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Category: News
January 21, 2024
Raheem J. Kassam
Analysis
Election 2024
News

POLITICAL OBITUARY: DeSantis Has Backed Down From the GOP Primary. What Went wRONg?

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the Republican presidential primary, backing down after almost a year-long misadventure that began before President Trump’s announcement speech at Mar-A-Lago in November 2022.

DeSantis issued an X (formerly Twitter) statement on Sunday, endorsing Donald Trump and stating that he was proud of his campaign.

NEVER BACK DOWN.

DeSantis’s presidential aspirations were known to staff and those close to him for years before his glitched Twitter/X announcement speech with Elon Musk on May 24th, 2023. Indeed, what seemed to the uninformed like an unprovoked attack from Trump in November 2022 was in reality the culmination of both DeSantis staff and donors indicating to the press that as soon as the Florida Governor could persuade his state’s legislature to change the law so he could run while remaining Governor, he would enter the race. In one interview with Fox News, DeSantis and his wife Jill ‘Casey’ admitted to deciding to primary Trump as far back as November 2020.

Meanwhile, Ron embarked on a ludicrous “book tour” for a publication that scarcely sold any copies. He claimed to be advertising “the Florida model,” even tripping overseas, where he was labeled boring and uncharismatic. During that time, he left Jeanette Nunez – a woman who once described Donald Trump as the “KKK” – in charge of the Sunshine State.

In the early days, Trump’s barbs against DeSantis were condemned by most “conservative” talking heads, as well as many who professed to still be in the Trump camp, though later it would emerge they were playing both sides. The likes of Steve Cortes, John Cardillo, Matthew Tyrmand, Pedro Gonzales, Clay Travis, Tomi Lahren, and others would secretly back DeSantis. At the same time, the Florida Governor hired the axis of incompetence: Jeff Roe, Adam Laxalt, and Christina Pushaw to attack MAGA Republicans and the former President.

DeSantis’s disingenuous strategy was spotted early by this outlet, The National Pulse, which endorsed Trump as far back as November 2022 and shone a spotlight on those who were being dishonest about their choices early on. The duplicity would extend to how DeSantis ran his entire campaign, allowing his Super PAC, ‘Never Back Down,’ to effectively run most of the logistics, a move that was both legally sketchy and politically retarded.

‘JUST WAIT UNTIL…’

Following his botched launch, DeSantis’s online operation – which the candidate himself held at arm’s length – would undertake a campaign to try to “out-meme” MAGA Republicans on the internet, running head first into the buzzsaw of the “Dilley Meme Team” and others, who ritualistically humiliated DeSantis and his surrogates online. The embarrassment bled into the campaign’s day-to-day operations, which led Team Ron to hurriedly deploy an army of bot accounts to stem the bleeding. It didn’t work.

Instead, pro-DeSantis operatives attempted to kick the can down the road. “Just wait until he announces,” it began. Then, “just wait until he debates,” and finally, “just wait until Iowa.” Then Iowa came, and DeSantis was once again humbled by President Trump and his team, who maintained a remarkable discipline through 2023 in the face of many political indictments.

WHAT WENT WRONG.

There are far more nuances to DeSantis’s failure than a simple political campaign obituary can explore. But a few include:

Mind you, we did tell you it would be a car crash. Or rather, an “historic clusterfuck.”

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the Republican presidential primary, backing down after almost a year-long misadventure that began before President Trump's announcement speech at Mar-A-Lago in November 2022. show more
January 21, 2024
News

Maintenance Left a Flashlight In An F-35 Jet Engine. It Cost $14M & Totaled the Aircraft.

A flashlight, mistakenly left in the engine of an F-35 fighter jet on a U.S. Air Force base in Arizona, was inadvertently sucked into the aircraft’s engine, causing irreparable damage valued at $14 million. This incident occurred on March 15, 2023, during a routine maintenance ground run at Luke Air Force Base outside Glendale, according to a newly released branch report.

The 19-page document, issued Thursday, explained that the crucial blunder occurred when a maintainer used and overlooked a flashlight inside the engine inlet during an inspection. After the examination, the jet’s engine was fired up for five minutes, testing for potential fuel leaks. The foreign object was not detected until after the engine was switched off and the maintainer reported hearing an unusual noise from the decelerating engine.

Further probing led to the startling discovery of “significant damage” to the $14 million engine, forcing the maintainer to concede, “I believe I just ingested a flashlight.”  No injuries were reported in the incident, and investigators concluded that the maintainer “failed to clear the inlet of foreign objects after completing the required inspections for an engine run after they exited the aircraft inlet.”

