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Tag: 2024 Election
August 23, 2024
William Upton
Data
Election 2024

Here’s How RFK’s Trump Endorsement Impacts the Battleground States.

New election data released by Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio indicates that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s suspension of his independent presidential bid in around ten battleground states—and endorsement of former President Donald J. Trump—will likely boost the Republican ticket. Additionally, Fabrizio’s polling data confirms suspicions that Kennedy drew more votes from the former Republican President than from either of the Democratic Party nominees, formerly Joe Biden and now Kamala Harris.

The data, drawn from the Trump pollster’s most recent survey of battleground states, shows RFK Jr. capturing five percent of the vote in Arizona, three percent of the vote in Georgia and North Carolina, and four percent in Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. In all seven states, the polling shows RFK Jr. supporters breaking by about a two-to-one ratio for former President Trump over Democratic Party nominee Kamala Harris.

In Arizona, RFK Jr. supporters break for Trump by 53 percent to Harris’s 28 percent, with 19 percent undecided. The results are a bit closer in Georgia, with Trump‘s net gain over Harris among RFK Jr. voters only being 13 percent, and in Michigan, the net gain is only two percent. In the remaining four states of North Carolina, Nevada, Pennslyvania, and Wisconsin, RFK Jr. voters break for Trump between 16 and 21 percent.

While the vote share may seem small, each of these battlegrounds could be decided on the narrowest of margins. According to the RealClearPolitics polling average for top battleground states, Trump leads Harris by just 0.2 percent in Arizona, by 1.4 percent in Nevada, by 0.2 percent in Pennsylvania, by 0.9 percent in North Carolina, and by just one percent in Georgia. Meanwhile, Harris leads Trump by one percent in Wisconsin and two percent in Michigan.

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New election data released by Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio indicates that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s suspension of his independent presidential bid in around ten battleground states—and endorsement of former President Donald J. Trump—will likely boost the Republican ticket. Additionally, Fabrizio's polling data confirms suspicions that Kennedy drew more votes from the former Republican President than from either of the Democratic Party nominees, formerly Joe Biden and now Kamala Harris. show more

Editor’s Notes

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

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
This is a real coup, in no small part thanks to the long-standing work of Stephen K
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This is a real coup, in no small part thanks to the long-standing work of Stephen K show more
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August 23, 2024
William Upton
Breaking
Election 2024

BREAKING: RFK Jr. Suspends Campaign, Backs Trump.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is suspending his 2024 presidential bid and encouraging his supporters to vote for former President Donald J. Trump. The scion of the Kennedy political clan made the announcement during a press conference in Arizona. Speculation is rife that Kennedy will join Trump at an event in the state later this evening.

“Sixten months ago in April 2023, I launched my campaign for President of the United States,” Kennedy said—thanking the hard work of his supporters, volunteers, and campaign staff. He continued, ominously stating: “In the name of ‘saving democracy’ the Democratic party set out to dismantle it.”

“Many months ago, I promised the American people I’d withdraw from the race if I became a spoiler,” Kennedy continued before announcing he was suspending his campaign and would remove his name from the ballot in about ten battleground states, encouraging his supporters to cast their ballots for former President Trump.

Kennedy’s exit and endorsement of Trump could benefit the latter in the 2024 presidential race. Election polls show a close race between Trump and Kamala Harris, and Kennedy has consistently polled between three and five points among voters. This significant slice of the electorate could put Trump over the top in November.

This week, speculation that Kennedy would exit the race hit a fever pitch following a series of public statements made by his running mate, Nicole Shanahan. Late Thursday night, the Kenendy campaign submitted paperwork withdrawing RFK Jr.’s name from the Arizona presidential ballot line.

The National Pulse reported earlier on Friday the Hollywood comedian and Kennedy supporter Rob Schneider posted a letter on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that the independent candidate would, in fact, be dropping from the race and backing former President Trump. In his letter, Scheider himself also stated he’d support Trump in November.

Earlier this month, RFK Jr. said the Democrats under Kamala Harris and Joe Biden would be “unrecognizable” to his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and father, Robert ‘Bobby’ Kennedy Sr. Meanwhile, a leaked call between Kennedy and Trump following Trump’s near-assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, revealed the former President discussing the possibility of Kennedy joining the next Trump administration, possibly with a role investigating vaccine safety.

