Trump to attend Al Smith dinner in New York; Harris rallies in Wisconsin after combative Fox interview: Live updates
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Donald Trump has reacted in gloating fashion to rival Kamala Harris’s tense interview with Fox News’s Bret Baier, in which the Democrat clashed with the host on illegal immigration, Joe Biden and the threat posed by Trump himself.
The Republican declared on Truth Social that Harris “is barely able to talk about any subject other than me”, called her “totally incompetent” and praised Baier for doing a “great job”.
Trump himself struggled badly on Wednesday in a town hall with Univision as he sought to appeal to Latino voters, faltering when challenged on such issues as the Capitol riot, the coronavirus, gun control, climate change and his lie about Haitian migrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow has meanwhile reported that Trump is again attempting to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels over the affair she alleges she had with him in 2006, the subject of his recent hush money trial at which he was found guilty on all 34 counts relating to the falsification of business records.
Harris is campaigning in the crucial swing state of Wisconsin today and skipping the traditional Al Smith Catholic charity dinner in New York — Trump is attending.
Trump announces town hall in Lancaster, PA, and rally in Greenville, NC
The Trump campaign has announced a pair of new battleground state events, with Donald Trump set to hold a town hall in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on Sunday at 5pm, and a rally in Greenville, North Carolina, at 3pm on Monday.
The Greenville event will be held on the campus of East Carolina University, close to where Kamala Harris held a rally at a church on Sunday.
Oliver O’Connell17 October 2024 18:22
Consumers step up spending as US economy makes healthy gains
Americans stepped up their purchases at retailers last month as low unemployment, steady pay gains and rising stock and home values helped sustain their willingness to spend despite higher prices.
Retail sales rose 0.4% from August to September, the Commerce Department said Thursday, up from 0.1% the previous month and the third straight increase. Online retailers, restaurants, and grocery stores all reported higher sales.
Sales at gas stations fell, because of lower pump prices. The retail sales figures aren’t adjusted for inflation, and the prices of goods fell slightly last month.
With the presidential election in its final weeks, Thursday’s figures provided the latest sign that household spending is fueling a steady economic expansion even while inflation has cooled.
Parents, teachers, faith leaders sue Oklahoma over Bibles in class mandate
The only Bible that fit the original parameters of the mandate, was — surprise, surprise — the Donald Trump-endorsed “God Bless the USA Bible”.
Oliver O’Connell17 October 2024 18:00
Trump claims Haitian migrants are eating other things ‘that they’re not supposed to’
Donald Trump has refused to admit he falsely accused Haitian immigrants of eating peoples’ pets as he doubled down on his statements during a Univision town hall Wednesday with undecided Latino voters.
The former president was asked by a Spanish-speaking audience member whether he actually believed what he said about migrants in Springfield, Ohio. Trump responded by saying that he was “just saying what was reported.”
Oliver O’Connell17 October 2024 17:50
Walz set for first appearance on ‘The View’
In addition to sitting down with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show on Monday,Variety reports that Tim Walz will also appear on ABC’s The View, as Vice President Kamala Harris did on October 8.
It will be the Minnesota governor’s first time on the flagship morning talk show.
Harris’s appearance drew an audience of 3.143 million viewers when she was interviewed by hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and Ana Navarro.
Oliver O’Connell17 October 2024 17:40
Watch LIVE: JD Vance campaigns in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Oliver O’Connell17 October 2024 17:35
ICYMI: Trump tries to strike another hush money deal with Stormy Daniels ahead of election
The former president’s attorneys allegedly sent Daniels an offer where the amount she owed him over a defamation suit would be lowered if she agreed not to make “defamatory or disparaging statements” about him.
The details were revealed in a special report by MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, who obtained calls, documents and emails about the deal.
James Liddell reports for The Independent.
Oliver O’Connell17 October 2024 17:30
Rapper Common to campaign with Walz in North Carolina
The rapper and activist Common will join vice presidential nominee Tim Walz on the campaign trail in Winston-Salem, North Carolina later today.
“Together, Governor Walz and Common will speak directly to North Carolinians about the power of their voice and their vote and encourage voters across the state to get to the polls and cast their vote ahead of the November 5th election,” the campaign said.
Common performed at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August.
Walz is scheduled to appear at 6.30pm this evening as part of a swing through the battleground state that would be an important pick up for Democrats who haven’t carried North Carolina since 2008.
He will also campaign in Durham at 2.30pm.
Oliver O’Connell17 October 2024 17:22
Trump turns on Fox News (again) saying if he wins it’s ‘DESPITE Fox, not because of them!’
If you thought that Donald Trump fawning over Bret Baier for his “tough but fair” interview with Kamala Harris would go some way to repairing the sometimes fractious nature of the relationship between Fox News and the former president, then apparently you would be wrong.
Just like on Sunday, hours after his hour-long interview with Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, Trump is back to bashing the Rupert Murdoch-owned network’s terrible habit of having guests who oppose him or who don’t sing his praises…
Here’s how the former president voiced his displeasure on Truth Social a few moments ago:
Why does Suzanne Scott of FoxNews keep putting on third rate “talking heads” like Jessica Tarlov, Richard Fowler, Patrick Murphy, “something” Wolf, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and other Radical Left Lunatics that lie, and make up statements, with Fox, rarely having any counter to their storytelling? It is so bad for winning the Most Important Election in the History of our Country. Likewise, not a moment goes by when I’m not looking at negative, false Ads that the other camp stuffs the Fox airwaves with. If I win and, I hope for the Country’s sake that I do, and this Radical Left Moron, Kamala, doesn’t get a chance to run the Country, it is DESPITE Fox, not because of them!
Oliver O’Connell17 October 2024 17:18
Watch: Trump blames Zelensky for war in Ukraine, claims Biden instigated it
Apparently, Vladimir Putin ordering an invasion of Ukraine had nothing to do with it.
Oliver O’Connell17 October 2024 17:10
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