memeorandum: 2 big things that could save or sink Trump in 2020 (Ben White/Politico)

10:15 AM ET, November 29, 2019

Top Items:

How Kamala Harris's Campaign Unraveled — Ms. Harris is the only 2020 Democrat who has fallen hard out of the top tier of candidates. She has proved to be an uneven campaigner who changes her message and tactics to little effect and has a staff torn into factions.

Discussion: Althouse

Chelsea Janes / Washington Post:
Harris faces uphill climb amid questions about who she is

Discussion: Breitbart and Fox News

Associated Press:

The Latest: Celebrations after Iraqi PM says he'll resign — 1 of 7 — BAGHDAD (AP) — The Latest on anti-government protests in Iraq (all times local): — Celebrations have erupted in Iraq's Tahrir Square, where anti-government protesters have been camped out for nearly two months following …

Associated Press:

Iraq's PM announces he'll resign amid worsening crisis — 1 of 6 — BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said Friday he would submit his resignation to parliament, a day after more than 40 people were killed by security forces and following calls by Iraq's top Shiite cleric for lawmakers to withdraw support.

Shane Savitsky / Axios:

Why Baby Yoda should scare Michael Bloomberg and Deval Patrick — Baby Yoda, the juggernaut character from Disney+'s Star Wars series “The Mandalorian,” is driving almost twice as many average social media interactions on news stories about it as any 2020 Democrat, according to data from NewsWhip exclusively provided to Axios.

Discussion: Politico

Yen Nee Lee / CNBC:

2020 US presidential election is Trump's to lose, says BET founder Bob Johnson — The next U.S. presidential election is Donald Trump's to lose despite some polls suggesting the president is behind several of his potential Democratic challengers, entrepreneur and media mogul Robert Johnson said.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller and Fox News

Ben White / Politico:

2 big things that could save or sink Trump in 2020 — It's one of several nightmare scenarios for markets: A Trump administration failure to complete the China and USMCA trade deals could wreck the 2020 economic outlook. But Trump's team remains optimistic. — President Donald Trump.

Discussion: CNN, Political Wire and Raw Story

Susan Simpson / Just Security:

Here's the Proof that Trump's “No Quid Pro Quo” Call Never Happened — At the heart of the impeachment inquiry, members of Congress may have been mistakenly led to believe that there were two phone calls between President Donald Trump and Ambassador Gordon Sondland in early September …

Discussion: Raw Story

Anita Kumar / Politico:

Behind Trump's secret war-zone trip: A Mar-a-Lago escape, a twin Air Force One and a Twitter plan — The president gave his thanks to the troops in a visit to Afghanistan shrouded in secrecy and packed with the displays of military strength Trump loves. — President Donald Trump …

Discussion: NBC News

CNN:
Inside Trump's sneak Thanksgiving trip to Afghanistan

Discussion: The Hill, VICE, Informed Comment, HuffPost and UPI

Jessica Kwong / Newsweek:
How is Trump spending Thanksgiving? Tweeting, golfing and surprising U.S. troops in Afghanistan

Discussion: Fox News, Townhall, New York Post, Redstate, WGN-TV, HuffPost and The Hill

Michael Crowley / New York Times:
Trump Visits Afghanistan and Says He Reopened Talks With Taliban

Discussion: Associated Press, HotAir, Slate, Joe.My.God., Jezebel and Althouse

CBS News:
President Trump makes surprise Thanksgiving visit to Afghanistan

Discussion: The Daily Caller, The Dispatch, Fox News, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, CNN, Breitbart, ABC News and Power Line

Anita Kumar / Politico:
Trump uses surprise trip to Afghanistan to promote new peace talks

Discussion: IJR, New York Post, NBC News, Washington Post and Associated Press

Jessica Glenza / The Guardian:

Ohio bill orders doctors to ‘reimplant ectopic pregnancy’ or face ‘abortion murder’ charges — Ohio introduces one of the most extreme bills to date for a procedure that does not exist in medical science — A bill to ban abortion introduced in the Ohio state legislature requires doctors to …

New York Times:

Warren Wealth Tax Has Wide Support, Except Among One Group — Senator Elizabeth Warren's plan to tax the assets of America's wealthiest individuals continues to draw broad support from voters, across party, gender and educational lines. Only one slice of the electorate opposes it staunchly: Republican men with college degrees.

Discussion: Political Wire

Rich Lowry / Politico:

Why Are Democrats Shrinking From the Impeachment Fight? — They came out on top after the first round of hearings but seem to be giving up on questioning the most important witnesses. — Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman (right), National Security Council Director for European Affairs and Jennifer Williams …

Discussion: Raw Story

Peter Nicholas / The Atlantic:

Trump Needs Conspiracy Theories — Out tumbled the groundless suspicions of Donald Trump. … For an hour last week, the folks at Fox & Friends struggled to get a word in and elicit some facts, any facts, that might have verified the conspiracy theories the 45th president was breathlessly disgorging.

Discussion: Daily Kos

ITV:

Boris Johnson tells ITV News he would ‘walk away’ from US trade talks if NHS put on table — Boris Johnson has told ITV News he would “say goodbye” to President Trump if the White House asked for the NHS to be included in trade talks. — The prime minister said he would “walk away” …

Discussion: Politico and HuffPost

Gabrielle Fonrouge / New York Post:

‘Rocky’ shock for China makes Trump Hong Kong hero — President Trump is Hong Kong's sudden hero. — Hours after he signed two bills to support human rights in Hong Kong, angering Chinese government officials, pro-democracy protesters in the beleaguered city held a “Thanksgiving Rally” …

Discussion: Breitbart, Althouse, ITV and Axios