Latest news with #Democrat-leaning
New York Post
01-08-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Stephen Colbert needles Kamala Harris after she fails to answer simple question
Former Vice President Kamala Harris was unable to say who the current leader of the Democratic Party was in an interview with Stephen Colbert — leaving even the lefty talk show host exasperated. 'The Late Show' host Stephen Colbert asked Harris — who announced this week she would not be running for Governor of California next year — to identify who she believes is in the driver's seat for her party. But Harris balked at the simple question and refused to name a single Democrat. Advertisement 'There are lots of leaders,' she said. CBS via Getty Images Colbert, who wasn't satisfied with the answer, pressed her, asserting there's 'generally a leader' of the party and asked again if any names come to mind. Still, Harris wouldn't budge. Advertisement 'I think there are a lot — I'm not going to go through names because then I'm going to leave somebody out and then I'm going to hear about it,' she said. 'But let me just say this. I think it is a mistake for us who want to figure out how to get … through this and get out of it to put it on the shoulders of any one person. It's really on all our shoulders,' she added. The soon-to-be-axed talk show host then swiftly ended the nearly half-hour interview. Advertisement Democrats Harris could have named include former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who were both able to muster double-digit support from Democrats and Democrat-leaning voters in an early 2028 presidential primary poll. Other top-ranking congressional Democrats she could have named are Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). Harris' appearance on Colbert's canceled late night talk show was her eighth on the program ahead of the release of her book, '107 Days,' which she described as a 'behind-the-scene sharing of what it means to run for president.'
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats Heckle Black Veteran Supporting GOP Redistricting Plan In Texas
An Afghanistan War veteran, Black conservative, and Republican leader sparked backlash at a heated Texas redistricting hearing, defending the GOP-led effort to redraw the state's political map and denouncing claims of systemic racism. The Texas House Redistricting Committee held a public hearing at the University of Texas at Arlington on July 28, where the overwhelming majority of speakers opposed the proposed maps. Roughly 500 people signed up to testify. U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth) was also in attendance, according to the Fort Worth Report. One speaker, however, set off a wave of outrage. Rich Stoglin, president of the Frederick Douglass Republicans of Tarrant County, delivered a passionate defense of the Republican proposal that drew angry reactions from the largely Democrat-leaning crowd. 'As a Black American, an Afghanistan veteran, and a retired department head of the U.S. Department of Justice, I strongly support the Republican redistricting,' Stoglin said, drawing jeers and heckles from the audience. The tension grew so intense that Committee Chair Cody Vasut called the room to order, reminding attendees that all voices must be heard. 'The gentleman will be afforded the same respect that everyone testifying receives,' Vasut told the crowd. 'We will come to order. Everyone, regardless of your belief, political persuasion, age, or whoever you are, you are an American, and you are entitled to be heard, and you will be heard in this committee.' Unfazed, Stoglin continued his testimony. 'Screaming systemic racism for anything that does not fit the narrative — these acts of evil need to stop. We need Republican leadership for such a time as this. Republicans have a larger story.' He reminded the audience that the Texas Republican Party was originally founded with a majority of Black members. Stoglin told The Dallas Express that under Republican leadership, Texas has become one of the largest economies in the world. 'This state prospers and continues to grow because of Republican policies,' he said. 'The Republican Party has provided great leadership. Honesty, hard work, family, and faith — when you put that together, that is what I meant.' Stoglin also criticized progressive social policies, including what he described as Democrats' obsession with adding men to women's sports and promoting 'transgender' procedures. He urged young Black and Hispanic conservatives to get involved, highlighting the mentorship and scholarship opportunities provided by the Frederick Douglass Republicans of Tarrant County. 'Several of our young people have received scholarships,' Stoglin said, emphasizing the importance of the next generation stepping up to lead. Leaders responded to Stoglin's passionate speech. 'This is Chaplain Rich Stoglin, President of the Frederick Douglass Republicans of Tarrant County, testifying before [the] Redistricting Committee of the Texas House of Representatives in Arlington, TX. Note the disrespectful hissing & booing during his testimony,' State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) wrote on X.
