Two weeks before the 1972 election, in which Democratic Senator George McGovern challenged Republican President Richard Nixon, the former appeared on ABC’s “Issues and Answers” where reporter Frank Reynolds asked, “You have likened President Nixon to Adolf Hitler. You have implied President Nixon is barbaric in his conduct of the war and you have repeatedly used personal attacks in your campaign against the President. How do you reconcile this with your views that issues should be rationally discussed and that harsh rhetoric is counterproductive?” When Harris and Clinton talk like this, they are not merely defaming Trump. They are purposely slandering the former president’s supporters. Reynolds went on to suggest that the public was not enthusiastic about the tone of McGovern’s campaign: “There is a good amount of public opinion that you have used some of the most strident language of any Presidential campaign ever.” Inevitably, McGovern denied comparing Nixon to Hitler. “I have said that the dropping of several million tons of bombs on the civilian population of Indochina is the most barbaric thing that has happened since World War II, since the Nazis were in power and I believe that, I don’t retract that for one minute.” The voters were unconvinced by this answer or much else about McGovern’s campaign. A couple of weeks later, Nixon won 60 percent of the popular vote, defeating McGovern in a 49-state Electoral College landslide. There’s a lesson in this for the Democratic Party and the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris if they have eyes to see it. It appears, however, that Harris and her surrogates suffer from a learning disability where incendiary rhetoric is concerned. Last week, for example, Harris called former President Donald Trump a “fascist” at a CNN town hall and Hillary Clinton appeared on the same network to accuse him of emulating a 1939 pro-Nazi rally held in Madison Square Garden: One other thing that you’ll see next week, Kaitlan, is Trump actually reenacting the Madison Square Garden rally in 1939. I write about this in my book. President Franklin Roosevelt was appalled that neo-Nazis, fascists, in America, were lining up to essentially pledge their support for the kind of government that they were seeing in Germany. So, I don’t think we can ignore it. Now, it may be a leap for some people, and a lot of others may think, I don’t want to go there. I don’t want to say that. But please, open your eyes to the danger that this man poses to our country. The irony is that such rhetoric is far more dangerous than any political rally. It is this kind of language that causes attempts on Trump’s life by unbalanced individuals like Thomas Crooks and Ryan Routh. Moreover, when Harris and Clinton talk like this, they are not merely defaming Trump. They are purposely slandering the former president’s supporters. It is no coincidence that Clinton devotes so much verbiage to “neo-Nazis, fascists, in America, lining up to essentially pledge their support for the kind of government that they were seeing in Germany.” She was clearly equating MAGA gatherings with Nuremberg rallies. And lest you think this was just random hyperbole that spontaneously occurred to Clinton, consider what Kamala Harris’s running mate told a Nevada crowd Sunday morning: “Donald Trump’s got this big rally going at Madison Square Garden. There’s a direct parallel to a big rally that happened in the mid-1930s at Madison Square Garden. And don’t think that he doesn’t know for one second exactly what they’re doing there.” The deployment of such inflammatory rhetoric is part of a desperate strategy to “other” Donald Trump and his voters. Yet, as Bret Stephens writes in the New York Times, this is unjust and ineffective: The politics of name-calling, which happens every time Trump’s voters are told they are racists, misogynists, weird, phobic, low-information or, most recently, supporters of a fascist — and, by implication, fascists themselves. Aside from being gratuitous and self-defeating — what kind of voter is going to be won over by being called a name? — it’s also mostly wrong. Trump’s supporters overwhelmingly are people who think the Biden-Harris years have been bad for them and the country. Maybe liberals should try to engage the argument without belittling the person. This is good advice, but it’s difficult to follow when you’re losing. And, make no mistake, the Trump campaign has what George H.W. Bush used to call “the big mo.” The Harris campaign began with a lot of money, very favorable coverage in the corporate media, all the benefits of incumbency and a bump in the polls. Yet, somehow, neither she nor her advisors have been able to exploit these advantages. Consequently, the cascading themes of her campaign have descended from “joy” to dark warnings about the dangerous authoritarian tendencies of the Bad Orange Man. Yet he is clearly edging past her in the home stretch. Meanwhile, this closing paragraph is being written an hour after the Trump rally in Madison Square Garden began, and the Nazis are conspicuous by their absence. Indeed, this is a genuinely joyful — and diverse — gathering of patriotic Americans. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe stepped up to the dais and joked, “Hillary Clinton said that this is a Nazi rally here today. Can you believe that? For the most anti-war president of my entire lifetime, and she calls him Hitler.” This reminds me of a longstanding truism that goes, “In any political debate, the first person to yell ‘fascist’ has admitted defeat.” This is good news for Trump. The post Whoever Yells ‘Fascist’ First Loses appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

It’s not enough to say that America is no longer a reliable ally to any of our strategic friends. Through a combination of the Biden-Harris administration’s negligence, stupidity, and wholly unrealistic view of the world, we’ve become a tragic imitation of an ally. Negligence? It’s proven redundantly by the Defense Department Inspector Generals’ report on our recent shipment of military gear and ammunition to Taiwan. Let’s remember that Taiwan — the Republic of China — is our principal source of many of the highest-technologically sophisticated microprocessor chips and is threatened daily by China, which claims it to be a renegade province. You would expect some condemnation of the attack on Netanyahu’s home from the White House, but there was none. Neither Biden nor Harris said a word. We need to remember at this point that our “One China” policy was one of the worst achievements of the Jimmy Carter administration. We allowed mainland China to be that “one China,” ending our diplomatic relations with Taiwan and letting Communist China replace it on the world stage. The DoD IG report, dated September 12, said that we had sent Taiwan a big shipment of equipment and ammunition. The problem is that the ammunition is expired like sour milk. Other supplies we sent were similar. Among them were tactical vests that were so moldy as to be unusable. That’s a clear message to the Taiwanese: get lost, we don’t care about what happens to you. These supplies were sent at the same time China was threatening Taiwan by flying combat aircraft all around it and sending hundreds of combat ships into and around the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan wants to remain a democracy and we’re not supporting it. It’s entirely possible that our ammunition supplies and other equipment are so depleted by aid to Ukraine that we couldn’t send anything the Taiwanese need. But