Mediaboss Marketing

Were up against a crisis I never thought Id see in my lifetime: a dictator-like attack by President Donald Trump on everything this country stands for. As last weeks impeachment hearings made clear, our shared tolerance and respect for the truth, our sacred rule of law, our essential freedom of the press and our precious freedoms of speech all have been threatened by a single man.

Our shared tolerance and respect for the truth, our sacred rule of law, our essential freedom of the press and our precious freedoms of speech all have been threatened by a single man.

Its time for Trump to go along with those in Congress who have chosen party loyalty over their oath to solemnly affirm their support for the Constitution of the United States. And its up to us to make that happen, through the power of our votes.

When Trump was elected, though he was not my choice, I honestly thought it only fair to give the guy a chance. And like many others, I did. But almost instantly he began to disappoint and then alarm me. I dont think Im alone.

Get the think newsletter.

Tonight it pains me to watch what is happening to our country. Growing up as a child during World War II, I watched a united America defend itself against the threat of fascism. I watched this again, during the Watergate crisis, when our democracy was threatened. And again, when terrorists turned our world upside down.

During those times of crises, Congress came together, and our leaders came together. Politicians from both sides rose to defend our founding principles and the values that make us a global leader and a philosophical beacon of hope for all those seeking their own freedoms.

What is happening, right now, is so deeply disturbing that instead of the United States of America, we are now defined as the Divided States of America. Leaders on both sides lack the fundamental courage to cross political aisles on behalf of what is good for the American people.

Were at a point in time where I reluctantly believe that we have much to lose it is a critical and unforgiving moment.

Were at a point in time where I reluctantly believe that we have much to lose it is a critical and unforgiving moment. This monarchy in disguise has been so exhausting and chaotic, its not in the least bit surprising so many citizens are disillusioned.

The vast majority of Americans are busy with real life; trying to make ends meet and deeply frustrated by how hard Washington makes it to do just that.

But this is it. There are only 11 months left before the presidential election; 11 months before we get our one real chance to right this ship and change the course of disaster that lies before us.

Lets rededicate ourselves to voting for truth, character and integrity in our representatives (no matter which side were on). Lets go back to being the leader the world so desperately needs. Lets return, quickly, to being simply ... Americans.

Related:

Robert Redford

Robert Redford is an actor, director, producer and activist.

Visit link:
President Trump's dictator-like administration is attacking the values America holds dear - NBC News

First lady Melania Trump was greeted with resounding boos by students at an opioid awareness event in Baltimore on Tuesday, even as her husband, President Donald Trump, donated his salary for the third quarter of the year to combat the opioid crisis.

Melania Trump was loudly booed as she was introduced at the B'More Youth Summit on Opioid Awareness at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County by Jim Wahlberg, brother of the actors Mark and Donnie Wahlberg.

And the boos continued as she thanked Wahlberg for "the warm introduction," and began speaking to the audience, which was comprised primarily of middle school and high school students.

"I hope that the knowledge you gain here will help you tackle the tough decisions you may be faced with, so that you can live a healthy and drug-free life," she said at the event, wich was organized by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mark Walhberg Youth Foundation.

"Get involved and be a part of the solution."

The first lady's Be Best public awareness initiative is focused on promoting well-being and online safety for children, as well as combating opioid abuse.

The opioid crisis has been blamed for the majority of the 70,000 fatal overdoses of Americans in 2017.

Later Tuesday, Melania Trump, through White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham, issued a statement in response to the heckling at the event.

"We live in a democracy and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but the fact is we have a serious crisis in our country and I remain committed to educating children on the dangers and deadly consequences of drug abuse," said the first lady.

Baltimore was targeted by President Trump in July, when the president lashed out at Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Democrat whose district included parts of Baltimore city and Baltimore County.

Cummings' "district is a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess," Trump tweeted at the time. "If he spent more time in Baltimore, maybe he could help clean up this very dangerous & filthy place."

Cummings has since died.

