memeorandum: Fact-check: Trump White House promotes misleading expectations for election night results (Marshall Cohen/CNN)

7:50 PM ET, September 12, 2020

Top Items:

Timothy Johnson / Media Matters for America:

Roger Stone calls for Trump to seize total power if he loses the election — Stone also said federal authorities should seize all Nevada ballots, federal agents and GOP state officials should “physically” block voting, that Trump should nationalize police forces, and that Trump should order widespread arrests

Discussion: Political Wire

New York Times:

Trump Onslaught Against Biden Falls Short of a Breakthrough — President Trump has leveled scathing law-and-order attacks on Joseph Biden for weeks. But a new poll shows Mr. Biden ahead in three states Mr. Trump hopes to pick up, and maintaining a lead in Wisconsin. — THE NEW YORK TIMES / SIENA COLLEGE POLL

Discussion: The Nevada Independent, Daily Kos, POLITICUSUSA, Politico, The Signorile Report, The Hill and Raw Story

Harry Enten / CNN:

If nothing matters, Biden likely wins — (CNN)Some people call Donald Trump's term in office the “nothing matters” presidency. The phrase is usually applied to Trump by his detractors, who cannot believe his standing with the American public is stable despite what he says and does.

Discussion: The National Interest

Shannon Pettypiece / NBC News:

Trump tries his luck in Nevada — WASHINGTON — As the clock ticks down to Election Day, President Donald Trump is spending valuable time this weekend in Nevada — a state he lost in 2016, but that his campaign sees as a critical part of a backup path to re-election, as his current electoral odds continue …

Discussion: Reuters, The Gateway Pundit, The Guardian and Raw Story

Dana Ferguson / Twin Cities:
After Biden announces Minnesota campaign trip, Trump plans one of his own on same day

Discussion: Raw Story and The Daily Caller

Hiroko Tabuchi / New York Times:

A Secret Recording Reveals Oil Executives' Private Views on Climate Change — At a meeting last year, industry leaders contradicted public claims that emissions of climate-warming methane are under control — Last summer, oil and gas-industry groups were lobbying to overturn federal rules …

Sean Sullivan / Washington Post:

Bernie Sanders expresses concerns about Biden campaign — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is privately expressing concerns about Joe Biden's presidential campaign, according to three people with knowledge of the conversations, urging Biden's team to intensify its focus on pocketbook issues and appeals to liberal voters.

Discussion: Bloomberg, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, MyNorthwest.com and Viking Pundit

Olga Khazan / The Atlantic:
Is This the Secret to Selling Joe Biden?

Discussion: Conservative Review

Jim VandeHei / Axios:

All of the biggest threats to America are unfolding before our eyes — All the biggest threats to America — most of them predicted, if not known well in advance — are unfolding before our eyes, in real-time, in unmistakable ways. — Why it matters: It's as if God or the galaxy …

Discussion: New York Times

Matthew Brown / Associated Press:

Pence drops plan to go to fundraiser hosted by QAnon backers — BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence has canceled plans to attend a Trump campaign fundraiser in Montana following revelations that the event's hosts had expressed support for the QAnon conspiracy theory.

Discussion: Mother Jones, Talking Points Memo, The Hill, Raw Story and Axios

Lauren Dezenski / CNN:

An epically bad week for Trump — (CNN)Now that we're in the post-Labor Day sprint toward Election Day, the incumbent president should, in theory, have the upper hand in the news cycle. But a series of stories have shaken President Donald Trump's narrative.

Marshall Cohen / CNN:

Fact-check: Trump White House promotes misleading expectations for election night results — Washington (CNN)While election officials across the country try to prepare Americans for the chance of a prolonged vote-counting process this year, President Donald Trump and his allies have drawn …

BBC:

Navid Afkari: Iran executes young wrestler despite global outcry — Iran has executed a wrestler accused of murder, defying international appeals for him to be spared. — Navid Afkari, 27, was sentenced to death over the murder of a security guard during a wave of anti-government protests in 2018.

Discussion: Conservative Review, Just The News, The Hill and TMZ.com

New York Times:
Iran Executes Wrestler Accused of Murder After He Took Part in 2018 Protests

Discussion: NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth and Fox News

Carla Marinucci / Politico:

Trump to visit California amid criticism for silence on fires — OAKLAND, Calif. — President Donald Trump will visit California Monday for a briefing with Gov. Gavin Newsom and emergency response officials on the wildfires, a White House official confirmed Saturday.

