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1.) The Donald Trump show marches on — Trump turned down something it isn’t even clear he was offered, reports TheDC’s Paul Conner:
“Newsmax cites a ‘source with knowledge of convention plans’ to report that Donald Trump has declined a primetime speaking slot at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla … It is not immediately clear that Trump was actually invited to speak at the convention.”
For many years standing, TheDC Morning has repeatedly turned down numerous Oscars, Emmys, Heisman Trophies and Nobel Prizes before they were even offered to us. In a spirit of fairness, we intend to keep up this policy so others will have an opportunity to bask in the glow of success.
2.) Man of the (Rich) People — Richard Trumka understands working people, or more accurately, understands how to take their money. TheDC’s Nicholas Ballasy reports:
“AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka said Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney ‘doesn’t understand’ what working people ‘go through every day,’ while President Barack Obama has ‘absolutely’ done a lot for the labor movement … According to the watchdog group Center for Union Facts, which compiled federal, state and local data on union salaries, Trumka earns $293,750 per year including benefits and other compensation.”
Under President Obama’s mathematically illiterate definition, Trumka actually qualifies as a millionaire.
3.) Maher Mauls MSNBC — Like most Americans, comedian Bill Maher can’t stomach MSNBC. TheDC’s Jeff Poor reports:
“In an interview with The Patriot Ledger (Mass.) reporter Jack Encarnacao published on Thursday, Maher appeared to suggest that some MSNBC hosts are overzealously promoting their views: ‘There’s a place for it. For a while, there was only Fox News. I’m glad MSNBC emerged as a counterweight. As much as I’m very fond of all of the people at MSNBC, Chris Matthews and Rachel (Maddow) and Lawrence O’Donnell, they’re all good people. But if I watch it, like, for a whole day, I want to marry Ann Coulter and join the tea party.'”
Nine out of nine medical experts agree: MSNBC’s programming is cruel and unusual punishment. Okay. We admit it. We made up that poll. But we still stand by it.
4.) Radical Mentor — Paul Kengor writes about the radicalism of Barack Obama’s teenage mentor in his new book, reports TheDC’s Jamie Weinstein (ME!):
“Author Paul Kengor wants you to know just how radical Frank Marshal Davis, a man many consider to have been a mentor to President Barack Obama during his teenage years, was. ‘Obama’s mentor was considered so radical, and such a potential pro-Soviet threat, that the federal government placed him on the Security Index,’ Kengor told The Daily Caller in an interview about his new book on Davis, simply titled ‘The Communist.’ ‘That meant that if a war broke out between the United States and the Soviet Union, Frank Marshall Davis could be placed under immediate arrest. Think about that. Obama had that sort of influence. And The Washington Post will focus on whether Mitt Romney was bullying in high school? With the kind of influence that Obama had, Obama would have trouble getting a security clearance for an entry-level government job.'”
5.) Poll of the Day: Romney should release more tax returns — CNN/ORC poll of adults nationwide on whether Romney should release more years of his tax returns than he has done so far: 63% say should, 36% say should not, while 2% are unsure.
6.) Tweet of Yesterday — David Burge: How did the Saudi women do in beach volleyball?