Crash Course: GOP's lackluster frontrunner: Trump seems awfully low energy lately

From saying he's a "legitimate person" to dodging a debate, Trump dishes out weak sauce, even by his low standards [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdjJiOWJ6emd6dS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGFXA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZ29ybGl1dXlwMC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). GOP's lackluster frontrunner: Trump seems awfully low energy lately By his own measurements, Donald Trump should be flying high these days. He's the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, up [28 points in average polling over his closest contender](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZW5hNWJ4cmFlby8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGFXA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Approximately one million candidates have entered the race, ensuring that any anti-Trump contingent that develops will split the vote, making it easy for him to sail into the nomination. It's 2016 again. Sure, he's under federal indictment for stealing classified documents, after facing another set of indictments from the Manhattan district attorney for campaign fraud, [but according to Trump's own bluster](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZjNmMjRsbGptdi8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) being arrested for his various crimes only makes him more popular. (Left unspoken is that appeal is limited to the GOP base and no one else.) He's not wrong that it helps both his fundraising and his polls within the GOP, because Republicans are apparently a pro-crime party these days, but only as long as the criminals are white. [Read the rest from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZGFkMmRodWc0Yi8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Leon Neal/Getty Images) Liz Cheney thinks Americans are electing idiots and "The View" has something to say about it During a segment of "The View" on Wednesday, host Whoopi Goldberg led a discussion about former Rep. [Liz Cheney](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNmo1Zjl0M25maS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), R-Wyo. speaking her true feelings on the caliber of people American voters have been favoring. In discussion with David Rubenstein at The 92nd Street Y, New York on Monday, Cheney, in no uncertain terms, said that America is "electing idiots," a statement that has since made quite a few waves. [Read the rest from Kelly McClure.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvOTk5MzJ3eHpsNi8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Gary Gershoff/Getty Images) - Here's the ["We Didn’t Start the Fire" revamp](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZWM0eDlwcGpjci8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) with lyrics covering 1989-2023 no one asked for - How the Mount Etna's icy caves — and New Jersey — gave America its [sweetest summer treat](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMva3l1ZzN6aHJtdC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Are the[orca "attacks"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMjYxY2J4bzhobi8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) spreading? What cultural evolution teaches us about fads in animals - “Not a legal defense”: Trump Jan. 6 lawyers “appear to have criminal exposure” as [DOJ hauls in Rudy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcnhhYmF4cGg0My8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Acting like a Mafia boss": Experts fear [Trump encouraging followers to target Jack Smith's family](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvd3hweTF5bm4zMy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "We want a contract": Greed and racism are [why Amazon denies its workers unions](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcmVzc2NjeDNvNy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), says labor leader - "Moron": [Knives out in TrumpWorld for Kevin McCarthy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNG5ndGlnbTg5NS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) as his attempt at damage control flames out - "So much winning": [Trump's bid to dodge NY judge](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMnVyajJ2enVuMC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) he hates shot down after surprise witness backfires - Do octopuses dream of electric eels? [Brainwave studies find octopus and human neural similarities](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvcGg0b3UxMGU5aC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Truly, epically stupid": Legal experts say [Trump's defamation suit against Carroll could backfire](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvdTd1dDI2Z2htdC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Republicans reignite the [red scare](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMGd1NnAzNjR1cS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) in service of Trump - “No one believes this”: Legal experts say [Trump is “digging himself deeper”](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmMxZnhvdGNxeC8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) with “bravado” defense - More than Trump ego maintenance: [GOP move to "expunge" impeachments](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNzl6aGRpMGVlYy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) is part of their war on history - Trump hits the panic button: [Antisemitic attacks on special counsel Jack Smith](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZ3U1Mm5wNGVlYy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) betray desperation If you found yourself here without subscribing, sign up for [Crash Course](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvem0zZGV4NGVvdS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), so you don't miss anything! Sorry Obama, Donald Trump is actually proof that some people are "above the law" I have a great amount of respect for former President Barack Obama, both as a leader and a man. That does not mean, however, that I always agree with him. [During an interview last Thursday with CNN's Christian Amanpour, the former president](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmtua3VvYWN5OS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGFXA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) told a big fib, or what could more generously be described as a white lie. He said the following about Donald Trump finally being indicted for his crimes: "But the fact that we have a former president who is having to answer to charges brought by prosecutors does uphold the basic notion that nobody is above the law and the allegations will now be sorted out through a court process." Barack Obama is a Harvard-trained lawyer, an expert in constitutional law who taught at the University of Chicago Law School, the country's first Black president, and someone with a deep scholarly knowledge of the color line and the realities of social inequality and injustice in American society. As such, he most certainly knows it is not true that "nobody is above the law in America." [Read the rest from Chauncey DeVega](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvYjlwcWR6MzNscy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Jack Gruber-Pool/Getty Images) - "Payroll fraud and a ‘secret sex room’: Troubling allegations at New Orleans S&WB," [Fox8](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNnRoMXh6Z2d0by8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGFXA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Madonna intubated in ICU after being found unresponsive in NYC," [New York Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZHpuamM5aWh3by8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGFXA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Russian general who may have known about Wagner mutiny goes missing," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvZHc4MDc4ODdrdy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGFXA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Kevin Spacey Appears in Court as Judge Tells Jury Familiarity With His Films Not a Barrier to Serving," [Variety](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvMDNwOWxibXlocy8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGFXA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Ex-aide: John Kelly was disgusted as Trump wondered what it might be like to have sex with Ivanka Former President Donald Trump committed acts of "naked sexism" and made lewd comments about women — including his own daughter — working in his administration, according to the former aide who in 2018 anonymously published a [scathing op-ed](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0REaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvaDgzd3B6eWFscS8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGFXA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) about Trump in The New York Times. [Read the rest from Tatyana Tandanpolie.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMveHZxZjFrY3Izai8_bGhfYWlkPTM1NDM5NTImbGhfY2lkPTdtY3E0enJ4bGEmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODUlNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZJpAZJ1k9lxxP1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Bill Tompkins/Getty Images) [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmSaQGSdZPZccT9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2023 Crash Course, All rights reserved. 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200, Wilmington, DE 19801 [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRmf-k-P0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpkmkBknWT2XHE_Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)