Discussion: Axios, CBS San Francisco, Mother Jones and NBC Bay Area

Elex Michaelson / FOX 11 Los Angeles:
Exclusive: President Trump to visit California Monday

Discussion: New York Times and Mercury News

Meerah Powell / opb:

Clackamas County deputy placed on leave after sharing antifa wildfire rumors in online video — A Clackamas County sheriff's deputy was placed on administrative leave Saturday after a video was posted online of the deputy claiming anti-fascist activists had been starting fires in the area.

Discussion: New York Times, Oregonian, The Daily Beast and KOIN-TV

Dell Cameron / Gizmodo:
Debunked ‘Antifa’ Wildfire Rumors Spread on Facebook Overload 911, Spur Calls to Violence

Discussion: NPR, 6abc and Talking Points Memo

New York Times:

Trump Pressed for Plasma Therapy. Officials Worry, Is an Unvetted Vaccine Next? — New details of how the president has demanded faster action from health agencies help explain the intensifying concern that he could demand pre-Election Day approval of a vaccine.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and ABC News

Jon Levine / New York Post:

Andrew Giuliani considering run for NYC mayor in 2021 — Mayor Giuliani? Yes it could happen again. — While the 76-year-old former occupant of Gracie Mansion won't be returning to his old job, his 34-year-old son Andrew is taking a hard look at running for mayor in 2021.

Rebecca Hersher / NPR:

Longtime Climate Science Denier Hired At NOAA — David Legates, a University of Delaware professor of climatology who has spent much of his career questioning basic tenets of climate science, has been hired for a top position at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

New York Times:

Covid-19 Live Updates: Political Appointees Meddled in C.D.C.'s ‘Holiest of the Holy’ Health Reports — AstraZeneca's vaccine trials resume in Britain after a safety review. A new study showed that children infected in child-care, some asymptomatic, spread the virus to their families.

Discussion: Vox, Gizmodo, Mediaite and Raw Story

Dan Diamond / Politico:
Trump officials interfered with CDC reports on Covid-19

Discussion: New York Times, Balloon Juice, Vanity Fair, Axios, Rolling Stone, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, Slate, The Guardian, Raw Story, Daily Kos, Eschaton, Washington Monthly and Mother Jones

Liam Brennan / Just Security:

Dannehy Resignation Confirms Barr's Intent to Use Durham Probe for Political Ends — On Friday, the Hartford Courant reported that Assistant United States Attorney Nora Dannehy had resigned in protest from the Department of Justice's inquiry into the origins of the Russia probe.

Discussion: Redstate, JustOneMinute, The Gateway Pundit and Just The News

NBC News:

A major American city may soon allow 16-year-olds to vote — and others could follow suit — San Francisco residents will be casting ballots in November to determine not just who should be in the White House, but if the city should be allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections.

Discussion: The Hill

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

All the President's Insecurities — Donald Trump is his own whistle-blower. — WASHINGTON — During his 2016 bid, Donald Trump would sometimes pause from bashing elites and the media to speak with awe about a phone call he had with a Very Important Journalist.

John Blake / CNN:

Trump called him ‘my African-American.’ His life hasn't been the same since — (CNN)If Gregory Cheadle had not cracked a joke, his life would be a lot less complicated today. — His troubles began when he attended a rally by then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in Redding, California, in June 2016.

Discussion: Mediaite

CNN:

Fact check: the Trump campaign's newest attack ad - CNN Video — Attacks ads are nothing new, but the Trump campaign's use of manipulation is in a class of its own, says CNN's Daniel Dale. He deconstructs the Trump team's newest, egregious ad and takes a look at some of the tricks the campaign uses over and over again.

Discussion: Mediaite

Los Angeles Times:

Op-Ed: With global heating, expect inferno seasons in the American West — More than 3.1 million acres have burned in California this year — some 3% of the state — with many wildfires still at zero containment and months of fire season left to go. This far exceeds the previous record set in 2018 …

Aalok Kanani / Joe Biden for President:

Statement by Vice President Joe Biden on the Ongoing Wildfires — As devastating wildfires continue to rage across California, Oregon, Washington, and throughout the West, Jill and I are keeping everyone affected by this disaster in our prayers. To the families who have lost everything …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Sahil Kapur / NBC News:

Democratic insiders set up a ‘war room’ to quickly kill the filibuster — WASHINGTON — Democratic insiders are assembling a coalition behind the scenes to wage an all-out war on the Senate filibuster in bullish anticipation of sweeping the 2020 election and passing an ambitious progressive agenda.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money and Breitbart

Anita Kumar / Politico:

‘A huge risk’: Trump's allies can't sway him on mail-in voting — For a few weeks, Donald Trump's advisers had seemingly gotten through to him — the president was finally encouraging his supporters to vote by mail, at least some of the time. — On-message Trump didn't last long.

Discussion: Vox, New York Times, NPR, Washington Times, Spectator USA and Raw Story