if that’s true, we should have sent them nothing and increased production so that we can meet their needs. Instead, Biden has announced another $400 million in aid to Ukraine. We should not oppose that aid, but recognizing that Ukrainian President Zelensky’s “victory plan” only calls for more aid and an invitation to join NATO, his plans — and ours — badly need revision. Blinken’s Bungling of the Middle East And then there’s Israel. About ten days ago, an Hizballah — or Iranian — drone attack was made against the home of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was clearly an attempt to assassinate him. Fortunately, it failed because he and his wife weren’t at home when the drone hit. You would expect some condemnation of the attack on Netanyahu’s home from the White House, but there was none. Neither Biden nor Harris said a word. We should remember that Iran regards us as “the Great Satan” and Israel as the “Little Satan.” Iran has taken many American lives by terrorism. In short, the Israelis are fighting a war against our enemies, not just theirs. It’s long past time for Biden/Harris to recognize that fact but, again, electoral politics stands in the way. They continue to fret over the Muslim vote in Michigan and elsewhere, which is why they always fail to condemn Hizballah, Iran, and Hamas. For sheer stupidity and a bizarre worldview, it’s impossible to top our chief diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken. On his eleventh trip to Israel and the region since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, Blinken again urged Israeli cease-fire agreements in the Gaza war and in Israel’s attack on Hizballah forces and arms depots in Lebanon. Hizballah — with its near-constant rain of missiles on Israeli civilians — began that fight decades ago. This time, Blinken generously said that a cease-fire would be predicated on disarming Hizballah. Hizballah launched missiles at Tel Aviv while Blinken was there demanding cease-fires. That is so preposterous an idea that the ayatollahs and their Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps must have had a good laugh. That statement by Blinken pretty much sums up his understanding of the world: he has none. Hizballah, like Hamas and the Houthis in Yemen, are armed, funded, and ideologically supported by Iran. The Iranians cannot be talked out of it by Blinken or anyone else. The least Blinken could have done is to demand the return of the hostages Hamas took in 2023 but he didn’t even do that. Included among the approximately 240 hostages taken were at least seven U.S. citizens, three of whom are believed to still be alive. About 100 Israeli hostages may be alive. The others have been murdered by Hamas while in captivity. Biden, Harris, and Blinken have done precisely nothing to obtain the return of any of the hostages. And then there’s NATO. As I have written elsewhere, NATO’s members — supposedly unified in support of Ukraine — are divided and arguing among themselves. The only way Ms. Harris could unite them is around Biden’s policy of appeasement of their enemies. Under the Biden-Harris regime, American leadership has faded to insignificance and with it our ability to influence world affairs. As this column has also pointed out, diplomacy only works when military force is a serious threat to our enemies, the “mailed fist inside the velvet glove.” Biden and Harris don’t understand that. Neither does Blinken or National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, their principal advisers. Harris Neglects the Border For Harris and Biden, America’s national security is secondary to electoral politics. Harris promises falsely to improve border security despite the facts of her beliefs. Don’t forget that Bernie Sanders, asked about her supposed policy changes, said that she’s only saying what’s necessary to get elected. The fact that our open borders have admitted — purportedly legally — about 600 members of the hyper-violent Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang proves — again redundantly — the falsity of her promises. The best the Department of Homeland Security has done so far is to identify the 600 with “possible connections” to that gang and place about 100 of them on a watch list. This is after, as Fox News reported, that gang members had passed DHS screening after their gang tattoos had been spotted by the Border Patrol. Why aren’t the gang members being deported immediately? In all probability because DHS has no idea where they are. They could look, for example, in Aurora, Colorado where the gang had recently taken control of apartment buildings. Like him or not, former President Trump is the only candidate who would even try to restore our influence around the world, secure our border, and begin to rebuild our military. He understands that the key to American national security is American prosperity. Granted that it’s a low bar to hurdle, he would do a vastly better job than a Harris administration would ever conceive of. The post What Great Allies We Are appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Solving the Mystery of Europe’s Rise In October 2024, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm announced that the Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to three economists who studied why some countries are rich while others remain poor. Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A. Robinson were honored for showing “the importance of institutions to a country’s prosperity.” Their research demonstrated that freer and more open societies are more likely to thrive. In 2002, when I began teaching international business at Old Dominion University’s doctoral program, I came across one of their working papers titled “The Rise of Europe: Atlantic Trade, Institutional Change, and Economic Growth.” China’s economy has grown substantially, and a large middle class has emerged, yet democracy is nowhere to be found. Their research aimed to investigate how Europe rose rapidly between 1500 and 1850, creating the capitalist system we know today. Europe at that time had many countries, but only a few experienced significant economic success. The key question they sought to answer was: Why did only some nations rise? They began by reconstructing historical data, including statistics from over 2,200 European cities, such as GDP and urbanization rates. Through econometric analysis, they identified two crucial factors that determined which countries thrived during this period. The first was trade, specifically Atlantic trade routes to the Americas. The second was the initial political and economic institutions in a country. In particular, they found that more open and less absolutist monarchs, who allowed non-royal classes to benefit from trade, enabled economic growth.  