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Vance Wins The Veepstakes

Vance Wins The Veepstakes

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
July 16, 2024

Good Tuesday morning. A team of curators from the National Museum of History is currently on the ground at the Republican National Convention. Their mission: Collect physical objects to add to the Smithsonian's campaign collection, which dates back to George Washington's time in office. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

Trump: Federal case tossed
Armenia: Military exercises with U.S.
RFK Jr. Secret Service detail
Macy’s: Buyout talks end
MLB: 94th All-Star Game tonight

... and more

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1) Full ticket

Former President Donald Trump has tabbed Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate.

The reveal: Vance, 39, was announced yesterday afternoon as the Republican National Convention formally opened in Milwaukee. He edged out North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for the vice presidential nod. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was also the subject of last-minute speculation.
The resume: Vance served in the Marine, graduated from Yale Law School and worked as a venture capitalist. He rose to national fame after writing Hillbilly Elegy, a candid memoir about his upbringing amid addiction and poverty that was made into a Netflix film. Vance became a best-selling author and often analyzed (and criticized) Trump's populist appeal before becoming one of Trump's strongest supporters.
The tweets: Vance said he was "Never Trump" in the past and compared the former president to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. He also called Trump an idiot, said he was unfit to be president and liked anti-Trump tweets. But Vance has since said he regrets his comments and been a full-throated advocate for Trump.
His positions: Vance has called for breaking up Google and tightening restrictions on banks and railroads. He has also proposed some tax increases. Vance is a staunch economic protectionist who espouses an isolationist view of foreign policy. Vance has been highly critical of U.S. military support for Ukraine and once said he did not care what happened in the country following Russia's invasion. He has also supported abortion restrictions and questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election. President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign immediately began framing Vance as pushing an “extreme” agenda.
Big picture: Many will now view Vance as the heir apparent to Trump's political movement, regardless of how the election plays out. But there are some reasons to be skeptical about the pick. Vance blamed Biden for the assassination attempt on Trump over the weekend, he comes from a firmly red state and most observers doubt he will attract new voters to the former president. His impact in the key Midwestern swing states is also in question. Vance ran almost 10 points behind Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in 2022.

2) Trump emerges

The former president made his first public appearance since the attempt on his life as questions about the alleged shooter’s motive linger.

The moment: Trump walked onto the GOP convention floor to an ovation as Lee Greenwood performed God Bless the USA. His right ear was covered with a white bandage; Trump said a bullet grazed it during the assassination attempt at his rally in western Pennsylvania on Saturday. The former president also made his first post-VP selection appearance with Vance.
Investigation continues: The FBI has accessed alleged gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks' cell phone and other electronic devices, but has found little information pointing toward an ideology or motive for the attack. A community college classmate who considered Crooks a friend told The Washington Post that Crooks was reserved and seemed a center-right moderate, theorizing he committed "suicide by cop." Police said Crooks bought ammunition the morning of the attack and had a transmitter on his body; it is not clear if it was connected to potential explosives found in his car.
Security breakdowns: The rooftop Crooks perched on was reportedly identified as a security vulnerability before the rally. It is unknown how Crooks accessed the roof. Rallygoers are believed to have alerted cops to his presence at least 86 seconds before he opened fire. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas called the attempt a security failure and the Fraternal Order of Police criticized the Secret Service for suggesting local law enforcement was to blame for not securing the area where Crooks was.
Congressional probe: Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Democrat, said there is bipartisan support for the House Oversight Committee to investigate the circumstances and security measures before the attempt. Embattled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will testify next week; she has indicated she will not step down despite calls for her resignation. Biden has ordered an independent review of how the Secret Service handled the situation and its security practices moving forward.

Stunning discovery

One of the world's rarest creatures may have washed up from the Pacific Ocean.