Kate Bennett, a CNN reporter and the author of a new biography about Melania Trump, said on Twitter that the audience's reaction to the first lady at the Baltimore event "was the worst booing she has received at a public event where she has given solo remarks."

President Trump in 2017 donated a quarter of his $400,000 annual salary toward efforts to stem the crisis. On Tuesday, the president repeated that donation for that effort.

The president since taking office has committed to donating his entire salary to various causes.

US First Lady Melania Trump arrives to address the B'More Youth Summit in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 26, 2019.

Nicholas Kamm | AFP | Getty Images

See more here:
First lady Melania Trump loudly booed at opioid event on same day that President Trump donates salary to drug-fighting efforts - CNBC

Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee, as recently as Thursday, have argued President Donald Trump did not direct a freeze on $400 million in US aid to Ukraine in exchange for the country announcing investigations that would help Trumps campaign in 2020. But Trump, as ever, is making his apologists look dumb. In a 53-minute phone call this morning to Fox & Friends, Trump pretty much confessed, again, to the actions for which he faces impeachment.

Theres tremendous corruption, Trump said during the call. Why should we be giving hundreds of millions of dollars to countries when theres this kind of corruption?

To be sure, the presidents defenders can note that Trump asserted here that he was worried about corruption. But moments earlier, Trump defined just what he meant by corruption. And its not actually corruption.

They have the server, right, from the DNC, Democratic National Committee, Trump said. The FBI went in and they told them, get out of here, were not giving it to you. They gave the server to CrowdStrike or whatever its called, which is a countrywhich is a company owned by a very wealthy Ukrainian. And I still want to see that server. You know, the FBIs never gotten that server. Thats a big part of this whole thing. Why did they give it to a Ukrainian company?

This is a nonsense conspiracy theory that even unctuous Fox hosts werent endorsing. Crowdstrike, based in California, is not owned by a wealthy Ukrainian. The DNC did not have one server. They had about 140. Crowdstrike imaged them and then gave the data to the FBI, not Ukraine. Trumps claim is part of a false argument that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in the 2016 election. Russia, which US intelligence agencies have concluded interfered in the 2016 election, has promoted the lie that Ukraine was responsible. This is an apparent Kremlin effort to deflect blame from its own intelligence agents.

But putting that aside, Trumps words were revealing. Asked by host Steve Doocy: Are you sure? Trump bore down: Well, thats what the word is, the president said. Thats what I asked, actually in my phone call. (This refers to Trumps July 25 call with Ukraines President, Volodymyr Zelensky.)

I asked it very point-blank, because were looking for corruption, Trump continued. Theres tremendous corruption. Why should we be giving hundreds of millions of dollars to countries when theres this kind of corruption. If you look at my call, I said, you know, corruption.'

In fact, Trump did not once say the word corruption in the reconstructed transcript of his call with Zelensky that the White House released in September. Instead, Trump mentioned the same conspiracy theory. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, Trump said. They say CrowdStrikeI guess you have one of your wealthy peopleThe server, they say Ukraine has it.

So when Trump referred on Fox and Friends to this kind of corruption what he actually meant was his conspiracy theory that a Ukrainian oligarch has the DNC server. Trump and his chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, have made similar statements that seemed to confirm a quid pro quo involving aid to Ukraine. But as Business Insider notes, this was the first time that Trump explained that his supposed worry about corruption in Ukraine related to the server issue.

Trump is telling everyone that he froze military aid to Ukraine to get them to announce an investigation into Ukraines alleged involvement in the 2016 election. Congressional Republicans should listen to him.

Visit link:
Donald Trump Confessed, Again - Mother Jones

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo played coy when asked at the State Department on Tuesday if he would testify in the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

"When the time is right, all good things happen," Pompeo said cryptically during a press briefing on a range of domestic and foreign issues including new sanctions against a Cuban company and the death of an American citizen in Afghanistan.

A reporter had asked the top U.S. diplomat about a series of tweets Trump had sent before the briefing, in which the president said he "would love" to have Pompeo and other officials, including departing Energy Secretary Rick Perry, acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, "testify about the phony Impeachment Hoax."

