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As Project 2025 Chief Calls For “Second American Revolution,” Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) Falls Silent

By
lowkell
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6

See below for a press release from the DCCC. Bottom line: silence by someone in Congress (or who wants to be in Congress) regarding something as heinous, extreme and threatning as “Project 2025” is 100% unacceptable. In Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02)’s case, though, it’s sadly unsurprising, as she’s gone full Trump/MAGA cultist in the past couple years, definitely NOT in sync with her “purple”/”swing” district at this point…

As Project 2025 Chief Calls For “Second American Revolution,” Jen Kiggans Falls Silent

Last week, the president of the Heritage Foundation – the far-right think tank infamous for unveiling a treatise designed to dramatically destroy the United States federal government – proudly referred to a “Second American Revolution” that could be “bloodless if ‘the left’ allows it to be.”

Kiggans – who has stood behind Donald Trump – has refused to speak out against this violent rhetoric.

Even worse, Kiggans has fallen silent on Donald Trump’s co-called “Project 2025” manifesto that would:

DCCC Spokesperson Lauryn Fanguen:
“By refusing to condemn these far-right pledges from the Heritage Foundation and Donald Trump, Jen Kiggans is joining extreme actors to force the American public to accept their violent agenda. This is not normal. She should be disqualified for allowing this rhetoric to be common-place in our politics.”

Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Statement in Support of the Biden/Harris Campaign

By
lowkell
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4

Check out the following press release from the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus “in Support of the Biden/Harris Campaign.” Personally, I’d argue that many Dems’ concerns (including my own) aren’t about a second Biden term’s policies, they’re about whether Biden can win (or has the best chance of winning) in November. At this point, really, that’s the entire “ballgame” – because if Trump wins, it’s “game over” for our democracy, the American experiment, etc.

Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Statement in Support of the Biden/Harris Campaign

RICHMOND, VA—Today the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus issued the following statement regarding the candidacy of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris:

“As a Caucus whose focus is on the good of the Commonwealth and 9 million Virginians, our decision to support Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is based solely on shared policy positions, which will continue to grow our economy and build a country with viable futures for our youth.

As policy makers, we need support and allies at every level to truly deliver for constituents across the country. This administration has ushered in historic economic and job growth, record unemployment, and long overdue investments in healthcare coverage and our infrastructure. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have demonstrated their values. They have fought for and won policies that protect real, working class people from exploitative corporate interests in the pharmaceutical industry, overwhelming student debt, and the threats our changing climate brings.

This administration has proven that they care for the millions of Virginians who voted them into office. The person who we elevate to lead us as a nation must have respect for the democratic process that empowers them to make decisions for the good of the people. The only candidate we trust with this responsibility is Joe Biden.

The choice is between two visions. A second Trump presidency would set us back a generation. We have full faith that a second Biden presidency would keep us moving forward.”

President Joe Biden Appears on “Morning Joe,” Sends Letter to Dems in Congress, Arguing He Can/Will Beat Trump and Is NOT Dropping Out

By
lowkell
-
6

It’s been 1 1/2 weeks since the Trump vs. Biden debate-from-hell, and the media’s still focused obsessively on President Biden’s shaky performance, but NOT on the fact that Trump lied constantly and expressed extreme, bizarre views on pretty much ever issue. That should tell you everything you need to know about the media – not that they’re covering the Biden angle of this, since that’s MOST DEFINITELY a significant news story, but that they aren’t even making a pretense of being balanced, let alone fair. Instead, it’s a feeding frenzy against Biden, with barely a mention of Trump’s dangerous Project 2025 and the possibility that our very democracy could come to an end in a few months.

Now, having said all that, there ARE serious questions about how best to defeat Trump: a) stick with Biden and do everything we can to make sure he wins, including emphasizing the dangers of Trump PLUS the tremendous accomplishments of the Biden administration, and taking the emphasis OFF of Biden’s weaknesses, intra-Democratic divisions, etc.; b) urging Biden to drop out of the race, in favor of VP Kamala Harris, and taking our chances with a new ticket for the fall; c) other options?

Unlike the fall-in-line, top-down, authoritarian Republican Party, of course, Democrats are a messy “big tent” with lots of different ideas and no real way to “herd” the various “cats” in that “big tent.” Which can be a good thing AND a bad thing, simultaneously.  So what we’re seeing now is a messy situation, in which numerous Democratic elected officials, donors, etc. are being quoted – often anonymously, sometimes on the record – as having doubts about Biden’s abilities to win the election. Over the weekend, for instance, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) talked on CNN about his unhappiness with Biden’s debate performance, his affection for and loyalty to Biden, but also his overriding/urgent goal of making sure we defeat Trump and save our democracy.

