Putin coup fails, Bobby Kennedy gains, Christie explains Trump's weight

The David Pakman Show - June 26, 2023

Jun 26, 2023

This installment of The David Pakman Show newsletter is free for everyone. I send these emails daily. If you would also like to receive it, join the newsletter today.
Note: This is totally separate from website Membership and does not affect your website Membership in any way.

Trump glitches badly, suggests more crimes at insane speech

During a recent speech in Washington DC, former President Donald Trump announced his intention to deny entry to the United States for communists and Marxists if he were to be reelected. Critics question the legality of such a proposal, citing potential violations of the First Amendment and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. That’s because political beliefs, such as communism and Marxism, are protected under freedom of speech unless advocating for violence or other extreme circumstances. Moreover, there would be tremendous practical challenges in screening and monitoring individuals' political beliefs at the border, given the diverse interpretations and branches within these ideologies. Trump also reiterated his desire to reinstate the ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, which garnered applause from the crowd. Clearly, this topic is about appealing to the right-wing culture war rather than making sensible policy, since men and women are already allowed to serve, so it makes no sense to ban transgender individuals. Later in the speech, Trump played his greatest hits by going through his typical list of grievances. The longer the 2024 campaign goes on, the more authoritarian Trump seems to be getting with his policy ideas.

Chris Christie explains that Trump is fat to Fox News audience

In the ongoing feud between Republican presidential candidates Chris Christie and Donald Trump, Christie is defending himself against Trump's attacks on his weight, dismissing them as childish bullying and emphasizing that weight should not determine one's qualifications for office. In an interview on Fox News, Christie said, “There are tens of millions of Americans out in your audience watching right now who, like me, have struggled with their weight. I continue to struggle. I continue to try to do better, and so do they. And what's that got to do with my competence for office?” Christie then highlighted his tenure as the governor of New Jersey, pointing out his accomplishments and urging Trump to focus on more important issues. By addressing the weight issue, Christie aims to neutralize it and shift the conversation to more substantial topics. Unfortunately, Trump and his diehard supporters will likely continue resorting to these childish unsubstantive attacks.

From over the weekend:

Adam Schiff speaks out after Republican censure

Democratic Representative Adam Schiff from California was censured by Republicans in the House of Representatives for his role in investigating former President Donald Trump. The censure is being used as a distraction from the Republicans' internal chaos and their support for Trump 2024's presidential bid. The resolution passed along party lines with six Republicans abstaining. Initially, the censure included a multimillion-dollar fine, but it was later removed because of its suspected unconstitutionality. In response, Schiff thanked his Republican colleagues for their “enmity,” criticizing the resolution as false and defamatory. He argued that it diverted resources from addressing pressing issues like homelessness, opioid addiction, and student debt. Schiff accused Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy of prioritizing political payback over the nation's interests. He also defended his investigation into Trump's actions and vowed to say the course in Congress.

From over the weekend:

Another Republican running for president

Former Republican Congressman Will Hurd has announced his bid for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, joining a crowded field that includes a number of contenders to former President Donald Trump. Hurd said during his announcement on CBS, “There are a number of generational defining challenges that we're faced with in the United States of America. Everything from the Chinese government trying to surpass us as the global superpower. The fact that inflation is persistent at a time when technologies like artificial intelligence is going to upend every single industry and our kids or their scores in math, science and reading are the lowest they've ever been in this century. These are the issues we should be talking about.” The issue for Hurd is that the Republican base is heavily influenced by the extreme MAGA ideology, making it difficult for more moderate candidates like him to gain traction. Because of their qualifications and potential to foster healthy political discussions, candidates who are perceived as more reasonable than Trump face an uphill battle in appealing to the MAGA Republican Party base.

More on the show:

-- Russian President Vladimir Putin survives a coup attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhin of the Wagner Group for now, but the question is what happens next

-- We discuss whether scientists and doctors should debate antivaxxers in the context of the recent conflict between Joe Rogan, Dr. Peter Hotez, Elon Musk, and others

-- A look at the pros and cons of 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr

-- Chris Christie's polling is up 150% in the 2024 Republican presidential primary since he announced his candidacy

-- Fox News host Maria Bartiromo wildly claims, without any evidence, that the entire Russian coup attempt was fabricated to distract from the Hunter Biden story

-- Radical Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene says her television turns itself on, presumably to spy on her