Indianapolis Star
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Public media isn't partisan — reality just leans left
Deputy Opinion Editor Jacob Stewart's column, "Public media funding cuts create fair competition for local news in Indiana," ignores reality. We need look no further than recent events involving the capitalistic and capitulatory decision by CBS to cancel "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to see the value of public media. Stewart points out that 87% of people who name NPR as their main source of news are Democrats or Democrat-leaning but fails to understand why this is the case. In the 1980s, President Reagan eliminated the Fairness Doctrine from television and radio and right-wing propagandists like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity capitalized on this. It takes only a few minutes of listening to NPR to understand that it is not the left-wing equivalent of conservative talk radio. Rather, it is a purer form of news and information. Do we also not trust C-SPAN since the government funds it as a public utility? Even Stewart acknowledges that NPR did not deliberately attract a more Democratic-leaning audience. It just happened that way because conservative talk radio and networks like Fox News, OANN, and Newsmax have found a great deal of profit in confirming their viewers' and listeners' biases. Opinion: Critics said Trump would ruin America. Six months in, he's proving them wrong. I, for one, am grateful that we have some media outlets that are focused on informing and educating the public, not turning a profit. As Stephen Colbert said at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner, which aired on C-SPAN, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."
The Advertiser
24-07-2025
- The Advertiser
Horizons narrow for ill-at-ease US travellers
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to It was hard not to feel for the American couple seated behind us in the long-tail boat off the Thai coast. A chatty Englishman was doing his best to strike up a conversation and it was immediately apparent they wanted none of it, especially when he asked where they were from. We could sense their self-consciousness as they muttered their answer. The Englishman said he'd love to go there but it would be avoiding the US for another four years "because of what's been happening". The quiet Americans fell silent. They might have been naturally reticent about answering questions from a complete stranger. Or embarrassed by the never-ending drama of the White House reality TV show. Or Trump supporters, tired of defending their president. We'll never know. But during their moment of awkwardness it occurred to me that being an American abroad these days would be challenging when so much of the world is appalled by the behaviour of Donald Trump and the sycophants gathered around him - and people you meet are not afraid to tell you so. That could partly explain the 7 per cent decline in Americans planning to travel to Europe this northern summer, as reported by the European Travel Commission. While the ETC said concern about the cost of travel during a period of economic uncertainty was a factor, "worries about being negatively perceived overseas under Trump's confrontational foreign policy" also played a role. The ETC found Americans from Democrat-leaning states were more comfortable about travelling to Europe than those from Republican parts of the country. And it's not just Europe. An Ipsos Consumer Tracker survey published in May found that 27 per cent of Americans report they have international travel plans in the works for summer 2025 compared to 34 per cent last year. And if Americans are dialling back their international travel plans, the rest of the world is giving the US a wide berth as well. Canada leads the pack when it comes to avoiding its querulous southern neighbour. It normally accounts for the largest number of visitors to the US during the northern summer. Last year, 20 million Canadians visited. This year, the number of border crossings by car is down by a third and visits by air are also tanking. Britons and Germans are also turning their backs on the US as a destination. Australians are also thinking twice about US trips. Last year, the US was our fifth most popular destination; this year it's slipped to seventh position. The unfavourable exchange rate no doubt weighs heavily but stories about heavy-handed treatment at the border haven't helped either. The self-imposed isolation the US is undergoing is regrettable, undermining the long-held notion that travel broadens the mind. I wonder where those two Americans in the long-tail boat are now. And whether their minds were broadened by their experiences in a foreign land, where smiling is good manners and respect ingrained. Hopefully, they shared those values when they got home. HAVE YOUR SAY: Would you be embarrassed if you were an American travelling overseas in 2025? Do you know any Americans who feel shame at the direction their country is taking? And if you're one of Echidna's handful of American readers, have you changed your international travel plans? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Nationals leader David Littleproud has revealed he is "definitely" willing to flip the party's support for a 2050 net-zero emissions target as he accuses the renewable rollout of "tearing families apart" across regional communities. - The Albanese government is seeking to expand the powers of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to kick MPs out of the chamber if they misbehave and reduce the number of questions Coalition members get during question time. - A group of right-wing senators who turned their backs during an Acknowledgement of Country inside the Federal Parliament have been sharply criticised. THEY SAID IT: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - Saint Augustine YOU SAID IT: There are compelling arguments to lower the voting age to 16. But there are also compelling reasons not to. Mark supports the idea: "The young adults of today do inherit the outcomes of government policy; they do work and pay taxes, they tend to care more about the environment on balance than older people, they tend to care more about love and issues like the treatment of refugees. If they get it right then it has the potential to make change in the political landscape." Not Murray, who