Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, October 12, 2020

The Democrats are desperate. In the vice presidential debate, Kamala Harris promoted a delusional sense of peace with China, describing Obama’s policy to empower China to grow strong and aggressive as the means of peace, blaming China’s aggression on Trump’s policy to disrupt China’s decade of aggression. From Harris’s perspective, time travel would be necessary because she blames Trump’s enforcement of basic respect for China having built military islands and aircraft carriers during the Obama years, which are now used to threaten war against any country not accepting Chinese Communist censorship of free speech. Perhaps she doesn’t think China has been bullying its neighbors; or perhaps she knows, but she thinks the American voters don’t know yet.

Talking as if we all need to “get along” to solve the problem of a sinking ship seems wise to people who don’t know their ship is sinking. Such are Kamala Harris’s arguments, along with other Democrats.

Gretchen Whitmer, who was tipped off to a kidnapping plot by the FBI—under the Trump administration—acted indignant, almost as if she believed Trump himself had planned the kidnapping. Regardless of how credible her response wasn’t, it is not the response of a party that believes it is winning the numbers for an approaching election. If Whitmer believed Democrats were winning, they would have said something different.

Democratic leaders and candidates are resorting to emotional appeals in their public statements. This is the most convincing indication that Democrats themselves believe they are facing a major loss in November.

Russianewsgategate

After Trump criticism, Pompeo says he will release Clinton emails // CNN

US attorney tapped by Barr to review process of ‘unmasking’ resigns from DOJ // Fox News

Trump

Bob Dole claims no Republicans on debate commission support Trump // The Hill

Election

Vice Presidential Debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris // YouTube @ C-SPAN

Biden says voters don’t deserve to know his stance on packing Supreme Court // Fox News

South Carolina Senate debate scrapped after Harrison calls for Graham to get COVID-19 test // The Hill

U.S.-China relations will ‘reset’ if Biden wins election: Max Baucus // CNBC

Analysis: Hits and misses from the vice presidential debate // CNN

Taylor Swift endorses Joe Biden for president: ‘The change we need most’ // Yahoo News

Biden receives a nationally televised, hourlong infomercial // Politico

Opinion: Kamala Harris faces unique challenges in the VP debate // CNN

Rudy Giuliani’s cough kept interrupting him while he tried to attack Biden on Fox News // Yahoo News

US election: Joe Biden unlikely to give Boris Johnson ‘warm, welcoming embrace’ says former ambassador // Independent

New Senate map shows Republicans are increasingly vulnerable // NBC News

Law

Photos: Inside Amy Coney Barrett’s White House reception // CNN

White House

2 more White House residence staff tested positive for the coronavirus // NBC News

Trump press secretary Kayleigh McEnany tests positive for coronavirus // CNBC

Stephen Miller: Top White House aide tests positive for Covid-19 // CNN

Rank & Defense

US Marine Corps assistant commandant tests positive for Covid-19 // CNN

Top military leaders quarantining after Coast Guard admiral tests positive // CBS News

All but one of military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff quarantine after admiral tests positive // NBC News

Washington as Usual

State & Local

FBI busts militia ‘plot’ to abduct Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer // BBC News

Condescending, no ‘thank you’ for FBI who discovered it
Gov. Whitmer issues scathing rebuke to Trump // CNN

FBI uncovers plot to kidnap Michigan governor: Live updates // CNN

Democrats

Democrats unveil bill creating panel to gauge president’s ‘capacity’ // The Hill

Republicans

Stretch: It was worse in his first election
Republicans are finally ready to diss Don // Politico

Soc Media, Cybersecurity & Tech

SpaceX’s Starman and Elon Musk’s Tesla just made their 1st Mars flyby // Space.com

House antitrust committee: Facebook ‘monopoly’ buys, kills competitors // CNBC

Big tech blows a collective raspberry at the House’s antitrust report // TechCrunch

Science, Weather & Health

Chris Christie remains hospitalized with COVID-19 in New Jersey // NY Post

NATO Focus

Russian space corporation unveils planned ‘Amur’ rocket—and it looks familiar // Ars Technica

Standard