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Category: Election 2024
June 11, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024

Trump in D.C. on Thursday for GOP Conflab.

Former President Donald J. Trump will return to Washington, D.C., on Thursday, where he will address Republican members of the U.S. House and Senate on Capitol Hill. In the morning, the former Republican president will meet with House Republicans at the Capitol Hill Club, with senior aides and Republican Conference members invited to attend. The event hosts include Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY).

Later on Thursday, Trump will address Republican Senators at the invitation of Senate Republican Conference Chair John Barrasso (R-WY). “I’ve invited President Trump to meet with members of our Republican Conference,” the Wyoming Republican wrote to his colleagues on Tuesday. He added: “I believe it will be helpful to hear directly from President Trump about his plans for the summer and to also share our ideas for a strategic governing agenda in 2025.” The meeting will likely occur Thursday afternoon at the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) office just a few blocks from the Capitol.

The Washington, D.C. meetings with Republican lawmakers come as the 2024 presidential campaign cycle hits full swing. Campaign strategy and election resource management are expected to be among the discussion topics. Almost all of the House Republican Conference has already lined up behind Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. Meanwhile, there remain a few hold-outs in the Senate, though Republican leadership—including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)—has already endorsed Trump for president.

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Former President Donald J. Trump will return to Washington, D.C., on Thursday, where he will address Republican members of the U.S. House and Senate on Capitol Hill. In the morning, the former Republican president will meet with House Republicans at the Capitol Hill Club, with senior aides and Republican Conference members invited to attend. The event hosts include Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY). show more

Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
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June 11, 2024
Election 2024

RFK Threatens CNN Staff With ‘Michael Cohen’-Style Prosecution If He’s Kept OFF The Debate Stage.

The campaign of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) has threatened prosecutions for CNN staff if they collude to keep their candidate off the presidential debate stage on June 27th.

Kennedy has already filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), while his campaign issued a statement on Tuesday explaining:

CNN’s published debate criteria require that “a candidate’s name must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold.” CNN is holding Kennedy to this requirement but is not requiring Presidents Biden and Trump to meet this requirement by claiming they are the “presumptive nominee” of a political party.

The FEC has now made clear that the phrase “presumptive nominee” is “not in the FEC’s debate regulation,” and therefore does not exempt CNN from the prohibition on excessive campaign contributions. As the Commission on Presidential Debates explains, “Until the conventions take place, we don’t know who the official nominees will be.”

This means that CNN, and every member of CNN who is participating in planning, executing, and holding this debate, is at risk of prosecution, as happened to Michael Cohen, for violating campaign finance laws. This risk is now acute given that any further violation would be knowing and willful, and thus could carry with it serious jail time.

CNN and its staff are on clear notice, especially given the damning evidence that the Biden campaign has openly demanded that Kennedy be excluded from the debates and Trump received assurances from CNN that Kennedy would be excluded.

Kennedy is already on the ballot in enough states to surpass the 270 electoral college votes threshold and is inching closer to the polling requirement to make the debate stage.

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The campaign of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) has threatened prosecutions for CNN staff if they collude to keep their candidate off the presidential debate stage on June 27th.

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June 11, 2024
Election 2024

DATA: Jewish American Support for Biden Drops 14%.

Jewish voters’ support for Joe Biden appears to be waning ahead of the 2024 presidential election, according to a new poll by the American Jewish Committee. The survey, conducted from March 12 to April 6, indicates that 61 percent of Jewish voters would back Biden if the election were held today, a decline from 75 percent in 2020. Meanwhile, 23 percent of Jewish voters supported former President Donald J. Trump, marking a slight increase from 22 percent in 2020.

Additionally, the poll revealed that 10 percent of respondents would opt for “someone else,” an increase from the 2 percent who expressed that preference four years ago. Overall, these findings suggest a 14 percent decrease in Biden‘s support among Jewish voters and an 8 percent rise in those willing to consider an alternative candidate.

The release of the poll coincides with ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. On October 7, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of over 200 hostages. In response, Israel initiated a military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, which remains ongoing.

Biden has faced scrutiny from some in the Jewish community over his handling of the conflict. Criticism intensified following the Biden government’s decision to delay a shipment of weapons to Israel ahead of a planned military operation against the Hamas stronghold of Rafah.

The withholding of military support also drew criticism from pro-Israel groups and political figures. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee condemned the delay, calling it a dangerous move. Former President Trump also criticized Biden‘s handling of the Middle East crisis, suggesting the 81-year-old Democrat incumbent had lost control of the situation in Israel.

