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Pennsylvania deadlock: Why Kamala picked the wrong running mate

It all comes down to Pennsylvania. That is not an exaggeration. If Kamala Harris loses Pennsylvania, Donald Trump is the 47th president of the United States. Now you could say the same about Michigan or Wisconsin, but it especially seems that a Democratic candidate should be able to carry the Keystone State. HARRIS CAMPAIGN ‘UNDERWATER’ IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE, DEM REP WARNS DONORS And that’s why, in my view, Kamala should have picked Josh Shapiro, its popular governor. I have nothing against Tim Walz, of football coach fame, but I don’t see what he’s done for the ticket. There’s a reason the campaign hasn’t let him do any solo interviews – a stark contrast with JD Vance, who is constantly doing interviews and holding press conferences. In fact, Vance now frequently takes reporters’ questions in front of supporters, who boo the journalists, sometimes even before they start speaking. We’ll find out whether Walz can think on his feet when he faces off against Vance in tonight’s VP debate. The most generous thing I can say is that the Coach will be rusty. Let’s look at the latest numbers. The Real Clear Politics average has Trump leading Harris by a miniscule margin, 48.1% to 47.9%, which of course is a statistical tie. At 538, the micro-margin in Pennsylvania is flipped, with Harris averaging 47.9% and Trump at 47.1%, another tie. Now imagine that Shapiro, who is more of a moderate liberal than the uber-progressive Walz, was the running mate. And let’s say Shapiro had brought in another 50,000 votes as the home-state guy. You can see where that would tip the balance. Kamala didn’t pick Josh for two reasons. They had a rough conversation when she interviewed him, with the governor insisting on an influential role if he were to relinquish his current job. But so what? Presidents and their veeps often don’t see eye to eye. She preferred the image of Walz, hunter and fisherman, to the prospect of two East Coast lawyers. But the more important reason is more troubling. Harris was under pressure from the anti-Israel faction in her party not to tap Shapiro, who is Jewish and a strong supporter of the Jewish state. So the vice president effectively handed veto power to this minority faction, which basically backs the Hamas terrorists who would wipe out Israel, and would have faced a week or two of controversy as a result. I said at the time this would be a world-class mistake if she lost Pennsylvania. The reason Harris has spent so much time in the Pittsburgh area is that the western end of the state is much more conservative than the eastern section anchored by Philadelphia. Her goal is to hold down Trump’s margin in a part of the state that he’ll easily win. KAMALA HARRIS IS GETTING ‘OUTHUSTLED’ AND ‘OUTCLASSED’: JESSE WATTERS One problem Harris faces right now is that she makes little news. By picking “friendly” interviewers, such as MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle, who has trashed Trump as a danger to democracy, she avoids tough questions and followups.  Visiting the Mexican border was a smart move, not just because Trump has a major lead on immigration, but because Harris broke into the news cycle, where images can count more than words, and attempted to position herself as tougher than Joe Biden on the issue. Otherwise, I’m just hearing chunks of her stump speech in response to questions, starting with how her mother raised her. Repetition is important in politics, but if you don’t throw in a few new lines, the press is left without a headline. Meanwhile, Trump over the weekend called Harris “mentally impaired,” saying Biden just got old but she was born that way. He also said Harris should be impeached, and maybe prosecuted, for the way she helped run the country. Now that is classic Trump. By using over-the-top rhetoric, he sparks a media debate about whether he’s gone too far, and that debate revolves around the words “Kamala” and “mentally impaired.”  IN HYPERPARTISAN ENVIRONMENT, MSNBC DRAWING FIRE FOR ANTI-TRUMP, PRO-HARRIS PROGRAMMING Harris has wisely not responded to every Trump jab. But remember, Trump benefits from negative coverage as much as positive coverage because he’s driving the news agenda. Here’s a pool report from Harris at a West Coast political event over the weekend: “She then switched her remarks to talking about the need for comprehensive immigration reform. VP Harris remarks on the issue were very similar to her remarks in Arizona on Friday.” In other words, no news. Think about this: Trump has been absolutely pummeled by a hostile press corps, is a twice-impeached convicted felon and carries the burden of Jan. 6. Harris has been riding an extraordinary wave of positive press, and yet she’s slipped slightly in the polls and is tied in Pennsylvania. And there’s no question that if she loses there, the election is over.