What happened: Scientists believe a spade-toothed whale beached in New Zealand. Genetic testing to confirm the creature could take months, but experts made a preliminary assessment based on the animal's beak, skull and teeth.
The significance: The spade-toothed whale is the rarest in the world. It has never been seen live, and this is the first time a recovered specimen will be available for dissection. Scientists know nothing about what spade-toothed whales eat, where they live in the Pacific or how many exist. They are believed to deep-dive for food and seem to rarely surface above water.
Big picture: Seven spade-toothed whale discoveries have been made in history; this is the first in over a decade. The last two were buried before being examined. “This is going to lead to some amazing science and world-first information,” said marine biologist Hannah Hendriks.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

Former President Trump’s federal classified documents case was dismissed. Judge Aileen Cannon said Special Counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed; legal analysts said the government has a strong chance to win an appeal (More)
Houston-area power outages caused by Hurricane Beryl should be fixed by tomorrow. Over 200K remained without electricity as of yesterday; Texas Gov. Greg Abbott criticized provider CenterPoint Energy for its slow restoration process a week after the storm (More)
California public schools cannot alert parents when students change their gender identification. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill enacting the guidance yesterday; it is the first such state law in the U.S. (More)

World News

Armenia is hosting joint military drills with the U.S. The landlocked Caucasus nation is seeking closer ties with the West after freezing its participation in Russia's regional military alliance amid strained relations with the Kremlin (More)
Thailand will launch a $14B handout plan to stimulate its economy. The Southeast Asian nation plans to give 50M citizens a digital cash payment worth about $275; government officials believe the plan could boost GDP, but critics say it will not foster sustained economic growth (More)
Rwandan President Paul Kagame was said to have won re-election with 99% of the vote, extending his 30-year reign. The 66-year-old authoritarian ran virtually unopposed after two of his main critics were barred from the election; his new term runs through 2034 (More)

Campaign News

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will receive a Secret Service protective detail following the assassination attempt on former President Trump. The independent presidential candidate met with Trump in Milwaukee, but said he will continue his campaign (More)
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters may not endorse a presidential candidate. Inaction by the labor union would be a blow to Biden's re-election campaign; Teamsters President Sean O'Brien spoke at the GOP Convention last night (More)
Biden said his call to put Trump "in a bullseye" was a mistake. The president told NBC's Lester Holt he was urging Democrats to focus on Trump's actions; the comment came before the assassination attempt on the former president (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed higher yesterday. The Dow Jones jumped over 200 points to notch another record close (Dow+0.53%, S&P 500 +0.28%, Nasdaq +0.40%).
Macy's has ended buyout talks without a deal. An investor group was offering $6.9B for the storied retail chain; the company said the proposal did not "compelling value" after months of negotiations (More)
The Federal Reserve is willing to cut interest rates before inflation hits 2%. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank will act once it has enough confidence the economy is on track to reach the target (More)

Entertainment & Sports

The 94th MLB All-Star Game is tonight (8 p.m. ET, FOX) at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes will be the National League's starting pitcher; the Baltimore Orioles' Corbin Burnes will start for the American League (More)
James B. Sikking died at 90 after a battle with dementia. The actor was known for his roles on Hill Street Blues and Doogie Howser, M.D.; he also worked on Charlie's Angels and M.A.S.H. and was in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (More)
Polarizing sports commentator Skip Bayless is leaving FS1. The Undisputed host will reportedly host his final show for the cable network later this summer after eight years; he previously starred on ESPN First Take (More)

Quick Hitters

Fun Stuff: Check out this adorable video of a dog and squirrel engaging in an incredible hide-and-seek showdown. The takeaway: Elite evasion skills can defeat a top-notch sense of smell.
Very Strange: Everything bagel seasoning is considered an illegal narcotic in South Korea due to the poppy seeds. No, really. You could face a massive fine or prison time for possessing it.
Go Deep: No one knows the true identity of Bitcoin's creator or why they abandoned a fortune now worth billions over a decade ago. A new documentary further pursues the mystery of Satoshi Nakamoto.
Take Note: Storm chasers will be in the cultural spotlight when Twisters hits theaters this week. Here is a look at what scientists who study tornadoes do and the tools they utilize.
Life Hack: If you don't have a grapefruit spoon in your kitchen, consider getting one. The unusual utensil has many uses beyond its intended one.

Watch This

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. And a silly internet prank can go much, much, much farther.