Pompeo has become a significant figure in House Democrats' probe of whether Trump abused his power by pressuring Ukraine to announce investigations into his political rivals in exchange for a White House meeting or possibly a military aid package.

U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland testified before the House Intelligence Committee that Pompeo was "in the loop" about the pressure campaign.

A spokeswoman for Pompeo said at the time that Sondland "never told Secretary Pompeo that he believed the President was linking aid to investigations of political opponents."

Pompeo is also rumored to be looking to leavethe Trump administration soon and run for a U.S. Senate seat in Kansas. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has publicly encouraged Pompeo to run for the seat, though the State Department has denied he has plans to resign.

Pompeo said Tuesday that he doesn't "have much to say with respect to the Ukraine investigation," other than to assure that the Trump administration has complied as appropriate with the probe.

But he also defended Trump's request for an investigation into a debunked conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, stole Democratic National Committee emails during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

"Any time there is information that indicates that any country has messed with American elections, we not only have a right but a duty to make sure we chase that down," Pompeo said. "To protect our elections, America should leave no stone unturned."

Virtually the entire U.S. intelligence community, including a lengthy investigation by former special counsel Robert Mueller, concluded that Russia was responsible for that interference in the election.

Trump, however, has continued to float the so-called Crowdstrike theory that a DNC server has been hidden somewhere in Ukraine. He brought up the conspiracy theory in his July 25 call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, which led a flood of Democrats to call for impeachment proceedings.

Trump also asked Zelenskiy on that call to "look into" unsubstantiated allegations against former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who had served on a Ukrainian gas company when his father had pushed Ukraine to fire a corrupt prosecutor there.

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

Go here to see the original:
Pompeo on testifying in Trump impeachment inquiry: 'When the time is right, all good things happen' - CNBC

Ruben Navarrette Jr., Opinion columnist Published 3:15 a.m. ET Nov. 26, 2019 | Updated 8:02 a.m. ET Nov. 26, 2019

Latino voters in California make up a large percentage of the electorate in the newly minted Super Tuesday behemoth. USA TODAY

Despite his harmful rhetoric, President Trump's policies and fierce attitude have attracted a certain subset of those in the Latino community.

San Diego Its like chickens for Colonel Sanders.Why would any self-respecting Latino vote to re-elect President Donald Trump, arguably the most anti-Latino chief executive in U.S. history?

Thats what my non-Latino friends want to know. I get that question all the time, often accompanied by a tilted head and a confused look.

In the 2020 election, Trump seems likely to get between 25%-30% of the Latino vote. A recent poll by Telemundo found that 1 in 4 American Latinos would vote to re-elect him.

In 2016, according to exit polls, Trump got 28% of the Latino vote.He did better than Sen. Bob Dole, who got 21% of the Latino vote in 1996, and Sen. Mitt Romney, who got 27% in 2012. But he couldnt match Sen. John McCain, who got 31% of the Latino vote in 2008, or President George W. Bush, who got 40% in 2004. Anything north of 30% is a decent showing for a Republican, and anything beyond 40% will make a GOP candidate virtually unbeatable.

Latino voters count for a lot. Three reasons: theyre a young populationthat is adding new voters at a staggering rate; Theyre well-represented in so-called battleground states such as Colorado, Nevadaand Florida; And close to two-thirds of Latinosare Mexicansor Mexican-Americans, whotend to be swing voters.

Latinos are now poised to be the largest racial orethnic minority group to be eligible to vote in a presidential election, according to the Pew Research Center.By 2020, an estimated 32 million Latinos will be eligible to vote, which is just slightly more than the 30 million voters who are African-Americans. According to Pew, Latinos are expected to be about 13.3% of the electorate in 2020.

Heres what you need to know about the Latino vote: there is no such thing. That is, Latinos arent monolithic and we dont vote as a bloc.