‘Unacceptable’: Rahul Gandhi reacts to Sonam Wangchuk, over 100 Ladakhis detention at Delhi border

Around 120 people from Ladakh, including Wangchuk — who had marched to the national capital demanding Sixth Schedule status for the Union Territory — have been detained by the Delhi Police at the national capital’s border.

‘Terrorism has no place in our world’: PM Modi speaks to Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Middle East crisis

While PM Modi did not mention any specific incident, Israeli strikes in Lebanon last week killed seven high-ranking commanders and officials from the Hezbollah militant group, including the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Biden to visit North Carolina days after Helene’s path of destruction leaves many devastated

President Biden announced on Monday that he will visit North Carolina on Wednesday after Hurricane Helene ravaged the state.  The president’s announcement comes after critics slammed him for a lack of leadership after the monster storm’s devastating impact on the southeastern portion of the country.  More than 120 people have been killed by Helene since the hurricane made landfall in Florida late Thursday before tearing a path of destruction through the interior Southeast. The storm caused millions of power outages and billions in property damage as it smashed through the southern Appalachian Mountains and into the Tennessee Valley.  ASHEVILLE RESIDENTS BATTLING ‘APOCALYPTIC’ AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE HELENE AFTER DEADLY FLOODING, LANDSLIDES While days have passed since the storm struck the region, Biden has not visited the area nor had plans to until now. “On Wednesday, I’ll travel to North Carolina for a briefing at the State Emergency Operations Center and to participate in an aerial tour of Asheville,” Biden said in a post on X. “I’ve ensured my travel will not disrupt the ongoing response. I plan to travel to Georgia and Florida as soon as possible.” But the president’s announcement was followed by harsh criticism from the public, with one person writing, “Joe Biden’s visit is too little, too late.” Another person wrote, “Don’t come to Florida we got hit ground zero. The governor is covering it,” referring to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Still, several people wrote that Biden is only visiting because former President Trump had already gone to areas damaged by Helene. BIDEN GETS DEFENSIVE WHEN PUSHED ON WHO’S ‘COMMANDING’ HURRICANE HELENE RESPONSE Trump stopped in Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday where he was briefed on the devastation left by the storm, but he also assisted with relief distribution and delivered remarks. “I’ve come to Valdosta with large semitrucks, many of them filled with relief aid. A tanker truck filled up with gasoline, a couple of big tanker trucks filled up with gasoline, which they can’t get now. And we’ll be working to distribute it throughout the day,” Trump said. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for more information about the president’s visit to North Carolina this week. HARRIS-TRUMP SHOWDOWN: HURRICANE HELENE IN EYE OF THE CAMPAIGN STORM During a press conference about the federal response to Hurricane Helene on Monday, Biden vowed to visit some of the most devastated areas. At the end of the press conference, he got defensive when a reporter pressed him about who was in command over the weekend to direct hurricane response as he spent the weekend at his Delaware beach home. The reporter yelled as the president walked out of the Roosevelt Room, “Mr. President, why weren’t you and Vice President Harris here in Washington commanding this this weekend?” BIDEN ADMIN’S FEMA ‘EQUITY’ PLAN FACES BACKLASH AMID HISTORIC HURRICANE DAMAGE: ‘WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT’ In response, Biden said he was commanding it, explaining he was on the phone for “at least two hours” on Sunday and the day before. North Carolina and Georgia were among the hardest-hit states. They are also two of the seven key battleground states where razor-thin margins decided Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory over Trump and are expected to determine the outcome of the 2024 showdown between Harris, the Democrat nominee, and Trump. At the start of his remarks during the press briefing earlier in the day, Biden assured that he and his team were “in constant contact with governors, mayors and local leaders” regarding Hurricane Helene.  The president noted that Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell was on the ground in North Carolina and would remain in the Asheville area. Biden also said he directed the Federal Communications Commission to help establish communications capability and the National Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Defense “to provide all the resources at its disposal to rescue and assist in clearing debris and delivering lifesaving supplies.”  So far, more than 3,600 personnel have been approved. Biden has also approved requests from the governors of Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama for an emergency declaration. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

