Everything fell perfectly into place for the Steelers on Night One of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Trump strategy: Hitting blue areas, courting minorities and unfriendly audiences
The Trump campaign is increasingly venturing into hostile territory.
The strategy, I’ve been told, is to demonstrate that the former president can make his case in Democratic areas and force the Biden campaign to play defense.
But it runs deeper than that.
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By campaigning where he wouldn’t ordinarily be welcome, Donald Trump sends a message that he’s a fighter – particularly during the weeklong break from the hush money trial, which resumed yesterday with closing arguments. A conviction in that criminal trial, of course, could alter the playing field.
Exhibit A in Trump’s new playbook was the visit to the South Bronx, a preeminent symbol of urban decay. He didn’t go because he thinks he can win the Bronx, or New York City, or New York State. Trump went to send a message that he cares about minority voters.
He drew a couple of thousand supporters to a park where he mostly recited his greatest hits, including 10 minutes on how he rebuilt a Central Park ice skating rink decades ago, complete with the construction details. But he also said he would rebuild the city. Polls show Trump scoring better among blacks than any Republican nominee in more than a generation, while Joe Biden has been slipping among that crucial constituency for Democrats.
Former President Donald Trump holds a rally in the historically Democratic South Bronx on May 23, 2024 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Going to the Bronx, where the Queens-born Trump attended two years of college, was a curveball. And since some liberals ripped the rich Republican for venturing onto their turf, the controversy drove the news cycle for days, a Trump specialty.
The former president also spoke to a massive rally along the shore in New Jersey, another state he’s not going to win, and went to blue-state Minnesota, which he’d carry only if the election is a blowout.
I don’t think the Biden camp is going to fall for these head fakes. The president has to concentrate on Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, where he trails by a few points in most polls, for an Electoral College victory. Scranton Joe has practically taken up residence in Pennsylvania, which is close to Delaware, and yet still trails slightly in most battleground polls. He and Kamala Harris are back in Philly today.
Perhaps the clearest sign of Trump’s unorthodox approach is his weekend speech to the Libertarian convention. This was widely portrayed as a disaster, since Trump was widely booed throughout his appearance.
He made some promises, such as appointing a Libertarian to the Cabinet and pardoning a Libertarian who ran an online illegal drug market.
But the booing grew louder when he asked for the party’s nomination. The Libertarians have long been critical of Trump’s record.
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Trump argued that together they could win. As the boo-birds kept it up, he pushed back: Maybe you don’t want to win. You can keep on getting 3 percent in every election.
Trump argued the next day that as the Republican candidate he wasn’t allowed to seek another party’s nomination – though he had just done exactly that.
While many view the whole episode as a fiasco, I have a contrarian view.
Supporters of Donald Trump try to get a glimpse of the former president at a rally in Crotona Park in the Bronx, New York City on May 23, 2024. (Michael Ruiz/Fox News Digital)
Trump showed a willingness to step into the lion’s den. He stood his ground against the catcalls. He displayed his pugilistic style before what he had to know would be an unfriendly reception.
That’s quite a contrast with Biden giving safe economic speeches, mainly based on past legislation, before safe audiences.
Now the spotlight shifts back to the hush money trial, which the jury will get today.
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Only two receivers were selected in the top 15 picks, and a slew of offensive linemen followed with a very random Ty Simpson to the Rams pick sprinkled in for good luck.
With a league-leading 12 selections ahead of the first round, the Steelers had every tool in the belt to pull off exactly what they wanted to do – draft Makai Lemon. Yet instead of doing so, they remained stagnant, much like they’ve done as a franchise for the better part of a decade.
The Steelers sat on their hands and stayed put with the No. 21 overall pick instead of moving up to ensure his selection in front of the record-breaking 320,000 fans in front of Acrisure Stadium. As the Dallas Cowboys were set to be on the clock at No. 20, the Steelers gave Lemon a call. Only they weren’t the only Pennsylvania area code to ring the USC star.
