July 7, 2026

After besting the USA team, Belgian soccer team trolls Trump by mimicking his hokey dance move:

Trump Is Wasting More of Your Money on Fake Emergencies. Sarah Balskey, et al., of the Washington Post: “The White House sped up construction of a new helipad and related work in anticipation of an 'upcoming state visit,' requiring crews to work around-the-clock and driving the cost up by $875,000, according to a contractor’s records obtained by The Washington Post. The $13 million project also includes work on the nearby South Portico and an adjacent portion of the White House driveway, which will be retopped with white stone, the contracting records show. Workers have been on-site since last Monday, when construction on the helipad got underway....”

Bayliss Wagner of the New York Times: “Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont urged Graham Platner on Tuesday to withdraw from the Maine Senate race, becoming the most prominent early supporter of the Democratic nominee to push for his departure after a rape accusation. 'I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine,' Mr. Sanders said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon. 'In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.' Mr. Sanders, a progressive independent who often caucuses with the Democrats, had defended Mr. Platner throughout prior scandals in his campaign.” Politico's story is here.

Ben Binday, et al., of the Washington Post: “Several of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s Republican colleagues and allies said on Tuesday that they’ve spoken with him by phone, offering the fullest picture yet of the hospitalized Kentucky Republican’s condition after more than three weeks in which he has not been seen publicly and his office has said little. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) spoke with McConnell on Monday, and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) talked with him Tuesday, their offices said. McConnell ally Scott Jennings said on social media that he, too, had talked with the senator, who remains in the hospital.” Politico has an item here.

Rebecca Beitsch of the Hill: “More than 1,200 former Department of Justice (DOJ) employees encouraged the Senate to reject acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to take on the role permanently, writing in a Tuesday letter that he has been 'demonizing career employees.' 'In the coming weeks, many will rightly underscore the corruption and abuses that have defined the Justice Department under Todd Blanche’s leadership: the vindictive prosecutions and investigations of the President’s foes; the deals designed to reward lawbreakers with taxpayer dollars; the erasure of accountability for January 6; the mishandling of the Epstein files; and the denigration of judges and repeated violations of their orders,' the former employees wrote in a letter organized by Justice Connection, a DOJ alumni group.... While such letters are common while a nominee is pending, it’s unusual for them to gain such a large number of signatures. The effort comes as Blanche is set to appear for his confirmation hearing next week.”

Zachary Small of the New York Times: “In a scathing report by the White House that accuses the Smithsonian of downplaying the role of the country’s founders while pursuing 'extreme political activism,' the historian Anthea M. Hartig is mentioned nearly 230 times. It says she spreads 'radical activist ideology.'... Ms. Hartig, who has been the director of the National Museum of American History since 2019, has commissioned exhibitions that go beyond highlighting the accomplishments of presidents. They document the lived experiences of ordinary people, sometimes focusing on race, sexuality and colonialism. Her work seems to have infuriated the White House.... Many historians have come to her defense, however, arguing that the White House was using its own ideological lens to accuse the Smithsonian of being unpatriotic while presenting things out of context for shock value.” See also Ken W.'s comments below.

U.K. Hugh Leask of CNBC: “Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s right-wing Reform UK party, announced Tuesday that he will step down from parliament to fight a 'people versus the establishment' special election. Farage — an ally of ... Donald Trump and a high-profile figure in British politics — resigned as a lawmaker amid growing criticism of his financial arrangements. Farage has been subject to an investigation by the U.K. Parliament’s standards commissioner since May, after he failed to declare a £5 million ($6.7 million) gift from Christopher Harborne, a cryptocurrency investor and Reform party donor, before his election to parliament in 2024. At the weekend, The Sunday Times reported that the Reform leader also received financial support from George Cottrell, a political ally who was convicted of wire fraud in the U.S. in 2017. In a statement Tuesday, Farage said parliamentary standards were being used as 'a political tool' against him, adding that the voters of his constituency, Clacton, 'should be the judges.'” MB: Odd, innit?, how all these wingers have such shady, no-good friends.

