West
Trump recruits Tulsi Gabbard for debate prep after she 'dominated' Harris in 2019 primary
She memorably took down Kamala Harris in a viral debate exchange in 2019 and now former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been enlisted by former president Trump to give him some valuable insights ahead of his upcoming debates against the 2024 Democratic nominee.
Gabbard, who ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary, has been recruited by Trump to help him sharpen his preparation ahead of the debates, Fox News Digital has learned.
The former congresswoman memorably scorched Harris in a 2019 primary debate where she hammered Harris for jailing hundreds of Californians for marijuana violations while she was attorney general, yet bragged about her own use of the drug.
KAMALA HARRIS IS AN ‘EMPTY SUIT’ AND CAMPAIGN HANDLERS ARE WORRIED, SAYS TULSI GABBARD
Former president Trump has recruited former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard ahead of his upcoming debates against Vice President Kamala Harris. (Michael M. Santiago, left, Steven Ferdman, center, Brandon Bell, right.)
“She put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and then laughed about it when she was asked if she ever smoked marijuana,” Gabbard said on the debate stage.
Gabbard has already taken part in a practice session with former president Trump at his private club and home, Mar-a-Lago, The New York Times reports.
Trump’s campaign team confirmed that Gabbard has been enlisted by Trump to debate prep and cited her performance in the debates for the 2020 election.
“President Trump has proven to be one of the best debaters in political history as evidenced by his knockout blow to Joe Biden,” Trump’s National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “He does not need traditional debate prep but will continue to meet with respected policy advisors and effective communicators like Tulsi Gabbard, who successfully dominated Kamala Harris on the debate stage in 2020.”
Gabbard dumped the Democrat Party two years ago to become an independent and has become a fixture among conservatives and was even touted as a potential running mate for former President Trump.
KAMALA HARRIS’ RECORD AS PROSECUTOR IN CALIFORNIA SPELLS ‘TROUBLE’ FOR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN: LAWYER
Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard clashed in the 2020 primaries. (Getty/Fox News)
In the viral 2019 exchange, Gabbard said she was “deeply concerned” about Harris’ record as a prosecutor.
“She kept people in prison beyond their sentences to use them as cheap labor for the state of California, and she fought to keep a cash bail system in place that impacts poor people in the worst kind of way,” Gabbrad said.
Harris responded by saying she helped reform the criminal justice system in California “which became a national model for the work that needs to be done.” She also said she supported legalizing marijuana in the U.S.
“I am proud of that work, and I am proud of making a decision to not just give fancy speeches or be in a legislative body and give speeches on the floor, but actually doing the work,” Harris retorted. Harris previously held the office of San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General prior to her position as vice president.
On Thursday, Gabbard labeled Harris an “empty suit,” arguing her campaign “handlers” are worried about what will happen if she has to explain her policy positions.
“I think she revealed in that [July 2019] debate the same thing that I think her campaign handlers are worried about right now… Kamala Harris is an empty suit,” Gabbard said on “America’s Newsroom”.
Trump took on Biden earlier this summer in a debate which led to him dropping out of the 2024 race. (Left: (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images), Right: (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images))
“They are trying to create this new version of Kamala Harris to match what their pollsters are telling them, so she can say whatever she needs to say to try to win over voters, which is the most offensive thing because they think we’re so stupid as to forget what her record actually is.”
Referring to her 2019 debate with Harris, Gabbard said the exchange exposed the vice-president’s hypocrisy, which is still relevant to this year’s election.
“What she said was very different than what she actually did, and she had no answer for it,” Gabbard said.
“She had no explanation. She didn’t even try to own or justify what her actions were. And that’s going to be the key thing here for voters as we head into this election is Kamala Harris will say whatever she thinks she needs to say.”
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Arizona
Fiery crash on Loop 202 in Tempe under investigation
TEMPE, AZ — The Arizona Department of Public Safety is investigating a fiery crash on the Loop 202 in Tempe on Sunday evening.
Around 5:30 p.m., DPS officials say they were called to the freeway just west of McClintock Drive for an “unknown injury collision.”
The Arizona Department of Transportation confirmed that at least one vehicle had caught fire. The westbound lanes of the freeway have been closed because of the crash.
The smoke was also impacting eastbound Loop 202 traffic.
It’s not yet clear if anyone was hurt in the crash and how severe the injuries are.
How long the traffic restrictions in the area will last is not yet known.
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California
Jackie and Shadow fled during Big Bear fireworks but returned to nest and eaglets the next day
Fireworks can frighten animals and send them scattering, but Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets apparently are made of sterner stuff.
