Harris Gaffe; Deficit Explodes; Trump and Putin
Author: Greg Valliere
October 9, 2024
HURRICANE WEEK: rarely can we remember a week filled with such huge stories, but here we are in mid-October, right on schedule. Three major developments stand out this morning:
1. A significant gaffe by Kamala Harris, who said yesterday that she “cannot think of a thing” she would have done differently from Joe Biden, seemingly contradicting millions of Democrats who wanted him out.
This un-forced error is a major gift to the GOP, whose leaders can assert that Harris wouldn’t change a thing on border security or inflation. Harris needs to move to damage control ASAP, but she needs to confront Donald Trump’s despicable falsehoods on hurricanes.
As we wrote yesterday, weather may be the October surprise. Someone will have to take the hit, and our suspicion is that Harris is vulnerable on this issue.
2. The forgotten issue: The federal budget deficit hit $1.83 trillion in the fiscal year that ended earlier this month, a staggering figure that seems likely to get even worse in the next few years. If red ink hits $1.8 trillion with a solid economy, one can only imagine what the numbers would like if the economy softens.
Neither Trump nor Harris have shown any inclination to confront the deficit; Trump wants huge new tax cuts and Harris would spend far more on domestic programs. This story will persist well after the campaign ends, as total debt exceeds $36 trillion in 2025 — as another debt ceiling crisis looms by summer.
3. The bromance between Trump and Vladimir Putin is more extensive than we thought, according to a new book by Bob Woodward, who always seems to come out with an explosive new book just before an election.
Trump apparently arranged to have sophisticated Covid tests sent to Putin. The two leaders reportedly talk frequently, which could revive speculation about why Trump has been so cozy with the Russian dictator.
STORIES LIKE THIS will dominate the campaign’s final four weeks, with new allegations daily. For now, our thoughts are with the people in Florida, who face devastation — yet will be used as political pawns.
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