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Marie's Sports Page. The End of Another Trump Fiasco. Paul Tenorio, et al., of the New York Times' Athletic: The U.S. World Cup men's team's chance “is over, and definitively at that. Despite playing with forward Folarin Balogun — who became the center of a controversy when he was given a reprieve by FIFA from his red-card suspension, with ... Donald J. Trump weighing in — the U.S. saw its dreamy run end in a 4-1 loss to Belgium at Lumen Field. The Americans played sloppy and ugly soccer in the first half, and Belgium overwhelmed the home side.” The AP's report is here. MB: C'mon, Donald. Aren't you going to ask for a do-over?

Adam Crafton of the (NYT) Athletic: “FIFA has dismissed Belgium’s challenge over the eligibility of Folarin Balogun after world soccer’s governing body decided to suspend his one-game ban ahead of the World Cup round-of-16 match with the United States. Despite being dismissed against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the USMNT striker is available to face Belgium in Seattle on Monday night after an intervention involving ... Donald Trump, government officials, U.S. Soccer and an extensive legal team.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Sophia Cai of Politico has the backstory on how the White House engineered the suspension of the red card. Andrew Giuliani, who is Trump's point man on the World Cup, “Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and senior U.S. Soccer Federation officials — all of whom had watched the Bosnia match in person at Levi’s Stadium near San Francisco — began activating plans to challenge the referee’s on-field decision to issue a red card. Successful appeals of World Cup red cards are exceedingly rare. That kicked off four days of coordinated lobbying, legal maneuvering and diplomacy that stretched from the Oval Office to FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich — and underscored how invested Trump’s inner circle had become in the second World Cup hosted on U.S. soil and the fortune of the U.S. men’s national team competing in it.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Marie: Here's another quintessential Trumpy part of the story. ESPN: "Trump said he didn't initially know what a red card was or what its consequences were. When he found out that it could keep Balogun out of Monday's match against Belgium, Trump said he felt compelled to intervene. At the same time, Trump cast aspersions on the referee. Watching Trump's first public explanation of how he created this fiasco is a short course in Trumpian excuses, braggadocio & criticizing others (particularly his predecessors). Trump said, "I'm a person that loves sports and was a good athlete, and I understand sports really well -- really well -- and that wasn't a foul." He just has to boast about himself. And he said of the ref, "this referee, who is a little bit suspect if you check his past.... But very suspect. If you'd like, I'll provide you with the past." Here's the video of Trump's remarks. So, in the world according to Trump, even though he had no idea what a red card signified, he was a good athlete so he understands sports very well, AND the referee has a shady past. ~~~

     ~~~ It may be that Trump -- whose memory is shot -- didn't remember what a red card was. But that's not because he wasn't schooled in the meaning of the penality. Sophia Cai of Politico“... FIFA President Gianni Infantino actually gave him a lesson on soccer’s disciplinary system during a 2018 Oval Office meeting after the United States secured the right to co-host the 2026 World Cup.” It was a show-and-tell in which Infantino not old told Trump how yellow and red cards were used, he showed him the cards and gave him a red card to use against the media, ha ha. ~~~

~~~ Paul Waldman: “We went from 'Trump is going to ruin the World Cup' to 'Not even Trump can ruin the World Cup,' and unfortunately, now we’ve come around to 'Trump is ruining the World Cup.'” Thanks to Ken W. for the link. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ Heather Cox Richardson equates Trump's World Cup interference with the GOP's “One Big Beautiful Bill”: “The president of the United States pressuring the president of FIFA to change the rules for his favored player perfectly represents the way Trump thinks about the rule of law in the United States. And the rejection of a level playing field shows in the way Trump and the Republicans have skewed the U.S economy so only their team can win. Almost exactly a year ago, on July 4, 2025, Trump signed into law what he called the 'One Big Beautiful Bill.' It passed both the House and the Senate without a single Democratic vote.... As Shannon Pettypiece and Mike Hixenbaugh of NBC News reported on July 1, there was a “seismic shift” at the heart of the new law: it extended about $4.5 trillion in tax cuts to corporations and wealthy Americans over ten years while cutting about $1.1 trillion from healthcare and food assistance programs that serve poor and working-class Americans. It also adds about $4.7 trillion to the national debt over the next ten years.”

Jeanna Smialek & Ali Watkins of the New York Times: “Tensions between the United States and Europe took a new turn on Monday as Belgian officials and European soccer figures expressed outrage over the reinstatement of a banned American player before an evening World Cup game against Belgium. The trans-Atlantic relationship had already been under strain for much of the past year and a half, and is poised to face another test just this week as leaders head to Turkey for a closely watched NATO summit. Now many in Europe are also outraged over what they see as the American president’s meddling in soccer.... [Donald] Trump started 2026 with threats to take over Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO member, a move that rattled the foundations of the alliance. He has also assailed European leaders over the war in Iran, saying they have not supported the United States in that conflict. His administration has threatened to draw down troops stationed in Europe, which are seen as a critical deterrent to Russia, and he has lashed out at countries he says aren’t spending enough on their militaries.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

