Democrats Aim For Optimism In Philadelphia Amid National Gloom

Stephen Colbert covers the latest in the news. He touches on unsafe solar eclipse glasses, seeking drivers for the nutmobiles, home-invading alligators, the junk people are finding on Jersey Shore (the beach, not the inane reality show). Meanwhile, you know there's more. There's always more. Open thread below. read more

“Economic advisers close to former President Donald Trump are actively debating ways to devalue the U. S. dollar if he’s elected to a second term — a dramatic move that could boost U. S. exports but also reignite inflation and threaten the dollar’s position as the world’s dominant currency,” Politico reports. “The idea is being discussed by former trade chief Robert Lighthizer — a potential Treasury secretary pick for Trump and the architect of the former president’s bruising tariff campaign against China — and policy advisers allied with him.”

“Donald Trump and his allies have fought back against the criminal case he faces here by discounting the impact of alleged conduct that happened years ago and charges that center on the seemingly tedious subject of business records,” the Washington Post reports. “But the last flurry of motions before jury selection began Monday showed that prosecutors plan to lay out a different kind of story, one that has much more in common with the tabloid fodder that fueled Trump’s fame and revisits the ‘Access Hollywood’ scandal that was a low point during the final weeks of the 2016 election he went on to win.” “That framing could scramble expectations about the salience of this trial for voters considering whether to return Trump to the White House in November.” Earlier for members: Why Trump’s Criminal Trial In New York Is a Big Deal

The following guest post is from Spencer Lindsay, a faculty member in the School of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona. Predicting elections and estimating the uncertainty around those predictions is not an easy task. It is especially difficult to have a clear picture of the outcome six and a half months before the election.

I remember Donald Trump saying that Hillary Clinton, who traveled 956,733 miles as Secretary of State, didn't "have the stamina" to be President. I also recall Trump calling the President "Sleepy Joe" and "corrupt." As it happens, Trump is facing 91 felony charges. He fell asleep in court, and "his eyes looked red and bloodshot when he opened them and peered at the judge." Sad! Maggie Haberman, a senior political correspondent for the New York Times, also known as the Trump Whisperer, told Jake Tapper, His jaw kept falling on his chest, and his mouth kept going slack." Defendant Trump reportedly glared at Haberman before leaving court. The internet lit up.

“After a short-lived honeymoon, former President Donald Trump’s media company is experiencing a rough reception on Wall Street. Trump Media & Technology Group — which trades under the ticker DJT, his initials — tumbled 18.4% in Monday trading, a drop that follows last week’s 21% plunge,” CBS News reports. “The stock plunge has erased billions from Trump’s stake — at least on paper.