memeorandum: I've lost confidence in Lloyd Austin, Lindsey Graham says (David Cohen/Politico)

12:40 PM ET, December 3, 2023

Top Items:

Megan Lebowitz / NBC News:

Ron DeSantis bashes Trump and teases plans to ‘supersede’ Obamacare — The Florida governor touted his campaign's efforts in Iowa on NBC's “Meet the Press” six weeks ahead of the caucuses. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on NBC's “Meet the Press” that he would replace Obamacare with a …

Discussion: The Hill, Washington Examiner, Florida Politics, Raw Story, NPR, Business Insider, Political Wire, Progress Pond and Washington Post

Kelly Garrity / Politico:

DeSantis says he will win Iowa — “I think it's going to help propel us to the nomination,” DeSantis said. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has staked his campaign's success on his performance in Iowa, where he's secured a key endorsement from Gov. Kim Reynolds and recently completed a 99-county campaign swing.

Discussion: The Messenger, The Hill, Mediaite, NBC News, National Review, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Associated Press, Bloomberg, CBS News, Florida Politics, The Dispatch and Fox News

Washington Post:

Trump attempts to spin anti-democracy, authoritarian criticism against Biden — The former president declared his 2024 campaign as a ‘righteous crusade’ against ‘tyrants and villains’ — CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Republican polling leader Donald Trump moved to deflect from criminal charges …

Discussion: CNN, New York Times, Althouse, Associated Press, Breitbart, The Messenger, The National Pulse+ and Raw Story

The Guardian:

Cop28 president says there is ‘no science’ behind demands for phase-out of fossil fuels — Exclusive: UAE's Sultan Al Jaber says phase-out of coal, oil and gas would take world ‘back into caves’ — The president of Cop28, Sultan Al Jaber, has claimed there is “no science” …

Discussion: Bloomberg, CNBC, inews.co.uk, Rolling Stone, NBC 7 San Diego, Associated Press and Climate Home News

David Cohen / Politico:

I've lost confidence in Lloyd Austin, Lindsey Graham says — The South Carolina Republican decries his statements on the Israel-Hamas war. — Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday he has lost confidence in Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin because of his recent comments about the Israel-Hamas war.

Discussion: The Hill, Bloomberg, USA Today, The Daily Beast, The Messenger and CNN

Peter Martin / Bloomberg:
Israel Risks ‘Strategic Defeat’ If It Doesn't Protect Civilians, Austin Says

Discussion: The Times of Israel, The Jewish Press, Breaking Defense, RedState, Reuters, Politico and The Hill

Jon Gambrell / Associated Press:

The Pentagon says a US warship and multiple commercial ships have come under attack in the Red Sea — An American warship and multiple commercial ships came under attack Sunday in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said, potentially marking a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

Discussion: USA Today, Bloomberg, Reuters, National Review, Deadline, Fox News, Metro.co.uk, The Gateway Pundit, The Politics Brief, The Jewish Press, WTOP News and Political Wire

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Pro-DeSantis super PAC fires interim CEO after 9 days — Never Back Down fired Kristin Davison on Friday, according to two people familiar with the decision. — The chief super PAC supporting Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, Never Back Down, has fired its interim chief executive officer after less than two weeks.

Discussion: Big League Politics, The Gateway Pundit, The National Pulse+, Fox News, Florida Politics, NBC News, KEYT-TV and The Messenger

Stephanie Saul / New York Times:

DeSantis's Education Policies in Florida Drive Out Liberal-Leaning Professors — Liberal-leaning professors are leaving coveted jobs with tenure. And there are signs that recruiting scholars has become harder. — Gov. Ron DeSantis had just taken office in 2019 when the University …

Discussion: Raw Story

Myah Ward / Politico:

Swing-state Muslim leaders launch campaign to ‘abandon’ Biden in 2024 — The bubbling anger among Arab and Muslim Americans over the president's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict could threaten his chances of reelection. — Muslim leaders from several swing states on Saturday descended on Dearborn …

Discussion: HotAir, Bloomberg, The Guardian, Breitbart, The Daily Caller, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, Fox News, The Messenger, New York Post and Associated Press

Russell Contreras / Axios:
Muslim Americans in swing states launch anti-Biden campaign

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo, Al Jazeera, The Gateway Pundit, Twitchy and Washington Examiner

Valerie Volcovici / Reuters:

Al Gore slams COP28 climate summit host UAE, says its emissions soared — Climate advocate and former U.S. Vice President Al Gore on Sunday slammed the UAE - host of the COP28 climate summit - saying its position as overseer of international negotiations on global warming this year was an abuse of public trust.

Discussion: Political Wire

Tessa Stuart / Rolling Stone:

The Dirty Tricks the GOP Is Using to Keep Abortion Off the Ballot in 2024 — Republicans are getting killed on reproductive rights, and they're taking desperate measures to prevent their constituents from having a say next year — TIFFANY CAMPBELL USED to describe herself as a “hardcore, church-going Republican.”

Discussion: Political Wire

Chelsea Harvey / Politico:

Open secret at climate talks: The top temperature goal is mostly gone — Researchers injected a sobering finding into global climate negotiations Sunday by saying the world will likely fail its most important warming test. — Leading scientists worldwide delivered a striking dose of reality …

Robert Downen / The Texas Tribune:

Texas GOP executive committee rejects proposed ban on associating with Nazi sympathizers and Holocaust deniers — Some members of the committee said such a ban, proposed two months after a prominent conservative activist was caught meeting with a famous white supremacist, might be a “slippery slope” or too vague.

Discussion: Alternet.org

Nellie Andreeva / Deadline:

George Santos Movie In Works At HBO Films From ‘Veep’ EP Frank Rich — Co-Editor-in-Chief, TV — ‘Riches’ U.K. Series Canceled By Prime Video After One Season; “I Still Had Many More Stories To Tell,” Creator Says — Julianna Margulies Apologizes For Comments Tying Black & LGBTQ Communities …

Discussion: The Hollywood Reporter