📱Today’s First Dispatch had some thoughts about the failings in Minnesota — want more proof Minnesota finally cares about fraud –
They charged two people who exposed the massive voting fraud
AOC watch👀: Today the top of Politico’s Playbook highlighted AOC and her political skill: “Game recognizes game”
No coincidences‼️: An ad featuring her as proof “liberals are the new racists” started playing over the weekend during major sporting events
Warning to Iran⚠️: New reporting from The Wall Street Journal says the “U.S. Warns Gulf of Possible, Short Intense Renewal of Iran War After Midterms,” writing:
“The U.S. military is sending an additional Patriot system to Israel from Texas to beef up its missile defenses in the country, according to flight-tracking data and two officials with knowledge of the movement. The U.S. has also moved troops off bases in the Middle East where they were vulnerable in preparation for an escalation…”
What I’m thinking💭: It’s never a good idea to tell your enemies you are going to have a short military action
Why are we telegraphing to Iran that this will be a short military action?
It’s going to leak like it always does because the Arab world can’t keep anything secret.
Tonight📺: CENTCOM Deputy Commander and retired U.S. Navy SEAL Admiral Robert Harward on why we are leaking this to the Iranians ahead of the midterms.
Plus, why tell them it’s only going to be short?
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10 years Later, Obama Finally Got Trump⏩
🗣️Donald Trump spends rallies now defending his White House renovations and talking about how much the cheeseburgers at Mar-a-Lago cost
Obama finally figured out how to troll Trump.
Look back🔙: Bitter people who cling to their guns and religion, deplorables, etc., all played right into Trump’s hands
🔄Obama flipped the script — now Trump is talking about renovations and $5,000 cheeseburgers
Renovations are a perfect metaphor for the No. 1 and 2 issues — the economy and corruption
The rich getting richer and everybody else left behind
📰The New York Times headlines, “Obama’s ‘Cheesecake Factory’ Jab Rankles Trump on Mississippi Campaign Stop”
Watch tonight📺: Steve Cortes and Corbin Trent, the populist boys from Tennessee, on whether Obama has finally figured out Trump’s kryptonite
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The Dirty Political Tricks‼️
Politics is a full-contact sport — which makes me (almost) respectful of the Alaskan Name Game played by Mary Peltola’s team
Look back🔙:
There’s one playing out in Alaska’s Senate race that would make Richard Nixon mad he didn’t think of this idea
📰New reporting from The New York Times says Alaska’s Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola found another Dan Sullivan to run in Alaska and throw off voters.
The Times reports, “Dan S. Sullivan is the name of the state’s Republican senator. And if the Peltola campaign or its allies could track down and persuade another Dan Sullivan to run for Senate, the confusion could cost the senator crucial votes on the state’s unusual, four-person ballot. The plan worked.”
Be fair⚖️: This is an obvious result of Alaska’s ranked-choice voting — all those pushing the system as a panacea for partisanship should take note
Trump’s view👀: Unsurprisingly, he thinks Peltola should go to jail — can you imagine how cold it is in an Alaskan jail?!
What I am thinking💭: For everyone saying she or her team broke laws — I don’t see it…they gamed the system; there is a difference.
Timing⏱️: What’s more surprising?
The New York Times committed massive resources investigating a Democrat
They published the story a week before the election
Tonight📺: Former Illinois Governor Rob Blagojevich on what happens if she wins.
Predictions about Predictions🤓
🤦The 70/30 odds from Polymarket for a Senate flip and Democrats winning in Texas and Michigan make no sense.
I am not saying Democrats won’t, but my reporting shows it MUCH closer to 50/50 or 55/45 Republican chances.
Disclosure❗: I don’t trade or bet on Polymarket, but I would take either of those bets.
Look back🔙: Two days ago, the betting markets wrote off Netanyahu — he came out ahead.
Look farther back to 2024 in Pennsylvania
Example: Take Michigan — a true coin flip is an enormous statement on Democratic chances given El-Sayed’s massive UNDERperformance in the primary.
It's amazing that one side screams no kings yet the other side is always the one controlling the justice system and promises to prosecute all who wear the other logo on their jerseys. Sure seems fascisty.
I agree with everything you said, Leland, but I’m from southern New England, and the senate race I’m watching the closest is Maine, because I want Sen. Susan Collin’s to win and to keep her Maine senate seat. Dawn