Friday News: Trump Sticks to Racist “Birtherism”; “Gary Johnson Is Not Worth Any Liberal’s Protest Vote”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, September 16. Also see Hillary Clinton speaking at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ Annual Awards Gala.

• Trump tells Post he is unwilling to say Obama was born in the U.S. (It SHOULD go without saying that being a racist and nutjob should be automatic disqualifiers for president.)
• Trump’s campaign says he recognizes Obama’s U.S. birth, but layers it with falsehoods (His entire campaign is one of “falsehoods” upon “falsehoods.”)
• Hillary Clinton On Donald Trump’s Latest Birther Remarks: ‘This Is Who He Is’
• Michael Gerson: Trump’s destructive validation of racists (“The nominee’s moral failure has forced conservatives into a crisis of self-definition.”)
• What’s Really Ailing Hillary (“A long time ago, Clinton was far more transparent, emotional and open than she is today. Then the media began slamming her—and didn’t stop.”)
• How Trump Gets Away With It (“Why his countless legal scandals don’t stick.”)
• Ivanka Trump’s Defense of Her Cosmopolitan Interview Is Ludicrous and Insulting
• Clinton Takes Aim at Voters Drifting Toward Third Party
• How Close Is It? Closer Than Before
• The Drudge Report Has Linked To Russian Propaganda Sites At Least 91 Times In 2016
• Gary Johnson Is Not Worth Any Liberal’s Protest Vote (“He’s a free-market ideologue who would work to undermine large pieces of the left’s program.”)
• Gary Johnson cuts into Clinton’s lead (“Democrats thought he would take from Trump but polls show he’s attracting voters who like neither candidate.” If you’re a Dem voting for Johnson, you’re effectively voting for Trump. Also, Johnson wants to largely dismantle the government.)
• It’s no longer the economy, stupid: Our identity politics are polarizing us (The economy’s been improving for years, pretty good at this point, so it’s definitely NOT that.)
• Dear Democrats: Stop freaking out (“To beat Trump, Clinton and her party should focus on fundamentals.”)
• Trump targets “the FDA Food Police,” calls for elimination of food-safety regulations in new tax plan (“Alarm: This is not a joke”)
• Trump’s successful tax dodge: Months of lying and stonewalling somehow aren’t a major scandal
• Donald Trump’s campaign really is Gamergate being played out on a national scale (“Trump is able to manipulate the media into ignoring the real stories to chase down Clinton non-scandals”)
• Trump vs. the GOP: His economic push is 180 degrees from the party’s long-held platform (“The Republicans’ intellectual bankruptcy is on full display thanks to their candidate’s economic plan”)
• Almost Every Word of Donald Trump’s Birther Statement is a Lie (“What planet is this?”)
• Trump campaign lashes out at media over Trump Jr. ‘gas chamber’ comment
• Trump Camp Defends Don Jr.: He Was Talking Executions, Not The Holocaust!
• Full Transcript: NPR’s Interview With Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Kaine
• Kaine: Some Trump Voters Are ‘Motivated By Dark Emotions’ (No doubt about it.)
• Aide Shuts Down Local TV Interview With Trump Jr. When Charity Issue Is Raised
• The race is tightening for a painfully simple reason
• Democratic lawmakers propose removing felon voting ban from Virginia constitution
• Warner and Kaine Praise Water Infrastructure Bill
• Sen. Mark Warner would ‘love’ a new NFL stadium in Virginia — if the price is right (“…it has to be something that is a good deal for the taxpayers”)
• Va. Supreme Court finds McAuliffe not in contempt on felon voting actions (“GOP signals it’s done fighting Va. governor over clemency in court, but not in the Capitol.” Republicans’ attitude is anything to keep people from voting.)
• Virginia’s Indian tribes clear another hurdle toward federal recognition
• Time to dismantle fraternities and the sexism, rape culture and binge drinking they encourage (“Kappa Alpha at the University of Richmond is the latest to be suspended for its disgusting frat bro behavior. But the problem spans the Greek alphabet.”)
• Virginia Supreme Court clears senators held in contempt over redistricting records
• Portsmouth to pay $1 million to family of unarmed man killed by police officer, sources say
• Virginia Board of Health postpones vote on controversial abortion facility regulations
• Alexandria sends raw sewage mixture into Potomac (Blech.)
• Feds pulled ICE detainees out of Hampton Roads Regional Jail after jail did not meet standards and inmate died
• Fairfax County to pay $64,450 for underground storage tank violations (“EPA says the Virginia county failed to test equipment meant to detect leaks at 15 sites.”)
• From waste to wells: An idea for Hampton Roads’ water woes
• Richmond mayoral candidates face pointed questions at RTD debate (“Jonathan T. Baliles suggested Levar Stoney wouldn’t treat the mayor’s office as a full-time job.” Morrissey and Stoney had quite and exchange, too.
• Our view: North Carolina’s loss could be Salem’s gain
• Richmond mayoral candidates square off in debate
• Richmond Democratic Committee and REA endorse Stoney
• One more really nice day before summer creeps back into the region