As the Steelers were getting ready to tell Lemon he would be calling Pittsburgh home, Howie Roseman and the Philadelphia Eagles made a trade with the Cowboys to jump in front of the Steelers to steal the star pass-catcher from their grasp. Clearly caught off guard, the Steelers had to pivot and selected Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheachanor, much to the chagrin of the large number of Steelers fans on hand who audibly groaned at Pittsburgh selecting its third first-round tackle in four years.
It’s almost poetic that it was the Eagles who jumped the Steelers, considering Pittsburgh so obviously wants to be Philadelphia from a team standpoint. Assistant general manager Andy Weidl came from the Eagles, and the way the Steelers have gone about roster building in the trenches is similar to what Philadelphia has done over the last 5-10 years.n Unfortunately, the Steelers lack the killer instinct that Roseman and the Eagles have.
When the Eagles see the potential to add a game-changer, they do it. Whether it’s trading for A.J. Brown, signing Saquon Barkley, or getting rid of players and coaches when they begin to fail, no matter how successful they’ve been before, the Eagles have always stayed ahead of the curve while the Steelers have perennially been behind it.
While the Eagles built a near-flawless roster that resulted in their second Super Bowl appearance under Nick Sirriani and Jalen Hurts and their first win (second in the last decade), the Steelers were bringing in re-run veteran quarterbacks hoping they would be just good enough for a good defense to carry, a project that has failed twice. And instead of moving in a new direction, the Steelers are letting a 42 year-old quarterback dictate their offseason for a second straight year.
Fumbling Lemon wasn’t just a massive mishandling of the first round by the Steelers, it was an embarrassment. To be metaphorically noogied like that in your home city when, again, you had every possible opportunity to trade up for the player you wanted is completely indefensible.
It’s also an unfortunate reminder that the Steelers are still a ways away from being among the elite teams in the NFL. Despite the addition of Michael Pittman, the receiver position continues to be largely neglected, as they have just two other receivers behind Pittman and DK Metcalf – those receivers combined for 16 catches in 2025. Sure, they can select a receiver on Day Two, but it’s hard to get excited for Day Two pass-catchers in a thin class for the position when they could have easily landed arguably the most talented player at said position if they had just gotten the least bit aggressive.
And while organizations like the Eagles are moving up and trying to build a roster that can get them to a third Super Bowl in five years, the Steelers kept their feet in the sand as they wait for a text back from the oldest active player in the NFL, hoping he can help them win their first playoff game in nine years.
It’d be funny if it weren’t so pathetic. But what the heck, I’ll laugh anyway.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — State and local leaders are urging lawmakers to expand a bill protecting renters.
The proposed legislation would expand the “Just Cause” bill, which protects residents over 62 years old and living with a disability, or in public housing, from eviction without cause.
The expansion would cover new tenants in five-unit buildings after the first year of moving in. They said the goal is to help stabilize housing for thousands of people.
“Your apartment is your home, your apartment is dignity, your apartment is respect, your apartment is access to a local school for your child, knowing where that’s going to be and knowing it’s not going to change on short notice,” Gov. Ned Lamont (D) said. “Knowing you have a little continuity and a little bit of respect. And this bill is about a little bit of respect for the folks who are playing by the rules.”
The Connecticut Apartment Association said in response:
“Connecticut needs more housing in more places, and legislators need to focus on bills that will grow more housing for all incomes. Our members will stay at the table with them to craft sustainable responses that ensure accountability and solve Connecticut’s housing crisis.”
By Ed Pierce
Democrat Joseph A. Campbell of Windham will try to unseat incumbent Republican Mark Cooper as State Representative for Maine House District 107 in the general election in November.
