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Remember, in olden times of yore, human beings would do things like go to lunch with co-workers, hang out at cocktail parties, and ride on modes of transportation in a manner that was conducive to conversation?
In those days, you always had to be ready with an opinion or quip about the news of the day, best backed up by all the latest, and preferably with a little nugget or two to bring to the table (whether that table was at Chick-fil-A, Three Dots and a Dash, or in the fully unstowed position on a flight).
My latest reader survey indicates that some of you have resumed enough Old Normal behavior that you could use a true, clean tip sheet to get you through the news cycle.
Here you go.
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If you are asked, “What do Republican pols really think of Donald Trump’s transfer of power jibbery jabbery?
You say: “Don’t worry – I agree with Brendan Buck. If Trump really tries some true monkey business after a loss, it won’t just be Mitt Romney who steps in and steps up. Even Mitch McConnell isn’t going to stand for it.”
“This isn’t the typical Trump outrage that comes and goes,” said Brendan Buck, a former top adviser to House Speaker Paul Ryan, who stepped down in 2019. “Senators are stating their principle here because it’s obvious to everyone that he is, in fact, planning to dispute the results if he loses, no matter how lopsided. Calling him names isn’t going to stop him, but they are trying to save themselves some trouble later by making clear they’re not going to flirt with crazy conspiracies that make a mockery of our democracy.” (New York Times)
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If you are asked, “What do Democratic pols really think of Donald Trump’s transfer of power jibbery jabbery?
You say, “They might be screaming publicly, but privately, they’ve got this.”
Several Democratic officials said privately that they were less concerned that the country’s electoral and judicial systems would allow Trump to remain in office if he refused to concede. And they played down the possibility that Trump could somehow subvert the electoral process — such as by declaring victory before counts are complete, seeking a court decision to toss mail ballots or encouraging Republican-controlled legislatures to appoint their own electors — even as they said they were preparing for those possibilities. (Washington Post)
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If you are asked, “Does Trump think this gambit actually is helping him win?”
You say, “He’s like Fran Tarkenton, scrambling around deep in the backfield, tiring out his opponent. But did you see the John Podhoretz column? Pod thinks Trump is no Tarkenton.”
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If you are asked, “Is there anything Bill Barr won’t do for Trump?”
You say, “After the Justice Department released that absurdly unorthodox public statement about some ballots allegedly discarded in Pennsylvania, I’m beginning to think Meatloaf is no longer operative here.”
Then, sing
I would do anything for love
Anything you've been dreaming of, but I just won't do that
I would do anything for love
Anything you've been dreaming of, but I just won't do
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If you are asked, “What’s the difference in the latest battleground polls showing Biden with smallish leads and where Hillary was four years ago?
You say, “Hillary was rarely above 50% in the battlegrounds, while Biden often is. Big difference with that.”
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If you are asked, “What’s one poll number that suggests why Biden is ahead and why he will win?”
You say,
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If you asked, “Is Biden doing anything different now that could actually help him win, or is he just trying to run out the clock?”
You say, “I agree with Paul Maslin.”
“There are so many people in our party who have just said, ‘screw the white working class, they don’t matter anymore and we can’t get them because they’re all racist,’ blah, blah, blah,” said Paul Maslin, a Democratic pollster based in Wisconsin. “But thank God Joe Biden is not running that kind of campaign. He knows better.” (Associated Press)
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If you are asked, “What do Republicans hope Biden gets asked about in the debate?”
You say, “You should read Kim Strassel’s Wall Street Journal column – although you will find on her list a surprisingly large number of process questions, which seem unlikely to do the trick.”
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If you are asked, “What is the deal with that group Amy Coney Barrett belongs to?”
You say, “Peggy Noonan did some very good reporting on People of Praise. It would be good for everyone if the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee read it before the hearings.”
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If you are asked, “How are Senate Democrats going to deal with Trump’s nominee?”
You say, “We are going to get a big clue next week, since apparently the White House plans to offer bipartisan courtesy calls with individual senators that soon.”
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If you are asked, “Does it really matter if Congress and the administration get their acts together and pass another big spending bill to do with the pandemic?”
You say, “For the macro economy, sure. The Fed thinks so too. But how about for the real people whose real lives and real families are in great distress? Kids are going to be kicked out of their homes.”
New Census Bureau survey data showed that 23 million adults reported that their household did not have enough food to eat in the first half of September and that 1 in 4 households with a child did not have sufficient means to pay the rent.
U.S. officials are also bracing for a wrenching mess in commercial real estate as large and small companies face difficult decisions about how to pay leases for buildings that are not being utilized at full capacity. The NYC Hospitality Alliance, which includes restaurants, bars and nightclubs, said a survey of its members found that 87 percent could not pay their full August rent. (Washington Post)
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If you are asked, “What’s the most surprising thing you have heard all day?”
You say,
SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday issued a rare apology for the killing of a South Korean official near the two countries' disputed border, the South's presidential office said.
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The Big 4.2 - by Brian P. Nadeau
Arizona - Early Voting Begins October 7th
* AZ Sec. of State Hobbs authorized 'special elections boards[‘]' members to assist those who cannot physically fill out ballots; Gov. Ducey is pushing back saying there’s no legal basis. (Arizona Daily Star)
* If Biden elected, 'every American's expectation' is a peaceful transition of power, says Gov. Ducey. (KNXV ABC15)
* Grand Canyon State guidelines cause confusion as nursing home visitation re-starts. (Arizona Republic)
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Michigan - Early Voting Began September 24th
* Gov. Whitmer joins NY Gov. Cuomo calling for congressional investigation into Trump’s COVID response. (The Detroit News)
* In-person, mail-in voting underway in Wolverine State. (WXYZ ABC7)
* MSU, MU, Wayne State presidents say return to in-person classes unlikely until next fall. (Detroit Free Press)
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Nebraska-2 - Early Voting Begins October 5th
* NE’s first female federal judge, Laurie Smith Camp, dies unexpectedly at age 66, remembered for compassion, professionalism, trailblazing. (Omaha World-Herald)
* Omaha school resource officers receive de-escalation training, learn relating to Gen Z, dealing with mental illness skills. (KETV ABC7)
* Cornhusker State economic indicators continue to rise over 4 months. (KSNB NBC4)
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Pennsylvania - Absentee/Mail-In Voting Begins: TBA
* Nearly 100 Breonna Taylor protestors march through Philly, stopped traffic on I-95, continued through southern area of city. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
* FBI investigating 9 mishandled military ballots by Luzerne County election staff, 7 of them for President Trump. (WHTM ABC27)
* Gov. Wolf calls out GOP lawmakers for sponsoring restaurant, sporting events capacity bills that put residents at risk. (WGAL NBC8)
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Wisconsin - Early Voting Varies By County
* UW-Madison ERC, WI SJ poll shows significant gap among Biden, Trump voters in WI, MI, PA. (Wisconsin State Journal)
* 'Hopefully our Republican leaders will follow and we'll make a difference,' says Gov. Evers citing importance of wearing masks. (The Journal Times)
* Facebook, armed men sued by Kenosha protestors who say social media incited violence. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
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TOP STORIES – by Brian P. Nadeau
Sports: Pac-12 reverses prior decision, will start 6-game season Nov 7th, championship game Dec. 19th weekend.
Business: Facebook suspends 3 fake Russian accounts due to 'coordinated inauthentic' activity.
Entertainment: David Letterman’s 'My Next Guest Needs No Introduction' Season 3 coming to Netflix Oct. 21st.
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