A rally in Dallas on Oct. 17, 2019.(Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Yet, Trump is likely to do better than expected with Latino voters.

Its not just because of a strong economy, low unemployment rates among Latinos, etc. Its also because many Latinos are willing to look past Trumps anti-Latino bigotry. After all, they tell themselves, the president is not talking about people like them.

The problem is that, when it comes to Latinos, Trump cant stop talking trash. Heres a look at his rant sheet.

As a candidate, Trumpdeclared that Mexico isnot sending their bestbut ridding itself of those who arebringing drugsbringing crime,labeled Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists, promised to deport bad hombres, praised the 1954mass deportation program called "Operation Wetback," promised a deportation force,and attacked the integrity of U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel a U.S.-born citizen of Mexican descent by questioning whether Curiel could fairly adjudicate a lawsuit against Trump University because, Hes a Mexican.

Dear progressives: Hispanics are not 'Latinx.' Stop trying to Anglicize our Spanish language.

As president, Trump pardoned Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio after the former lawman was found guilty of racially profiling Latinos and defying court orders, ended Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), "leaving"more than 700,000 young peoplepotentially subject to deportation, targeted birthright citizenship for the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants, embraced policies that would cutlegalimmigration in halfand separated thousands of refugee families to the point where nearly 70,000 immigrant children were held in U.S. custody at some point in the last year.

Even as he campaigns for re-election, Trump still cant seem to refrain from sticking his foot in this mouth when it comes to Latino voters.

He talks often about how the United States is facing an invasion from the south.Thats the same word that 21-year-old Patrick Crusius used in a racist manifestohe penned before walking into a Walmart in El Paso, Texason Aug 3 to, as he allegedly told police,kill as many Mexicans as possible.Crucius killed 22 people, many of them Mexicanand wounded 25others.

Several weeks ago, when Trump traveled to New Mexico to court conservative Latinos, he doted on CNN commentator Steve Cortes, a pro-Trump immigrant from Colombia who the president declared looks more like a WASP than I do.Trump put Cortes on the spot, asking him,Who do you like more,the country or the Hispanics?Cortes answered The country.

Most of the Latinos who back Trump are not so buffoonish about their support. But theyre no less devoted to their guy.

As a Mexican-American Never Trumper, I wanted to understand these people. Besides, as a journalist who is trained to talk to strangers, the idea of Latinos who support Trump sounded plenty strange to me.

So, I went out and interviewed a couple dozen Latinos for Trump.

What I found is that, in many cases, these folks are not really Latino at all. Theyre post-Latino. They see themselves as Americans. Theyre ambivalent about their heritage, relatives, ancestors. They dont take offense when Trump insults Mexican immigrants because even for Mexican-Americans they see the people hes talking about as another species.

It's time to take a stand: After El Paso shooting, Mexican Americans can no longer be ambivalent minority

Consider the views of Chris Salcedo, a conservative Mexican-American radio host in Texas who bills himself as a liberty loving Latino.

Ive always resented the hell out of liberals, in the press and out of the press, who have said that I, because of my Latino surname, have anything in common with someone who is breaking into my country without our permission, Salcedo told me. When the president cracks down on illegal border crossings and human trafficking, I do not believe hes attacking me because I also want to stop those same things.

I get it. But I also recognize a familiar song when I hear one. Other ethnic groups know this one by heart. The Irish, Italians andJewsall have people in their community who dont identify with their heritage or who think theyre better than others in their tribe, when theyre really just better off. These are the folks who were born on third basebut tell themselves they hit a triple.

Now some Latinos have found their way to Trump. Good for them. But make no mistake. In a larger sense, theyre lost.

Ruben Navarrette Jr., a member of the USA Today Board of Contributors, is a syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Groupand host of the daily podcast, Navarrette Nation. Follow him on Twitter:@RubenNavarrette

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/11/26/latinos-for-trump-supporters-hispanics-mexicans-attacks-immigrants-column/4224954002/

See the original post here:
Millions of Latinos are Trump supporters. Here's what they're thinking. - USA TODAY