After President Biden concluded his remarks Saturday evening — a denunciation of political violence in the immediate wake of an attempt to assassinate Donald Trump — CNN turned to a panel of political observers to offer their thoughts.
Washington
Analysis | Even Donald Trump can’t shift the momentum of Trumpism
“I hate to say it, but the rhetoric around him over the last few weeks that if he wins an election, our country will end, our democracy will end. It’s the last election we’ll ever have,” Jennings said. “These things have consequences, okay? I don’t know what the motivations of the shooter are. I don’t know any of the details. But I know the rhetoric around Trump has grown extreme.”
This sentiment has emerged often over the past two days in different manifestations. Jennings was correct in saying that he didn’t know what motivated the shooter; even on Monday morning that isn’t clear. But he assumed that the motivation was linked to the “extreme” rhetoric suggesting that Trump was a threat to American democracy. By extension, then, those expressing concern about Trump’s politics were culpable for the shooting — a link made more explicit by some in Trump’s orbit.
Many Trump supporters view these concerns as fundamentally illegitimate, if not cravenly opportunistic. Jennings appears to be among them. To some extent, this reflects how much erosion the country has already seen: Trump’s explicit effort to subvert the results of the 2020 election is retconned as appropriate or insignificant, largely because it was unsuccessful. Any critical observation of what an unfettered Trump might do in a second term is waved away as extreme, just as pre-2020 concerns were breezily dismissed.
It is also obviously useful for Trump supporters to argue that the shooting was downstream from unacceptable criticism of his candidacy. The presidential race, at least until Saturday afternoon, was heavily driven by the same dynamic at play in 2020: Trump supporters eager to vote for Trump and Biden supporters eager to vote against Trump. This is in part driven by concern about American democracy during a second Trump administration. If that concern can be reframed as melodramatic or dangerous — or if Trump supporters can cow Democrats into not elevating the issue — the impulse to vote against Trump might be muted. Some Biden supporters might simply stay home.
Since the shooting, Trump has given several interviews to friendly writers. Speaking to the Washington Examiner’s Salena Zito, for example, Trump indicated that the attempt on his life prompted him to rethink what he would say during his acceptance speech at the Republican convention this week.
“This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together,” Trump told Zito. “The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago.”
At Axios, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen leaned into this idea: Maybe Trump really can bring the country together.
“Imagine he gave a speech featuring something he rarely shows: humility,” they wrote. “Imagine him telling the nation that he has been too rough, too loose, too combative with his language — and now realizes words can have consequences, and promises to tone it down and bring new voices into the White House if he wins.”
This idea that Trump has the opportunity to reform his approach to politics and/or unify the nation is as old as Trump’s career as a national politician. And, sure, maybe this time it will happen, who knows? But after he won the election in 2016, he claimed that he would seek to unify the country. That quickly manifested as an insistence that Americans should rally around his presidency and his policies. Trump is nearly 80 years old and has been the same political actor for fully 10 percent of his life. The odds that this pattern is reshaped by the shooting — an unquestionably reprehensible act and an obviously dire threat — seem low. His first instinct in the moment on Saturday was to exhort the crowd to “fight.”
The idea that concern about Trump is rooted in his rhetoric or his brashness is a common one. His supporters say things such as that they are fine with a few “mean tweets” from Trump, as though that is the focus of his opponents. It isn’t. His critics, like his supporters, focus on what he does and what he hopes to do. Telling America that he’s been “too rough, too loose, too combative with his language” will almost certainly not convince anyone, but it also ignores the point: Will he still try to deport more than 10 million people? Will he still try to overhaul the federal government to install political loyalists?
Trumpism has grown well beyond Trump. Tucker Carlson is scheduled to speak at the Republican convention this week; his rhetoric about immigration and the war in Ukraine helped reshape how Trump’s base viewed both issues. Trump has the fervent support of a number of other far-right voices, like Jack Posobiec, who last week described the right’s opponents as “unhuman” and “atheist Marxist globalists.” Is the idea that Trump’s shift to positivity will somehow trickle down to his most fervent supporters and that their tone, too, will shift? Or that they’ll accept his reshaping his political agenda to appeal to more moderate voters?
The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 has been singled out for criticism by the Biden campaign and Democrats because it outlines what right-wing supporters of Trump want to see should he return to the White House — including a centralization of power in the chief executive that would erode democracy. A shift in tone from Trump at the convention won’t somehow relegate that document and its authors to insignificance. It’s still the vision embraced by the right. And Trump has proved to be malleable in the face of criticism from his base; his shift on vaccines is evidence enough of that.
Trump credits his thankfully minor injuries from the assassination attempt to his having fortuitously turned his head to make an observation about a chart being displayed on a screen in front of the crowd. That chart had been shown before; it provides a misleading and exaggerated assessment of border crossings under Biden as part of Trump’s rhetoric about the dangers of immigrants. It’s a good reminder that the issue for his opponents isn’t that Trump uses mean words when describing his policies; it’s that they object to the policies and the dishonesty used to promote them.
In another address on Sunday night, Biden reiterated that the way to stop Trump was not with violence but at the ballot box (though he said “battle box,” a reminder of the political conversation before Saturday). This was a way to subtly contrast himself with Trump, reinforcing that democracy is the mechanism for allocating power in the United States.