~~~ He's Just a Petty Little Mean Girl. Michael Birnbaum & Ellen Francis of the Washington Post: “... the president by now is ... well acquainted with the theatrics of NATO gatherings, reveling, according to his associates, in the drama of threatening fellow leaders and watching them scramble to keep him happy. The strains increase every year, with Trump’s popularity sinking in Europe after he threatened to seize Greenland in January and sent energy prices spiking with his attack on Iran.” (Also linked yesterday.)

RAS is concerned(^TM-Collins) that "somebody"is about to be indicted for attacking the Reflecting Pool again. RAS has linked to one picture. (Also linked yesterday.) Here's another of some of the fireworks debris park employees (or maybe National Guard?) have fished out of the Pool:

Joe Jervis republishes a portion of a Reuters report: “The US Coast Guard said 'politically charged' messages led to the removal of an environmental group’s vessel from a fleet of sailing ships gathered in New York on Saturday to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary. A ship owned by the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater environmental organization was forced out of the Sail4th 250 parade in New York Harbor, the Coast Guard said in a statement emailed to Reuters. The ship had banners that read, 'Save the Clean Water Act' and 'Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, Climate Solutions.' Participants in the event had agreed to refrain from displaying political or politically charged messages or statements, according to the Coast Guard, which said it enforced the agreement on behalf of Sail4th. 'The owner of the sloop Clearwater was contacted and requested to remove the message being displayed or be removed from the parade of sail,' the Coast Guard said. 'They declined to remove it.'” Thanks to RAS for the link. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Update. Jeff Simms & Brian Cronin of the Highlands (Hudson Valley) Current: “... Clearwater Executive Director David Toman ... said crew members were not immediately told why they were being removed from the parade, and a quick call to organizers provided little clarity. 'They told us they were unaware of this and that the decision was being made above their heads,' said Toman. It was only later that someone from one of the Coast Guard vessels told Clearwater Capt. Rory Kane that it was because of the ship’s banners, Toman said.... Toman [-- whose organization had been part of the planning of the event from the beginning --] said that no such restrictions [of political messaging] existed, only that ships were instructed not to carry banners that could be considered 'promotional.'.... Jen Benson of Clearwater, who was on the sloop, said there was no communication from either Sail250 or the Coast Guard regarding the banners. 'We were not given an option to remove the banners and continue in the parade,' she said.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: I suppose we'll never get to the bottom of Sail4thGate, but my guess is that some Stephen Miller-type ghoul was appalled by the Clearwater's messaging and lowered the boom, so to speak.

Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan of the New York Times: “The inside story of the fight for control of the Smithsonian underscores how Mr. Trump has tried, with varying degrees of success, to impose his own view of American history, erase 'wokeness,' influence which artists are worthy of exhibits and oust top leaders of the institution.... This account of the backstage battle is drawn from reporting for the book 'Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump,' and is based on documents and interviews with a wide range of people....”

