ReportWire

Tag: Politicians

  • Markey faces generational challenge from Moulton

    BOSTON — Incumbent Democratic Sen. Ed Markey survived a primary challenge five years ago from a member of Massachusetts’ most storied political families, but observers say he faces an even more formidable threat from Rep. Seth Moulton as he seeks a third-term.

    Moulton, a five-term congressman, announced on Wednesday that he is challenging Markey for the U.S. Senate seat in next year’s Democratic primary.


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    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Cindy McCain suffers a mild stroke and will take leave from World Food Program while recovering

    Cindy McCain, the widow of Sen. John McCain and head of the U.N. World Food Program, suffered a mild stroke this week and is said to be recovering “well,” according to a press release Thursday from the humanitarian organization. The statement said McCain, 71, is expected to make a “full recovery” and will be traveling from Rome, where the WFP is based, to Arizona to focus on her recuperation. She will return to her post after her doctors have cleared her in four to six weeks. “I want to thank the medical staff in Italy for the excellent treatment I received,” said McCain. “My recovery is progressing well thanks to their outstanding care.”McCain was appointed in March 2023 to lead the world’s largest humanitarian organization after serving as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. agencies for food and agriculture under former President Joe Biden. McCain broke with Republicans when she endorsed Biden for president in 2020, making her a key surrogate for the Democrat after now-President Donald Trump spent years criticizing her husband and his military service. She has since become the face of the World Food Program, one of the few U.N. agencies that has received bipartisan support for its efforts to help nearly 150 million people confronting conflicts, disasters, and impacts of climate change this year. McCain and the WFP have been in the spotlight as the agency has sought to respond to the humanitarian crises caused by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and Israel’s offensive inside the Gaza Strip. In late August, after visiting Gaza, McCain told The Associated Press it was “very evident” that there isn’t enough food in the Palestinian territory. She said she had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the urgent need for more aid.Her comments came a week after the world’s leading authority on food crises said the Gaza Strip’s largest city is gripped by famine, and that it was likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid.”I personally met mothers and children who were starving in Gaza,” she said. “It is real and it is happening now,”An advocate for children, McCain has served on the board of directors for Operation Smile, a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing facial deformities for children around the world, visiting India, Morocco, and Vietnam, the joint announcement said.McCain succeeded David Beasley, a former South Carolina governor who had led WFP through challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the global food crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Beasley was at the helm when the World Food Program was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, in part for being “a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”Carl Skau, the deputy executive director of WFP, is expected to oversee the organization’s day-to-day operations until McCain’s return. In the statement Thursday, McCain said she has “full confidence” in her leadership team’s ability” to stay laser-focused on delivering urgently needed food assistance to the more than 100 million people WFP is working to serve across 87 countries.”She added, “The fight against hunger has never been more critical, and I am incredibly proud of the work our teams do every day. I look forward to being back in the field soon — alongside WFP teams — pushing back against famine and supporting communities in need.”

    NEW YORK —

    Cindy McCain, the widow of Sen. John McCain and head of the U.N. World Food Program, suffered a mild stroke this week and is said to be recovering “well,” according to a press release Thursday from the humanitarian organization.

    The statement said McCain, 71, is expected to make a “full recovery” and will be traveling from Rome, where the WFP is based, to Arizona to focus on her recuperation. She will return to her post after her doctors have cleared her in four to six weeks.

    “I want to thank the medical staff in Italy for the excellent treatment I received,” said McCain. “My recovery is progressing well thanks to their outstanding care.”

    McCain was appointed in March 2023 to lead the world’s largest humanitarian organization after serving as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. agencies for food and agriculture under former President Joe Biden. McCain broke with Republicans when she endorsed Biden for president in 2020, making her a key surrogate for the Democrat after now-President Donald Trump spent years criticizing her husband and his military service.

    She has since become the face of the World Food Program, one of the few U.N. agencies that has received bipartisan support for its efforts to help nearly 150 million people confronting conflicts, disasters, and impacts of climate change this year. McCain and the WFP have been in the spotlight as the agency has sought to respond to the humanitarian crises caused by the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and Israel’s offensive inside the Gaza Strip.

    In late August, after visiting Gaza, McCain told The Associated Press it was “very evident” that there isn’t enough food in the Palestinian territory. She said she had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the urgent need for more aid.