It was a change in tone, but not in policy.
Washington DC air quality could deteriorate Friday
Wildfire smoke from Canada may push DC to Code Red Friday (AQI 151–200); even healthy people may feel effects.
Washington DC’s air quality has worsened this week as wildfire smoke from Canada traveled hundreds of miles south, prompting air quality alerts and creating hazy skies across the region.
There’s belief by some forecasters that the worst is yet to come.
Here’s what they say about Friday’s forecast, which Capital Weather says could feature “the worst air quality in years” in DC.
Could air quality reach Code Red levels in Washington DC?
Washington DC’s air quality reached Code Orange this week, meaning conditions are unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults and people with heart or lung disease.
Forecasters warn conditions could deteriorate further Friday as a thicker plume of wildfire smoke settles over the region. The Maryland Department of the Environment’s forecast suggests parts of the DC metro area could reach Code Red — an AQI of 151 to 200 — if the heaviest smoke reaches the surface.
“A weak cold front will move south Thursday night and Friday morning, ushering in a significant amount of smoke into Maryland that will persist all day Friday due to weak, recirculating winds,” officials said.
Capital Weather Gang reported that smoke concentrations are expected to peak Friday afternoon into Friday evening, when air quality could deteriorate to levels not seen in three years.
Other forecasters indicate the highest concentrations of smoke are expected late Friday before conditions gradually improve over the weekend.
What do Code Red air quality levels mean?
Many areas north of DC are already in a Code Red, meaning anyone could experience health effects from the air quality, not just sensitive groups.
On the Air Quality Index (AQI) scale, Code Red represents levels between 151 and 200. At those levels, even healthy people may experience eye or throat irritation, coughing or difficulty breathing after prolonged exposure.
If the DC area were to reach that level, residents should limit their time outdoors. If you must spend an extended period outdoors, DC Health recommends wearing a well-fitting N95 or KN95 mask.
People with asthma, heart disease or other respiratory conditions, as well as children, older adults and pregnant people, may be especially vulnerable to wildfire smoke and should take extra precautions. Anyone who develops symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain or difficulty breathing should move indoors and seek medical attention if symptoms become severe.
SEATTLE – President Donald Trump fired a newly appointed federal prosecutor in Seattle less than an hour after he was named to the position.
What we know:
Former King County judge Roger Rogoff was assigned to take over as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington on Wednesday. The seat has remained empty since Charles Neil Floyd was appointed as First Assistant U.S. Attorney back in February, though he kept running the office as western Washington’s U.S. District Attorney.
Rogoff was named to the position by Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo, but soon after the judicial order was posted, the White House blocked the move and fired Rogoff.
The backstory:
The Trump administration made similar moves in the firings of two other U.S. attorneys — Donal Kinsella of New York and Desiree Grace of New Jersey — the same day they were sworn in. Both were set to replace Trump-appointed interim judges, but were fired shortly after getting the job.
Local perspective:
Western Washington is not a typical case though, as the district hasn’t had a permanent U.S. Attorney since now-Attorney General Nick Brown left the position in 2023. Since then, there’s been several interim U.S. attorneys, which only allows them to serve for a limited time.
Rogoff was set to serve as acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington until President Trump selected a replacement. Instead, the position remains unfilled.
What they’re saying:
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote the following in response to Rogoff’s firing:
“District court judges can appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, and POTUS can fire them. WDWA judges abandoned the time-honored process of consultation with the administration so that the selected U.S. Attorney is qualified to serve in the administration. Roger Rogoff has been fired by the President.”
However, Senator Patty Murray criticized the decision, saying Rogoff was qualified for the position and appointed legally. She issued the following statement:
“Roger Rogoff’s is eminently qualified—throughout his career, he has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to public service, and he was appointed legally by the federal judges in the Western District of Washington. He should have never been fired, but the President wants to appoint an out-of-touch extremist who will put Trump over the rule of law. This administration doesn’t want to deal with advice and consent—they just want to install cronies to carry out a corrupt political agenda. The people of Washington state deserve someone in this role who will enforce the law fairly and responsibly—not some Trump administration sock puppet. The President needs to understand that DOJ works for the American people—it’s not his personal law firm to enforce his mob-style politics.”
What’s next:
A federal lawsuit could be in order challenging Rogoff’s dismissal, however no immediate announcements were made by state leaders.
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The Source: Information in this story came from order filed in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Washington, statements from acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and Senator Patty Murray, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
Washington
Whoopi Goldberg, Kerry Washington and More Celebrate Opening Night of The Whoopi Monologues
Kara Young, Dominique Fishback, Kecia Lewis, Kerry Washington and Danielle Pinnock
(Photo by Sergio Villarini for Broadway.com)
The Whoopi Monologues opened on July 13 at Lincoln Center Theater’s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, reimagining Whoopi Goldberg’s 1984 one-woman show as an ensemble piece. The cast, which features Kerry Washington, Kara Young, Dominique Fishback, Kecia Lewis and Danielle Pinnock, assembled on opening night to serve red carpet glam. Cedric The Entertainer, Don Cheadle, Angela Bassett, Ana Navarro and Goldberg herself also turned up in their finery. Scroll down for some hot shots of the stars in attendance and check out the full gallery below!
Get Tickets to The Whoopi Monologues!
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