The [White House] report represents an attempt to turn back the clock to a time when U.S. history was taught as the history of white Christian men who conquered a continent, U.S. military leaders who rarely lost a battle and U.S. presidents who were single-handedly responsible for national greatness, all under the cover of ‘anti-D.E.I.’ and ‘anti-woke’ crusading, -- Organization of American Historians, in a statement ~~~

~~~ History Professors Flunk Trump. Jennifer Schuessler of the New York Times: “On July 4, the White House posted a lengthy report condemning the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, accusing it of promoting 'extreme ideological activism' while denigrating the nation’s founders and its founding.... The Organization of American Historians, the nation’s largest group of scholars of U.S. history, blasted the report in a statement on Monday, accusing the administration of presenting a partisan ideological attack in the guise of historical critique. 'The National Museum of American History interprets America’s history through its vast collection,' it said. 'This report’s objective is to punish it for doing that in a way that makes U.S. history accessible to and reflective of all Americans. The report is only the latest chapter in a broader, systematic campaign that now targets an institution that was never meant to answer to any single administration.' The group accused the administration of ignoring decades of scholarship and trying to 'erase the conflict, struggle and diversity — the complexity — that have always defined the American experience.'” ~~~

     ~~~ Philip Kennicott of the Washington Post: “More than a year after ... Donald Trump announced his intention to rewrite history at the Smithsonian, the administration has issued a lengthy, 160-page report, with more than 500 footnotes, on its flagship museum. Drafted by the White House’s Domestic Policy Council, the document tries to demonstrate how 'ideological capture' at the National Museum of American History 'Erases Our Heritage.' And at every turn, it proves the opposite, while scrubbing American history of everything that doesn’t fit officials’ feel-good narrative of a country only incidentally marred by imperfections, all of which are safely in our past.... Just follow the footnotes, and you quickly realize this is a relentlessly tendentious piece of trash.... This is an opening salvo in a campaign not just to take over the Smithsonian, but to problematize the possibility of history. The standard isn’t truth, or documentary evidence. Rather, it is conformity with a single, happy narrative of American exceptionalism.” Kennicott likens the Trump report to “the Nazi effort to rewrite German history and culture, the 1937 Degenerate Art exhibition in Munich....”

Kim Bhasin of the New York Times: “Walmart announced Monday it was cutting prices of beef and other products, which ... [Donald] Trump tried to take credit for shortly after the company announced the cuts. Walmart did not mention him or his administration in its press release. 'I have just been informed that one of the biggest, best, and smartest retailers in America, Walmart, will be lowering prices, by a lot, at my administration’s request to celebrate our great country’s 250th birthday,' Mr. Trump posted on social media.”

Paul Krugman: Trump's pump and dump scheme in which he made millions is part of a larger crooked business: "It should have been obvious from the beginning that the coin was inherently worthless, and at this point it essentially is worthless. It has lost 97 percent of its value. But a lot of people did buy in at the high prices.... I didn’t think there were that many suckers out there.... What we’re witnessing is or has been a really enormous pump and dump scheme, I would argue, involving more or less all of crypto.... /span>Bitcoin was introduced in 2009 — this is a seventeen year old idea which has yet to find any legitimate use cases. Illegitimate use cases, yes.

Hannah Knowles & Mariana Alfaro of the Washington Post: “One year after Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill tightened eligibility for food aid and pushed states to do more screening, Arizona is a striking example of how those changes — and the bureaucratic fallout — may have hurt Americans who qualified for aid. The number of Arizonans on food stamps has plummeted by half — a loss of nearly 500,000 people, including about 200,000 children, according to the latest available state data. Federal officials praised Arizona last month for carrying out the president’s sweeping changes to the social safety net, declaring the state was 'leading the way' in directing benefits to the right people and reducing 'waste, fraud and abuse.' But many tracking SNAP enrollment say Arizona’s steep drop-off is instead a sign that the system is broken.” The law has incentivized states to add reams of paperwork to applications for assistance, even when they don't have staff to analyze the paperwork they've demanded.

Catie Edmondson of the New York Times: “Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the former majority leader, was hospitalized on June 14. Since then, his office has provided few updates about his condition. The scant official statements have led to speculation around Washington and efforts to piece together information on what happened. Here’s what we know about the situation.... The day after Mr. McConnell was hospitalized, the Senate’s two top Republicans, Senators John Thune of South Dakota, the majority leader, and John Barrasso of Wyoming, the whip, both told reporters that they had spoken to the senator. Mr. McConnell is 'clearly dialed into what’s going on,' Mr. Thune said at the Capitol. 'He’s following the stuff we’re doing this week up here. Very much so.'” ~~~