suggests: "If they honestly want to improve politics they should raise the voting age to 30." Patricia writes: "A massive yes to civics education, although I prefer the term involvement. Having campaigned for community independents, I have seen the enthusiasm of people who realise they can become part of the political process. Even one-off community action, writing to or meeting with local representatives is a learning and empowering experience. People shouldn't feel that they can tick a box, walk away then complain about issues and do nothing." "When the question of voting at 16 was raised with my kids, the 18- and 10-year-old opposed it vehemently because 'they don't know enough' and the 16-year-old thought she would like to be able to vote, but 'not everyone else because they're idiots'," writes Wendy. This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to It was hard not to feel for the American couple seated behind us in the long-tail boat off the Thai coast. A chatty Englishman was doing his best to strike up a conversation and it was immediately apparent they wanted none of it, especially when he asked where they were from. We could sense their self-consciousness as they muttered their answer. The Englishman said he'd love to go there but it would be avoiding the US for another four years "because of what's been happening". The quiet Americans fell silent. They might have been naturally reticent about answering questions from a complete stranger. Or embarrassed by the never-ending drama of the White House reality TV show. Or Trump supporters, tired of defending their president. We'll never know. But during their moment of awkwardness it occurred to me that being an American abroad these days would be challenging when so much of the world is appalled by the behaviour of Donald Trump and the sycophants gathered around him - and people you meet are not afraid to tell you so. That could partly explain the 7 per cent decline in Americans planning to travel to Europe this northern summer, as reported by the European Travel Commission. While the ETC said concern about the cost of travel during a period of economic uncertainty was a factor, "worries about being negatively perceived overseas under Trump's confrontational foreign policy" also played a role. The ETC found Americans from Democrat-leaning states were more comfortable about travelling to Europe than those from Republican parts of the country. And it's not just Europe. An Ipsos Consumer Tracker survey published in May found that 27 per cent of Americans report they have international travel plans in the works for summer 2025 compared to 34 per cent last year. And if Americans are dialling back their international travel plans, the rest of the world is giving the US a wide berth as well. Canada leads the pack when it comes to avoiding its querulous southern neighbour. It normally accounts for the largest number of visitors to the US during the northern summer. Last year, 20 million Canadians visited. This year, the number of border crossings by car is down by a third and visits by air are also tanking. Britons and Germans are also turning their backs on the US as a destination. Australians are also thinking twice about US trips. Last year, the US was our fifth most popular destination; this year it's slipped to seventh position. The unfavourable exchange rate no doubt weighs heavily but stories about heavy-handed treatment at the border haven't helped either. The self-imposed isolation the US is undergoing is regrettable, undermining the long-held notion that travel broadens the mind. I wonder where those two Americans in the long-tail boat are now. And whether their minds were broadened by their experiences in a foreign land, where smiling is good manners and respect ingrained. Hopefully, they shared those values when they got home. HAVE YOUR SAY: Would you be embarrassed if you were an American travelling overseas in 2025? Do you know any Americans who feel shame at the direction their country is taking? And if you're one of Echidna's handful of American readers, have you changed your international travel plans? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Nationals leader David Littleproud has revealed he is "definitely" willing to flip the party's support for a 2050 net-zero emissions target as he accuses the renewable rollout of "tearing families apart" across regional communities. - The Albanese government is seeking to expand the powers of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to kick MPs out of the chamber if they misbehave and reduce the number of questions Coalition members get during question time. - A group of right-wing senators who turned their backs during an Acknowledgement of Country inside the Federal Parliament have been sharply criticised. THEY SAID IT: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - Saint Augustine YOU SAID IT: There are compelling arguments to lower the voting age to 16. But there are also compelling reasons not to. Mark supports the idea: "The young adults of today do inherit the outcomes of government policy; they do work and pay taxes, they tend to care more about the environment on balance than older people, they tend to care more about love and issues like the treatment of refugees. If they get it right then it has the potential to make change in the political landscape." Not Murray, who suggests: "If they honestly want to improve politics they should raise the voting age to 30." Patricia writes: "A massive yes to civics education, although I prefer the term involvement. Having campaigned for community independents, I have seen the enthusiasm of people who realise they can become part of the political process. Even one-off community action, writing to or meeting with local representatives is a learning and empowering experience. People shouldn't feel that they can tick a box, walk away then complain about issues and do nothing." "When the question of voting at 16 was raised with my kids, the 18- and 10-year-old opposed it vehemently because 'they don't know enough' and the 16-year-old thought she would like to be able to vote, but 'not everyone else because they're idiots'," writes Wendy. This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to It was hard not to feel for the American couple seated behind us in the long-tail boat off the Thai coast. A chatty Englishman was doing his best to strike