Also, yesterday, Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08) was quoted by Punchbowl News as supposedly saying that Biden’s “very fragile,” “has trouble putting two sentences together,” and even that Beyer’s “perfect world” would be where Biden “steps aside now, let[s] Kamala run as the incumbent, which I think makes her even stronger.”  So that’s really striking if those are accurate quotes (still haven’t heard audio or seen a transcript of the entire call). As of this morning, Beyer’s office hasn’t specifically addressed the alleged quotes, but he HAS issued a statement saying, “I support the Biden-Harris ticket and look forward to helping defeat Donald Trump in November.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner’s planned “huddle” with other Democratic U.S. Senators to discuss where they’re at with regard to the Biden campaign appears to be postponed or canceled. We’ll see, but presumably the feelings of anxiety among these Senators haven’t disappeared overnight.

Finally, check out the following letter sent by President Biden to “my fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill,” as well as video of Biden’s call in to “Morning Joe” a little while ago, in which Biden asserts that he is NOT dropping out of the race, arguing that he’s beaten Trump before and will do so again, making the case that “it’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party,” etc. Personally, I don’t find constant repetition of the mantra that he has beaten Trump previously, has a list of major accomplishments in his administration, and simply had a “bad night” in the debate, to address the main cause of concern among many Democrats (myself included), which is maximizing our chances of beating (preferably CRUSHING) Trump in November. How about you? Are you “ridin’ with Biden,” not sure where you’re at right now, or feeling like we need to make a change (to Kamala Harris or someone else)?

P.S. Also note that State Sen. Louise Lucas over the weekend weighed in strongly in support of President Biden, writing: “I’m riding with Biden, just like every other damn Democrat I’ve talked to. Get the hell off Twitter (I know that means a lot coming from me) and get the hell off your phone. Let’s get to work to save our democracy!!”

Monday News: French “reject the far right – again” (now it’s OUR turn!); Timothy Snyder on “Fascism and Fear”; “Hill Democrats deeply torn about Biden’s fate as they return to Washington”; Sen. Mark Warner’s “Huddle” Called Off for Now

By
lowkell
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19

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, July 8.

When They Flood the Zone with Sh*t, Flush It Out with the Cold Water of Truth

By
kindler
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6

By Kindler

Yes, this is a tough moment to be a Democrat – or even just a democrat, i.e., someone who believes in democracy. But wallowing or crying or rolling up into a ball sure isn’t going to help. Nor should we expect the Avengers to descend from the sky to save our butts. No, we’re going to have to get through this one ourselves – holding our heads high in good spirits to trudge through this mud and come through it with our sanity and our country relatively intact.

Please understand that it’s not your fault if you feel confused, disoriented and frustrated by what’s going on in our politics and with our ridiculous Washington press and pundit corps right now. That’s the intended outcome.

One of the most revealing statements of the MAGA era was when former Trump campaign manager Steve Bannon confessed to an interviewer in 2018: “The Democrats don’t matter. The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with sh*t.” We must keep this quote in mind at times like this when the sewage is pouring uncontrollably out of every major media outlet in America.

What Bannon was proclaiming is a very different approach to politics than that to which Americans are accustomed, which is why we – and the media especially– have found it so hard to adapt to.  This is where relying on scholars of totalitarianism and “strongman” rule, like Timothy Snyder, Jason Stanley and Ruth Ben-Ghiat, as well as past historians and philosophers who observed these phenomena directly, like Hannah Arendt, becomes critical.

The MAGA propagandists are not really trying to convince you, they’re trying to confuse you and upset you in ways that make you feel helpless and make you turn away from politics and even the truth itself.  I mean, when a media figure compares his own product to poop and says that his approach to it is not to simply supply it to his audience but to swamp the discourse with it, it speaks volumes about his intent.

They don’t want to win you over, they want to overwhelm you. And that is the one thing we absolutely can’t allow them to do.

As Winston Smith, the protagonist of George Orwell’s 1984, described the totalitarian hell in which he lived, “Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters inside your skull.” So let’s work on keeping our gray matter clear and shout out our clear understandings loudly and often enough to compete with the chaos artists.