Pentagon sending a ‘few thousand’ personnel to Middle East day after Biden said he wouldn’t add combat troops

The Pentagon announced on Monday that it is sending a “few thousand” U.S. personnel to the Middle East to support Air Force squadrons a day after President Biden vowed not to send combat troops to the region.  Speaking at a press gaggle with reporters on Monday, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said the U.S. was sending a “few thousand” more troops to the Middle East to bolster security and to defend Israel, if needed. Biden gave a firm “no” when asked Sunday if he planned to deploy additional combat troops to the Middle East. This increased presence is to include multiple warplane squadrons, complimenting the F-15s, F-16s, A-10s and F-22s already stationed in the region.  ISRAEL WILL LAUNCH ‘LIMITED’ GROUND INVASION IN LEBANON ‘IMMINENTLY’ US OFFICIAL SAYS The planes were initially supposed to rotate in and replace the squadrons stationed there. Instead, both the current and new squadrons are to remain in place to double the available airpower because of increased tensions in the region and concern that Iran might respond to Israel’s killing of Hezbollah’s leader last week in Lebanon. Singh said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has “increased the readiness of additional U.S. forces to deploy, elevating our preparedness to respond to various contingencies. And DOD (Department of Defense) maintains robust and integrated air-defense capabilities across the Middle East, ensuring the protection of U.S. forces operating in the region.” The few thousand additional personnel are not combat troops but rather maintenance crews and those who can help with the air defense mission and refueling. The additional forces would raise the total number of U.S. personnel in the region to as many as 43,000. The Pentagon’s announcement follows word that Israel has already launched limited raids across its northern border into Lebanon amid an anticipated wider ground invasion. It also follows recent Israeli strikes into Lebanon and the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a significant escalation in the war in the Middle East, this time between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese terrorist organization and proxy of Iran. Israel is also engaged in an ongoing war in the south against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the Palestinian terrorist group sparked the conflict with its bloody incursion into southern Israel in October 2023. Austin announced Sunday he was temporarily extending the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and its embarked air wing in the region. A U.S. official said the extension would be for about a month.  HEZBOLLAH SAYS IT WILL CHOOSE NASRALLAH’S SUCCESSOR ‘AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY’ A second U.S. carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman, sailed from Virginia last week and is en route to Europe. It will head to the Mediterranean Sea and again provide a two-carrier presence in the broader region. It’s not expected to arrive for at least another week. Biden told reporters on Monday, “I’m more aware than you might know” about reports that Israel is planning a limited ground campaign in Lebanon after nearly a year of trading attacks with Hezbollah in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, and he said he wants an immediate cease-fire. When asked about the reports, Biden said he was “comfortable with them stopping” and that “We should have a cease-fire now.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jammu Kashmir Assembly Election 2024: Final phase of voting across 40 seats today, 415 candidates in fray

Over 39.18 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 5,060 polling stations in the final or third phase.