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Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is suspending his 2024 presidential bid and encouraging his supporters to vote for former President Donald J. Trump. The scion of the Kennedy political clan made the announcement during a press conference in Arizona. Speculation is rife that Kennedy will join Trump at an event in the state later this evening. show more
August 23, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024
NatSec

Multiple U.S. Secret Service Agents Put on Leave After Trump Shooting Fiasco.

Multiple agents with the United States Secret Service (USSS) have been placed on leave, according to the agency. The move comes as the USSS continues to investigate the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump.

According to the USSS, at least five agents have been temporarily removed from duty—including the special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh Field Office and at least one member of Trump‘s protective detail. Over the past month, multiple members of Congress have pressed the USSS’s leadership on whether any agents had been placed on leave, removed from duty, or even fired over the attempted assassination. However, until now, the agency has refused to give a public answer as to the status of its agents.

The decision to place agents with the Pittsburgh Field Office on leave likely indicates the local agents will bear the brunt of the blame for the security failures that resulted in 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks being able to fire eight rounds at former President Trump. One struck Trump in the ear, while two other rallygoers were wounded, and Trump supporter Corey Comperatore was murdered.

The suspensions come as the USSS continues its internal investigation into the matter. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is conducting a parallel criminal investigation.

Despite the increased scrutiny of the USSS, lapses have continued even after the assassination attempt. The National Pulse reported last week that a USSS agent was caught in a secure area breastfeeding her baby with uncleared family members just prior to former President Trump speaking at a rally in North Carolina.

Meanwhile, a USSS counter-sniper warned late last month that unless serious changes are made in agency leadership, security lapses—and potential assassinations—are likely to occur in the future.

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Multiple agents with the United States Secret Service (USSS) have been placed on leave, according to the agency. The move comes as the USSS continues to investigate the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. show more
August 23, 2024
William Upton
Economy
Election 2024

Fed Chair Jerome Powell Signals Interest Rate Cuts Coming In Fall.

“The time has come to adjust,” Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell announced in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on Friday. The central bank chairman warned that he and other members of the Federal Reserve were becoming increasingly concerned about the health of the U.S. labor market and were confident that they were nearing their two-percent inflation target.

Noting that the “direction of travel is clear,” Powell signaled that the Federal Reserve will likely move to cut interest rates during its September Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. Currently, U.S. interest rates sit between 5.25 and 5.5 percent—having remained unchanged for over a year after the central bank engaged in a series of rate hikes to combat rampant inflation.

While Powell‘s remarks at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium strongly signal a rate cut in September, he did not allude to the size of the cut. Some market observers have speculated the FOMC could move to reduce rates by 50 basis points—though a 25-point cut is most likely.

“The global period of inflation was unlike anything since the 1970s,” Powell said, describing the economic history of the past several years under the Biden-Harris government. The central bank chairman stressed that inflation has only abated because of the actions of the FOMC, the receding of pandemic-era supply shocks, and a reduction in aggregate demand. Powell’s remarks did not give any credit to the actions of the Biden-Harris government—which economists have criticized for engaging in inflationary fiscal policies.

Powell indicated the Federal Reserve’s focus would now shift to employment, likely spurred by Wednesday’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revision in job numbers over the past year. The National Pulse reported that the government agency now admits the U.S. economy added 818,000 fewer jobs than it had previously claimed.

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"The time has come to adjust," Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell announced in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on Friday. The central bank chairman warned that he and other members of the Federal Reserve were becoming increasingly concerned about the health of the U.S. labor market and were confident that they were nearing their two-percent inflation target. show more
trump mar a lago
August 22, 2024
Election 2024
Media

‘Integrity’ Award-Winning, Taxpayer-Funded Reporter Forced to Apologize For Inventing Fake Trump Story.

PBS correspondent and former NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff is retracting the false comments she made on air in which she claimed former President Donald J. Trump was purposefully hampering the Gaza ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas for political gain. Woodruff, who was covering the Democratic National Convention (DNC), claims she was referencing reports by Axios and Reuters when she stated that Trump was encouraging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay peace talks until after the November election.