But let’s be honest: designing, marketing and disseminating a message does not come easily to most Democrats.  Many of us are well-educated folks who have learned to elevate our speech rather than to lower it to the third-grade level at which Trump and his imitators speak to the masses.  We don’t like to repeat ourselves much, even though the many years of endless advertising we have all experienced makes clear that repetition is key to getting your message across.

While Republicans operate as pack animals that clearly prefer not thinking for themselves, Democrats are more like independent, hard-to-herd cats.  And unfortunately, the media loves to exploit the qualities of both sides in order to make money.  They create headlines and social media posts aimed at giving MAGA types ammunition while writing stories that play on Democrats’ anxieties. As a result, our politics ends up like a gruesome encounter between a sadist and a masochist, with the media making sure to supply an ample number of blindfolds and whips.

Bottom line: as we will never benefit from playing the game this way, we need to do all we can to change the rules of the game.

No, you and I don’t have the wherewithal to buy the New York Times or CNN to revamp their coverage.  But we each have our own platforms and spheres of influence where we can do our part to change the conversation.  And these ripple effects can be powerful – I’ve seen such progressive message campaigns reverberate across the landscape and have an impact many times.

The one thing we must avoid doing is reinforcing the official narrative where it is not helpful for those of us who seek to preserve American democracy. Please focus on disseminating our messages and not inadvertently spreading theirs.

My favorite pundit, Simon Rosenberg, shows how it’s done – positively, happily, with attention to facts, key audiences and opportunities.  He’s got a terrific, simple message for Democrats: “Do more, worry less.” And no, he’s not afraid of repetition – which may sound strange or annoying to Democratic ears but is exactly what we need to do to get our messages out.

Focus on getting the job done – convincing friends, family, neighbors and strangers to vote for the presidential candidate with a heart, a soul and a brain, and against the one with none of the above.  Get off social media or mainstream media when it’s bothering you and engage in action to elect Democrats, to energize yourself and others to win the long war to save our country, our planet and our freedoms.  Never despair and never surrender – people have gotten through much worse in history, against much greater odds, and come out the other end triumphant.

Flood the zone with facts, with passion, with honesty, with goodness, with intelligence – with everything you’ve got.  And don’t for one minute accept the sh*t they try to dish out to us. We all deserve better and it’s up to us to turn the tide in the right direction.

Please check out my Substack.

Video: On CNN, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) Says “I hope Joe Biden didn’t really mean [the ‘God Almighty’ line] and “I will have given it my goodest” Was “not an adequate answer…not a reassurance that Democrats want to hear”

By
lowkell
-
14

On CNN yesterday, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) had a bunch to say about the situation with President Joe Biden, post-debate, and what might be coming next. See below for video and highlights, including the following. By the way, I’m pretty much exactly at the same place on this topic as Rep. Connolly is at this point: Biden’s been a superb president, but at this point, Democrats need to really ask themselves what the optimal path is going foward to defeat Trump and save our democracy from destruction. The stakes are absolutely that high…