up a conversation and it was immediately apparent they wanted none of it, especially when he asked where they were from. We could sense their self-consciousness as they muttered their answer. The Englishman said he'd love to go there but it would be avoiding the US for another four years "because of what's been happening". The quiet Americans fell silent. They might have been naturally reticent about answering questions from a complete stranger. Or embarrassed by the never-ending drama of the White House reality TV show. Or Trump supporters, tired of defending their president. We'll never know. But during their moment of awkwardness it occurred to me that being an American abroad these days would be challenging when so much of the world is appalled by the behaviour of Donald Trump and the sycophants gathered around him - and people you meet are not afraid to tell you so. That could partly explain the 7 per cent decline in Americans planning to travel to Europe this northern summer, as reported by the European Travel Commission. While the ETC said concern about the cost of travel during a period of economic uncertainty was a factor, "worries about being negatively perceived overseas under Trump's confrontational foreign policy" also played a role. The ETC found Americans from Democrat-leaning states were more comfortable about travelling to Europe than those from Republican parts of the country. And it's not just Europe. An Ipsos Consumer Tracker survey published in May found that 27 per cent of Americans report they have international travel plans in the works for summer 2025 compared to 34 per cent last year. And if Americans are dialling back their international travel plans, the rest of the world is giving the US a wide berth as well. Canada leads the pack when it comes to avoiding its querulous southern neighbour. It normally accounts for the largest number of visitors to the US during the northern summer. Last year, 20 million Canadians visited. This year, the number of border crossings by car is down by a third and visits by air are also tanking. Britons and Germans are also turning their backs on the US as a destination. Australians are also thinking twice about US trips. Last year, the US was our fifth most popular destination; this year it's slipped to seventh position. The unfavourable exchange rate no doubt weighs heavily but stories about heavy-handed treatment at the border haven't helped either. The self-imposed isolation the US is undergoing is regrettable, undermining the long-held notion that travel broadens the mind. I wonder where those two Americans in the long-tail boat are now. And whether their minds were broadened by their experiences in a foreign land, where smiling is good manners and respect ingrained. Hopefully, they shared those values when they got home. HAVE YOUR SAY: Would you be embarrassed if you were an American travelling overseas in 2025? Do you know any Americans who feel shame at the direction their country is taking? And if you're one of Echidna's handful of American readers, have you changed your international travel plans? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Nationals leader David Littleproud has revealed he is "definitely" willing to flip the party's support for a 2050 net-zero emissions target as he accuses the renewable rollout of "tearing families apart" across regional communities. - The Albanese government is seeking to expand the powers of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to kick MPs out of the chamber if they misbehave and reduce the number of questions Coalition members get during question time. - A group of right-wing senators who turned their backs during an Acknowledgement of Country inside the Federal Parliament have been sharply criticised. THEY SAID IT: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - Saint Augustine YOU SAID IT: There are compelling arguments to lower the voting age to 16. But there are also compelling reasons not to. Mark supports the idea: "The young adults of today do inherit the outcomes of government policy; they do work and pay taxes, they tend to care more about the environment on balance than older people, they tend to care more about love and issues like the treatment of refugees. If they get it right then it has the potential to make change in the political landscape." Not Murray, who suggests: "If they honestly want to improve politics they should raise the voting age to 30." Patricia writes: "A massive yes to civics education, although I prefer the term involvement. Having campaigned for community independents, I have seen the enthusiasm of people who realise they can become part of the political process. Even one-off community action, writing to or meeting with local representatives is a learning and empowering experience. People shouldn't feel that they can tick a box, walk away then complain about issues and do nothing." "When the question of voting at 16 was raised with my kids, the 18- and 10-year-old opposed it vehemently because 'they don't know enough' and the 16-year-old thought she would like to be able to vote, but 'not everyone else because they're idiots'," writes Wendy. This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to It was hard not to feel for the American couple seated behind us in the long-tail boat off the Thai coast. A chatty Englishman was doing his best to strike up a conversation and it was immediately apparent they wanted none of it, especially when he asked where they were from. We could sense their self-consciousness as they muttered their answer. The Englishman said he'd love to go there but it would be avoiding the US for another four years "because of what's been happening". The quiet Americans fell silent. They might have been naturally reticent about answering questions from a complete stranger. Or embarrassed by the never-ending drama of the White House reality TV show. Or Trump supporters, tired of defending their president. We'll never know. But during their moment of awkwardness it occurred to me that being an American abroad these days would be challenging when so much of the world is appalled by the behaviour of Donald Trump and the sycophants gathered around him - and people you meet are not afraid to tell you so. That could partly explain the 7 per cent decline in Americans planning to travel to Europe this northern summer, as reported by the European Travel