DL Open Thread Tuesday, April 16, 2024
And so the torch is passed. Just days after O.J. Simpson, defendant in last century’s Trial of the Century, hurdled off this mortal coil, Donald J. Trump donned the mantle of rich womanizing defendant for what the infotainment industry hopes will be a similar ratings bonanza. The big story on Day 1: Trump fell asleep.
Trials can be dull on an hour-by-hour basis, but luckily for cable news networks there’s a good chance Israel will try to blow up stuff in Iran after Iran tried to blow up stuff in Israel? While Israel decides what to do, cable news graphics departments are working up new War in the Middle East chyrons.
The Supreme Court let stand a Fifth Circuit ruling in favor of a law that effectively abolishes mass protests, at least down south in the land of the Jesus-humpers.
The uptick in inflation last month wasn’t caused by food or fuel. What surged by 22%? Auto insurance.
The floor’s yours.
Iran’s ineffectual attack seems mostly for domestic consumption to prop up the mullahs, who are claiming victory.
Even though Iran is a primary sponsor of the hell in Gaza, and is a key supporter of Russia against Ukraine, Biden has good reason for waving Israel off a major retaliation against Iran.
A wider war would raises oil/gas prices, which would strengthen Russia. And a $1 increase in US gas prices would likely result in feckless US voters handing Trump a win.
And for some reason Iran is part of the tenuous order in the Middle East which energy markets interpret as “stability.” A power vacuum in a destabliized Iran would be unpredictable or worse.
Iran attacked Israel. Why did they do that?
Another thing OJ and trump have in common – oj only paid about $130k of the 30+mill settlement to the goldmans. trump will pay less with all his trials
Federal campaign finance reports were due yesterday. Another terrible quarter for Eugene, made all the worse by an amazing quarter for Sarah.
MCBRIDE
Q1 2024 Raised – $631k
Q1 2024 Spent – $226K
Overall Raise: $1.867 million
Cash on Hand – $1.255 million
Some interesting donors….two members of the Democratic leadership in the US House, the Chair of the Dem Caucus, Pete Aguilar, and the Democratic Whip, Katherine Clark. Folks like that don’t get involved in a primary unless they are 500% certain the candidate will win.
YOUNG
Q1 2024 Raised – $114k
Q1 2024 Spent – $70k
Overall Raise – $401k
Cash on Hand – $243k
Interesting to note, some prominent Republican donors (I had to google, but a former congressman, Ryan Costello, Republican from PA), also Alan Levin.
No evidence of a Carney bump….guess not a lot of donors really care about his endorsement?
I see no point in hammering at Eugene. Sounds like triumphalism to me.
He’s a great candidate who just chose the wrong race.