    Her comments came a week after the world’s leading authority on food crises said the Gaza Strip’s largest city is gripped by famine, and that it was likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid.

    “I personally met mothers and children who were starving in Gaza,” she said. “It is real and it is happening now,”

    An advocate for children, McCain has served on the board of directors for Operation Smile, a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing facial deformities for children around the world, visiting India, Morocco, and Vietnam, the joint announcement said.

    McCain succeeded David Beasley, a former South Carolina governor who had led WFP through challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the global food crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Beasley was at the helm when the World Food Program was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, in part for being “a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”

    Carl Skau, the deputy executive director of WFP, is expected to oversee the organization’s day-to-day operations until McCain’s return.

    In the statement Thursday, McCain said she has “full confidence” in her leadership team’s ability” to stay laser-focused on delivering urgently needed food assistance to the more than 100 million people WFP is working to serve across 87 countries.”

    She added, “The fight against hunger has never been more critical, and I am incredibly proud of the work our teams do every day. I look forward to being back in the field soon — alongside WFP teams — pushing back against famine and supporting communities in need.”

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  • The Best New Memoirs by Women in the U.S. Political Sphere

    The Best New Memoirs by Women in the U.S. Political Sphere

    These are some of the best political memoirs of 2024. Courtesy the publishers

    Women are climbing the ranks in American politics, from state positions to national offices—and in the case of Kamala Harris, holding the second-highest office as Vice President while campaigning for the U.S. presidency. Yet even as women make inroads at all levels, the political climate has grown more and more polarized, and the public discourse on power, policy and representation increasingly revolves around issues of gender. As a result, many high-profile women in politics have, in recent years, been inspired to share their stories in print, sparking an interest in books highlighting resilience in leadership, particularly from women who have overcome systemic barriers to attain influential positions.

    Most recently, a new crop of biographies and memoirs by leaders like Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have pulled back the curtain on not only powerful women’s political perspectives and decision-making processes but also their personal lives. The six recently published memoirs we’ve chosen to feature here highlight these leaders’ unique contributions to governance and American culture while offering an insider’s view of pivotal national events. They’re not always easy reads, but they’re all worth reading.

    The Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House by Nancy Pelosi

    A book covering featuring a shot of a woman from the back as seen looking out over the presidential mallA book covering featuring a shot of a woman from the back as seen looking out over the presidential mall
    The Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House by Nancy Pelosi. Simon & Schuster

    Nothing could have prepared Nancy Pelosi, 84, for the 2022 attack on her husband, Paul, at their San Francisco home. She opens her second book—her first, Know Your Power: A Message to America’s Daughters, was published in 2008—by recounting this traumatic incident that shook her family’s sense of security. She writes that Paul, still unable to speak about it, bears the scars of that night both emotionally and physically. Pelosi’s commitment to and fight for democracy began in an era when few women held political office. Since then, she has been re-elected to the House eighteen times and served as the first female Speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. Throughout her career, she has consistently prioritized children and their futures, describing them as the cornerstone of her platform and the guiding lens for her political decisions, a theme she expands on in her latest book.

    Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love and Liberty by Hillary Rodham Clinton

    A book cover featuring a blonde woman in a green button down shirt staring forwardA book cover featuring a blonde woman in a green button down shirt staring forward
    Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love and Liberty by Hillary Rodham Clinton. Simon & Schuster

    In her latest book, former First Lady and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton took her editor’s advice to heart: to write as though she’s chatting with guests at a dinner party, blending political and personal stories. Each chapter reads like an essay, offering deep insights into her life beyond politics, including her close friendship with Canadian mystery novelist Louise Penny, her admiration for Joni Mitchell and the loyalty of her grade-school friends. Yet Clinton also writes about her efforts to help evacuate Afghan women to safety and describes the routine she and her husband, Bill, maintain, checking in with each other at the end of each day no matter where they are in the world. And she definitely doesn’t shy away from addressing her 2016 presidential election loss to Donald Trump or his persistent claims that the 2020 election was stolen. “Every day, I make an effort to turn my eyes to the future instead,” she reflects.