  • “…we’re kind of piling on right now. I mean, look at the sycophancy of Fox News with Trump and his acolytes. Do you think they don’t practice the questions and go over the questions before an interview in depth? So I wouldn’t have done this if I were the Biden campaign, but I sure wouldn’t allow this to be overblown, especially when we’re looking at the alternate network Fox, which has become nothing but an intimate part of the Trump campaign.“
  • “I think the president gave a good 22 minutes, by and large. But I do think there were some troubling aspects to that interview. One of which is what you cite. You know, invoking God Almighty as the only intervention that is going to dissuade him from going forward, I hope Joe Biden didn’t really mean that. Look, this is a very human process, not a divine process. While we all hope for the blessings of God, politics is a very human business and we have to make some very hard decisions going forward. And so does he. And so interacting with your fellow human beings – your family, your White House staff, the campaign staff, stakeholders, delegates, elected officials, political leaders, the public – that’s what has to happen, not God. And the second troubling aspect was, when asked if you lose to Trump and if there’s this big risk that you could, what will be your take on that? And his answer was, well, I will have given it my goodest. You know, that’s not an adequate answer, and that’s not a reassurance that Democrats want to hear. And Joe Biden can and must do better than that.”
  • “I decided that, you know, I wanted to give the president space and the dignity of recovery time. And I’m hopeful that this week and next week provide him that space in that recovery time. We’re going to see him on stage, on television and in rallies at a press conference and of course, at the looming NATO Summit, where 32 heads of state or heads of government are going to be in town. And he’s the host. So he’s going to be on stage a lot and we’ll all have an opportunity. And frankly, the international community will have an opportunity to evaluate what they see and what they experience.”
  • “I was hired by Joe Biden to work in the U.S. Senate. I’ve known him for 45 years. I know his family. I’ve been to his home. I wrote speeches for him and bills for him and amendments for him. I traveled with him. This is a man I revere and I am not about to throw him overboard because of a bad experience. I want to give him every  opportunity to try to recover. Having said that, at the end of the day, we cannot afford to make a mistake about Donald Trump. We’ve got to put our best foot forward. And I’m hopeful that’s Joe Biden. I’m open to the fact that, sadly, that might not be. I do believe that what happened at the debate was more than a bad night. And that’s why that image is so indelible in so many minds. And that’s why so much alarm has been raised about what does that mean. And President Biden, the burden is on him to prove, you know, yeah, I stumbled, it was terrible, I had an episode, but I’ve recovered from that.”
  • “I’ve never seen Joe Biden in that kind of posture. He clearly was struggling for words and concepts and sentences. That can happen if you’re overly tired. That can happen if you’re ill. But we have to know that that’s what it was and that’s all it was. And, you know, to the president’s credit, he’s trying to rise to the occasion and do that. But he has to be open to the fact that at 81, he is showing his age. And is that such an insurmountable handicap –  and I hope not – that he can’t win the election in November? That’s the real Democratic existential question that’s under underway right now in terms of trying to answer.”
  • “I think there are lots of pockets of conversation, and you were right to refer to it as like family therapy. The Democratic family is going through a therapeutic process with the head of our family. How are you? Are you, in fact, up to continuing running the family as we look to the next four years? And you need to kind of demonstrate that. It’s got to be manifest. I think a lot of people are giving the president that space and giving themselves that space to have that evaluation. I will say, calling for him by issuing a statement and calling for him to step aside, I understand what motivates people to do that and why they might do that and the frustration they’re experiencing, and they’re looking at their own districts. But knowing Joe Biden, I guarantee you all that’s going to do is get his back up, it’s not going to achieve the purpose for which those statements were issued.”
  • “Certainly, President Biden is very aware of the stakes. You know, he’s in a kind of defensive posture right now. Understandably. The whole world kind of descended on him after that debate. And this is a proud man with an extraordinary record and a history, a personal history of always exceeding expectations. He’s had to overcome all kinds of hurdles and impediments and tragedies in his life to get where he is. He’s not about to be pushed off the stage because some people are disgruntled or or feel that he’s in denial. Having said that, we need a White House to help bridge the denial and the early defensiveness to have a deeper dialog so that we can arrive at the right decision about moving forward and defeating Donald Trump in November. And we’ve got to get to that point. And hopefully time will give us this week that opportunity. And hopefully the White House can move beyond a defensive posture for the president and for the country.”

Sunday News: “French far right seeks vote win but deadlock looms”; “Trump Ripped for Denying Project 2025 Connections, Despite the Evidence”; “Mainstream media…sabotaging the only thing standing between us and this third coup”; “Is This Kamala Harris’s Moment?”

By
lowkell
-
28

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, July 7.

Statement from President Joe Biden on Donald Trump’s Project 2025 Agenda

By
Blue Virginia
-
6

From the Biden for President campaign:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2024

Statement from President Joe Biden on Donald Trump’s Project 2025 Agenda

“We can always rely on Donald Trump for one thing: to lie to the American people in pursuit of power. We saw that on the debate stage when he set a record. He lied about the economy, about his role in the January 6 insurrection, and about disrespecting our heroic servicemembers.

“Donald Trump is lying again now. He’s trying to hide his connections to his allies’ extreme Project 2025 agenda. The only problem? It was written for him, by those closest to him. Project 2025 should scare every single American. It would give Trump limitless power over our daily lives and let him use the presidency to enact ‘revenge’ on his enemies, ban abortion nationwide and punish women who have an abortion, and gut the checks and balances that make America the greatest democracy in the world. It’s extreme and dangerous.

“Trump’s conservative Supreme Court has already given him a blank check to do virtually whatever he wants with no regard for the rule of law. If he wins, there is no question Trump will use it to pass his Project 2025 agenda. Together, we must defeat him.”

Team Biden-Harris and Virginia Democrats Energize Voters on July 4th Across the Commonwealth

By
Blue Virginia
-
3

From the Democratic Party of Virginia:

Team Biden-Harris and Virginia Democrats Energize Voters on July 4th Across the Commonwealth

On July 4th, the Biden-Harris campaign and the Democratic Party of Virginia came together to celebrate Independence Day and reach voters during parades and festivals in each of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts.

