memeorandum: Six Takeaways From the Magazine's Profile of Joe Biden (Robert Draper/New York Times)

1:15 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, The Hill, New Jersey Online, Townhall, Rolling Stone, PoliticusUSA and New York Post

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

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: Fox News, Mediaite, Raw Story and Breitbart

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: The Hill, USA Today, The Guardian, Raw Story, Mediaite and Rolling Stone

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 — Among all adults, the Harris tickets leads and the Trump ticket by 50%-45%. — Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris walks on stage in the overflow room after speaking at Prince George's Community College in Largo, MD, Aug. 15, 2024.

Discussion: Forbes, PoliticusUSA and The i Paper

Julia Manchester / The Hill:

Trump continues personal attacks against Harris: 'I'm a better looking person' — 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

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

Discussion: Fox News, New York Times and NBC News

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

Discussion: Raw Story and Reuters

Joey Garrison / USA Today:
Kamala Harris heads to DNC in Chicago with momentum and a big opportunity

Discussion: NPR, Fox News, ABC News, The Hill and Business Insider

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

Shane Goldmacher / New York Times:
Harris Campaign Reserves $370 Million for Swing-State Fall Ad Blitz

Discussion: Townhall, The Daily Beast, Associated Press, CNBC, Washington Examiner, Boston Herald, Axios and Political Wire

Washington Post:
Election 2024 live updates

Discussion: New York Times and Raw Story

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 consider 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, NBC News, 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 — STAY PEACEFUL — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker had a forceful message on Sunday for protestors arriving in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention: if you get violent, you're getting locked up.

Discussion: New York Times

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

Discussion: Townhall, New York Times and IJR

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

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

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.

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

You Should Know — I flagged this on social media. But I wanted to make sure you knew. Trump just announced a “crime and safety” rally for next Tuesday in Howell, Michigan, a town that has been heavily associated with the KKK for decades. Indeed, just late last month White Supremacists marched …

Discussion: Washington Post and The Moderate Voice