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Jewish voters' support for Joe Biden appears to be waning ahead of the 2024 presidential election, according to a new poll by the American Jewish Committee. The survey, conducted from March 12 to April 6, indicates that 61 percent of Jewish voters would back Biden if the election were held today, a decline from 75 percent in 2020. Meanwhile, 23 percent of Jewish voters supported former President Donald J. Trump, marking a slight increase from 22 percent in 2020. show more
June 11, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024

Teamsters Union President Wants To Speak At The Republican Convention!?

Sean O’Brien, the president of the Teamsters Union, is asking for a speaking slot at both the Republican and Democratic national conventions later this summer. O’Brien’s presence at the Republican presidential nominating event could serve as a significant boost to the GOP’s presumptive nominee, former President Donald J. Trump. On the campaign trail, Trump has made a concerted effort to reach out to union voters, especially members of the Teamsters.

Numbering 1.3 million members, the Teamsters represent a major and critical union voting bloc in the 2024 presidential election. Over the past several months, O’Brien has invited both Trump and the 81-year-old Democrat incumbent, Joe Biden, to meet with the union’s leadership and its rank-and-file members. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also sat down with the Teamsters.

Despite the intense discussions with each candidate, O’Brien and his union have yet to officially back anyone in November’s presidential election. However, his continued communications with—and public comments regarding—former President Trump have led some to speculate about a potential burgeoning relationship between the two populist figures. In January, Trump met with O’Brien and Teamsters leadership regarding areas where the two might be able to work together should the former Republican president retake the White House.

While the Teamsters, like many unions, has reliably endorsed Democrats in recent election cycles, this hasn’t always been the case. The union endorsed both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. And while union leaders overwhelmingly backed Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in 2016 and 2020, respectively, rank-and-file union households have increasingly gravitated towards Trump.

Allowing O’Brien to address the Republican National Convention could accelerate the realignment of union rank-and-file voters into the Republican column. Additionally, it could help bolster the Trump campaign in critical, union-dominated swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Nevada.

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Sean O'Brien, the president of the Teamsters Union, is asking for a speaking slot at both the Republican and Democratic national conventions later this summer. O'Brien's presence at the Republican presidential nominating event could serve as a significant boost to the GOP's presumptive nominee, former President Donald J. Trump. On the campaign trail, Trump has made a concerted effort to reach out to union voters, especially members of the Teamsters. show more
rfk jr record
June 10, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024

Ex-Clinton Aide Becomes Key Advisor to RFK Jr.

Clinton campaign veteran Jay Carson has emerged as a top political advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his independent bid for the White House. Carson, 47, has a notable history in Democratic politics. He served as press secretary for Hillary Clinton during her 2008 presidential campaign. His political experience also includes work for Bill Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Tom Daschle, Howard Dean, and Michael Bloomberg. Carson describes Anita Dunn, a senior adviser to Joe Biden, as a significant influence in his political career.

Over a decade ago, Carson transitioned from politics to Hollywood, becoming a producer for the television series House of Cards and the creator of The Morning Show. During this period, the former Clinton aide began the process of achieving sobriety. It was at a 12-step meeting that he first met Kennedy.

Carson has provided strategic advice to Kennedy’s campaign in the past year. While acting as an informal adviser, he has assisted with campaign staffing, communications, and field operations. Carson also produced and appeared in a 30-minute advertisement for Kennedy, funded by a supporting SuperPAC. His advice has been instrumental in discussions regarding potential running mates. Kennedy frequently contacts Carson for counsel, often with the text message, “Please call Bobby.”

Kennedy relied on Carson’s guidance after the former faced media backlash over his apparent solidarity with the January 6 Capitol riot defendants. “If it’s not what you believe, just say you messed up,” Carson told Kennedy, with the independent presidential candidate taking his advice.

In describing his turn from Democrat Party insider turned-Kennedy advisor, Carson pointed to disillusionment with the overly cautious and uninspiring Party elite. The Democrat Party’s risk-averse culture means it is vulnerable to charismatic, populist challengers, according to Carson. In a May 2016 Instagram post featuring an image of Donald J. Trump, Carson wrote: “Here’s the really bad news — this guy can win a general election pretty damn easily.”

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Clinton campaign veteran Jay Carson has emerged as a top political advisor to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his independent bid for the White House. Carson, 47, has a notable history in Democratic politics. He served as press secretary for Hillary Clinton during her 2008 presidential campaign. His political experience also includes work for Bill Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Tom Daschle, Howard Dean, and Michael Bloomberg. Carson describes Anita Dunn, a senior adviser to Joe Biden, as a significant influence in his political career. show more
June 10, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Election 2024

WATCH: Trump Pledges to Eliminate Taxes on Service Industry Tips.

Donald Trump announced in Nevada on Sunday that he will push for changes to the tax code if he is reelected, eliminating federal taxes on service workers’ tips.