    SEE ALSO: The 10 Best Books With Badass Older Heroines

    Melania: A Memoir by Melania Trump

    A black book cover featuring the word Melania, all in uppercase, in whiteA black book cover featuring the word Melania, all in uppercase, in white
    Melania: A Memoir by Melania Trump. Skyhorse

    With just days remaining before the upcoming presidential election, former First Lady Trump has largely stayed out of the public eye. True to form, those hoping her book will offer insights into her politics may be disappointed—this quick read reveals little about her personal politics beyond her support for abortion rights and her opposition to the violence of the January 6 Capitol Riots. In this straightforward memoir, she reflects on her Slovenian upbringing, life in the spotlight, her relationship with Donald, her fashion career, the joy of motherhood and her advocacy work. She also discusses her entrepreneurial ventures, such as her jewelry line and skincare brand, and the pride she took in building her own career apart from her husband, even as her projects encountered setbacks. The publisher billed Melania Trump’s memoir as “an in-depth account of a woman who has led a remarkable life on her own terms,” and in that regard, it certainly delivers.

    Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning by Liz Cheney 

    A book cover featuring a serious looking women in glasses gazing off to the sideA book cover featuring a serious looking women in glasses gazing off to the side
    Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning by Liz Cheney. Little, Brown and Company

    Cheney’s sharply focused book addresses her decision to be one of only ten Republicans (and the third-highest-ranking Republican in the House) to vote for Trump’s impeachment following the January 6 insurrection in 2021. This action led to her removal as chair of the House Republican Conference. Her appointment by Speaker Pelosi to the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol provided her with a direct avenue to share her account. The book’s title references the oath every elected official, including the President, swears, pledging allegiance to the Constitution above party loyalty. Cheney clarifies the “warning” in her subtitle on the last page of the prologue: “We cannot make the grave mistake of returning Donald Trump—the man who caused Jan. 6—to the White House, or to any position of public trust, ever again.”

    Lovely One: A Memoir by Ketanji Brown Jackson

    A book cover featuring a smiling women in a yellow blazer looking off to the sideA book cover featuring a smiling women in a yellow blazer looking off to the side
    Lovely One: A Memoir by Ketanji Brown Jackson. Penguin Random House

    When President Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court in 2022, it marked a historic milestone: she became the first Black woman to serve on the highest court in the United States. Jackson opens her memoir with that pivotal scene, describing the moment she’s ushered into the room to take her oath, before moving into the story of her parents’ and grandparents’ struggles with segregation. Her Miami childhood is marked by hope and more opportunity than her forebears knew, as her parents work tirelessly to support her success. But Ketanji is already a bright, curious and reflective child—qualities that will carry her through Harvard, into motherhood and marriage, and ultimately to the Supreme Court. Her name, translated by her aunt, a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, means “lovely one,” which inspired the memoir’s title.

    The Joy of Politics: Surviving Cancer, a Campaign, a Pandemic, an Insurrection, and Life’s Other Unexpected Curveballs by Amy Klobuchar

    A book cover featuring a smiling women in an orange jacket celebrating with her arms raised in joyA book cover featuring a smiling women in an orange jacket celebrating with her arms raised in joy
    The Joy of Politics: Surviving Cancer, a Campaign, a Pandemic, an Insurrection, and Life’s Other Unexpected Curveballs by Amy Klobuchar. Macmillan

    Minnesota-born U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar gained national prominence as a Democratic contender in the 2020 presidential race. Her journey since then has been a whirlwind both publicly and personally: she stood alongside former Vice President Mike Pence on the night of January 6, as he certified President Biden’s victory amidst the insurrection, and in her personal life, she faced the loss of her father to Alzheimer’s, her husband’s COVID-19 hospitalization and oxygen support, and her own cancer diagnosis. Klobuchar’s humor and grounded personality shine through in her fourth book, starting with a lighthearted moment in the opening paragraph where her husband jokes about his “long-haul symptom”—his desire to avoid cleaning out the basement yet again—showcasing her resilience and strength.

    The Best New Memoirs by Women in the U.S. Political Sphere

    Kristine Hansen

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  • The DNC Brings Wiener-Obsessed Politicians, Journalists, and Comedians to Chicago

    The DNC Brings Wiener-Obsessed Politicians, Journalists, and Comedians to Chicago

    While the Democratic National Convention may not be a boon for Chicago’s restaurant industry, local politicians, journalists, and comedians are still planning on sampling the city’s culinary delights this week. Some point to a lack of variety in those diets (we have some suggestions for that); there’s certainly a tendency to stay close to downtown and visit the same North Side neighborhoods. Still, there’s some fun to be had, even if these visitors have limited taste buds and stick with pizza and hot dogs. Eater scoured the convention floor and asked politicians what they put on their hot dogs.