     ~~~ Marie: On the other hand, if you prefer to believe left-wing podcasters, David Pakman says he has "sources" who told him that McConnell has been unconscious since before he was taken to the hospital. AND Jennifer Bendery of the Huffington Post, who seems to be quite a reliable reporter, writes, "A spokesperson for Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would not say Monday whether he is conscious in the hospital, where he's been since June 14 after someone at his house was reportedly found unconscious and received CPR for cardiac arrest." I'm gullible, so I'm going to believe Thune for now. But this could very well be another case where my trust in a public official is entirely unwarranted.

Todd Wallack of the Washington Post: “College scholarships aimed at students of color, women and others are becoming less common in the face of lawsuits, legal complaints and pressure from the Trump administration.... Scholarships are generally not being eliminated, but organizations are instead opening them up to people of any race or gender and using other qualifications to help underrepresented groups, said Jackie Bright, president of the National Scholarship Providers Association.... For instance, some providers are aiming scholarships toward low-income students or those who are the first in their families to go to college.”

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Maine Senate Race. Jessica Piper & Adam Wren of Politico: “A woman who dated Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner says he forced her to have sex with him nearly five years ago despite her repeated objections, an allegation Platner denies. The woman, a 41-year-old Maine resident named Jenny Racicot, detailed the alleged incident to Politico in three interviews over the past two weeks. Politico also spoke with a man Racicot dated and confided in the years after the alleged incident, and reviewed documents, including emails between Racicot and her therapist and messages between Racicot and an acquaintance whom she warned against getting involved with Platner years before he ran for office. Racicot said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner, who is now the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, for more than two years before he entered her rural Maine home uninvited one night in late 2021, deeply intoxicated, and forced himself on her while she repeatedly told him to stop. She said she cut off contact with him after telling him the encounter was not consensual.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Andrew Howard of Politico: “Maine U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Graham Platner said Monday he is 'taking the time to reflect on the best path forward' for his candidacy minutes after Politico reported that a woman who dated him said he forced her to have sex with him. Platner denied the allegation, but he said in a roughly two-minute video posted to social media on Monday that he is 'mindful of the political reality' the reporting 'will inflict.'... It’s the first time that Platner — despite a series of scandals ranging from controversial online posts to earlier accusations about his behavior with women to a tattoo with Nazi ties — has indicated he was considering exiting the race.” (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~

     ~~~ Andrew Howard of Politico: “The leaders of Maine’s Democratic Party are calling on Senate candidate Graham Platner to withdraw from the race.... Their call for Platner’s exit is notable, given the state party has the ability to replace him on the ballot, should he choose to drop out before the July 13 deadline outlined in Maine law. Leaders would then need to select his replacement by July 27.” (Also linked yesterday.)~~~

     ~~~ Andrew Howard of Politico: “Rep. Ro Khanna and Sen. Ruben Gallego rescinded their support of Graham Platner on Monday, with Khanna additionally calling for the Democratic nominee to drop out of the Maine Senate race. It’s a significant reversal from two formerly staunch Democratic defenders of Platner....” (Also linked yesterday.)~~~

     ~~~ Lisa Lerer & Katie Glueck of the New York Times: “A month after he captured the Democratic Senate nomination in Maine with a fiery populist message, Graham Platner was facing mounting pressure to leave the race after a woman accused him of rape. The calls for his withdrawal came in rapid-fire succession, from liberal activists who had championed his bid online, crucial early endorsers and the highest-ranking figures in his party. By Tuesday morning, it was clear the party had turned against him. Officials from the Democratic Senate campaign arm and an aligned super PAC — the most powerful engines of the party’s infrastructure — urged him to withdraw, and top party leaders in Maine called on him to abandon his bid.” ~~~

     ~~~ Yesterday, the New York Times liveblogged developments. From the pinned item at 7:00 pm ET Monday: “It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Platner intended to continue his campaign against Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican.... [Jenny Racicot] told The New York Times this spring about a 2021 incident in which she said he arrived at her house drunk after she had asked him not to come over. At the time, she declined to share further details of that encounter on the record, but she said she found his behavior 'reckless' and 'unsettling,' and cut off contact soon after that episode.... Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who had been one of Platner’s most vocal supporters, called on Platner to drop out of his Senate race.... 'These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement,' [Mr. Khanna said].... State Senator Mattie Daughtry, a Democrat and the president of the Maine Senate, said in a statement that Mr. Platner should exit the race.... Senator Collins, who is seen as one of the most vulnerable incumbent Republicans in the Senate, said in a statement that the 'allegations are appalling.'” (Also linked yesterday.) ;~~~