In Britain and the Netherlands, both had Atlantic trade routes and relatively open monarchies, which facilitated their rise. Meanwhile, Portugal and Spain, despite engaging in Atlantic trade earlier, had absolutist monarchs who restricted trade benefits to the royal class, leading to their eventual decline. Italy, though blessed with relatively benevolent rulers, lacked access to Atlantic ports and therefore did not participate in transatlantic trade, preventing its rise. The three Nobel laureates explained that trade with the Americas was crucial because it allowed nations to acquire colonial resources and use forced labor for profit. Though trade with the Americas accounted for only 4 percent of these nations’ GDP, it was enough to empower the emerging bourgeoisie, who in turn challenged royal authority, demanded the rule of law, and pushed for the protection of private property rights. This led to the institutional reforms that laid the foundation for modern capitalism. The laureates emphasized the crucial role of the bourgeoisie in institutional change. Political economists like Barrington Moore have often regarded the bourgeoisie as a middle class, caught between the aristocracy above and the proletariat below. The aristocracy had privileges and often exploited the bourgeoisie, while the proletariat, having nothing to lose but their chains, were inclined toward revolution. Revolutions often resulted in the execution of monarchs and the dismantling of productive institutions. However, because the bourgeoisie had property and wealth, they tended to favor reform over revolution, advocating for fair rules rather than chaos. They used their economic power to push for laws that even the monarchs had to obey, thereby creating the legal framework for capitalism. The Challenge of the Chinese Model I was deeply impressed by their research, as I was reflecting on China’s path of reform at the time. Under Mao Zedong’s rule, China’s economy collapsed. After Mao’s death, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began reform and opening up. The CCP allowed non-party individuals to do business and prosper, akin to the more open monarchs in Britain and the Netherlands. The CCP also exploited China’s “low human rights” advantage, similar to the use of forced labor by British and Dutch colonists. Furthermore, China’s Belt and Road Initiative and expansion into Africa resemble colonial policies. Just as Britain and the Netherlands rose through trade with the Americas, China’s rise also depends on global trade. In the late 1990s, China eagerly sought to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), but faced resistance because it was not a market economy. Developed nations, eager for profits and hopeful for China’s future, supported its WTO entry. U.S. President Bill Clinton, for instance, famously said that China’s economic growth would create a middle class, which would then demand democracy, as history had shown. Over 20 years later, China’s economy has grown substantially, and a large middle class has emerged, yet democracy is nowhere to be found. Why hasn’t China’s middle class pushed for democracy as Europe’s did centuries ago? The answer lies in the CCP’s mastery of how to maintain one-party rule indefinitely: through control. The CCP controls all resources in China. Chinese citizens (note that I do not refer to them as “citizens” in the democratic sense) need the CCP’s approval for everything, from birth to education, housing, employment, and even business operations. Their wealth and property can be confiscated by the CCP at any time. In this environment, no one is truly independent of the CCP, and thus they cannot use their wealth to challenge the Party’s authority. On this issue, experts and politicians worldwide, including myself, have been mistaken. Now, applying the Nobel laureates’ research on Europe’s rise to China, we can see that under Deng Xiaoping (ruled from 1979-1989), Jiang Zemin (ruled 1989-2002), and Hu Jintao (ruled 2002-2012), the CCP was relatively tolerant of non-party individuals making money. However, under Xi Jinping (ruling since 2012), as China has accumulated wealth and economic urgency has decreased, private entrepreneurs who have become wealthier than CCP officials are now viewed with suspicion. The CCP cadres are increasingly upset that business people under their control have more wealth than they.  The Nobel laureates argue that China’s political institutions are not open. Due to a lack of freedom, China lags behind democratic nations in innovation. While an authoritarian regime can efficiently mobilize national resources for a period of time, it is unsustainable in the long run. Nevertheless, the laureates acknowledge that China’s rapid growth presents a challenge to their theory. The Importance of International Trade to China’s Model In my view, the laureates overlook the importance of international trade to China’s model. Although China lags behind democracies in innovation, it can acquire innovations from other countries, both legally and illegally. Acquiring innovations is faster and cheaper than creating them. Additionally, China’s “low human rights” advantage and its state-driven economic model should not be underestimated. I refer to this model as “China Inc.,” where the CCP runs China like a giant corporation. The CCP is the owner and manager, with the General Secretary serving as the CEO. State-owned enterprises (SOEs) function as its strategic divisions and subsidiaries, while private businesses operate as joint ventures, in which the CCP holds a controlling stake. Foreign enterprises are essentially franchises, operating at the pleasure of the CCP. Meanwhile, the Chinese people are employees of China Inc. They cannot criticize the CEO, cannot choose where they live freely, and the Chinese money they earn is essentially internal coupons that requires CCP’s approval to convert and move overseas. The “China Inc.” model gives the CCP several advantages: agility in state-to-state affairs and national-level support for Chinese firms competing with foreign businesses. In democratic countries, the government is the referee, and companies are the players in the markets. In China Inc., the government is both the referee, the coach, and the competitor on the field. The CCP concentrates national resources to develop industries it deems important, allowing Chinese firms to outcompete foreign companies on the global stage with low-cost advantages. In international markets, no privately-owned company, no matter how large, can match the might of China Inc., which has the backing of an entire nation’s resources. As long as the world tolerates the China Inc. model, China’s low-cost products will dominate global markets, and its overcapacity will generate significant profits for China at the expense of other countries. Thus, the Chinese model can be sustained for a long time. Democratic nations must recognize the true nature of China Inc. Only then can they develop effective countermeasures. Broadly speaking, there are three strategic responses to consider. The first is to unite all nations in telling China Inc. “no” and demand that the CCP abandon its model. This would mean asking the Chinese state to stop acting as both a player and a referee and instead just be a law-abiding referee like other governments. However, it is unlikely that the CCP would willingly give up this advantage. The second option is for other nations to adopt a similar state-driven model, where governments become more actively involved in business competition. In other words, democratic nations would adopt their own versions of the China Inc. model, which would fundamentally disrupt the current global economic order. So far, no country, including the United States, has seriously considered this option. The third option is to do nothing and continue doing business with China Inc. Under this scenario, China, with its low human rights and state-driven advantages, will continue to dominate the global market. In conclusion, the China model presents a significant challenge to the traditional understanding of capitalism and global trade. The laureates’ theory holds strong for democracies, but the sustainability of China’s state-driven system requires us to rethink economic paradigms. As long as the world continues to engage with China’s unique system, we will continue to see its products and influence spread globally. Whether or not the global community will adapt to or push back against this model remains an open question. Shaomin Li is Eminent Scholar and Professor of International Business at Old Dominion University and author of The Rise of China, Inc.: How the Chinese Communist Party Transformed China into a Giant Corporation.  The post The Chinese Model’s Challenge to the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

