Tara Palmeri’s Post

NEW pod! How Biden's inner circle protected him, what it's like to be a journalist covering the administration and what's next with Alex Thompson https://lnkd.in/et9W4gN3

NEW emergency pod with Mosheh O. on all of the political fall out from that Presidential debate -- what Democratic officials are privately saying and next moves https://lnkd.in/er-PU6JX

The worst-case scenario for Democrats happened last night at the Presidential debates and my phone has been blowing up since with frantic messages. In my pre-debate piece for @Puckdotnews you can read in the link below, one Democrat warned me: “Biden cannot look feeble or lost. It will set off a Chernobyl-like reaction in the Democratic Party.” That happened. I'm dropping in with an emergency podcast on "Somebody's Gotta Win" in a few hours with some new reporting. #fyp #news #politics #biden #trump https://lnkd.in/ebx3wNNG

I spent the past week polling my source base, both Democrats and Republicans, for their predictions, assessments, and expectations. Notably, a number of them suggested that each candidate could win by not losing—a strategy perhaps best described as showing enough restraint to let the opposition self-immolate and thereby define the choice in a voter’s mind. “It’s a 90-minute debate. If Donald Trump talked for 20 minutes, he would win the debate,” one G.O.P. operative told me. “Trump just can’t be an asshole the way he was last time. If he can by some miracle do that, we’ll be looking good.” A Democratic operative agreed with this cynical advice. “Both camps have this insane mentality that they will make the other side look terrible,” this person told me. “Most candidates in most campaigns walk in saying, I want to be viewed as the best candidate and I want to look presidential on TV. Now it’s just, I just need to make the other one look crazy or dumb.” One Democrat who advises the White House suggested that Biden would win the debate if he simply impressed upon voters, one way or another, that he and Trump were the only candidates running—that neither Gavin Newsom nor Michelle Obama nor Oprah or The Rock were going to descend from the heavens at the last minute. Indeed, on some level, this comports with the White House’s overarching strategy of portraying this election as not simply a referendum on Biden, but on his opponent as well—a sticky wicket for a sitting president, but one that has been made more achievable given Trump’s repeated comments about running the government like a dictatorship (at least on Day One). “I’m sure Biden will be fine, like the State of the Union. As long as he’s cogent and speaks well, he’ll pass his test,” a G.O.P. operative said. “As for Trump, he has to be smart, a little charming, responsible, and if he can, act like a grown-up.” #debate #politics #news https://lnkd.in/ebx3wNNG

Did the Biden campaign inadvertently give Trump an assist by allowing the moderators to mute the microphones? #debate #politics #news #presidentialdebate https://lnkd.in/eFej-CT6

There's no doubt that Joe Biden, an 81 year president, is struggling to connect with a core part of the Democratic base -- young voters. Gen Z political influencer Link Lauren, who recently left the RFK Jr campaign, has some advice. Listen to our full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/e6JrVaMC

NEW pod with The Dylan Byers on the shadow campaign being waged by Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Rupert Murdoch to influence Trump's VP pick. Plus, Trump's latest debate tactics and what a win looks like for CNN https://lnkd.in/dS2pyQv5

Donald Trump is famously open to suggestion, for better or for worse, liable to dramatically change his opinion on everything from banning TikTok to choosing a vice president, depending on who is in his ear at the moment, whether it’s on the phone or on the Mar-a-Lago patio. “Any person has a say,” said a former Republican Party official, referring to Trump’s veep deliberations. “He hears from major donors, rally goers, a police officer, a person on the photo line—he’s always polling different people. Doesn’t matter if you’re the campaign manager or the person serving pizza at the campaign stop.” Of course, the people with the most sway tend to be those with major media platforms, or a lot of money, or both—a fact not lost on Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity, former colleagues and frenemies who are lobbying hard for their candidates. Nor is it lost on Rupert Murdoch, who has fallen out with Trump over the years but is still finding ways to put his finger on the scale via Fox News and the New York Post, according to sources… even if a Murdoch thumbs-up could backfire. Perhaps none of these men will be decisive in persuading Trump—who, I’m told, has already narrowed down his V.P. pool to three candidates. But their tug-of-war is representative of the battle for influence over the future of Republican politics, both within the party and the Murdoch media universe. Carlson, for one, has been advocating for his fellow “America First” isolationist, Senator J.D. Vance, seen by many as someone who could inherit Trump’s mantle. The former president has warmed to Vance, albeit slowly. During his Ohio Senate primary in 2022, even with a push from Donald Jr., it took six weeks for Trump to endorse Vance, who was low on cash and trailing in the polls. A year later, the Fox-Dominion defamation suit revealed that Carlson had sent a text about hating Trump “passionately.” But Don Jr. worked to repair the relationship, Carlson endorsed Trump, and now they speak frequently. “Trump craves his approval because he’s a high WASP,” said a longtime Trump advisor. Said Trump’s campaign spokesperson Jason Miller: “President Trump is a big fan of Tucker Carlson, and I think the feeling is mutual.” https://lnkd.in/dZD4eK28

NEW pod with political influencer Link Lauren, fresh off the RFK Jr campaign, and offering advice to candidates on how to talk to GenZ. Plus what to expect from the impending oppo dump on Kennedy.. https://lnkd.in/eYkGQZah

House Freedom Caucus chairman Rep. Bob Good committed the cardinal sin of crossing Donald Trump by endorsing Ron DeSantis and now he's close to losing his congressional seat after millions of dollars were spent to unseat him in a safe Republican district. Money that could have been spent by the GOP on keeping the House. What do you think about Trump trying to take out a conservative member of Congress to prove a point about loyalty? #news #politics #elections #2024 #Trump