Democrats project images on Trump Tower in New York City ahead of VP debate

FIRST ON FOX – The Democratic National Committee projected images on Trump Tower in New York City on Monday evening, on the eve of the vice presidential debate between former President Trump’s running mate Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. The images being projected by the DNC – which were shared first with Fox News Digital – include an eight-year old critical comment of Trump that Vance wrote on social media. “Vance on Trump: ‘What an idiot’” read the projection, which was a portion of a direct quote from Vance’s 2016 social media post. Vance was a one-time Trump critic when the former president first won the White House. But Vance became a major supporter, and after winning election to the Senate in 2022 with Trump’s support, has become a top Senate ally of the former president and his America First agenda. THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE, AND WHEN OF TUESDAY’S JD VANCE-TIM WALZ VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE  Another projection charges that “Trump is a chicken,” as the DNC continues its attacks on the former president – launched recently on mobile and stationary billboards – for saying he won’t debate Harris a second time.  Trump has said that it’s too late for another debate because early in-person and absentee voting is already underway in a growing number of states across the country.  FOX EXCLUSIVE: POWER OUTAGE DOESN’T SLOW DOWN VANCE’S DEBATE PREP A third projection from the DNC being illuminated on Trump Tower says “Project 2025 HQ.” Project 2025 is a political initiative published by the well-known Heritage Foundation, a top DC-based conservative think-tank. While some of the authors who worked on the initiative – which includes some controversial planks – are veterans of the Trump administration, the former president and his campaign have pushed back vehemently against repeated attempts by Democrats to link him to Project 2025. Another projection from the DNC is less controversial. It merely says “Go Coach Walz!” Walz was a longtime high school teacher and coach in Nebraska and then Minnesota before entering politics. “These projections on Trump Tower NYC are a reminder that Trump and Vance are out for themselves while Trump remains afraid to go back on that debate stage and be held accountable by Vice President Harris for his failed record and his dangerous agenda,” DNC deputy communications director Abhi Rahman argued in a statement. And Rahman predicted that “America will reject their self-serving, extreme Project 2025 plans this November.” This is the second time in a month that the Democrats have projected images on a Trump Tower. The DNC also shined images on Trump Tower in Chicago ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August. Trump Tower in New York City – at the intersection of 5th Avenue and 57th Street – has long been a staple of the Midtown Manhattan skyline for nearly four decades. The commercial and residential tower serves as the headquarters for the Trump organization and was also the nerve center for Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. 

Georgia judge overturns state’s six-week ‘heartbeat’ abortion law, calls it ‘unconstitutional’

A judge in Fulton County, Georgia, has overturned the state’s “Heartbeat Law” on abortion, which made it illegal to terminate a pregnancy after six weeks. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney issued the order on Monday, saying abortions must be regulated the way they were before the “Heartbeat Law” went into effect, meaning abortions could be allowed until the 22-week mark. “The authors of our Constitutions, state and federal, entrusted to future generations a charter protecting the right of all persons to enjoy liberty as we learn its meaning,” McBurney wrote in his final order. “A review of our higher courts’ interpretations of ‘liberty’ demonstrates that liberty in Georgia includes in its meaning, in its protections, and in its bundle of rights the power of a woman to control her own body, to decide what happens to it and in it, and to reject state interference with her healthcare choices. “That power is not, however, unlimited,” the judge added. “When a fetus growing inside a woman reaches viability, when society can assume care and responsibility for that separate life, then – and only then – may society intervene.” GEORGIA SUPREME COURT REJECTS CHALLENGE TO ABORTION LAW McBurney continued, saying a law that prevents abortions after six weeks was inconsistent with those rights as well as the proper balance that a viability rule establishes between a woman’s rights and society’s interests in protecting and caring for unborn infants. He then declared the “Life Act” as “unconstitutional.” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, signed the “Heartbeat” abortion bill, also known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act,” into law in 2019. The law made abortions after the six-week mark illegal. GEORGIA GOV. BRIAN KEMP SIGNS CONTROVERSIAL ‘HEARTBEAT’ BILL INTO LAW There were exceptions written into the law, including rape and incest, as long as a police report was filed. Another exception to the law allowed for abortions after six weeks if the mother’s life was at risk or if a serious medical condition rendered a fetus inviable. The law signed by Kemp was blocked by a federal judge in October 2019 — before it went into effect — and ruled it violated the right to abortion established by Roe. v. Wade in 1973. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, which cleared the way for Georgia’s law on abortion to go into effect. GEORGIA ABORTION LAW: A LOOK BACK AT WHAT HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTION COMPANIES HAVE SAID ABOUT FILMING IN THE STATE McBurney, in November 2022, ruled the law was “unequivocally unconstitutional” because it was enacted in 2019 when Roe v. Wade allowed abortions after six weeks. But in October 2023, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected the ruling in a 6-1 decision, saying McBurney was wrong. “When the United States Supreme Court overrules its own precedent interpreting the United States Constitution, we are then obligated to apply the Court’s new interpretation of the Constitution’s meaning on matters of federal constitutional law,” Justice Verda Colvin wrote for the majority. McBurney’s ruling on Monday stated that the state, county, municipal and other local authorities are “enjoined” from seeking to enforce the six-week abortion law. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