People old enough to remember the Before Time — i.e., the time when in most everyday matters, people who weren’t causing harm were generally free to do as they liked — know what it was like to be a parent or a child and go for a drive in those times. As opposed to what it’s like now. More finely, what it requires you to have and to pay for now. J.D. Vance, Trump’s vice-president pick, got heckled for saying out loud that government-mandated “safety” seats got kids are an effective form of birth control. But he’s right. For at least two reasons that have nothing to do with the cost of the seats, themselves. There’s a subtler way that “safety” seats work to reduce the birth rate, even among the reproducing. It is by effectively requiring couples who want to have more than two kids to buy a vehicle with at least three rows of seats. The first is the disincentive to have kids knowing that if you do, you’ll have to deal with “safety” seats for years to come. In some states, until the kid is a near-teenager. That is a long time to have to spend every day strapping a kid in and out of a “safety” seat every time you drive somewhere with a kid in the car. It makes you not want to drive anywhere. It makes you not want to have kids — so you can drive without having to first deal with strapping a kid into the seat and then unstrapping the kid when you get where you were going. This probably adds at least five minutes to every trip, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but it adds up, and not just in terms of the time spent. It costs ease and spontaneity and — yes — fun. It is dreary to have to deal with these got-damned “safety” seats all the time. Even to watch some other poor bastard dealing with them makes you not want to deal with them. But the only way you can avoid having to deal with them — legally — is to avoid having kids. Voila! Of course, the immediate heckle that sallies forth is that if you don’t want to deal with strapping kids in and out all the time, you are a selfish person who does not care about the “safety” (gag me) of your child. Really? So all the parents who didn’t strap their kids in and out for all those decades before the neurotics and busybodies and control freaks (I repeat myself) succeeded in getting mandatory child-seat laws passed beginning in the ’90s were selfish people who didn’t care about the “safety” of their kids? And all those Gen X and Before Time kids who grew up free to just jump into the back seat or the front seat or the rear-facing jumpseat in the Vista Cruiser wagon were put in danger by their selfish, uncaring parents? I was one of those kids and never felt that. Also, I never got hurt, either. But I did love to go for a ride in my parents’ car. And they seemed to enjoy it, too. We all liked cars — and driving — which is what “safety” seats cause us to dislike now. More finely, I and many others dislike this neurotic obsession with risk that’s disproportionate to the costs of mitigation. There is always a degree of danger when riding in a car. It may be hypothetically greater to ride in car not buckled-up or not strapped in (if you’re a kid). But just because something might happen does not mean it will. And obsessing over the might is… neurotic. In the Before Time, only neurotics strapped their progeny into “safety” seats. Just as in the Before Time, only neurotics walked around in public wearing “masks.” But that was before neurosis metastasized and became normalized. In this time, a parent who does not strap the kid in is regarded much the same as one who refused to “mask” the kid. It is a different manifestation of the same illness. And the only way to avoid it is to have no part of it. There’s a subtler — secondary — way that “safety” seats work to reduce the birth rate, even among the reproducing. It is by effectively requiring couples who want to have more than two kids to buy a vehicle with at least three rows of seats. Because it is generally not feasible to have three “safety” seats installed in a vehicle that has only two rows of seats. Even if it were possible to fit three of them side-by-side in the back seat, it would mean having no seats back there for adults. Or having to detach one or more of these seats and put them… somewhere. Probably in the cargo area behind the back seats, thus taking up most of the vehicle’s available cargo space. If it’s a sedan we’re talking about, it will not have room for these bulky “safety” seats in the trunk. Plus, even full-size sedans are relatively small in comparison to what used to be available (and affordable). This is one reason why crossovers — which are car-based vehicles shaped to look like SUVs — have largely replaced what used to be the family sedan. Regardless, you’ll need a third row if you have a third kid that “the law” says all young kids must be strapped in a “safety” seat. And that means you will have to buy a larger, more expensive vehicle as there are no smaller vehicles (and not many mid-sized vehicles) that have a third row. The problem there, of course, is that many people cannot afford the additional thousands (if not tens of thousands) it takes to move up to a three-row crossover or SUV. That serves as a very effective form of birth control, on top of the shoot-me-now willie-wilter that comes along for every drive when you can’t just go for a drive anymore, but instead have to strap ’em in and then unstrap them when you get to wherever you’re headed. The post Birth Control Seats appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Anything can happen by Election Day next week, but Democrats are having a really scary Halloween. They fear the Great Orange Pumpkin is coming to get them, and their horror is infectious. After all, they’d thrown everything they had at Trump — falsehoods, slanders, impeachments, lawsuits, charges, bullets — but nothing has stopped or slowed his return march to the White House. Not even black magic. Now actual witches are bemoaning the fact their spells against Trump are not working. “He seems to have some kind of protection around him,” posted a member of WitchesVsPatriarchy on Reddit. Could be the same higher power that saved Trump’s life three months ago, causing him to turn his head from an assassin’s bullet at just the right instant. This thought would be more frightening to the Democratic witches who disdain all that’s holy, including their current candidate for President. In no previous election has the conflict between the sacred and profane been more manifest. During her recent exultation of child sacrifice, better known as abortion, a college student shouted to Kamala Harris, “Jesus is Lord!” Harris responded, “Oh, you guys are at the wrong rally,” to the gleeful laughter of her worshippers. By contrast, J.D. Vance took the same exclamation in stride at his rally while defending Christianity from Leftist assault. “That’s right, Jesus is King,” he said, eliciting cheers from the faith-driven crowd. In no previous election has the conflict between the sacred and profane been more manifest. And the pro-God side is winning. You can tell this