“The reporting is that former President Trump is on the phone with the prime minister of Israel, urging him not to cut a deal right now, because that, it’s believed that would help the Harris campaign,” Woodruff said during Monday’s PBS NewsHour coverage of the DNC.

Following denials by the Trump campaign and the Israeli Prime Minister’s office, Woodruff posted a retraction and apology on X (formerly Twitter). “I want to clarify my remarks on the PBS News special on Monday night about the ongoing cease-fire talks in the Middle East,” the former NewsHour anchor said, continuing: “As I said, this was not based on my original reporting; I was referring to reports I had read, in Axios and Reuters, about former President Trump having spoken to the Israeli Prime Minister.”

“In the live TV moment, I repeated the story because I hadn’t seen later reporting that both sides denied it. This was a mistake, and I apologize for it,” Woodruff added.

PBS receives significant funding from American taxpayers through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). In the fiscal year 2024, Congress appropriated $525 million to the CPB, with $367 million subsequently being earmarked for funding public television programming. PBS has not yet issued a formal statement regarding Woodruff’s remarks or her subsequent apology.

WATCH:

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PBS correspondent and former NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff is retracting the false comments she made on air in which she claimed former President Donald J. Trump was purposefully hampering the Gaza ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas for political gain. Woodruff, who was covering the Democratic National Convention (DNC), claims she was referencing reports by Axios and Reuters when she stated that Trump was encouraging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay peace talks until after the November election. show more
August 22, 2024
Election 2024
Election Integrity

Supreme Court Ruling on Proof-of-Citizenship for Elections is Not a ‘Victory.’ Here’s Why…

The United States Supreme Court has only partially reinstated a proof-of-citizenship election law in Arizona. First passed in 2022, the law requires documentary proof of citizenship using state or federal registration forms when registering to vote. In a 5-to-4 decision, the Supreme Court ordered Thursday that the law’s provision mandating proof-of-citizens on state-created forms be reinstated. However, the court did not permit the enforcement of rules mandating such proof for voting in presidential elections or by mail.

Already, 40,000 individuals are believed to have registered to vote in the state using federal forms without providing proof of citizenship. During the 2020 presidential election, Arizona was decided by just over 10,000 votes.

An emergency appeal by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and Arizona state lawmakers prompted the ruling. Initially taken up by Justice Elena Kagan, the full court issued its order on Thursday—partially overturning a federal district court order blocking the proof-of-citizenship requirements. While Arizona’s legislature can continue to set rules for its state election processes, the Supreme Court barred the state from determining eligibility requirements for registration to vote in federal races.

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch favored fully granting the RNC‘s request. Conversely, Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson supported a complete denial.

The Republicans had urged the Supreme Court to issue the stay by Thursday. According to the secretary of state, this deadline was essential for resolving litigation that would affect Arizona‘s ballot printing. Arizona’s HB 2492 law, enacted in 2022, mandates that individuals using a federal form for voter registration must provide documentary proof of citizenship. Without such proof, they are ineligible to vote in presidential elections or by mail.

The National Pulse has reported extensively on the issue of noncitizen voters. Loopholes and conflicts between state and federal election laws have likely allowed a statistically significant number of ineligible noncitizens to register as voters in U.S. elections. A federal investigation in North Carolina revealed that noncitizens overwhelming back Democratic Party candidates.

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The United States Supreme Court has only partially reinstated a proof-of-citizenship election law in Arizona. First passed in 2022, the law requires documentary proof of citizenship using state or federal registration forms when registering to vote. In a 5-to-4 decision, the Supreme Court ordered Thursday that the law's provision mandating proof-of-citizens on state-created forms be reinstated. However, the court did not permit the enforcement of rules mandating such proof for voting in presidential elections or by mail. show more

Editor’s Notes

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

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
Just so you know a little of the background here, the RNC was, as ever, late to the party on this and is now trying to spin this as a victory
for exclusive members-only insights
Just so you know a little of the background here, the RNC was, as ever, late to the party on this and is now trying to spin this as a victory show more
for exclusive members-only insights
August 22, 2024
William Upton
Economy
Election 2024
Media

Only One MAJOR Media Outlet Covered This Heinous New Scandal.