‘Immediately reconvene’: Scott urges Schumer to recall Senate amid Helene’s devastation

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer needs to “immediately reconvene” the upper chamber so it can consider measures to approve FEMA funding in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, Sen. Rick Scott said in a statement today. “While I know from my experience with previous hurricanes that FEMA and SBA damage assessments take time, I am today urging Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to immediately reconvene the U.S. Senate when those assessments are completed so that we can pass the clean supplemental disaster funding bill and other disaster relief legislation, like my Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, needed to ensure the full recovery of families in all impacted communities,” said the Florida Republican. On Saturday night, following Sen. Scott and Sen. Marco Rubio’s letter to President Joe Biden urging his immediate approval of a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Florida, President Biden approved the request. This Major Disaster Declaration approval follows last week’s approval of the State of Florida’s request for a pre-landfall emergency declaration for potentially impacted Florida counties at the request of Senators Scott and Rubio. The interim spending bill approved last week to avoid a government shutdown “anticipated” the possibility of Hurricane Helene ravaging parts of the U.S. So that’s why lawmakers made sure that FEMA could spend down its current reserves more quickly to respond to immediate needs after the storm. Moreover, a senior House Republican source told Fox that “this is why it would have been a bad idea to shut down the government.” BIDEN GETS DEFENSIVE WHEN PUSHED ON WHO’S COMMANDING’ HURRICANE HELENE RESPONSE But earlier today, ahead of Scott’s statement, a senior congressional source familiar with the purse strings conceded that “it would not surprise me” if lawmakers were recalled to Washington to approve additional money to respond to immediate needs because the devastation has been so bad.” “I’m not adverse to that,” said one senior House Republican. “And I would not agree with those who say we’re not coming back.” That said, another senior House Republican told Fox, “We will definitely need to appropriate emergency funds. Western North Carolina is like New Orleans during Katrina.” But the source cautioned that it was doubtful Congress would have to act in the next month. That’s different compared to Congress coming back into an emergency session just days after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast in 2006. One thing to watch in the coming days is whether or not FEMA has enough money in the near-term to respond to the catastrophic impact of Helene. Congress left town without providing enough disaster relief to address “older” natural disasters. In particular, there has been a push to provide more money to address Hurricane Beryl which hit Texas in July. There are also issues responding to tornadoes in Iowa. And there is a longstanding issue with providing enough money to Hawaii after wildfires charred Maui last year.  Some lawmakers wanted the additional disaster aid loaded onto the interim spending bill that Congress approved last week to keep the government open — and then left town through mid-November. However, the temporary spending bill did give FEMA authority to draw down the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) more rapidly. The question is whether the DRF bottoms out after Helene. Or, certainly if there are impacts from other potential storms that may soon churn in the Gulf of Mexico. Fox is told a combination of another storm — coupled with addressing needs following Helene — could bleed the coffers at FEMA. RESCUE MISSIONS UNDERWAY IN NORTH CAROLINA AFTER HURRICANE HELENE BRINGS ‘HISOTIRC’ FLOODING, LANDSLIDES That said, one source familiar with congressional spending indicated that despite the near-apocalyptic nature of Helene, we just don’t know enough yet about the needs. A better sense of things could come later this week. So what happens if FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund dwindles too much? Congress could be recalled to re-load the fund. That happened in the late summer of 2005 following Hurricane Katrina. Congress was out of session during the customary August recess — which often stretches a few days into early September. Several days after Katrina hit, it was clear that the impacts would drain FEMA’s funds quickly. In a dramatic midnight session, then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) recalled the Senate and a skeleton crew to approve the additional aid. The House shortly followed suit. 

