2024 Elections

In a caustic column for the New York Times, Michelle Cottle lambasted Donald Trump's proposal on Truth Social for a year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence as nothing more than a political stunt of epic proportions that will go nowhere.

Last week the embattled former president wrapped himself in the flag as he pitched himself as the frontman for a nationwide celebration, saying he wants to give "America’s founding in 1776 the incredible anniversary it truly deserves.”

Noting the now-indicted Trump is making the proposal to suck up all the political oxygen as his 2024 GOP presidential rivals are hitting the campaign trail in Iowa as he hunkers down in Mar-a-Lago, Cottle described his efforts as a "flagrant suck up" to the voters in the midwestern state.

As she wrote, "Mr. Trump would order up a yearlong Great American State Fair, with pavilions showcasing each of the 50 states — ideally at 'the legendary Iowa state fairgrounds,' to which he would invite 'millions and millions of visitors from around the world.'"

READ MORE: Former U.S. attorney predicts possible 'surprises' that could come up in a Trump indictment

Calling his pitch, "an intoxicating blend of nostalgia, spectacle and performative patriotism — with lots of sharp edges, of course," the columnist suggested, "With Mr. Trump as the guiding spirit, any 1776 tribute seems destined to descend into a culture-war cage match. Think Thunderdome but less civilized."

"Mr. Trump’s Hunger/Patriot Games vision seems more than a little fraught. The whole thing has a retro, survival-of-the-fittest, vaguely gladiatorial feel, with the MAGA king sorting boys from girls and winners from losers and generally passing judgment on what constitutes valor and vigor," she accused before adding that the embattled ex-president is using the proposal to distract from the fact that he has little to offer in the way of new policy proposals as he seeks to return to the Oval Office.

"Here’s hoping someone somehow succeeds and manages to short-circuit the former president’s grandiose party planning. As is all too clear by now, any time Mr. Trump is involved, no celebration is ever going to be worth the hangover," she concluded.

You can read more here.

Reacting to a report from NBC that a grand jury convened by special counsel Jack Smith looking into possible criminal actions committed by Donald Trump will meet this week, former prosecutor Glenn Kirschner issued a warning that the former president could possibly be put on trial after winning re-election which could be very problematic.

Stating that would be uncharted territory, Kirschner raised the specter of a re-elected Trump attempting to get his prosecution shut down.

Speaking with MSNBC host Jen Psaki, Kirschner said the time between a grand jury indictment and a trial can take a year, thus putting a Trump trial uncomfortably close to election day 2024 and beyond.

"I want to ask you something on the timeline as former FBI Director James Comey said, because he indicated that there could be a rush to try to get these indictments out, if indictments are going to be made, in order to finish the trials before the election. Do you think that timeline is possible?" host Psaki asked.

"Yeah, the timing scares me a little bit, Jen," Kirschner admitted. "Because the Speedy Trial Act in federal court says that from the day you are indicted until the day you are supposed to go to trial, 70 days. Do we ever take a federal case to trial in 70 days? The answer is no, never, because the defense asks for continuances and there are motion schedules set."

"The rule of thumb is about a year from the time of indictment to the time of trial, so where does that put us?' he continued. "Summer of 2024, kind of on the cusp of the 2024 election."

"What keeps me up at night is the case is still pending against Donald Trump and hasn't gone to trial; Donald wins the White House and now, what? He orders his own prosecution dismissed. Now courtesy of the Office of Legal Counsel memo we now cannot prosecute a sitting criminal president. That is the stuff of nightmares and fiction novels," he warned.

Watch below or at the link:

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During an appearance on MSNBC's "The Katie Phang Show" Mary Trump, the niece of former president Donald Trump offered up a way to "humiliate" him to his 2024 GOP presidential nomination rivals.

Speaking with the host, the now-indicted former president's niece called him a "loser" and then related a story about his childhood that, she claims, still irks him to this day.

Asked by the host if Trump rivals should "Take a page out of Donald Trump's playbook and go for the jugular?" Mary Trump shot back, "Katie, it amazes me that they have not done that yet."

"Again, I think it's because they're restrained by their fear of his stranglehold on the base -- I guess they should be," she conceded. "You know, if they were serious people, they would understand that they have a huge opportunity to take Donald out without having to contradict him in terms of policy as if there is such a thing these days or politics."

"Just call him what he is: he is a loser, he loses constantly, he has never legitimately won anything in his life," she continued. "He is a thin-skinned baby who has nothing to offer but white grievance."

"If I were one of these candidates, I would simply show up to a debate with a bowl of mashed potatoes because that was his very first experience of humiliation was when he was being a total brat before my grandmother put dinner on the table," she recalled. "My dad had just ordered to shut him up and stop him from tormenting his little brother Robert. Took a bowl of mashed potatoes, dumped it on Donald's head."

"He hates that story," she added. "He has never been able to laugh at himself in a healthy way. It's really not difficult to get under that extraordinarily thin skin of his."

Watch below or at the link.

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