Wednesday’s red flags
Wednesday night’s debate was basically a competition for second place in a field that will only continue to narrow. Barring an earthshaking development, Donald Trump will become the nominee. But there were still a few moments that should scare the hell out of everyone.
I am not talking about the group’s full-throated support for an abortion ban (although that is scary, too). No, I am talking about the Republican candidates’ lack of nuance as they attempted to outdo one another’s unlimited support for Israel’s military campaign. This wasn’t support for Israel’s right to defend itself — with some important caveats. Neither did we hear any mention of abiding by international law, concern for civilian casualties, acknowledgement of the humanitarian crisis or even the word “Palestinian.” Instead, we got an escalating set of hawkish platitudes. Ron DeSantis pledged to tell Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “finish the job.” Nikki Haley urged Israel to “finish them” and Vivek Ramaswamy claimed he’d “go a step further” than anyone onstage. Even more alarming, two of the candidates seemed to advocate for expanding the war by bombing Iran more directly.
Again, it’s highly unlikely that any of these debaters will be making decisions as commander-in-chief anytime soon. But their positions represent the views of the Republican base (or at least what they think the Republican base stands for), and that is scary enough.
A story you should be following: Abortion ballot initiatives
It was a big week for the protection of reproductive rights, as voters enshrined abortion access in Ohio’s constitution. (Republicans in the state are now considering whether to remove the judiciary’s jurisdiction over this “ambiguous ballot initiative.”)
Abortion continues to be a winning issue, and ballot initiatives work. They drive high voter turnout! Even before Tuesday night, early-voting numbers in Ohio were surging.
So it should come as no surprise that Democrats are now working to add abortion measures to the ballot next year in Arizona, Florida and Nevada (and possibly even deep-red Nebraska and South Dakota, as well).
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, abortion rights have won in every election. I’ll be watching to see if voters bring the same energy in 2024.
Some people you should know: Danica Roem, Gabe Amo, Cherelle Parker
In Virginia, Democrats successfully flipped the House of Delegates on Tuesday while holding on to their majority in the state Senate. Danica Roem, whom I spent some time with earlier this year, became the state’s first openly transgender senator after defeating a Republican opponent who promised to ban transgender athletes from competing in high school sports if elected.
Former Biden aide Gabe Amo won his special election to become the first person of color to represent Rhode Island in Congress. “When I was 8 years old helping my mother study for the citizenship test,” Amo told supporters in his victory speech, “I never could have imagined that I would go with her to cast her ballot to vote for her son for the United States Congress.”
And Philadelphia voters elected that city’s first female mayor, Cherelle Parker. She defeated five other Democratic candidates in this historic win.
I’ll be following these newly elected officials closely — and you should too.
Lisa Rubin’s weekend routine
It has been quite the week for the Trump family business, and MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin has been keeping us all informed around the clock. You can follow her at @LawofRuby for the latest developments and smart legal analysis on Trump’s New York civil fraud trial.
What show are you bingeing on right now?
Now that I am in court most days for the Trump civil fraud trial, I’ve been too tired to binge. But Matthew Perry’s passing has made me deeply nostalgic for “Friends,” and I’ve recently rewatched a few of my favorite episodes.
What’s the last book you read?
I’m in the process of reading our colleague Katy Tur’s book on the 2016 campaign, “Unbelievable,” which is instructive for anyone sorting through their own experience covering the Trump litigation circuit. More embarrassingly, I recently reread “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” with my tween daughter.
What time do you wake up on the weekends?
Now that my daughters are 10 and 13, it’s blessedly later than it was years ago. But my internal clock still usually goes off by 7 or 7:30 a.m., and I enjoy the silence and the news as the rest of my house sleeps.
How do you take your coffee?
Always a latte with whole milk, no sweetener, and preferably from my beloved Blue Bottle.
Jen Psaki is the host of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" airing Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m. EST. She is the former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden.