memeorandum: Former aide H.R. McMaster on how Trump enjoys “pitting people against each other” (David Martin/CBS News)

2:40 PM ET, August 18, 2024

Top Items:

Harris holds slight national lead over Trump, Post-ABC-Ipsos poll finds — The result is a notable improvement for Democrats in a contest that a little more than a month ago showed Biden and Trump in a dead heat. — Vice President Kamala Harris holds a narrow lead over former president Donald Trump …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Rolling Stone, The Hill, New Jersey Online, Semafor, Townhall, PoliticusUSA and New York Post

Avery Lotz / Axios:

“Fake polls”: Vance downplays Harris rise … - Among likely voters, Harris holds a 6-point lead, 51% to 45%. — Independents swung from Trump +4 against President Biden in July to Harris +11 over Trump in August. … - CBS/YouGov polling also released on Sunday shows Harris leading Trump by a 3-point margin nationally.

Discussion: Bloomberg, The Daily Beast, Fox News, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, Raw Story and Breitbart

CBS News:

CBS News poll: Gender gap, enthusiasm, economy make for tight Harris-Trump race on Democratic convention eve — When Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee, the party saw a major surge in enthusiasm from its voters. It pulled the party into an effectively even race …

Discussion: The Hill, New York Post and New Jersey Online

Axios:

Behind the Curtain: Trump's devil-in-Georgia problem … Yet Trump himself has made this make-or-break state dramatically more breakable by torching its popular Republican governor, Brian Kemp, bluntly and repeatedly. — “He's a bad guy. … - “Little Brian, little Brian Kemp,” Trump continued.

Discussion: Politico, Forbes, Mediaite, Townhall and Washington Times

Alexandra Marquez / NBC News:

Sen. Lindsey Graham: ‘Trump the provocateur, the showman may not win this election’ — The South Carolina senator urged his fellow Republicans to campaign for former President Donald Trump, but added that Trump needs to focus more on policy. — South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham …

Discussion: HuffPost, Washington Examiner, USA Today, The Hill, The Guardian, Raw Story, Mediaite and Rolling Stone

Brett Samuels / The Hill:

Trump to counter DNC with swing state blitz — Former President Trump and his allies will fan out across battleground states this week in a bid to directly counter Vice President Harris and Democrats as they gather for their convention in Chicago. — Trump will visit four swing states this week …

David A. Graham / The Atlantic:

Trump Has Turned Over an Old Leaf — By the time Donald Trump announced his 2024 campaign for president, the idea of a “new Trump” had become a running gag, taken seriously only by the most credulous reporters and most desperately optimistic Republican officeholders.

Discussion: The American Conservative

Gary Langer / ABC News:
Harris leads Trump overall but not on handling of the economy: POLL

Discussion: Forbes, PoliticusUSA and The i Paper

Darlene Superville / Associated Press:
Harris and Walz will campaign by bus in Pennsylvania before the Democratic convention in Chicago

Discussion: Financial Times, Fox News, New York Times and NBC News

ABC News:
Harris and Walz launch their 1st bus tour through western Pennsylvania

Discussion: Raw Story, New York Times and Reuters

Carole Cadwalladr / The Guardian:

Inciting rioters in Britain was a test run for Elon Musk. Just see what he plans for America — The presidential election is three months away. What if the billionaire contests the result? What if he decides democracy is over-rated? — Just over four years ago …

Shia Kapos / Politico:

Protesters paused to reconsider opposing Harris at the DNC. They decided on full steam ahead. — There are at least six major protests planned during the DNC in Chicago. — CHICAGO — There was a moment after Vice President Kamala Harris was tapped to run for president …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Fox News, The Post Millennial, Twitchy, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Times, WisPolitics and New York Post

Corbin Bolies / The Daily Beast:
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Promises to Arrest ‘Troublemaker’ DNC Protesters

Discussion: Rolling Stone and New York Times

Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Washington Post:
Protests planned for Democrats' convention spark safety, speech worries

Discussion: Townhall, New York Times and IJR

Sarah Fortinsky / The Hill:

Whitmer says people ‘reading too much’ into price-gouging plan specifics — Video Player is loading. — Play Video — Unmute — Current Time 0:00 — Loaded: 0% — Stream Type LIVE — Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE — Playback Rate — Chapters — Chapters

Discussion: Washington Examiner, RedState and IJR

Julia Manchester / The Hill: Trump continues personal attacks against Harris: 'I'm a better looking person'

Washington Post:
Trump escalates gendered personal insults against Harris, defying GOP pressure

Discussion: Vanity Fair, The Daily Beast, Balloon Juice, HuffPost, Washington Examiner, Rolling Stone and UPI

Meridith McGraw / Politico:
Trump tries to undermine Harris' legitimacy as a candidate

Discussion: USA Today, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Gateway Pundit, Associated Press and RTÉ

Washington Post:
Trump campaign attempts to reset with candidate who sometimes has his own plans

Discussion: Raw Story

Mark Niquette / Bloomberg:
Trump Jabs Harris on Inflation Before Pivoting to Her Laugh

Discussion: Townhall, New York Times, HotAir, Associated Press, CBS News, Breitbart, The Gateway Pundit, Raw Story, Washington Examiner and Washington Post

Drew Harwell / Washington Post:

Far-right influencers turn against Trump campaign — Hard-right provocateurs take aim at how the former president's aides are positioning him for the November vote — though not at the Republican candidate himself. — Some of the internet's most influential far-right figures are turning …

Discussion: Raw Story

Axios:

Michelle Obama to address Democratic Convention on Tuesday … - NBC News was first to report the Tuesday speaking slot. … - The DNC will kickoff on Monday, with President Biden headlining opening night and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also speaking.

Phillip M. Bailey / USA Today:
Former first lady Michelle Obama to deliver speech at 2024 Democratic convention

Discussion: Politico, Washington Examiner and Newsbusters

David Martin / CBS News:

Former aide H.R. McMaster on how Trump enjoys “pitting people against each other” — Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster had been a soldier for three decades when Donald Trump named him his national security adviser just one month into his administration. “Lots of people told me not to do it,” McMaster said.

Lauren Sforza / The Hill:

Beshear says Harris's economic plan to to ensure ‘capitalism stays within the guardrails’ — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) defended Vice President Harris's newly unveiled economic agenda, saying it will help ensure the economy is working properly. — “I do because I've been an attorney general …

Robert Draper / New York Times:

Six Takeaways From the Magazine's Profile of Joe Biden — His decision to quit the race ended a remarkable chapter in American political history — and started one that may yet define his legacy. — Joe Biden dreamed of one day becoming president nearly all his life.

Discussion: Althouse

Robyn Dixon / Washington Post:

Kremlin response to Kursk incursion shows how Putin freezes in a crisis — When Russian President Vladimir Putin's authority is tested, his response often lacks quick, decisive action that lives up to his bellicose rhetoric. — Faced with crisis, Vladimir Putin tends to freeze.

Discussion: Sputnik News, The Sun, UnHerd and Bloomberg

Kevin T. Dugan / New York Magazine:

Kamala Harris Wants to Build 3 Million Houses. Is That Enough? — Whoever wins the presidency will be inheriting an unaffordable housing market with no easy way to fix it. Years of high interest rates have made it difficult for buyers to afford a new home, while sellers are reluctant …

Discussion: Reason