence that proves that false
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 14, 2024
Trump: I can’t say what was there, who was there. I can only tell you about ours. We have the biggest crowds ever in the history of politics pic.twitter.com/DtpApSE8EI
Trump ‘in a spiral’ as nervous Republicans beg him to stay on message
Wednesday 14 August 2024 18:45
Oliver O'Connell
Donors and allies of former President Donald Trump are concerned that his inability to stay on message and stay away from conspiracy theories is stunting his chances of targeting the momentum of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump’s reaction to the upended campaign following the departure of President Joe Biden and the ascension of Harris to the top of the ticket has been to double down on his penchant for abusive messages and attacks.
Allies of Trump see his conspiratorial messages and insults based on race as anything but productive.
Gustaf Kilander reports from Washington, DC.
Controversial North Carolina Lt Gov to speak ahed of Trump today
Wednesday 14 August 2024 18:41
Oliver O'Connell
The Trump campaign confirms that controversial North Carolina Lt. Gov (and current GOP gubernatorial candidate) @markrobinsonNC will speak in the pre-program for the former president’s economic messaging event in Asheville today.
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) August 14, 2024
Watch: Biden jokes he’s looking for a job in remarks on economy
Wednesday 14 August 2024 18:33
Oliver O'Connell
MOMENTS AGO: Biden touts the economy and jokes he's "looking for a job" pic.twitter.com/YpFJLtqEEh
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) August 14, 2024
When will Kamala Harris and TIm Walz speak at DNC?
Wednesday 14 August 2024 18:15
Oliver O'Connell
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) gets underway on Monday August 19 in Chicago, Illinois, with some political heavyweights slated to headline the four-day gathering.
While the DNC is first and foremost a presidential nominating convention, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz are already officially on the Democratic party’s ticket after a five-day round of online voting from delegates wrapped on August 5.
The historic virtual roll call results saw Harris become the first Black woman and first Asian-American person to become the presidential nominee for a major political party, securing 99 per cent support from more than 4,500 delegates.
As many as 50,000 visitors are now expected to descend on the Steven Spielberg-coordinated convention at the Windy City’s United Center between Monday and Thursday next week, including 5,000 delegates from all 50 states and territories, plus 15,000 members of the media and tens of thousands of guests.
A broad schedule for the event has now been released.
Cook Political Report poll sees Harris erase Trump leads in key battleground states
Wednesday 14 August 2024 18:00
Oliver O'Connell
Kamala Harris has erased Donald Trump’s lead in all but one of the key battleground states according to the latest polling by the non-partisan Cook Political Report.
The vice president now leads the former president in Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin by between two and five percentage points according to the poll.
The Democrat and Republican candidates are tied in Georgia and Trump has a five-point lead in Nevada.
New @CookPolitical: w/ BSG and GS Strategy Group, our latest battleground polls show Harris erasing Trump's leads.
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) August 14, 2024
AZ: Harris 48%-46%
GA: Tied 48%-48%
MI: Harris 49%-46%
NV: Trump 48%-45%
NC: Harris 48%-47%
PA: Harris 49%-48%
WI: Harris 49%-46%https://t.co/qSfhwAFWtM
Walz to campaign in Nebraska on Saturday
Wednesday 14 August 2024 17:55
Oliver O'Connell
On Saturday, August 17, fresh off his first solo campaign travel and fundraising blitz, Governor Tim Walz will travel to his home state of Nebraska to hold a campaign event for the Harris-Walz ticket in Omaha.
Governor Walz was born in West Point, Nebraska and was raised in Valentine, Nebraska. He graduated from Butte High School in Butte, Nebraska, and attended Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. Walz met his wife Gwen teaching high school in Alliance, Nebraska where he taught for six years before moving to Gwen’s home state of Minnesota.
Wednesday 14 August 2024 17:50
Oliver O'Connell
‘I invited you to the White House because I’m looking for a job,’ @POTUS Biden, in stand-up mode, jokes with influencers pic.twitter.com/Uc3nDD4Ren
— Danny Kemp (@dannyctkemp) August 14, 2024
Veterans hit back in Walz’s defense after Trump attacks his service record
Wednesday 14 August 2024 17:45
Oliver O'Connell
More than 1,000 US military veterans and family members of veterans have signed on to an open letter condemning what they describe as “politically motivated attacks” on Democratic vice presidential pick Tim Walz’s military service by former President Donald Trump and his running-mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance.
The thousand-strong group of “veterans, veteran families, military families, caregivers, and survivors” said they are all “appalled” at the attacks on Walz, who retired from the Minnesota Army National Guard after a 24-year career that saw him ascend to the rank of command sergeant major, the highest rank for any enlisted person in the Army.
Andrew Feinberg has the story.
Monmouth University poll shows huge leap in Democrat enthusiasm for election
Wednesday 14 August 2024 17:34
Oliver O'Connell
Quite a jump in Democratic enthusiasm pic.twitter.com/5ZjOqHvMmo
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) August 14, 2024
New ‘Evangelicals for Harris’ ad highlights Trump on forgiveness
Wednesday 14 August 2024 17:25
Oliver O'Connell
Evangelicals for Harris has released a new ad targeting Christians in swing states.
The organization, made up of Evangelical Christians who are mobilizing support for Vice President Kamala Harris this November, released the ad on Wednesday morning.
The ad features a clip of an interview between GOP pollster Frank Luntz and Donald Trump during the Family Leadership Summit in 2015. There, Luntz asked Trump if he had ever sought God’s forgiveness. Trump called it a tough question, telling Luntz, “I’m not sure I have.”
The ad then cuts to a screen of text: “Is there any greater denial of Christ than to say, ‘I do not need his forgiveness?’”
Katie Hawkinson reports.