“This is the first time I’ve said this, and for those hotel workers and people that get tips, you’re going to be very happy because, when I get to office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips,” Trump pledged. “We’re not going to do it, and we’re going to do that right away, first thing in office.”

Trump noted that service workers’ tips have long been a “point of contention,” telling them, “You do a great job of service; you take care of people, and I think it’s going to be something that really is deserved.”

Phil Kerpen, a political commentator, noted the policy was a “long-time Ron Paul proposal” and would likely go down well in Nevada, which boasts an expansive hospitality industry.

Ron Paul, the father of Senator Rand Paul, was one of the Republican Party’s most libertarian congressmen, even running for President as the Libertarian Party candidate in 1988.

Trump has made more substantial overtures to Libertarian voters than any Republican nominee in decades, appearing at their national conference earlier this year pitching a “partnership to defeat communism, defeat Marxism, and defeat Crooked Joe Biden, who is destroying our country.”

The party apparatus ultimately declined to back Trump, instead nominating LGBTQ open borders activist Chase Oliver. Much of the Libertarian grassroots may still vote for Trump, however, with Oliver, a former Democrat supporter, being denounced as “a psyop to discredit real libertarian ideals and morals” following his nomination.

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Donald Trump announced in Nevada on Sunday that he will push for changes to the tax code if he is reelected, eliminating federal taxes on service workers' tips. show more
June 8, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024

VA Moves To ‘Toss-Up’ As Trump Continues To Expand Election Map.

The Commonwealth of Virginia has moved from “Lean Biden” to “Toss Up” in the latest 2024 Real Clear Politics Electoral College Map. With its 13 electoral votes up for grabs, Virginia could become a critical state in the 2024 presidential election. A Donald J. Trump win in the state would likely signify a Republican landslide election.

Former President Trump came close to retaking Virginia in 2016, narrowly losing the state to Hillary Clinton. However, continued shifting demographics in the state—combined with voter anger over inflation, high housing costs, and rampant illegal immigration—appear to have made the state competitive again. A recent Fox News poll has shown a collapse in black support for Joe Biden in the state. In 2020, Biden won 81 percent of the state’s black vote. However, in the latest survey, the 81-year-old Democrat incumbent is polling at just 48 percent among black voters.

Meanwhile, Trump has surged in the state among white voters, even regaining ground among those in the demographic with a college education. The latter data point is important as it signals the former Republican President is likely competitive in areas like Henrico County, a wealthy suburban area of Richmond. Henrico is considered a bellwether in the state.

Republicans have struggled in Virginia ever since the state voted for Barack Obama in 20008. Prior to that election, the state had been a fairly reliable Republican bastion. However, the increasing size of the federal government, a burgeoning defense contractor industry, and declining populations in the more rural South-Western Virginia region meant the state very quickly shifted partisan political columns and has become a reliable Democrat state in federal elections. Republicans do remain competitive on the state level.

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The Commonwealth of Virginia has moved from "Lean Biden" to "Toss Up" in the latest 2024 Real Clear Politics Electoral College Map. With its 13 electoral votes up for grabs, Virginia could become a critical state in the 2024 presidential election. A Donald J. Trump win in the state would likely signify a Republican landslide election. show more
June 8, 2024
Jack Montgomery
Election 2024
Media

Joe Rogan Says People Born Abroad Should Be Able to Be U.S. President.

Podcast host Joe Rogan has argued that banning foreign-born citizens from becoming U.S. President is “Viking s**t,” and that Nigerians and Saudi Arabians should be able to serve as Commander-in-Chief as long as they think “America’s the s**t.”

“I’m one of those people that I don’t give a f**k where you’re born, as long as you’re not actually an undercover terrorist, you know?” Rogan said on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

“If you’re, like, clearly a regular person that just happened to be born in Nigeria or happened to be born in Saudi Arabia, but now you’re here… You went to school here, you have friends here, you got family here, you love it here, [you think] America’s the s**t—you can be President,” he argued.

“Like, I don’t really think that you have to be born on a certain patch of dirt to run it. That seems like Viking shit. That seems like, that seems so old; that seems so dumb,” he concluded.

Article II Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution asserts: “No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States.”

‘A TRUMP CHARACTER DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.’

Rogan had been discussing the U.S. elections with Tony Hinchcliffe of the KillTony comedy podcast. The UFC commentator described the “30-second standing ovation” Trump received at a recent UFC event and joked about the former president being endorsed by “so many rappers” following his sham conviction in Manhattan.

Rogan said the Democrats and the Republicans often seem like “the same structure with a different face,” but that “a Trump character does make a difference… because he truly does not give a f**k, and especially now, after all they’ve done to him; all the things he’s survived.”