    Lori Lightfoot

    Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
    Scott Olson/Getty Images

    After taking a nearly year-long hiatus, Lightfoot returned to the media circuit this week with DNC analysis on CBS Chicago. The former mayor, who chose an unorthodox smorgasbord for her Super Bowl spread in 2019, prefers a “modified Chicago-style” dog.

    “Brown mustard, dill pickle slices, tomatoes, sport peppers, and celery salt,” Lightfoot says, “Sometimes also giardiniera instead of the sport peppers. But sometimes if the hot dog is really good and grilled right, just a dog in a bun.”

    Jaime Harrison

    Jaime R. Harrison, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, speaks onstage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Delegates, politicians, and Democratic party supporters are in Chicago for the convention, concluding with current Vice President Kamala Harris accepting her party’s presidential nomination. The DNC takes place from August 19-22.

    DNC chair Jamie Harrison.
    Alex Wong/Getty Images

    The DNC chair kept his restaurant plans under wraps but his spokespeople tell us he’s a slaw dog fan. Harrison tops his dog off with chili, coleslaw, relish, ketchup, mustard, and onions.

    Grace Kuhlenschmidt attends the “Boys Go To Jupiter” premiere during the 2024 Tribeca Festival at Village East Cinema on June 07, 2024 in New York City.

    The Daily Show correspondent Grace Kuhlenschmidt.
    Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

    The 28-year-old self-described “straight lesbian comedian” and Daily Show correspondent has a soft spot for Roost Chicken & Biscuits with locations in River West and Wrigleyville.

    “I was living in Chicago when the pandemic hit and on the news they started talking about how we were going to go into lockdown,” she says. “My roommate Andrew and I turned to each other like ‘We need to order The Roost NOW.’ So we did and that was the last thing I ate before I started wiping down my groceries.”

    During the DNC, Kuhlenschmidt will return to her old favorite and order the House-Style fried chicken sandwich with cheese on a biscuit, plus the chocolate chip bread pudding. When it comes to hot dogs, Kuhlenschmidt took a swipe at Chicago tradition: “When it comes to hot dogs, I need ketchup,” she says. “I really don’t care what Chicago or the National Hot Dog Association say. Ketchup is a divine condiment.”

    DNC senior advisor Keiana Barrett (the chief diversity & engagement officer for developer Sterling Bay) plans on sticking close to McCormick Place and patronizing Williams Inn, the pizzeria and sports bar in the South Loop, owned by the same Black family as Jeffery Pub, one of the oldest queer bars in the country. She’ll start with the hot wings, “fried hard” with ranch dressing, and deep-dish pizza with mushrooms. Barrett only eats turkey hot dogs and prefers them grilled with mustard, barbecue sauce, relish, pickle, and a dash of seasoned salt.

    Christy George

    Christy George, executive director of the host committee, speaks while the Democratic National Convention holds a media walkthrough on Jan. 18, 2024, at the United Center.

    DNC executive director Christy George.
    Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

    Winner of the 2022 Banchet Award for Best Alternative Dining, Sinhá should expect a visit from the DNC’s executive director Christy George (Gov. Pritzker’s first assistant deputy governor for budget and economy). Among her top picks at the Brazilian restaurant: mango salsa, plantains, chicken curry, and steak.

    “Best Brazilian food in the city recently had it and can’t wait to go back,” George tells Eater — not that there are a ton of Brazilian options in Chicago. “Their patio is intimate and beautiful, it’s a local woman-owned restaurant, and the food is killer.”

    When it comes to hot dogs, George ignores Chicago-style rules.

    “Ketchup and mustard, unapologetically,” she says.

    Don Harmon

    Senate President Don Harmon arrives before Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivered his State of the State and budget address at the Illinois State Capitol on Feb. 21, 2024, in Springfield, Illinois.

    Illinois Senate President Don Harmon.
    Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

    The Illinois state senate president hasn’t had much time to sit down and dine during the DNC.

    “I wish I had been eating anywhere but off the fat of the land, wherever food is put in front of me from reception to reception,” Harmon says on the convention floor on Tuesday before the delegates cast their vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.