from the loudening shrieking of witches, again led by Vice President Harris. Last week, Harris interrupted her infernal cackling long enough to deliver an unorthodox screed from the official VP residence to lie about her political opponent, Trump. “Who in fact vowed to be a dictator on Day One,” Harris said. “And vowed to use the military as his personal militia to carry out his personal and political vendettas. Donald Trump is increasingly unhinged and unstable.” Needless to say, Trump made no such vows. The “dictator” remark was an obvious joke. As for “increasingly unhinged and unstable,” Trump just did a live three-hour interview with Joe Rogan, following his celebrated stunt as a McDonald’s fries cook. “WHEN I’M PRESIDENT THE MCDONALD’S ICE CREAM MACHINES WILL WORK GREAT AGAIN!” Trump tweeted to much online amusement. What became clear to Harris and her Coven is that the spell of Joy spread by their media familiars has completely worn off. All that remains is sheer terror. And the signs of satanic panic are everywhere. In a video that went viral, a young woman at last week’s Harris Houston rally starts screaming in the face of a little girl in a stroller. The father has to scoop up his kid and protect her. To her credit, a black female Harris supporter pulls away the threatening harpy. But nothing reeks of leftist desperation more than their latest clueless attempt to plug the male voter exodus from the Democrat Matriarchy. In an ad that must be seen to be believed, a young punk in bed about to masturbate to porn gets interrupted by a middle-aged Republican official in a suit. “Sorry, you can’t do that,” the older man says. “What, the hell man!” cries the resident. “How’d you get in here?!” “I’m your Republican congressman. Now that we’re in charge, we’re banning porn nationwide.” “You can’t tell me what to do! Get out of my bedroom, you creep.” “I won the last election,” explains the Republican. “So it’s my decision.” The ad is so clueless, it seems a parody. On one hand, it’s unintentionally funnier than any Saturday Night Live skit in the past decade, on the other, it’s completely misguided. The actor playing the porn addict is such an obvious loser, his life so apparently worthless, he makes the heavy seem benevolent by comparison. That the liberal idiots who produced the ad — the Progress Action Fund and Defend the Vote — thought they could sway the male vote by threatening to ban porn shows how little they understand real men. They would mock the whiny pervert intended to represent them, along with their real women. As a buddy of mine texted me after seeing the ad, “What the fudge is wrong with Democrats?!” (He didn’t write “fudge.) Not to be outdone in the clueless department, former First Witch Michelle Obama attempted to revive her old spellcasting craft by nagging men into voting for Harris. Unfortunately, all she had to draw on was the Feminist 101 rulebook that her husband had soured men on a week earlier. “Our lives are worth more than their anger and disappointment!” Michelle declared. “And we are more than just baby-making vessels!” Then she jumped on her broomstick and flew away. Not really. She joined Harris onstage for some cringeworthy fake bonding. But if all goes well next week, the Democrats’ real nightmare will begin. Then, so will us Christians’ Christmas revelries. ***** Read Leonora Cravotta’s great review of my new political thriller The Washington Trail, the perfect Christmas gift book, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever fine mysteries are sold. The post The Last Halloween for Democrat Witches appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

These Pumpkin Energy Balls are bursting with all the goodness of pumpkin and real, wholesome ingredients. The best part – you won’t even have to touch the oven to make them! No Bake Pumpkin Energy Balls are packed with flavor and super-packed with nutrition. In This Article Why This Recipe Stands OutKey Recipe IngredientsSubstitutions And VariationsEasy Recipe InstructionsStoring Energy BallsCommonly Asked QuestionsPumpkin Energy Balls (No Bake) RecipeMore To Make And Eat View more This post may contain affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Why This Recipe Stands Out It’s the season of pumpkins and baking. Loads of both have been happening in our kitchen. But today, we’re getting our fill of double pumpkin yum, all without touching the oven door. Here’s why we love this recipe: Healthy AND Tasty: Pumpkin Energy Balls taste like blissful bites of pumpkin pie, but are only sweetened with honey and dates. We use only the good ingredients. No Oven Needed: Our oven’s been busy this season baking up treats like Pumpkin Coffee Cake and Pumpkin Bread, but there’s no need for the oven with this one. Allergy Friendly: These pumpkin balls are dairy-free, gluten-free (as long as you opt for gluten-free oats), and nut free! Great Make Ahead Snack: We whip these energy balls up at the beginning of the week and store them in the fridge for an effortless snack recipe the whole family loves. Key Recipe Ingredients Dates – Dates naturally sweeten energy balls and help everything stick together. Pumpkin Puree – Pure pumpkin puree is the star of this recipe. Not only does it add that highly-coveted pumpkin flavor, it also keeps these bites moist and tender. Pure Honey – We use pure honey for some extra sweetness, but pure maple syrup also works great here. Chia Seeds – In case you haven’t heard, chia seeds are bursting with health benefits. They add some crunch and help bind all the ingredients together. Old Fashioned Oats – Old fashioned oats make these Pumpkin Energy Balls extra chewy and filling. Coconut Flakes – Reach for unsweetened coconut flakes. The slightly sweet, nutty flavor pairs wonderfully with the pumpkin! Pepitas – Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) add crunch and even more healthy fats. Spices – This wouldn’t be a fall pumpkin recipe without the major spices: cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Substitutions And Variations Pumpkin Energy Balls are the perfect avenue for all the mix-ins. Here’s some of our favorite variations: Add Some Nuts: Feel free to substitute the pepitas with chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans like we do in these 5 Ingredient Energy Bites. Dried Fruit: If you can’t use dates, try raisins instead. Bring on the Chocolate: It’s no secret that pumpkin pairs really well with chocolate, just try this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread! We love the addition of semi-sweet, dark, or even white chocolate chips to this recipe. Adjust the Base: Check out our No-Bake Energy Balls recipe, for a nut butter-based energy bite. Use Flax Seeds as a Substitute: If you don’t have chia seeds on hand, ground flax seeds also work great in this recipe. Easy Recipe Instructions In a food processor, pulse dates, pumpkin, honey, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients; Chill for 1 hour. Form 1″ energy balls and store in the fridge. Enjoy! For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below. Storing Energy Balls Pumpkin Energy Balls keep super well in the fridge and freezer. Here’s how we store them: In the Fridge: No Bake Pumpkin Energy Balls will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks. In the Freezer: To freeze pumpkin balls, place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and flash freeze until hard. Then, transfer energy balls to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 2 months. Commonly Asked Questions Why aren’t my energy