He arrived at the topic of presidential birthplace requirements after recalling Trump was “beloved, beloved, until he was about 70 years old” and ran for office, though he was “a little bit mocked” during the Barack Obama administration for questioning whether or not the Democrat was born in the United States.

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Podcast host Joe Rogan has argued that banning foreign-born citizens from becoming U.S. President is "Viking s**t," and that Nigerians and Saudi Arabians should be able to serve as Commander-in-Chief as long as they think "America's the s**t." show more
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortunelivemedia/6221375956
June 7, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024

FLASHBACK: Chelsea Handler Tells 50 Cent ‘Can’t Vote Trump Because He’s Black.’

Washed-up comedian Chelsea Handler made waves during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2020, with the clip below resurfacing in recent days. Handler, now nearly 50, expressed outrage regarding her ex-boyfriend and rapper 50 Cent’s endorsement of former President Donald J. Trump. Handler insisted that the rapper, real name Curtis James Jackson III, shouldn’t support Trump simply because he’s black.

“You heard about my ex-boyfriend, right, 50 Cent and his support of […] Donald Trump?” Handler asked Fallon. The late-night host injected: “Yeah, what’s going on between you two? I saw your tweets, and I go, ‘Wait, what’s happening?’ because you said he was your favorite ex-boyfriend, and what does he do? He’s supporting Trump?”

“He says he doesn’t want to pay 62 percent of taxes—which, by the way, isn’t a plan of Joe Biden‘s, that’s a lie—so he doesn’t want to pay 62 percent of taxes because he doesn’t want to go from being 50 Cent to 20 Cent,” Handler replied, rolling her eyes at the end. She continued: “And I had to remind him that he was a black person, so he can’t vote for Donald Trump and that he shouldn’t be influencing an entire swath of people who may listen to him because he’s worried about his own personal pocketbook.”

Handler acknowledged she hadn’t back from the rapper after reaching out to him but told Fallon she was willing to trade sexual favors if 50 Cent denounced Trump publicly.

In 2012, comedy legend Joan Rivers blasted Handler as a “drunk” and a “whore.” Meanwhile, Adult film actress Jenna Jameson slammed Handler in 2011, calling her a “dried-up old whore.”

WATCH: 

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Washed-up comedian Chelsea Handler made waves during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2020, with the clip below resurfacing in recent days. Handler, now nearly 50, expressed outrage regarding her ex-boyfriend and rapper 50 Cent's endorsement of former President Donald J. Trump. Handler insisted that the rapper, real name Curtis James Jackson III, shouldn't support Trump simply because he's black. show more
trump dollar cash money
June 7, 2024
Election 2024

Trump Hauls $12M at David Sacks’s Silicon Valley Fundraiser.

An unprecedented fundraising event in Silicon Valley has bolstered Donald J. Trump‘s presidential campaign, raising $12 million on Thursday night. The high-profile event was co-hosted by tech entrepreneur David Sacks at his home, Broadcliff, in Pacific Heights. The fundraiser drew attention for its steep ticket prices, with per-couple tickets selling for $500,000 and per-person tickets priced at $300,000. Despite the costs, the event sold out, reflecting a massive show of support for former President Trump within the tech community.

Attorney and RNC Committeewoman for California, Harmeet Dhillon, shared news of the successful event on X (formerly Twitter), noting that Trump appeared “relaxed, happy, and cracking jokes about AI.” Trump was introduced by Senator JD Vance (R-OH) and then by Sacks himself.

The event attracted notable figures from the entrepreneurial and venture capital sectors, including the Winklevoss twins and various crypto industry leaders. Sacks, his wife Jacqueline, and venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya co-hosted the fundraiser.

This event marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Silicon Valley, where support for Trump has been relatively muted in recent years. The event underscored a willingness among some in the tech sector to publicly support the presumptive GOP nominee as he makes another bid for the presidency.

Trump’s fundraising success comes in the wake of his conviction in New York on 34 felony counts of falsified business records relating to payments recorded as legal fees. Despite these legal challenges, Trump’s campaign is closing the cash gap with Joe Biden’s, which has traditionally benefited from star-studded Hollywood fundraisers. Campaign fundraising figures indicated Trump has pulled in at least $141 million in May.

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An unprecedented fundraising event in Silicon Valley has bolstered Donald J. Trump's presidential campaign, raising $12 million on Thursday night. The high-profile event was co-hosted by tech entrepreneur David Sacks at his home, Broadcliff, in Pacific Heights. The fundraiser drew attention for its steep ticket prices, with per-couple tickets selling for $500,000 and per-person tickets priced at $300,000. Despite the costs, the event sold out, reflecting a massive show of support for former President Trump within the tech community. show more