Commission. While the ETC said concern about the cost of travel during a period of economic uncertainty was a factor, "worries about being negatively perceived overseas under Trump's confrontational foreign policy" also played a role. The ETC found Americans from Democrat-leaning states were more comfortable about travelling to Europe than those from Republican parts of the country. And it's not just Europe. An Ipsos Consumer Tracker survey published in May found that 27 per cent of Americans report they have international travel plans in the works for summer 2025 compared to 34 per cent last year. And if Americans are dialling back their international travel plans, the rest of the world is giving the US a wide berth as well. Canada leads the pack when it comes to avoiding its querulous southern neighbour. It normally accounts for the largest number of visitors to the US during the northern summer. Last year, 20 million Canadians visited. This year, the number of border crossings by car is down by a third and visits by air are also tanking. Britons and Germans are also turning their backs on the US as a destination. Australians are also thinking twice about US trips. Last year, the US was our fifth most popular destination; this year it's slipped to seventh position. The unfavourable exchange rate no doubt weighs heavily but stories about heavy-handed treatment at the border haven't helped either. The self-imposed isolation the US is undergoing is regrettable, undermining the long-held notion that travel broadens the mind. I wonder where those two Americans in the long-tail boat are now. And whether their minds were broadened by their experiences in a foreign land, where smiling is good manners and respect ingrained. Hopefully, they shared those values when they got home. HAVE YOUR SAY: Would you be embarrassed if you were an American travelling overseas in 2025? Do you know any Americans who feel shame at the direction their country is taking? And if you're one of Echidna's handful of American readers, have you changed your international travel plans? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - Nationals leader David Littleproud has revealed he is "definitely" willing to flip the party's support for a 2050 net-zero emissions target as he accuses the renewable rollout of "tearing families apart" across regional communities. - The Albanese government is seeking to expand the powers of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to kick MPs out of the chamber if they misbehave and reduce the number of questions Coalition members get during question time. - A group of right-wing senators who turned their backs during an Acknowledgement of Country inside the Federal Parliament have been sharply criticised. THEY SAID IT: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - Saint Augustine YOU SAID IT: There are compelling arguments to lower the voting age to 16. But there are also compelling reasons not to. Mark supports the idea: "The young adults of today do inherit the outcomes of government policy; they do work and pay taxes, they tend to care more about the environment on balance than older people, they tend to care more about love and issues like the treatment of refugees. If they get it right then it has the potential to make change in the political landscape." Not Murray, who suggests: "If they honestly want to improve politics they should raise the voting age to 30." Patricia writes: "A massive yes to civics education, although I prefer the term involvement. Having campaigned for community independents, I have seen the enthusiasm of people who realise they can become part of the political process. Even one-off community action, writing to or meeting with local representatives is a learning and empowering experience. People shouldn't feel that they can tick a box, walk away then complain about issues and do nothing." "When the question of voting at 16 was raised with my kids, the 18- and 10-year-old opposed it vehemently because 'they don't know enough' and the 16-year-old thought she would like to be able to vote, but 'not everyone else because they're idiots'," writes Wendy.
Sky News AU
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Three Democrats win double-digit support in early 2028 presidential primary poll — with one clear frontrunner
Former Vice President Kamala Harris is the 2028 Democratic presidential primary frontrunner by a substantial margin, according to a poll released Monday. Harris, who lost the 2024 race in a landslide to President Trump, received 26% support from Democrats and Democrat-leaning voters in the survey conducted by Echelon Insights. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and California Gov. Gavin Newsom were the only other Democrats to muster double-digit support at 11% and 10% respectively. Rounding out the top five were Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), whom 7% of Democrats said they would vote for if the primary were held today, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who garnered a 6% backing. At 3%, entrepreneur Mark Cuban led the group of political outsiders included in the survey, with sports commentator Stephen A. Smith and comedian Jon Stewart receiving 1% apiece. Thirteen percent of voters indicated that they were unsure who they would vote for, with the primaries still more than two years away. Support for Newsom and Buttigieg increased slightly when Harris – who is reportedly mulling a run for governor in California – was not included in the poll, with both polling at 12%. Ocasio-Cortez (9%) topped and Booker (8%) in that scenario, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (7%) jumped into the top 5. On the Republican side, Vice President JD Vance – at 42% support – held a commanding 33-point lead over his closest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was backed by 9% of GOP and GOP-leaning voters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (7%), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (6%), Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (5%) and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (4%) were within striking distance of DeSantis, but well behind Vance. Sixteen percent of respondents were unsure about who they would vote for. Originally published as Three Democrats win double-digit support in early 2028 presidential primary poll — with one clear frontrunner
