A Gangster With Oil

The surprise news of the week was that President Biden and Donald Trump quickly agreed to two presidential debates. Almost nobody saw that coming, although there were reports of backchannel talks between the two campaigns. Here are some thoughts on what happened: .memberful-global-teaser-content p:last-child{ -webkit-mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); mask-image: linear-gradient(180deg, #000 0%, transparent); } Join now to continue reading. Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising.

“Trucks of humanitarian aid began moving ashore into Gaza early Friday through a temporary pier built by the U. S. military, the first supplies of aid to be sent into the enclave by sea in two months, but well short of what humanitarian groups say is needed to meet the staggering levels of hunger and deprivation in Gaza,” the New York Times reports.

Politico: “Sanders sees the concerns of Arkansans as the same as America’s, and her actions delight many Arkansans.” “Yet there are rumblings — angry educators, cowed Republicans, a falling approval rating, the sense that Sanders is auditioning for a bigger role. During my reporting, it was hard not to notice that, less than two years into Sanders’ tenure, her governorship had disappointed some people closer to home.

“When Donald Trump took the stage at a CNN town hall in Manchester, New Hampshire, one year ago, a crowd of his supporters roared and jeered all through the event, overwhelming the moderator and effectively taking control of the event,” Politico reports. “President Joe Biden’s advisers noticed.” “They resolved in private that if Biden ever faced Trump on a debate stage, there would be no one in the peanut gallery.”

Third Way is out with a new ad highlighting Donald Trump’s previous comments about defendants who don’t testify in their own defense. Playbook: “The ad, titled ‘Coward,’ is launching today in Palm Beach, Florida (home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago), Dallas, Texas (where Trump is set to headline the NRA convention this weekend) and New York City.”

“House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Thursday faulted Republicans for a delay in installing a plaque commemorating the officers who protected the Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot,” Politico reports. Said Jeffries: “It simply awaits a decision by the Republican majority to have an appropriate ceremony of recognition and have it placed in a location of honor here.”