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A flashlight, mistakenly left in the engine of an F-35 fighter jet on a U.S. Air Force base in Arizona, was inadvertently sucked into the aircraft's engine, causing irreparable damage valued at $14 million. This incident occurred on March 15, 2023, during a routine maintenance ground run at Luke Air Force Base outside Glendale, according to a newly released branch report. show more
January 21, 2024
War
World

UN, Hamas Say 25,000 Killed in Gaza.

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry announced that Israel’s war against the Muslim Brotherhood in the form of Hamas has resulted in the death of 25,000 Palestinians, a majority being women and children. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, condemned the assault during his speech at the G77+China summit, declaring it “heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable.” The fighting is due to a massive terror attack by Hamas in Southern Israel, which killed an estimated 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians. Hamas took roughly 250 hostages at the time, 132 of which remain in Gaza.

Israeli forces continue their advance into parts of Gaza. It is estimated that a million displaced individuals have sought refuge in the border town of Rafah, living in makeshift camps, private apartments, and UN shelters. Hostilities are intensified with renewed fighting in the north and Israeli forces struggling to clear areas of Hamas militants utilizing underground tunnels.

Hamas government’s media office reports that due to continued artillery shelling, many of the dead and wounded are unable to be transferred to hospitals. The Israeli military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, reported the discovery of a tunnel in Khan Younis where hostages had been kept, along with evidence of their presence. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, rejected US President Joe Biden’s call for Palestinian statehood, maintaining the stance that Israel should retain security control over Gaza post-conflict.

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The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry announced that Israel’s war against the Muslim Brotherhood in the form of Hamas has resulted in the death of 25,000 Palestinians, a majority being women and children. The UN secretary general, António Guterres, condemned the assault during his speech at the G77+China summit, declaring it “heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable.” The fighting is due to a massive terror attack by Hamas in Southern Israel, which killed an estimated 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians. Hamas took roughly 250 hostages at the time, 132 of which remain in Gaza. show more
zelensky
January 20, 2024
War
World

Zelensky Says Trump’s Peace Talk is ‘Dangerous’ and Makes Him ‘Stressed’.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced concerns over Donald Trump’s peace rhetoric, calling it “very dangerous” and claiming it is “a little scary” and “making me a bit stressed.”

The comments came during a Channel 4 (UK) interview and highlight that Zelensky has been trying to prolong the war with Russia, perhaps fearing his own ouster on the tail end of any peace deal. He made similar comments three months ago, around the same time it was revealed that Biden’s White House was actively scuppering peace talks.

“(Trump) is going to make decisions on his own, without… I’m not even talking about Russia, but without both sides, without us,” Zelenskyy said. “If he says this publicly, that’s a little scary. I’ve seen a lot, a lot of victims, but that’s really making me a bit stressed.”

Zelensky’s regime has been plagued with allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and failed war strategy. He has banned opposition political parties and canceled elections, all with the support of the Western world, as evidenced by recent comments by Kiev’s mayor and plummeting popularity numbers.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced concerns over Donald Trump’s peace rhetoric, calling it “very dangerous” and claiming it is “a little scary” and “making me a bit stressed.” show more
January 19, 2024
Jack Montgomery
News
Politics

‘MAGA COUNTRY!’ — Rep. Barbara Lee Says ‘White Guy’ Stopped Her Entering Congressional Elevator, Asked Whose Lapel Pin She Stole.

Representative Barbara Lee has claimed “a white guy” tried to stop her from using a Capitol elevator reserved for Congressmen, accusing her of having stolen a pin identifying her as a lawmaker.

“I was walking from the House building on Capitol Hill to the Capitol, and a man, a white guy, stopped me and told me I could not get into the Members’ elevator,” Rep. Lee told CNN.

“You know, we have pins, and I was going to vote, and he blocked me from getting into the elevator. He told me I was not a Member of Congress, and it was for Members only,” the 77-year-old continued.

“I said, ‘Sir, I’m a member of Congress,’ and I showed him my pin, and he said: ‘Whose pin did you steal?'”

The California Democrat, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, said the alleged incident was an example of “personal racism.” In 2019, actor Jussie Smollett claimed he had been involved in a similar incident in Chicago, involving two attackers shouting “this MAGA country, n****r!” and hanging a noose around his neck.

It later turned out Smollett had staged the attack with the help of two Nigerian migrants, however.

 

“Racism, institutional racism, is in the DNA of this country,” Lee went on to claim, citing “the genocide of Native Americans” and “250 years plus of enslaving African-Americans” alongside “disparities” like “the wealth gap.”