Fox News Politics: B-Team Battle

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail.  1 DAY AWAY: Don’t miss the Fox News simulcast of the CBS News Vice Presidential Debate, tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET. Learn more. What’s happening… -Trump and Vance have done significantly more interviews than Harris-Walz -Trump narrowly leading Harris in two swing states -Walz views on single payer health care might come back to bite Harris Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will face off in a vice presidential debate Tuesday evening, with Fox News airing special programming across its key platforms, including the Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital.  Vance and Walz will travel to New York City for their first and only scheduled debate of the election cycle. The debate will be held at 9 p.m. EST. The debate will be moderated by “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell and “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan.  The Fox News Channel, FOX Business Network, Fox News Digital, Fox News Audio and Fox Nation will air special programming of the debate. …Read more ‘NOT WITHDRAWING’: Pentagon finalizes plan to shrink US footprint in Iraq …Read more SUBPOENA: Comer looking to force DHS to share agency’s Walz-China …Read more SCHOOL’S OUT: Congress in recess until after election, leaves these key battles on horizon …Read more BIDEN-HARRIS BLUNDERS: Senate GOP teams up to take on Harris policy pitfalls in pre-election video series …Read more WHO’S MORE ACCESSIBLE?: Trump-Vance have done significantly more interviews than Harris-Walz …Read more NOT SO BLUE ANYMORE: Pa. county voters show how deep the ‘purple’ vote runs in Biden’s old backyard …Read more EARLY VOTING BREAKDOWN: Early voting begins in Nebraska and Washington, DC …Read more CLOSING THE GAP: Trump narrows Harris’ lead in battlegrounds of Michigan, Wisconsin: poll …Read more ‘RECORD IS HIS ENDORSEMENT’: Vulnerable Dem senator still withholding endorsement from Vice President Harris just weeks before crucial election …Read more FLASHBACK: Walz’s past views on government-run health care could come back to haunt Harris campaign …Read more ‘NOT FEELING MY BEST’: Dem rep warns donors Harris campaign ‘underwater’ in Michigan …Read more EYE OF THE STORM: Harris-Trump showdown: Hurricane Helene in eye of the campaign storm …Read more TOSSED OUT: Blue-state governor bucks several of his party’s progressive initiatives …Read more ‘IMPREGNATED HIS KID’S NANNY’: Liberal pundit, VP Harris’ husband slammed for bizarre exchange on reshaping ‘masculinity’ …Read more TERRORIST TAKEDOWN: Hamas leader killed in Lebanon was UNRWA employee …Read more ‘LOST SIGHT’: Nantucket residents tell Supreme Court feds ‘lost sight’ of mission to protect endangered whales amid green new deal push …Read more MOTION TO DISMISS: Embattled mayor refuses to back down as legal team acts to get bribery charge dropped …Read more IMPROPER PEEK: Veterans Affairs staffers reportedly viewed medical records of JD Vance and Tim Walz, prompting probe …Read more GRIM FAREWELL: Single Utah mother, 33, raising money for her own funeral after cancer diagnosis gives her 3 months to live …Read more Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.