    “Hot dogs you’ve only got three choices: you can eat it Chicago-style, you can eat it with mustard and onions, or you can eat it plain,” Harmon says, adding that he’ll eat any of those three options depending on the circumstance.

    “If I can’t spill I’m not above a plain hot dog, mustard, and onions when I’m low-key and Chicago style if someone else is fixing it,” he says.

    Leigh Giangreco

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  • Where Politicians Eat in Chicago

    Where Politicians Eat in Chicago

    Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times journalists (when the two were neighbors downtown) have long decamped from their namesake tower on Michigan Avenue, but go underneath the Mag Mile to the original Billy Goat Tavern and you’re sure to find a few ink-stained wretches crowding the bar. Local reporters, and sometimes their sources, still flock to the original Billy Goat, where the names of famous Chicago journalists like Richard Roeper grace the walls. The “Cheezborger” made famous by Saturday Night Live doesn’t disappoint, particularly the award-winning “Curse-Breaker” with bacon, grilled onions, and jalapeño.

    Leigh Giangreco

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  • Methuen council taking another vote on Searles Estate

    Methuen council taking another vote on Searles Estate

    METHUEN — The City Council will likely vote on the purchase of the historic Searles Estate for the second time next month.

    The council voted against the purchase of the property for $3.25 million last week, which would typically mean the end of the proposed resolution. But after recent legal advice from City Solicitor Kenneth Rossetti, Chair Joel Faretra said he will bring the matter back for another vote at the council’s next meeting in September.

    City officials aim to preserve the historic site by acquiring the property from the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary. Those opposed have cited fiscal responsibility and said the city does not have a comprehensive plan for the aging estate.

    The Searles Estate encompasses 25 acres, with 19 available for purchase by the city. The estate is valued at $10 million. The acquisition would also include $1 million in artifacts.

    The vote Aug. 5, which left the community sharply divided, included two councilor absences and an abstention, leading to a potential conflict of interest.

    Only six of nine councilors voted. Faretra, Nicholas DiZoglio, Ronald Marsan and Allison Mary Saffie voted in favor while Neily Soto and Patricia Valley were opposed.

    Faretra said he was informed that the majority party can bring an item back for a vote, rather than just the prevailing side.

    Soto said preserving the estate is important but that it should be done through a public-private partnership which places less of a burden on taxpayers.

    Twelve potential buyers have looked at the estate over the years. One developer presented a plan that would demolish the estate and build apartments, according to the city.

    Sisters of the Presentation of Mary purchased the estate in 1957 to house Presentation of Mary Academy, which closed in 2020. Since then, the religious order has endeavored to find a buyer.

    The order was founded in France in 1796 and came to the United States in 1853, according to its website.

    The estate would likely need about $250,000 in annual maintenance, according to Chief Administrative & Financial Officer Maggie Duprey.

    The Methuen Historical Society has called the estate an “irreplaceable treasure” and urged the council and the community to support the purchase.

    The next council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 3 but that date will likely be adjusted due to the state primary elections, Faretra said.

    By Teddy Tauscher | ttauscher@eagletribune.com

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  • Mass. Democrats praise Harris’ VP pick

    Mass. Democrats praise Harris’ VP pick

    BOSTON — Massachusetts Democrats are praising Vice President Kamala Harris for choosing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in the upcoming presidential election.

    Harris made the announcement on Tuesday morning, ending weeks of speculation about her pick for a second-in-command to challenge former Republican President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, as Democrats seek to hold onto the White House after incumbent President Joe Biden bowed out of the race.

    “Tim is a battle-tested leader who has an incredible track record of getting things done for Minnesota families. I know that he will bring that same principled leadership to our campaign, and to the office of the vice president,” Harris said in a statement.

    Walz, 60, is a military veteran, former public school teacher and six-term congressman. He was first elected as Minnesota’s governor in 2018 after defeating an incumbent candidate, a rare feat in the conservative-leaning, largely rural state.

    Gov. Maura Healey, a first-term Democrat and former surrogate for President Joe Biden, called Walz a “person of deep integrity and empathy” and lauded him as a “champion for the working families of his state (who) brings a common-sense approach to getting things done for the people he serves.”

    “Kamala Harris and Tim Walz will build a country where people have the ability to not just get by, but get ahead. They will grow our economy, reduce the costs of housing and prescription drugs, and create jobs in every part of this country,” Healey said in a statement.