Harris campaign reveals it was targeted by ‘foreign actor’ after Trump claims his team was hacked by Iran
Wednesday 14 August 2024 17:05
Oliver O'Connell
Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign revealed it was the target of a “foreign actor influence operation,” just days after Donald Trump’s campaign blamed Iran for an apparent hacking attempt following a wad of documents being leaked to reporters.
The vice president’s team was notified of a purported breach by the FBI last month and continues to liaise with authorities, an anonymous campaign official revealed on Tuesday.
“We have robust cybersecurity measures in place, and are not aware of any security breaches of our systems resulting from those efforts,” they told Reuters.
James Liddell and Alex Woodward report.
Democratic Rep Steny Hoyer suffers mild stroke
Wednesday 14 August 2024 16:45
Oliver O'Connell
Representative Steny Hoyer sought urgent medical treatment after suffering a stroke, his spokesperson announced on Tuesday.
The 85-year-old Maryland Democrat experienced a mild ischemic stroke on Sunday evening – which occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery leading to the brain.
“Mr Hoyer has responded well to treatment and has no lingering symptoms,” deputy chief of staff and spokesperson Margaret Mulkerrin said in a statement.
James Liddell reports.
CPI Report: Inflation below three percent for the first time since 2021
Wednesday 14 August 2024 16:25
Oliver O'Connell
Inflation has dropped below three percent measured on a year-over-year basis for the first time in three years, according to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Annual inflation in July was 2.9 percent, going below three percent for the first time since March 2021, when prices increased following the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Harris campaign mocks Trump press conference announcement
Wednesday 14 August 2024 16:24
Oliver O'Connell
INBOX: "President Donald J. Trump, man who lost 2020 election and can't get over it, will hold another public meltdown at his house, not in a swing state, on Thursday, August 15, 2024, at 4:30PM" https://t.co/kzGVRzYX9J
— James Singer (@Jemsinger) August 14, 2024
Hunter Biden asked State Department to help with Ukrainian energy company project
Wednesday 14 August 2024 16:05
Oliver O'Connell
Hunter Biden asked the State Department for help with a project involving Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father President Joe Biden was vice president, according to newly-released records.
Documents and records obtained by The New York Times show that, in 2016, the president’s son sent at least one letter to the US ambassador to Italy on behalf of the Burisma gas company that he sat on the board of at the time.
Rhian Lubin and Joe Sommerlad report.
Trump to hold press conference on Thursday
Wednesday 14 August 2024 16:02
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has announced that he will hold another press conference tomorrow at 4.30pm, this time from his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Are all the networks going to cover this firehose of lies live again so the Trump campaign can get millions more in free advertising campaigning from his country club? pic.twitter.com/ZzTk2dfKoY
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 14, 2024
Biden says he would attend Trump’s inauguration if he wins election
Wednesday 14 August 2024 15:45
Oliver O'Connell
President Joe Biden took a swing at Trump’s manners on Tuesday, saying he would attend the former president’s inauguration if he were re-elected in November.
Speaking on the South Lawn of the White House, shortly before departing in Marine One en route to New Orleans, the president was asked if he would attend the inauguration if the Republican nominee ends up succeeding him.
“I have good manners, not like him,” Biden responded, referring to Trump’s refusal to attend his inauguration on January 20 2021.
Here’s more from Ariana Baio.
Is Florida in play for Harris?
Wednesday 14 August 2024 15:25
Oliver O'Connell
Kamala Harris may be improving her odds in the coveted state of Florida, which has been a key bastion of Republican support in recent years.
A new poll of 500 likely voters in Florida was carried out up to August 11 by USA Today/Suffolk University/WSVN-TV.
Alicja Hagopian looks at the numbers.
Trump lashes out at hush money judge over gag order
Wednesday 14 August 2024 15:19
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump continues to either misunderstand or willfully misinterpret the gag order placed on him during his hush money trial by Judge Juan Merchan. The order states he is not allowed to talk about court staff or employees of the Manhattan district attorney’s office but the former president keeps falsely claiming it has a wider implication on what he is allowed to say.
Here’s what Trump wrote on Truth Social this morning:
Judge Merchant just ruled that I, the Republican candidate for President, and leading in the Polls, am still under a Gag Order CONCERNING VERY IMPORTANT THINGS WHICH MUST BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT. I AM NOT ALLOWED TO ANSWER REPORTERS QUESTIONS. Can you believe this? The New York Courts refuse to act. This is happening right before the voting begins on September 6th. Suppression and manipulation of the vote. Voter interference. This is the real Fascist “stuff,” the old Soviet Union! So much to say, and I’m not allowed to say it. Must get U.S. Supreme Court involved. New York is trying to steal the Election!
Here’s Alex Woodward with the current state of the gag order:
Kamala Harris’s sorority sets up its own PAC
Wednesday 14 August 2024 15:05
Joe Sommerlad
Alpha Kappa Alpha, a prestigious and historically-Black sorority at Kamala Harris’s alma mater, Howard University in Washington DC, has just launched its own political action committee, known as the AKA 1908 PAC (its name taken from the year of the institution’s founding).
Sorority members and their family members can reportedly donate up to $5,000 per person to the PAC in support of federal campaigns and parties.
Katie Hawkinson has this report.
Hush money case: Judge rejects Trump’s third attempt to kick him off case
Wednesday 14 August 2024 14:40
Oliver O'Connell
The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial won’t be stepping away after the former president failed to kick him off the case for a third time.
Trump has repeatedly tried and failed to force New York Justice Juan Merchan to recuse himself.
In a late filing on Tuesday, Judge Merchan shot down a third recusal motion from Trump, who has alleged that there is a conflict of interest because Merchan’s daughter works as a Democratic political consultant.
Alex Woodward has the latest.