balls sticking together? If your energy balls aren’t wanting to stick together, your mixture is likely too dry. Try adding a little extra pumpkin puree or even a few teaspoons of water to get things sticking. What is the best solution if my energy balls are too soft? First, you could simply try chilling the mixture a little longer. If this doesn’t help, we usually either mix in a few extra tablespoons of oats or coconut flakes. What are some good recipes to use the rest of my can of pumpkin? Try baking these Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles or these Super Moist Pumpkin Scones. Check out all our favorite pumpkin recipes for more ideas! What’s a good replacement for the coconut flakes in this recipe? Chopped nuts are going to be your best bet at getting a similar taste and texture without the coconut flakes. Try mixing 1/2 cup almond or cashew flour with 1/2 cup chopped nut of your choice like pecans, walnuts, or almonds. Print Pumpkin Energy Balls (No Bake) Let the snack times roll, with these easy and healthy Pumpkin Energy Balls! Packed with all of the good stuff and none of the bad. Course finger food, SnackCuisine AmericanDiet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, VegetarianMethod Mixing Prep Time 20 minutes minutesTotal Time 20 minutes minutes Servings 24 Calories 109kcal Author Amy Dong Equipment1 Food Processor Ingredients8 oz chopped dates½ cup pumpkin puree¼ cup pure honey2 TB chia seeds1 tsp ground cinnamon½ tsp ground ginger¼ tsp ground nutmeg⅛ tsp table salt1 ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats dry1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes1 ½ cups toasted pumpkin seeds pepitas InstructionsIn a food processor, add the dates, pumpkin, honey, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Pulse until incorporated and smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients until fully incorporated. Cover tightly and chill 1 hour or longer.Form 1-inch energy balls using clean, damp hands. Keep energy balls in airtight container in fridge. Best served chilled. Notes For gluten-free recipe, be sure to get oats that are labeled gluten-free. Slightly wetting your palms will help a lot with ease of shaping, without ingredients sticking to your hands.  Have fun with whatever mix-ins you can think of! We love adding chopped toasted pecans and chocolate chips. Check out this recipe for No-Bake Energy Balls for a nut butter-based version.   If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We hearing from you!  Join our Free Recipe Club and get our newest, best recipes each week! NutritionCalories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 797IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg More To Make And Eat Pumpkin Trifle – Fluffy, creamy, and crunchy all at once, this Pumpkin Trifle is the perfect treat for holiday gatherings. Pumpkin Churros – Just in time for fall, these Pumpkin Churros pack a punch of fresh pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice – a truly addicting treat. Healthy Pumpkin Bread – This ultra-moist pumpkin bread is made with pure honey and whole grains. You have to try it to believe how good it is! The Best Pumpkin Cheesecake – We LOVE classic cheesecake, but add pumpkin puree, fall spices, and a gingersnap crust to the mix; and it gets even better. The post Pumpkin Energy Balls (No Bake) appeared first on Chew Out Loud.

How fake and phony can one person be? I suppose I should stop asking that question because she seems to be taking it as a personal challenge! Here’s the latest, a brand new “Preacher” accent that she’s adding into her repertoire….what do you think? Kamala Harris unveils new “preacher” accent in church this morning…. How fake and phony can one person be? pic.twitter.com/TpWWVLdVUr — DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) October 27, 2024 And how exactly did she get into that church without combusting into fire right on the spot? Or was it one of those fake “Jeremiah Wright” churches, like Obama likes to go to? Just add this one to the long list of fake, patronizing accents — perhaps the only talent or gift Kamala Harris appears to have, other than, well you know (it rhymes with Bellagio): Kamala Harris Rolls Out New Accent: “I’m In These Streets!” Kamala Harris Rolls Out New Accent: "I'm In These Streets!" Kamala Harris has just rolled out a new accent.... Meet "Latina" Kamala. Why a new accent? Because she's talking to a new group (duh!), this time the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Take a look: Kamala debuts her fake Hispanic accent while speaking to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. pic.twitter.com/Jgc0OXvaPg — Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 18, 2024 It's not even a GOOD Latina accent: Yet ANOTHER Kamala accent? This time, she’s using a “Latina” accent while Speaking to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus How many is that now? What a fraud. pic.twitter.com/xCmsFU25PZ — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 18, 2024 I don't even know what this was: KAMALA: "I'M IN THESE STREETS" "Recently, I was in Nevada. I'm in these streets. Let me tell you... I'm everywhere." Source: CSPAN pic.twitter.com/TgvXufdunL — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 18, 2024 Oooh, you're so tough Kamala! You are IN these streets! (whatever that means) The Gateway Pundit documented just how cringe it was: Kamala Harris on Wednesday debuted a fake Hispanic accent as she delivered remarks to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. “And to everyone, happy Hispanic Heritage Month – which, in my book, is every month of the year,” Kamala Harris said cackling. Harris told the Hispanic Caucus that her mother was mistreated when she came to the US because she was a short “brown woman with an accent.” “So, this is a room of long-standing friends. And many of you know my background. My mother arrived in the United States when she was 19 years old by herself. And I spoke about it recently, actually. You know, my mother — I was the eldest child. And as the eldest child, those of us who are, you know you see a lot of things in terms of what your parents go through,” Harris said. “And I would often see how my mother was treated. She was a five-foot-tall brown woman with an accent. And I would see how the world would sometimes treat her,” she added. It's not the first time she's done this: Kamala Harris Rolls Out Offensive New Accent Kamala Harris has just rolled out a brand new accent.... And if you ask me, it's horribly offensive. Is this what she thinks black people sound like? Is she trying to be black? I can't keep up which day she is black vs which day she is Asian vs which day she is Indian vs which day she is "goofy white woman"....it's all so terribly confusing! But ratcheting up an accent like this just to pander to black people seems wildly racist and offensive if you ask me: Where the hell did this new Kamala accent come from?! Who is telling her this is a good idea? pic.twitter.com/fyjNGZBjFB — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 2, 2024 Full screen video player here: Kamala Harris unveils offensive new accent pic.twitter.com/YNLAKJLJck — DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) September 2, 2024 Here's a history of all the different accents she has used over the years.... INSULTING: Listen To Kamala Harris' New Accent This is absolutely insulting....to pretty much everyone! Imagine being SO fake that you change your accent everywhere you go. Down in the South? Suddenly you have a southern drawl y'all.... In Detroit? Suddenly you sound like this: Looks like Kamala Harris developed a new accent when she landed in Detroit! “The courts are gonna handle dat. We gon’ beat him in Novemba. We gon’ beat him in Novemba” She’s a FRAUD. pic.twitter.com/9cMWI3tHtc — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 8, 2024 Wow, that's bad! And so insulting to black people. First of all, it's insulting to think you can win over a group by pretending to speak like them.  