    “They are the team we can trust to protect Social Security, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act. And they will make sure every woman has access to the health care she needs,” she added.

    Rep. Lori Trahan called Walz an “excellent choice” and lauded his work on veterans affairs, education, gun safety and expanding benefits for workers.

    “He passed free school meals to make sure children don’t go hungry, gun safety laws to protect kids at school and in their communities, and paid leave for workers,” Trahan, a Westford Democrat, said in a statement. “We have a strong, proven ticket in Kamala Harris and Tim Walz who are ready to take our message for a better future directly to the American people.”

    Rep. Seth Moulton called him a “committed veteran, leader, and friend” and said the Harris-Walz ticket will “fight to unite America and make our country better.”

    “A tireless advocate for our troops, he knows how to stand up for those who have been left behind – or simply not appreciated for all they do for America,” the Salem Democrat said. “This election is a choice between community and chaos, between expanding freedoms for Americans or restricting them, between standing with our friends and allies or shirking responsibility and trust.”

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Walz is a “terrific pick” for Harris’ second-in-command and also praised his accomplishments as a governor.

    “As a former teacher, veteran, and one of the most effective governors in America, Walz has a strong track record of putting government on the side of working families,” Warren, a Cambridge Democrat, posted on X. “I’m all in for Harris-Walz!”

    Sen. Ed Markey called Walz a “working class champion” and said he has the experience to help Kamala Harris lead our nation and deliver on the promises of a livable future for our people and planet.”

    “We now have the ticket that will bring us to victory on Election Day,” the Malden Democrat posted on social media.

    At least one Newburyport Democrat is also hailing the pick as a win for the ticket.

    “I think Tim Walz was a great choice. He has fantastic experience that is very different from hers. He is a smart, honorable and highly qualified VP candidate,” Karen Trowbridge, Newburyport Democratic City Committee chair, said.

    Trowbridge went on to say she believes the Democratic Party will unite behind Walz just as they united behind Harris.

    “Democrats should feel proud and optimistic today,” she said.

    The Trump campaign blasted Walz, as a “dangerously liberal extremist,” while warning that their vision for the country is “every American’s nightmare.”

    “By picking Tim Walz as her running mate, Kamala Harris not only bent the knee to the radical left, she doubled down on her dangerously liberal, weak, and failed agenda,” Brian Hughes, the Trump campaign senior adviser, said in a statement.

    “Walz would be a rubber stamp for Kamala to wage war on American energy, continue aiding and abetting an invasion on our border, and embolden our adversaries as the world is brought to the brink of World War III.”

    Daily News editor Dave Rogers contributed to this report.

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Elected officials condemn Trump attack, call for calm

    Elected officials condemn Trump attack, call for calm

    Massachusetts and New Hampshire officials are condemning political violence and calling for calm after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.

    Trump was rushed off the stage Saturday after a bullet grazed his ear in what authorities described as an apparent assassination attempt. One spectator was killed and two others critically injured in the incident, authorities said.

    Federal authorities named Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the suspect. He was shot and killed by authorities. A motive is not yet known.

    But the attack stoked fears about increasing violence in the nation’s toxic political system ahead of an already divisive presidential election, with Trump locked in a neck-and-neck race for the White House against incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden.

    Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey condemned the attack, praised law enforcement for its “swift response,” and said she was “relieved” the former president is safe.

    “Political violence has no place in this country, and all Americans must condemn it,” the Democrat said in a statement.

    Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, issued a joint statement, saying they “grieve for the families affected by Saturday’s tragedy and condemn those who would seek to use violence to further their political goals.”

    “While we may disagree on many things, we are deeply committed to this country’s ideals of settling those disagreements through public participation, debate, and respect for our colleagues regardless of their affiliation,” they said.

    Members of Massachusetts’s all-Democratic congressional delegation also denounced the violence and appealed for calm.

    “It doesn’t matter how much we might disagree in politics, violence is never acceptable,” Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, said in a statement. “This is a polarized time, but we’re stronger when we’re united, not divided.”

    New Hampshire’s political leaders also voiced their outrage and appealed for calm in the November elections.

    “Political violence of any kind is never acceptable,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said in a statement. “I’m appreciative of the quick efforts of law enforcement and hope the former President and anyone else injured today recovers fully.”

    Republican Gov. Chris Sununu echoed those sentiments on social media, saying in a statement that “violence of any form has no place in America” and wishing Trump a “speedy recovery” from his injuries.