Chicks Luna and Sandy were seen safe and sound Sunday morning around 6 a.m. on the popular livestream nest cam aimed at their Big Bear pine tree, snacking on fish in the family aerie.
Mom and Dad did fly off when the nearby Fourth of July holiday show promoted by tourism organization Visit Big Bear began on Saturday night, Big Bear Valley media and website manager Jennifer Voisard told the Orange County Register on Sunday morning.
But both bald eagles flew back to their nest Sunday morning to care for their eaglets, who had remained around the nest during the show.
The fireworks show has faced controversy regarding the famous avians, spawning a Change.org petition to move the festivities farther away or switch to an environmentally friendlier drone show.
More than 45,000 people signed the petition. But the show went on for the sake of the local economy.
There was particular anxiety this year among environmental advocates as the eaglets were on the cusp of flying as the event was planned. The pair took their first flights just days beforehand. They had been spotted in nearby trees but didn’t immediately return to the nest.
The nonprofit that operates the webcam, Friends of Big Bear Valley, wrote a letter to officials warning that, “whether they are still in the nest or newly fledged, they will depend on Jackie and Shadow to care for them.”
“If, as in the past, Jackie and Shadow were to flee the habitat area for a few days, this could put the eaglets in danger at this important time of their lives.”
To the relief of their fans, the parents did return.
The fireworks event is an important economic driver in a year when Big Bear saw less snow than usual during its peak winter months, the travel organization said.
“The fireworks show is a long-standing community tradition and an important economic driver for Big Bear’s local businesses, workers, restaurants, lodging properties, recreation providers, and families. That context is especially important this year after another low-to-no snow winter, which directly impacted many of our neighbors, employees, and small businesses,” Visit Big Bear said in a statement.
It said the show happens about two miles away from Jackie and Shadow’s nest and lasted only about 30 minutes.
The eagles — and occasionally their chicks — could be seen on Friends of Big Bear Valley’s livestream heading into Sunday evening.
Colorado
Colorado ranchers rush to save livestock as Aspen Acres Fire pushes south
Ranchers in the path of the Aspen Acres Fire are not only rushing to get their animals out, but they’re also helping others save their herds as the fire approaches.
The Aspen Acres Fire has grown to over 86,000 acres, but firefighters are gaining ground. The fire has reached approximately 6% containment. Firefighters have been working to protect people and property, but the very active, fast-moving fire has destroyed more than 150 homes and other structures so far.
Ranchers around Beulah, Colorado City and Rye have been rushing to get their animals out as the fire spread across the area. Neighbors like Luke Woduick have also come together to help each other evacuate livestock from danger. Woduick says ranchers worked quickly to cut fences and move livestock out of the fire’s path as conditions rapidly changed.
“I can’t even explain how bad it is. I just feel for all those animals just trying to escape; there’s a lot of animals that didn’t get out. It’s a total catastrophe,” said Woduick. “It’s just, losing an animal is just, you feed these animals, and you tend to them, and you water them, and you scratch on them, and you love on them. But, to actually see some of them die from this fire, it’s sad.”
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office has asked evacuees to cut fences and give the animals a chance to survive if they can’t take them. They also told all trucks and trailers helping with animal rescue, “If you see flames, cut fences for the animals and leave immediately.”
Pueblo CART Livestock Division – Community Animal Response Team has been helping to coordinate livestock rescue and evacuation centers. They say the shelter at the state fairgrounds is currently housing 1,330 animals, but there’s plenty of room for more.
Despite losing his own ranch in Beulah, Woduick says he spent days helping others relocate livestock, transporting them to the Pueblo County Fairgrounds. He worries more for the residents who have lost their homes than for himself.
“I just lost my ranch, so, in a couple of years, the grass will grow. I have no complaints. Other people, they got all the heartache,” Woduick said.
Pueblo residents like Joey Musso are also doing what they can. Musso and his family own a local restaurant in Pueblo. On Saturday, they closed early to provide food for first responders and volunteers.
“This is devastating, and just to hear what people are going through right now, it’s just absolutely heartbreaking,” said Musso.
Despite flames destroying homes and communities, Musso says showing support for one another is crucial right now.
“Truly, nobody comes together like Puebloans and people in Colorado. I mean, it’s just amazing what everybody’s doing. It’s just one huge joint effort where people are taking care of one another,” Musso said.
Fire trucks from California are the latest in a string of support from across the country sent to help Colorado. Officials are hopeful they will contain the fire within the next few days.
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