~~~ Reid Epstein of the New York Times: “Maine law does not dictate what process the state Democratic Party would use to replace Mr. Platner should he step aside, according to Kate McBrien, the chief of staff to Shenna Bellows, Maine’s secretary of state. The chairman of the Maine Democratic Party, Charles Dingman, and other Maine Democratic Party leaders posted a statement on social media calling on Mr. Platner to quit the race.... Top Maine Democratic Party officials have discussed possible plans to replace Mr. Platner on the ballot, with options including a pop-up convention on the weekend of July 25 to choose a nominee, or holding a statewide caucus to effectively redo the party’s primary election.... Should Mr. Platner withdraw by next Monday, the leading candidates to replace him could potentially include the Democrats who ran for governor and did not win the primary. They include Ms. Bellows, Troy Jackson, a former president of the Maine Senate, and Nirav Shah, a former director of Maine’s public health agency. Jordan Wood, who lost a primary for a House district covering northern Maine, is also a potential candidate.” ~~~

      ~~~ Marie: Whomever Democratic Mainers may choose to replace Platner, it should be somebody who wears nice, well-ironed clothes. In reacting to the last Platner reveal a few weeks ago, akaWendy & I disagreed about Platner's fitness for office, based at least partially on his careless wardrobe, as I recall. Well, Wendy was right & I was wrong. ~~~

~~~ Marcy Wheeler: "Meanwhile, a bunch of right wing hypocrites who would not make the same decision are suggesting that Democrats ignore misconduct. That includes people who slavishly support Donald Trump — even when he betrays their signature issues, like hawkishness on China, in Tom Cotton’s case — who voted to confirm a drunk with extremist tattoos, serial infidelity, and a hush payment to cover up alleged rape, who also bankrupted a series of small non-profits — to head the largest military in the world.... As we speak the leader of the Republican Party, who has bilked loyal followers to the tune of billions, is refusing to pay the $5 million, plus interest, he owes E Jean Carroll of sexually assaulting her in a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room, and then lying about it. Now is a good time to demand that Whiskey Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump resign along with Graham Platner." ~~~

~~~ Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times: “Hopefully, by the time you read this, Graham Platner will have dropped out of the Senate race in Maine. If he hasn’t, he needs to, immediately. His campaign, which started with such excitement and inspired so many people in Maine, has become a shameful catastrophe. What’s left — besides finding a Democrat to run in his place — is figuring out what, if anything, can be learned from this debacle.... Most at fault, of course, is Platner himself.... Maine Democrats ... went out on a limb for [Platner], and he had every reason to know it was going to be sawed off.... Also liable for this disaster are the progressive operatives who recruited Platner and were so infatuated with his identity — a gruff, handsome oysterman with social democratic politics — that they failed to do their due diligence....

“This fiasco might seem to vindicate the establishment that Platner railed against, but Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, who wanted to stop Platner, is also partly culpable here. Schumer badly misread the Democratic electorate and tried to clear the field for his preferred candidate, Maine’s 78-year-old governor, Janet Mills, leaving a vacuum that Platner filled.” Update: the link has been changed to one that appears to be a gift link.

     ~~~ Marie: One lesson Goldberg doesn't mention is a lesson many women have learned the hard way: beware of sweet-talking men. Sure, a few of those men turn out to be Barack Obama, but the majority are probably more like Graham Platner. Applicable here: the old saw that if he seems to good to be true, he probably is. These guys develop their charm or charisma to cover up their faults.  

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China. Cate Cadell of the Washington Post: “China fired a long-range missile from a nuclear-powered submarine deep into the Pacific Ocean on Monday, its first known demonstration of a sea-based strategic nuclear strike capability, raising alarm among U.S. allies. Countries in the region, including Japan, Australia and New Zealand, were notified shortly before the test, in which a missile carrying a dummy warhead was launched at 12:01 p.m. Beijing time, according to Chinese officials and state media. It was not immediately clear whether the Chinese government also notified the United States ahead of time.” (Also linked yesterday.)

Iran War. Eric Schmitt & Qasim Nauman of the New York Times: “Strikes on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz presented another test of the fragile cease-fire between the United States and Iran, as ... [Donald] Trump flew on Tuesday to a NATO summit where discussions about the war were expected. Iranian missiles hit two ships in the strait, but there were no casualties, a U.S. official said late Monday Eastern time.” ~~~

~~~ Jon Gambrell of the AP: “A tanker traveling off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz caught on fire early Tuesday morning after being struck by a projectile, the British military said. The attack was the latest targeting a vessel moving through the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.... Iranian state television said the liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings but did not directly claim the assault. Tehran has repeatedly declared that only its approved route through the strait is safe and is suspected of attacking other ships that have used another route close to the Omani shore.”