The corporate media largely ignored a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announcement that the Biden-Harris government created far fewer jobs than initially reported over the last 12 months. On Wednesday morning, the BLS—a government agency that provides detailed analysis of U.S. employment data—revised downward the number of jobs added to the U.S. economy by 818,000, the single largest revision in 15 years.

Despite the historic and economically concerning announcement, the news—considered damaging to Kamala Harris‘s 2024 presidential campaign—did not feature on two of the three major broadcast news networks’ evening programming. Among NBC, CBS, and ABC, only the last included the revision announcement in a brief mention during its World News Tonight program. Most broadcast networks opted to provide wall-to-wall coverage of the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC).

NINETEEN SECONDS OF COVERAGE.

ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir‘s report—lasting just 19 seconds—stated: “Newly revised jobs data showing the jobs market hasn’t been as hot as it seemed. 818,000 fewer jobs were added during the 12 months that ended in March than previously reported. This puts more pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, potentially by half a percentage point next month, which could, of course, lower car loans, mortgages, and credit card rates.”

Later in the evening, the BLS revisions were mentioned a second time on ABC News Live, the network’s free live-streaming channel. The Biden-Harris government’s Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, was asked if she believes the new jobs numbers “could be a liability” for the Democratic nominee after former President Donald J. Trump hammered Harris on the revisions earlier in the day.

“First of all, I don’t believe it because I’ve never heard Donald Trump say anything truthful,” Raimondo responded, with the exasperated reporter pushing back: “It is, though, from the Bureau of Labor.”

“I’m not familiar with that,” a visibly confused and flustered Raimdo replied.

WATCH:

Image by Dimitry B.

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The corporate media largely ignored a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announcement that the Biden-Harris government created far fewer jobs than initially reported over the last 12 months. On Wednesday morning, the BLS—a government agency that provides detailed analysis of U.S. employment data—revised downward the number of jobs added to the U.S. economy by 818,000, the single largest revision in 15 years. show more
August 22, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024
Immigration

Kamala Themes DNC Speech on Far-Left Legislation to Legalize Border Invasion.

Kamala Harris will theme her 2024 Democratic Party presidential nomination acceptance speech around a “New Way Forward”—a reference to far-left immigration legislation pushed by Representative Chuy García (D-IL). The radical immigration legislation would make it nearly impossible for federal officials to control the U.S. borders and could result in an exponential increase in illegal immigration.

The New Way Forward Act, first introduced by Rep. García in 2019 and in each subsequent Congress, contains provisions that would change penalties for illegally crossing U.S. borders from criminal to merely civil.

Additionally, the legislation—also backed by far-left progressives like Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)—prohibits local and state law enforcement from aiding in or participating with the transportation, apprehension, investigation, or detention of illegal immigrants.

The New Way Forward Act would also close privately-owned detention centers, leaving federal-owned facilities overwhelmed. This would force government officials to release tens of thousands of illegal immigrants who could otherwise have been housed at a private facility.

Even more concerning, the bill would allow violent criminals to file for asylum status, changing the law to bar only those with felony sentences of five years or more. Lastly, the New Way Forward Act would grant immigration judges unprecedented discretion in deportation cases and bar officials under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from basing an immigration status investigation on an individual’s proficiency in English, national origin, or race and ethnicity.

The New Way Forward Act also contains retroactive relief provisions, meaning dangerous criminals already removed from the U.S.—but who would qualify for asylum under the bill—can reapply. It even directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fly many of these individuals back to America for their appeals.

FORESHADOWING.

By framing her acceptance of the Democratic Party’s nomination around Rep. García‘s legislation, Harris is signaling that she intends to align U.S. border policy with the goals of the far-left progressives on Capitol Hill. As a senator, she compared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

Harris’s embrace of the New Way Forward theme indicates her White House would make a radical break with even the Biden government’s border policies—which have seen a record number of illegal border crossings.

The National Pulse previously reported that at least 12.5 million illegal immigrants—according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—have entered the country under Biden’s watch.

While the actual number of illegal entries is likely much higher than this government estimate, under Harris‘s ‘New Way Forward’ immigration agenda the number of illegal immigrants crossing the border could reach unprecedented levels.