Democrat Joseph A. Campbell of Windham will try to unseat incumbent Republican Mark Cooper as State Representative for Maine House District 107 in the general election in November.
| Joseph A. Campbell of Windham, a Democrat, will be a candidate in November for State Representative in Maine House District 107, representing part of Windham. He is a long-term substitute teacher at Gray/New Gloucester High School and a graduate student at the University of Maine. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
Campbell, a long-term Substitute at Gray/NewGloucester High School and a graduate student at the University of Maine, was a candidate for the Windham Town Council At Large position last fall, a seat eventually won by Katie Cook.
He says that he is running to represent House District 107, representing part of Windham, because he loves Maine and sees it as all our responsibility to make our voices heard in how the state is run.
“As someone navigating the difficult process of settling down, establishing a career, and pursuing higher education, I believe my perspective is representative of many Mainers who don’t normally see themselves in the legislature,” Campbell said. “When elected, I would feel accomplished once I could say that the common-sense goals of owning a home, starting a family, and maybe even retiring someday are more attainable than they were at the start of my term.”
The most significant issue in the race is the rising cost of housing, he said.
“Skyrocketing housing expenses are hurting the whole spectrum of Windham residents, from renters just trying to get by and save, to seniors struggling to afford their family home,” Campbell said. “We need to find a way to grease the wheels for first time buyers, responsibly build enough for supply to meet demand, and decouple critical services like schools from the local mil rate.”
Along with affordable housing, Campbell says ensuring a solid education system would be another of his priorities if elected.
“Schools, students, and teachers are all struggling, and we need to find a way to ensure kids are getting what they need to learn, while teachers and districts have the energy, professionalism, and resources they need to make that happen,” he said. “We expect a lot from teachers, as we should, and they deserve a proportional level of compensation and respect for the work they do. Additionally, academic excellence is only possible when we’re exposed to diverse thoughts and ideas. We need to give kids books and encourage literacy, banning books is never the right way forward.”
Currently finishing a master’s degree in international and political history at the University of Maine, Campbell says that as a historian, he thinks we have a responsibility as citizens of a democracy to do right by the system that people have fought and died for by making sure that we’re an educated electorate.
“Working with the kids at the high school is one small way I like to try and do my part,” he said. “It’s really refreshing to see young people working hard and getting ready to enter the adult world, and I think we owe it to them to make sure that that world is something good. As to why I study history, it’s because I believe that just like we learn from our own mistakes and find inspiration in how far we’ve come as individuals, we can do the same as communities. If you look back 90 years ago, Mainers were able to survive the Great Depression, reject fascism, and would go on to weather World War II. If we could make it through those times, we can figure out how to rein in property taxes, give kids a good education, and do something about folks’ CMP bills. This is all very doable, and I like to think that we can make it easier upon ourselves by paying attention to those who came before us.”
According to Campbell, he enjoys living in Windham and says the parks and trails in the town are great recreational opportunities, specifically Black Brook Preserve and Donnabeth Lippman Park.
“My wife Chelsea and I make sure to get outside for a quick picnic, walk, or hike at least a couple of times a week while we’re lucky enough to have some good weather,” he said. “It’s really heartening to see a place like Windham navigate growth and development, while making absolutely sure to carve out and preserve space for nature.”
If elected, Campbell says that he’d like to see if legislators could find a way to rely less on local property taxes to get the schools what they need.
“We should work toward more equitable state taxes, focusing on those with the ability to pay, while relieving working and middle-class Mainers who may own a home, but aren’t flush with cash,” Campbell said. “That revenue should go toward the school districts, with the added benefit of making sure that your school’s budget isn’t forever tied to the real estate in town. With a responsible budget, working class Mainers could see their mil rate go down, and wealthy Mainers can know that their tax dollars are going toward their children and grandchildren getting a good education.”
Along with Democrat State Senator incumbent Tim Nangle, Republican State Senate candidate Peter Violette and Republic House 107 incumbent Mark Cooper, Campbell’s campaign is funded by the Maine Clean Elections Act. To support any of these campaigns, nonpartisan $5 contributions may be made at maine.gov/ethics website.
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