Thursday, November 14
Bulletin: Santa Clarita, California High School Shooting Leaves 1 Dead, Multiple Injured
Mike Bloomberg: ‘It’s Past Time for Common Sense Gun Laws’
Here are the stories I’m reading today:
Impeachment Recap: Testimony Puts Trump Back at Center of Questions Over Ukraine Effort (Bloomberg)
The testimony Wednesday from the two top State Department officials on Ukraine, George Kent and William Taylor, offered the first full accounting of how Rudy Giuliani’s efforts, which were fanned by Trump, eventually saw official policy toward Ukraine held hostage to the president’s demands.
It also showed how a number of officials raised alarms — and were ignored — about actions they believed undermined U.S. national security.
Trump’s Best Defense on Impeachment Undermines His Case for Re-Election (Bloomberg Opinion – Eli Lake)
Insubordinate bureaucrats may save him from being removed from office, but they also show him to be a weak president.
Watch this video of highlights from the five-hour hearing.
2020 Watch.
Mike Bloomberg Requests Tennessee Presidential Ballot Petition (Associated Press)
Note to Fauxgressives: Look at Mike Bloomberg’s Merits, Not Wealth (Daily News – Judi Zirin)
If you’re falling on your sword about sticking it to the rich instead of thinking about how to get kids out of cages and prevent the rise of authoritarianism, you might want to rethink how progressive you really are.
Those quick to dismiss Mike Bloomberg because he’s uber-wealthy instead of looking to his merits as a candidate illustrate one of the biggest problems in the Democratic Party: the “fauxgressive” ideals that threaten to sink the Democrat’s chances in 2020.
Though other candidates may fear late competition, they should face Bloomberg on the issues instead of deriding his financial success as an impediment. Frankly, most of us prefer a candidate who puts their own money where their mouth is to one who tells us what to do with ours.
Bloomberg’s personal success doesn’t preclude his candidacy; it endorses it.
Hong Kong Latest.
Everything’s Being Canceled in Hong Kong Because of Protests (Bloomberg)
Schools have been ordered shut, CFA exams have been postponed and employees have been urged to work from home. JPMorgan also cancelled its Global Technology, Media & Telecom Conference set for Nov. 18 and 19.
Business and Financial News.
Brexit Consequences: Brexit Is Why the U.K. Missed Out on Elon Musk’s Tesla Gigafactory (Bloomberg)
Trade Talks Hit Bump:China Resists U.S. Demands on Agricultural Purchases (Bloomberg)
FinReg Update: EU Prepares Tweak to Mifid Market Rules after Industry Backlash (Financial Times)
Climate Watch.
New Study: Climate Change Poses Additional Threats to Children’s Health Worldwide (New York Times)
Climate change, and the air pollution from fossil fuels that are driving it, threatens the child’s health starting in the mother’s womb and only accumulates from there.
Climate Finance Today: A 24-Year-Old in Australia is Suing His Pension Fund for Not Being Green Enough (Bloomberg)
Media Watch.
Holiday Shopping News.
Motorola’s Razr Flip Phone Is Back! For a Mere $1,500 (Washington Post)
Best of late night.
“Late last week, Mike Bloomberg filed paperwork to run in Alabama’s democratic primary. And today, he did the same thing in Arkansas. He is aware you don’t have to file alphabetically, right?”
— Stephen Colbert
“President Trump claims he did not watch the televised impeachment hearings. When asked what he was doing, Trump said ‘I was cleaning out my desk.’”
— Conan O’Brien
“A fan is suing Madonna for pushing back the start time of her concert two hours. Yeah, the fan said ‘I can’t stay up that late, I’m as old as Madonna!’”
— Conan O’Brien
“JetBlue just unrolled a new no-frills service called ‘Basic Blue.’ And then today, United unrolled its no-frills service, ‘United.’”
— Conan O’Brien