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Kamala Harris will theme her 2024 Democratic Party presidential nomination acceptance speech around a "New Way Forward"—a reference to far-left immigration legislation pushed by Representative Chuy García (D-IL). The radical immigration legislation would make it nearly impossible for federal officials to control the U.S. borders and could result in an exponential increase in illegal immigration. show more
August 22, 2024
William Upton
Election 2024

WATCH: Trump Movingly Discusses Addiction and His Late Brother Fred with Theo Von.

Former President Donald J. Trump sat down with Theo Von—who boasts one of the most listened-to podcasts in the U.S.—to discuss a wide range of issues facing the country. However, one moment stood out: Von—himself in addiction recovery—and Trump discussing the former president‘s late brother Fred, his struggles with alcoholism, and what Trump learned from the man he admired.

The exchange shows a side of Trump few on the political left want to acknowledge: a man sincerely in tune with the struggles faced by countless Americans every day. “I don’t drink or smoke,” Trump told Von after the latter mentioned he had never seen him take a drink at a campaign event. Trump explained: “I had a great brother who taught me a lesson: don’t drink. Don’t drink, and he said don’t smoke.”

Fred Trump, the older brother of former President Trump, struggled with alcoholism and ultimately succumbed to it in 1981. Speaking with Von, Trump explained his love and admiration for his older brother—despite his struggles—describing him as a “great” and “handsome” guy who was full of “wisdom” and had “a great personality.”

“He had a problem with alcohol and smoked a lot,” Trump told Von, adding that he now tells people, “no drugs, no drinking, no cigarettes. I tell that to my kids all of the time.”

‘A VERY COMMON STORY.’

Trump lamented that, like his brother, many Americans struggle with addiction. “You know, this is not unique; this is a very common story, unfortunately,” Trump said. He explained the importance of discussing the issues of substance abuse and addiction publicly as it often serves to help others. Trump added that it is worth the personal pain, even if it brings clarity to just one other person.

Von, thanking Trump for his openness, noted that many of his listeners have or still struggle with addiction and other issues and that his podcast makes it a point to address these problems and bring hope of recovery. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates upwards of 178,000 Americans die from excessive alcohol use each year. Additionally, it estimates nearly 20 percent of Americans aged 12 or older struggle with substance abuse.

WATCH:

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Former President Donald J. Trump sat down with Theo Von—who boasts one of the most listened-to podcasts in the U.S.—to discuss a wide range of issues facing the country. However, one moment stood out: Von—himself in addiction recovery—and Trump discussing the former president's late brother Fred, his struggles with alcoholism, and what Trump learned from the man he admired. show more
August 21, 2024
Christopher Tomlinson
Breaking
Election 2024

REPORT: RFK To End Prez Bid, May Back Trump to Stop Kamala.

Media sources claim that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to end his presidential bid as an independent by the end of the week and could be looking to endorse former President Donald J. Trump. Speculation began yesterday after Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, suggested in a podcast interview that the independent candidate was weighing both exiting the race and backing Trump over Kamala Harris.

ABC News reported on Wednesday, August 21, that sources familiar with the RFK Jr. campaign confirmed that Kennedy would be exiting the presidential race as early as the end of the week. While he is leaning toward an endorsement of Trump, he has not finalized his decision. Both Kennedy and Trump are slated to appear in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday. 

The claim follows revelations that Kennedy’s campaign is reportedly running low on funds. Federal Election Commission filings suggest that the campaign is almost broke and spent more money in July than it was able to raise in donations. Kennedy was also excluded from presidential debates and denied ballot access by several states, including New York, where a judge refused to recognize the address on his petitions as his legitimate home.

Last month, RFK Jr. spoke with former President Trump shortly after Trump had been shot by would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks and discussed childhood vaccines, a topic about which RFK Jr. has expressed skepticism. When the call was leaked by RFK Jr’s son, he apologized directly to Trump, saying he should have told the videographer with him to stop filming.

The National Pulse reported earlier today that Trump would be open to having RFK Jr. serve in his administration, saying: “He’s a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy. I’ve known him for a very long time.”

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Media sources claim that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to end his presidential bid as an independent by the end of the week and could be looking to endorse former President Donald J. Trump. Speculation began yesterday after Kennedy's running mate, Nicole Shanahan, suggested in a podcast interview that the independent candidate was weighing both exiting the race and backing Trump over Kamala Harris. show more