Nearly 300 organizers, elected officials, candidates, and supporters participated in the festivities, sparking energy and excitement to elect President Biden and Vice President Harris and Democrats up-and-down the ballot this November.

Senator Tim Kaine, state Senator Suhas Subramanyam, Eugene Vindman, and countless Democratic candidates marched alongside their supporters and emphasized to voters President Biden and Vice President Harris’ record of delivering results for Virginia and the threat Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans pose to Virginians’ freedoms, economic future, and our democracy.

On NBC 4 Washington:

Vice President of Fairfax Young Democrats: “I love Joe and I love Kamala especially. I’m a big supporter of the Biden-Harris administration, especially when it comes to reproductive rights. That’s really important to me.”

Reporter: “This voter there to watch the parade — also still solidly backing the president.”

Supporter: “[…] I’m for, going, sticking with the guy that I came to the party with. As a result, I’m holding fast.”

Reporter: “Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, also taking part in the parade. His take, that President Biden is a patriotic American who will put the country first as he decides how to move forward.”

Sen. Tim Kaine: “If Joe Biden looks in the mirror and says, I’m up for this — I’m with him. If he looks in the mirror and decides he’s not able to do it, he’s going to tell the nation that. We can trust Joe Biden to make the patriotic decision.”

In Blacksburg:

In the Blacksburg Fourth of July Parade, the Montgomery County Dems, Virginia Democratic Coordinated Campaign organizing team and supporters spread spirit along the route. Hand-drawn signs were placed on the side of the truck riding alongside supporters as they celebrated festivities and echoed support for Democrats on the ballot.

In South Norfolk:

Chesapeake Democrats led a march of supporters for the annual South Norfolk 4th of July parade and picnic.

In Chesterfield:

The Coordinated Campaign organizing team and the Chesterfield Dems walked in unity in the Hampton Park 4th of July parade. A Jeep was decked out with Democratic support as it rolled alongside Chesterfield Dems and the coordinated campaign.

In Cape Charles:

The organizing teams and Democrats from across the Eastern Shore marched in Cape Charles’ annual parade.

In Fairfax:

The City of Fairfax Democratic Committee marched in the Fairfax City Independence Day Parade alongside Sen. Tim Kaine, the Biden-Harris campaign, the Virginia Democratic Coordinated Campaign, Fairfax Young Democrats, and countless supporters, pushing for Democrats up and down the ballot.

Democrats from across Northern Virginia gathered together ahead of the parade and came to show support of Democrats up and down the ballot, from the City of Fairfax Dem Committee and their Young Dems, to Korean American Democrats, to VA Victory Coordinated Campaign to the Biden-Harris for President campaign.

In Purcellville:

The Purcellville Dems and Coordinated Campaign Organizers united to walk in the Purcellville July 4th parade. Democratic nominee for the 10th Congressional District Suhas Subramanyam marched alongside supporters and organizers, and Loudoun County organizer Jared Aguilera stopped to greet cheerful kids along the route.

In PWC:

The Prince William County Democrats, Coordinated Campaign organizers, and local supporters walked in unity at the 2024 Dale City Civic Association Fourth of July Parade. A large presence of support was shown for Latinos con Biden-Harris, as they took the parade route in an eye-catching trailer. This diverse parade echoed the diversity in the Democratic party, as supporters from across Prince William County came to celebrate with the county’s Dems.

In Scottsville:

VA Victory and Albemarle Dems walked together in the Scottsville Independence Day Parade to show support for Democrats up and down the ticket.

In Staunton:

The Staunton Democrats & Coordinated Campaign team marched for the 4th of July alongside Ken Mitchell, congressional candidate for the 6th district.

In York:

The Historic Triangle Dems led supporters alongside the Coordinated Campaign to march and cheer for the 4th of July in Yorktown. The Historic Triangle Dems from Williamsburg, James City, York and Poquoson joined the Coordinated Campaign to spread hope in electing Democrats up and down the ballot this fall.

In other areas:

Democratic leaders and volunteers also joined celebrations in Frederick County, Greene, and Leesburg.

Saturday News: “Iran’s Voters Elect Their First Reformist President in Two Decades”; “Trump Claims To Know Nothing About Far-Right Plan Pushed By His Own Aides”; “Biden refuses cognitive test, denies he’s losing to Trump”; “Warner building support among Democratic senators to push Biden out”

By
lowkell
-
20

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, July 6.

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