So fake and inauthentic. But second of all, it's really insulting that she thinks they sound like that! What a racist accent! Here she is doing a similar "urban" accent: Kamala faking an “urban” accent. Her mother is from India. Her father is from Jamaica. Faking an accent to sound more “black” is… weird. pic.twitter.com/QF1PmAEbLx — Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) July 31, 2024 This one really exposes it... Watch as she shifts like a chameleon depending on which group of people she's talking to: One whole minute of Kamala Harris changing her accent based on the racial group she’s talking to: pic.twitter.com/b7Slph09v0 — Isabella Maria DeLuca (@IsabellaMDeLuca) August 3, 2024 More ghetto accent next.... What exactly is "HOED ON"? Is that a word? “HOED ON” Kamala Harris continues to use a ghetto black accent at her rally in Michigan pic.twitter.com/nNk3fAsy26 — Drew Hernandez (@DrewHLive) August 8, 2024 This might be the best.... She actually tried to do a FRENCH accent: Never forget when Kamala Harris used a fake French accent when speaking to French scientists pic.twitter.com/28F2coGu1O — The First (@TheFirstonTV) July 31, 2024 Never forget the time she became a Southerner: CRINGE ALert: VP Kamala Harris unveils her new southern accent in Atlanta, Georgia. "You all helped us in 2020, and we gon' do it again in twenty twenty fouah." pic.twitter.com/6ZWM7hyhY8 — MAGA Elvis (@BenStanton77) July 30, 2024 Of course she's not the first (or even the best) to apply this fake routine. The master was Hillary Clinton. You can just feel the evil oozing out of this video: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Both Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris appear to put on an accent when speaking to Black American voters. Many think this is racist or that it indicates they're racist behind closed doors. pic.twitter.com/PALsYdt06k — Anthony Hughes (@CallMeAntwan) July 31, 2024 Everything about this woman and her campaign is fake. Including this: The TRUTH Behind Kamala Harris' "HUGE" Rallies... Have you seen the news? It's all over Twitter from the big Democrat accounts... Kamala Harris is holding bigger rallies than President Trump! People like Harry Sisson have been creaming their pants all day posting about the "huge" crowd size: WOW! The crowd at the Harris Walz rally in Wisconsin just began chanting, “THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!” You’re damn right it does! Blown away by this video. Share this everywhere. pic.twitter.com/ChdSUhOuGy — Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) August 7, 2024 So...is it true? Is Kamala Harris suddenly drawing bigger crowds than Trump? Is she suddenly the most popular person in America, people hanging on her every word (salad)? Ehhhh, not exactly. Allow me to explain.... In 2016, President Trump started doing something unprecedented -- holding massive rallies all across America. It hadn't really been done before. Previously, political candidates would maybe fill a local high school gym. But never a stadium or arena. Trump was different. He changed the game. And I've always said he did it for TWO reasons. One was simply to get people excited and to "campaign" just like everyone else but only bigger. But the second reason, and I believe the bigger reason, was to SHOW America that there's no way Hillary could win and it not be rigged. While Trump was filling stadiums, Hillary couldn't fill that proverbial high school gym, and all of America saw it. Trump's popularity was literally TOO BIG TO STEAL. It was so smart and calculated. Then in 2020, they knew they couldn't allow that to happen again so they basically shut down the world. Bye, bye rallies. "Of course Joe Biden can't draw a crowd because NO ONE CAN because you can't be closer than 6 feet from the next person!" Does it all make sense now? Remember those "COVID hula hoop circles"? It's not cause Joe was unpopular....nah, no way! It's because....COVID! But now we're in 2024 and Trump is drawing massive crowds again. So what do they do now? You can't shut down the world again, that would be too obvious. So the only option left is Kamala has to have equally big crowds as Trump. Simple! But how? Easy...you actually make them concerts with super popular musicians and you just let Kamala "tag along". That's exactly what happened in Eau Claire today. This is not a Harris Rally, this is a "Bon Iver" concert: OMG! The Kamala Harris Rally Line in Eau Claire, Wisconsin is soooo long! What’s not being reported is that they got Bon Iver, who is a local from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a Grammy-Award winning music artist to perform at the rally. So basically, it’s another free concert..… pic.twitter.com/wRui7ELdkw — MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) August 7, 2024 OMG! The Kamala Harris Rally Line in Eau Claire, Wisconsin is soooo long! What’s not being reported is that they got Bon Iver, who is a local from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a Grammy-Award winning music artist to perform at the rally. So basically, it’s another free concert.. Get prepared, because they’re going to do this for all their events, to build the illusion of enthusiasm and excitement. When all it really is they are tapping into the blackmailed star power at their disposal. And from Dom Lucre, here's more: HAPPENING NOW: Many journalists are reporting that Kamala Harris rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin is a massive crowd and that Democrats are charged up but they are failing to mention the fact that multi Grammy award winning and Billboard number one charting band Bon Iver with… pic.twitter.com/d87H8HkTic — Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) August 7, 2024 HAPPENING NOW: Many journalists are reporting that Kamala Harris rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin is a massive crowd and that Democrats are charged up but they are failing to mention the fact that multi Grammy award winning and Billboard number one charting band Bon Iver with Justin Verno is performing at this rally WHICH IS THEIR HOME TOWN. It is the same strategy Kamala Harris had in Atlanta with Megan Thee Stallion along with bussing homeless citizens and pedestrians that were willing to go to a free concert. If you claim to be a conservative and you are constantly claiming Kamala’s campaign is ‘killing it’s you disgust me, we are at war right now, they don’t CARE if you are being ‘unbiased’ because their bias spin doctors will use your unbiased report as fuel for their own cause. I will admit, I used to try to take that unbiased approach but I learned we are dealing with true demons this election, they aren’t playing fair. How many liberals ever gave us credit for having the largest rallies in political history nearly every week? With no gimmicks we did that and do that, yet the same liberals that claim rally numbers don’t matter, MAGA boats don’t matter are now sharing this same content for Harris, some of you really care more about ad revenue than this county. We have to win, this is