Good morning. I remember that boyhood birthday where I had a Hulk Hogan birthday cake, complete with an action figure. Many years later, Hogan is creeping into my world again as a political figure. What a time.
Donald Trump accepted the Republican Party nomination for president for a third straight election in an address in which he called himself “more determined than ever” to lead the country with “confidence, strength and hope.” Trump spoke for well more than an hour. Known for his bare-knuckle approach to politics, Trump instead said the tenor must change. “The discord and the division in our country must be healed,” Trump said. Another line: “There is no victory in winning for half of America.” But Trump then criticized “this administration” and, in his view, a troubled Joe Biden presidency (despite reports he wouldn’t mention the incumbent by name, he did). Trump went off script at times to riff about what he sees as election cheating, media unfairness toward him and a country overrun by immigrants. He applauded the convention crowd size and praised the quality of a Trump hotel restaurant he visited recently.
A significant – and early – part of the speech was Trump’s recounting of the assassination attempt at a rally on Saturday. Trump described the close call in great detail , including the “loud whizzing sound and something hit me really, really hard.” That wasn’t all. Photos of the moment were displayed on screen. “I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” Trump said to the arena crowd, which chanted back, “Yes, you are!” And Trump spoke from a stage near the helmet and jacket belonging to the volunteer firefighter killed in the spurt of bullets that also hit Trump in the ear. Trump credited divine intervention for sparing him. He paused his remarks to kiss the helmet of Corey Comperatore.
The convention’s finale was a reminder of the celebrity world that Trump has straddled his whole life as a business mogul and later a politician. From his VIP box, Trump beamed as Hulk Hogan tore his shirt open to reveal a Trump-Vance shirt and whipped the crowd of delegates into a frenzy. “What you going to do when Donald Trump and all the Trumpamaniacs run wild on you?” Hogan bellowed at the end. There was some whiplash when Preacher Franklin Graham followed Hogan’s showmanship with a spiritual message and prayer. Kid Rock sang “fight, fight” “Trump, Trump” with a fist raised – a gesture tied to the weekend assassination attempt. And the Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White spoke right ahead of Trump. “I’m in the tough guy business and this man is the toughest, most resilient man I’ve ever met in my life,” White said. “The higher the stakes, the harder he fights.”
On the other side, President Joe Biden’s standing as the Democratic nominee has reached a perilous point. Yes, he still has enough pledged delegates to win him that nod. But more stories of high-level pressure for him to reconsider running are coming out by the hour. Vulnerable Democratic Sen. John Tester of Montana called on Biden to withdraw last night. The Washington Post was the first to report on former President Barack Obama, whom Biden served as vice president, wants him to candidly assess his candidacy. There are scores of reports about how former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have gone directly to Biden with their concerns he’ll lose and take other Democrats down with him. Until Biden loses their support publicly, he has room to preserve his bid. But time isn’t on his side, with the convention approaching and Trump seemingly on an upward trajectory in the states that will decide the White House.
Vice President Kamala Harris is keeping up her campaign schedule as Biden recovers from COVID-19. Of course, a lot of eyes are on her and what she says is being carefully documented in the event she rises the political ranks over the next month. Harris has resisted talk that she’d replace Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee and the campaign denied working through those scenarios . Trump’s campaign said it wouldn’t lock in a vice presidential debate for nominee J.D. Vance until it knows for certain who is on the other side.
Minnesota Democrats, like the party nationally, are in a bit of a holding pattern. U.S. Rep. Angie Craig remains the only congressional or statewide elected Democrat to ask for Biden to step aside. U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, who challenged Biden in the early primaries and forecast disaster ahead, offered another cryptic social media message that indicates he’s also hoping to turn the page. Gov. Tim Walz did a campaign event for Biden this week. So did Attorney General Keith Ellison and DFL Party Chair Ken Martin, who went on the record with something he’s said privately in recent weeks: “I’m ridin’ with Biden until Biden’s not ridin’ He’s our president,” he said at a news conference where he tried to put the attention back on Trump. Biden’s predicament had U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar lashing out at those anonymously working to force the president’s hand.
There have been plenty of national stories and commentary that Republicans want a weakened Biden in the race, so they’re not joining the chorus for him to step aside. But if he leaves the race, expect them to ramp up the messaging about Biden’s fitness to be president for the remainder of his term. The likelihood of an outright resignation is slim. We’re in a highly polarized political environment so both parties are working every angle possible.
GOP U.S. Senate candidates Royce White and Joe Fraser faced off last night in a debate hosted by Alpha News that touched on foreign policy, GOP strategy and gender identity. The Republican Party endorsed White, a podcaster and former professional basketball player. The two are among eight Republicans on the party primary ballot. Dana Ferguson watched and sent this dispatch: Asked about his decision to challenge White after saying he’d accept the party’s decision on an endorsement, Fraser said a small fraction of Minnesota Republicans made a decision that didn’t reflect the whole state. “I do believe in the endorsement process. And I think it's important, it gives the people the opportunity to give their voice and make their voice heard. But it shouldn't supersede the process to ensure that everybody actually has the right to have their voice heard,” said Fraser, a businessman and Navy veteran. White repeatedly turned questions on top issues facing the country and campaign strategy to highlight his concerns about military spending and floated eliminating the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “The money they’re spending, they use your emotion to justify,” he told the audience, noting that federal funding spent on conflicts in Ukraine or elsewhere could bolster American communities. Both candidates said they would support former President Donald Trump’s agenda if elected. The winner of the GOP primary would face DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who has nominal primary opposition. | 