“You can’t tell me that systemic racism does not exist,” she said, complaining about conservative efforts “in terms of eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” which she claimed creates “an equal and level playing field.”

Rep. Lee’s colleague, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, recently suggested leveling the playing field for black Americans by printing $14 trillion and distributing it to them as reparations.

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Representative Barbara Lee has claimed "a white guy" tried to stop her from using a Capitol elevator reserved for Congressmen, accusing her of having stolen a pin identifying her as a lawmaker. show more
Baldwin
January 19, 2024
Crime
Culture

Alec Baldwin Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter. Again.

A New Mexico grand jury indicted actor Alec Baldwin on Friday for involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the Rust film set two years ago. The indictment comes a year after the original case against Baldwin fell through.

Baldwin, who was both the star and producer of the film, maintains his innocence, asserting that he did not know the firearm he held contained live rounds and that he did not pull the trigger. However, an analysis performed in August of last year found he must have pulled the trigger for the firearm to discharge. In October, special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis indicated Baldwin would likely be charged again.

“We look forward to our day in court,” Baldwin attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a statement responding to the indictment.

The indictment came from a grand jury of twelve who met at the First Judicial District Court of New Mexico in Santa Fe beginning Thursday. At least eight of the jurors agreed that there was probable cause to indict. The fatal incident happened on October 21, 2021, during a rehearsal scene when the gun Baldwin was handling discharged, fatally injuring Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin has continuously suggested that responsibility for the incident lies elsewhere, stating after the incident, “Someone put a live bullet in a gun, a bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property…I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me.” Earlier this week, it was revealed that the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, was offered leniency if she disclosed how live rounds made it onto the set.

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A New Mexico grand jury indicted actor Alec Baldwin on Friday for involuntary manslaughter over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the Rust film set two years ago. The indictment comes a year after the original case against Baldwin fell through. show more
9/11
January 19, 2024
News

Advanced DNA Analysis Identifies 9/11 Victim’s Remains Nearly 23 Years Later.

The remains of 9/11 victim John Ballantine Niven have been positively identified, the NYC medical examiner’s office announced on Thursday. Niven, 44, was an executive at Aon Risk Services on the 105th floor of Tower Two of the World Trade Center. He is the 1,650th victim of the attacks to be identified.

Niven’s widow, Ellen, expressed her gratitude for the “extraordinary efforts” of city officials. “It’s a real tribute to the City of New York and the teams working behind the scenes all these years to honor that mantra ‘Never Forget.’ My son and I are so appreciative of this tremendous endeavor,” she wrote in an email.

“While the pain from the enormous losses on September 11th never leaves us, the possibility of new identifications can offer solace to the families of victims,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams in an official statement. “I’m grateful for the ongoing work from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner that honors the memory of John Ballantine Niven and all those we lost.”

Niven was one of 2,753 people killed on September 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked two planes and crashed them into the two towers at the World Trade Center.

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The remains of 9/11 victim John Ballantine Niven have been positively identified, the NYC medical examiner’s office announced on Thursday. Niven, 44, was an executive at Aon Risk Services on the 105th floor of Tower Two of the World Trade Center. He is the 1,650th victim of the attacks to be identified. show more

Editor’s Notes

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

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
The National Pulse is always profoundly honored to help raise money for Tunnel to Towers (T2T) each year, via the 5km run in Manhattan, New York
for exclusive members-only insights
The National Pulse is always profoundly honored to help raise money for Tunnel to Towers (T2T) each year, via the 5km run in Manhattan, New York show more
for exclusive members-only insights
January 19, 2024
William Upton
Media
News

‘TrUmP WilL iNvAdE mExIcO!’ – Rolling Stone Freaks Out With Listicle of Trump 2nd Term Pledges.

Rolling Stone magazine has published a ‘listicle‘ of the “awful things” they allege former President Donald Trump will do should he win a second term in the White House on November 5th, 2024. The left-wing publication details a list of policies detailed in Trump’s Agenda47 campaign platform and ideas he’s pushed on the campaign trail — most of which have received widespread support among the electorate. However, according to Rolling Stone, the agenda former President Trump has laid out for a second term is emblematic of an “authoritarian agenda.” The actions they say he’ll take include:

  • He will indict Biden and his other political enemies;
  • He will round up, intern, and deport undocumented immigrants;
  • He will send the military to the border;
  • He will invade Mexico;
  • He will round up the homeless and send the National Guard into cities to fight crime;
  • He will bring back the death penalty in a big way;
  • He will make stuff more expensive by taxing all imported goods;
  • He will reevaluate America’s participation in NATO;
  • He will roll back all of Biden’s climate progress and reinvest in fossil fuels;
  • He will construct “freedom cities” filled with flying cars;
  • He will try to overhaul the education system in the MAGA image;
  • He will torch the First Amendment by going after non-MAGA media;
  • He will legally delegitimize trans-Americans;
  • He will pardon the Jan. 6 rioters;
  • He will gut the federal government and take unprecedented control of what’s left.