unacceptable. Democrats win because they play the OPTICS game. We are in 5th generational warfare and we have conservative accounts damn near congratulating and praising Kamala Harris fake campaign. Expose the truth, expose the payments, expose the fake social media campaign, expose the fake zooms, expose the bitter accounts, expose the people that leave after the star is gone, expose the other party, we have to FIGHT TOGETHER, we are in THE FINAL FU*ING HOUR. FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! So....how was the concert? Bad. REALLY bad. This is not edited, but it might make your ears bleed: This is not edited. This is real. This was the performance just given at Kamala’s rally in Wisconsin and then proudly reposted on the campaign’s page. Just a perfect encapsulation of the Harris campaign. SORRY IN ADVANCE IF THIS MAKES YOUR EARS BLEED. pic.twitter.com/gIM7XZAnJP — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 7, 2024 Full video player: This is not edited. This is real. This was the performance just given at Kamala’s rally in Wisconsin and then proudly reposted on the campaign’s page. Just a perfect encapsulation of the Harris campaign. SORRY IN ADVANCE IF THIS MAKES YOUR EARS BLEED. pic.twitter.com/gIM7XZAnJP — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 7, 2024 Holy crap that's bad! Sounds like a funeral song, doesn't it? Meanwhile, here's a comparison between a genuine Trump Rally and a staged Kamala concert: The comparison of the Trump rally in Harrisburg PA that I attended last night and Commie-la Harris’ rally in Atlanta GA a few days ago. One was organic and genuine. The other was choreographed with uniform signs. One was a simple political rally. The other was a free concert. pic.twitter.com/Weqn5fBwj0 — Xi Van Fleet (@XVanFleet) August 1, 2024 Here's what a REAL, massive Rally looks like: President Trump Holding MASSIVE Las Vegas Rally! Yesterday it was Florida and California... Today President Trump holds a MASSIVE MAGA Rally in Las Vegas! Check out the huge lines already formed at 6:30am this morning: 6:30am line check at President Trump's Las Vegas rally...IT'S YUGE! pic.twitter.com/FLpBv31lar — Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) June 9, 2024 They go on and on and on! It’s not even 7 a.m. and the line for the President Trump rally in Las Vegas is already ridiculous. It’s still many hours until the people’s president appears but people are already amped! This is love for a leader like we haven’t seen in modern times.pic.twitter.com/JT1PXpKn8E — Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) June 9, 2024 Keep in mind, this is six full hours before the event is supposed to even start: Woah. This is the crowd at sunrise lining up for the Trump rally in Las Vegas. It doesn't start for another 6 hours. pic.twitter.com/8nSDwkxKz9 — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 9, 2024 You just gotta love this: Parking opened at 5am and doors open at 9am for President Trump’s rally here in Las Vegas, Nevada and we are towards the front of the line and people are continuing to pour in. Trump 2024 the ONLY choice. pic.twitter.com/FMi8lOgZ4M — ꪻꫝể ꪻꫝể (@TheThe1776) June 9, 2024 I love this video where it follows the line for what seems like forever: Holy smokes, Look at this Huge line is in Las Vegas waiting for President Trump, and it's not even 7am. We are Winning!!!pic.twitter.com/ger3Q2e8W3 — Freedom (@PU28453638) June 9, 2024 More here: Line in Las Vegas for today’s Trump rally has already DOUBLED in size. America’s real president is more popular than ever!pic.twitter.com/W2h6Xg6sYJ — Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) June 9, 2024 You can watch live here: [censored] Or try here: https://rumble.com/v4zbjjl-live-president-donald-j.-trump-holds-a-rally-in-las-vegas-nv-6924.html This comes on the heels of SoCal yesterday: Support For Trump In Newport Beach, CA Is MASSIVE Ahead Of SoCal Rally! Donald Trump is going to win California! Mark it down.... I have never seen this type of support before, especially in the so-called "blue state" of CommieFornia! Perhaps it's not all the blue after all.... Perhaps the people are tired of Gavin Newsom's horrible policies and want sanity.... Because all I see is MAGA Country: Look at the reception President Trump is receiving in *California* Biden could never! pic.twitter.com/98AgVdG8En — DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) June 8, 2024 Newport Beach, CA is MAGA country! Trump can win California.pic.twitter.com/DRX0H96Taq — Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) June 8, 2024 President Trump’s inbound to Newport Beach, CA for a big rally The man is blitzing the entire nation pic.twitter.com/0n5a4fnpJk — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 8, 2024 Sorry folks, this is NOT a motorcade for a "Former President"... This is your Commander In Chief right here: This is the crowd that just came out to greet Trump's motorcade in California. Truly wild. Never seen anything like it. pic.twitter.com/zcfyaf1jZX — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 8, 2024 The President of the People! AMERICA KNOWS WHAT TIME IT IS!!! pic.twitter.com/HLSrUmB1KH — il Donaldo Trumpo (@PapiTrumpo) June 8, 2024 Newport Beach is ready to rock! https://x.com/PapiTrumpo/status/1799503480962396633 The information available about Donald Trump's Newport Beach rally today, is as follows: Event Details: The event was a sold-out campaign fundraiser. It was hosted by tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey and Kimberly and John Word. The location was at the home of health insurance company owner John Word and his wife Kimberly on Harbor Island in Newport Beach. The fundraiser offered various ticket prices, ranging from $3,300 for a lunch reception to $100,000 to be designated as a member of the roundtable host committee. Road Closures: Bayside Drive from Jamboree Road to Pacific Coast Highway was closed to all motor traffic starting at 7 a.m. Only local residents were permitted to enter with proof of residency, such as photo identification, passport, or some other proof of address. Street closures continued through 3 p.m., according to the Newport Beach Police Department. Public Response: Supporters lined the streets of Newport Beach early in the morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of the motorcade en route to the fundraiser. The harbor was filled with boats flying Trump flags. Supporters gathered at various intersections, showing enthusiasm for the event. A tweet from @TrumpDailyPosts showed a video of a Trump caravan arriving in Newport Beach, viewed from a boat on Newport Harbor. Political Context: The event comes shortly after Trump was convicted on 34 felony charges, which has not slowed down his campaign efforts or fundraising. The Trump campaign reported a spike of nearly $35 million in donations following his conviction. Trump's visit to Newport Beach is part of a larger fundraising swing across Southern California. Media Coverage: The event was closed to the news media, as is customary for a fundraiser for a presidential candidate. Several tweets and posts on social media platforms like Twitter/X provided live updates and visuals from the event and its surroundings.

Watch aghast as Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp wrestle David Bowie's Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) into the grave

Including Larkin Poe, The Sheepdogs, Beth Hart (featuring Slash) and five other players, performers and portrayers, each another's audience outside the gilded cage