President Trump finally realized that his senior advisor and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is useless, but for all the wrong reasons. Trump is reportedly kicking himself for falling for Kushner’s incredibly mild suggestion to try a little dash of criminal justice reform, which has long been lauded as Kushner’s pet project. (Kim Kardashian and the passage of the First Step Act helped him build his sorta-criminal-justice-reform-ish rep.)
According to Axios, sources close to the president say that he will now stick to his instincts and oppose whatever Kushner finds politically expedient, a move that could jeopardize the success of even the most do-nothing reform bill (you know, like the JUSTICE Act that the Republicans are offering up right now).
From Axios:
One person who spoke with the president interpreted his thinking this way: “No more of Jared’s woke s***.” Another said Trump has indicated that following Kushner’s advice has harmed him politically. [...] This could be the final straw for federal police reform legislation this year, and it could usher in even more incendiary campaign tactics between now and November.
[...]
Trump never really wanted criminal justice reform, according to people who have discussed the subject with him privately. He’s told them he only supported it because Kushner asked him to. Though he has repeatedly trumpeted it as a politically useful policy at times.
Trump now says privately it was misguided to pursue this policy, undercutting his instincts, and that he probably won’t win any more African American support because of it.
In other words, Trump allegedly regrets trying to pander to The Blacks™ and really needs to make sure that the American people know just how pro-cops-beating-the-shit-out-of-people he is by election day.
But he doesn’t need to worry. We... we know.
Wearing masks to protect ourselves and others from covid-19 has been the norm in the United States for a few months now, and—right on time—Republican ideologues are finally catching up. The Washington Post reports that Republican politicians and even Fox News talking heads are a being a little more assertive in their push to get Americans to wear masks.
From The Washington Post:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says there should be no stigma associated with covering one’s face as public health experts advise, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) says doing so is essential to fully reopening the economy.
The GOP-led city of Jacksonville — which President Trump recently selected to host many of the Republican National Convention festivities in part because of its relatively lax public health restrictions — is now mandating people wear masks in indoor public spaces. And even Sean Hannity and Steve Doocy, two of Trump’s most fervent and loyal boosters on Fox News Channel, have joined the chorus of mask advocates.
Of course, it took an influx of covid-19 cases in red states for this to happen, but hey, progress is progress.
But will President Trump listen to his peers? Well, he tends not to wear a mask at public events, and covid-19 surge hasn’t changed that. Plus, during a Wednesday interview with Fox Business, he said he believes that covid-19 will simply “disappear on its own.”
Yeah, this guy isn’t wearing a mask anytime soon, folks.
- Covid-19 layoffs, round two. [Washington Post]
- Oklahoma voters approved a Medicaid expansion. [Politico]
- A judge blocked a Trump administration rule that restricted asylum claims by Central Americans. This is the second time this has been blocked! What’s not clicking? [CNN]
- Sorry, Stephen Miller: Americans want more immigration. [Gallup]
- Joe Biden did what now?
- Surprise: Gutted public health system even more gutted amid covid-19 pandemic. [AP]
- Hong Kong protesters out in full force to defy new national security laws, which extend China’s power. [Wall Street Journal]