Many of the “authoritarian” actions Rolling Stone says Trump will take poll favorably among voters. Nearly two-thirds of voters say they want mass deportations of illegal immigrants. An additional 64 percent supports temporarily militarizing the U.S.’s southern border.

The Biden government has preserved many of the tariffs former President Trump enacted during his first term — actions which Rolling Stone claims are a tax on “all imported goods”. Other agenda items the magazine claims Trump plans to enact are exaggerations. For instance, Trump hasn’t said he’ll invade Mexico — though he has said he’d authorize strikes against drug cartels and designate them as terrorist organizations.

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Rolling Stone magazine has published a 'listicle' of the "awful things" they allege former President Donald Trump will do should he win a second term in the White House on November 5th, 2024. The left-wing publication details a list of policies detailed in Trump's Agenda47 campaign platform and ideas he's pushed on the campaign trail — most of which have received widespread support among the electorate. However, according to Rolling Stone, the agenda former President Trump has laid out for a second term is emblematic of an "authoritarian agenda." The actions they say he'll take include: show more
January 19, 2024
Economy
News

Macy’s Sheds 2,300+ Jobs, Closes Five Stores.

Macy’s, an iconic US department store, announced on Thursday that it will reduce its workforce by approximately 3.5 percent — equivalent to around 2,350 jobs — as the retailer seeks to cut costs and revive flagging sales. This comes alongside plans to shutter five of the brand’s department stores in Arlington, Virginia; San Leandro, California; Lihue, Hawaii; Simi Valley, California; and Tallahassee, Florida this year. Affected employees were also notified of the layoffs on Thursday, with the last day for those impacted being January 26.

Internal changes at the company’s leadership level are also on the horizon. Current Bloomingdale’s CEO, Tony Spring, is set to assume the CEO role at Macy’s in early February, replacing outgoing CEO Jeff Gennette. This comes as the company anticipates reporting its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings in late February. As of October 28, Macy’s has 723 locations nationwide, which includes about 500 namesake stores, 158 Bluemercury stores, and 56 Bloomingdale’s stores.

The sluggish American economy under President Joe Biden has hit the retail sector especially hard. Polling over recent months has shown voters continue to disapprove of Biden’s handling of the economy. Even traditional Democrat constituencies have soured on what the Biden White House has dubbed “Bidenomics.”

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Macy’s, an iconic US department store, announced on Thursday that it will reduce its workforce by approximately 3.5 percent — equivalent to around 2,350 jobs — as the retailer seeks to cut costs and revive flagging sales. This comes alongside plans to shutter five of the brand’s department stores in Arlington, Virginia; San Leandro, California; Lihue, Hawaii; Simi Valley, California; and Tallahassee, Florida this year. Affected employees were also notified of the layoffs on Thursday, with the last day for those impacted being January 26. show more
January 19, 2024
Jack Montgomery
UK
War
World

Yemen Requests US, UK Boots on the Ground.

Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, Vice President of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), says PLC forces “must be supported on the ground” if the Houthis are to be defeated, warning British-American air strikes against the terror group will prove “useless” on their own.

“Ground forces must be supported on the ground, and these forces belong to the legitimate government,” al-Zoubaidi said at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Switzerland.

“These forces are the ones who can achieve a victory on the ground because strong [air] strikes without ground operations are useless,” he added.

Joe Biden appears to agree with al-Zoubaidi, publicly acknowledging his air strikes have been ineffectual on Thursday but insisting they will continue regardless.

Asked by a reporter if “the air strikes in Yemen working,” Biden responded: “Well when you say ‘working,’ are they stopping the Houthis? No. Are they going to continue? Yes.”

While the PLC is recognized as Yemen’s legitimate government in the West, the Iran-backed Houthis — properly Ansar Allah (‘Supporters of Allah’) — control the country’s capital, most of its population, and much of the Red Sea coast.

They have been launching attacks on U.S. warships and commercial shipping in the Red Sea for weeks to pressure Israel and its allies into bringing an end to the war on Hamas in Gaza. The group recently promised to spare Chinese and Russian ships due to their stance on the Gaza war.

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Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, Vice President of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), says PLC forces “must be supported on the ground” if the Houthis are to be defeated, warning British-American air strikes against the terror group will prove “useless” on their own. show more