    The assassination attempt on Trump was the first instance of a president or presidential candidate being targeted with violence since President Ronald Reagan survived a shooting in 1981.

    Biden used a rare White House address Sunday to condemn violence and pleaded with Americans to cool the political rhetoric ahead of the November elections, citing the attempt on Trump and other recent incidents involving elected officials.

    “A former president was shot. An American citizen was killed while simply exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing. We cannot, we must not go down this road in America,” the Democrat said. “We’ve traveled it before throughout history. Violence has never been the answer.”

    Trump arrived Sunday in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, where he is expected to accept his party’s formal nomination in a speech later this week.

    Delegates from the state’s Republican Party, who are expected to attend the four-day convention, issued a statement wishing Trump a speedy recovery, condemning the violence and calling on Americans “to unify as a nation to condemn this horrible incident.”

    “Like every American, we are outraged, horrified and deeply concerned,” MassGOP Chairwoman Amy Carnevale and other party officials said. “Whether Democrat or Republican, despite our differences, we all desire peace and prosperity for our nation.”

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Local politicians react to Donald Trump assassination attempt at Pennsylvania rally

    Local politicians react to Donald Trump assassination attempt at Pennsylvania rally

    Former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, authorities say.

    Gunfire set off panic at the rally, which was taking place days before Trump was to accept the Republican nomination. Trump said he was shot in the ear, and his campaign said he was doing “fine” after the shooting, the Associated Press reported.

    MORE: City employees expected in the office Monday after judge denies injunction on mayor’s policy

    The shooter was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who was fatally shot by Secret Service agents, authorities say. One attendee was also killed and two spectators were critically injured, officials say. The investigation is ongoing.

    “I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania,” President Joe Biden wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

    Pennsylvania GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick was sitting in the front row at the rally and described the “scary moment” to ABC’s “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos.

    “The president was taken off the stage, and there was a real confusion of what was going on, whether there were multiple shooters, whether the shooting was done … an inch difference and the president would have been dead,” McCormick said.

    Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Mike Kelly was also in the front row at the rally, and told CBS News it was “surreal.”

    “That’s not what we do in America,” Kelly said. “We go out and we vote, and we vote for whomever we want. But if we don’t like the other person … who is running for office, you don’t kill them.”

    Other politicians from Pennsylvania reacted to the shooting on social media:

    Franki Rudnesky

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  • GOP Finally Decides To Rally Behind Herman Cain

    GOP Finally Decides To Rally Behind Herman Cain

    WASHINGTON—Having long sought to place a viable alternative to Donald Trump at the head of the party’s ticket, top GOP power brokers finally decided Thursday to rally behind the late Herman Cain for president in 2024. “After much discussion with my fellow Republicans, I have decided to back Herman Cain as our party’s presidential nominee,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in an announcement that followed similar statements from candidates Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, and Chris Christie, all of whom dropped out of the race to endorse the Covid-19 victim and former Godfather’s Pizza CEO. “Though some may raise concerns about his lack of prior electoral success and his current status as a deceased person, those are all merely distractions. A lot of people forget Mr. Cain was our party’s frontrunner in the 2012 race until he was sidelined by accusations of sexual misconduct, something that is no longer an impediment to a Republican seeking public office. And polls show swing voters and independents are more likely to see him as a sympathetic figure since his tragic death three years ago.” A Quinnipiac University Poll released earlier this week found that nine in 10 registered voters described Cain as only “slightly less alive” than President Joe Biden.

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  • Mike Pence Officially Enters 2024 Republican Presidential Race

    Mike Pence Officially Enters 2024 Republican Presidential Race

    Former Vice President Mike Pence announced he’s running for president, setting up a battle for the Republican nomination with his former boss, Donald Trump. What do you think?

    “He’s definitely got a broad coalition of people who hate him.”

    Tariq Bringelson, Unemployed

    “God’s going to have a tough time picking a side.”

    Francesca Wilkes, Evidence Collector

    “Wait, that’s Mike Pence? Who did I hang then?”

    Glen Darmian, Body Double

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  • Biden Airlifted To Standing Position

    Biden Airlifted To Standing Position

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  • Week In Review: May 21, 2023

    Week In Review: May 21, 2023

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  • Senate Freaking Out After Dianne Feinstein Gets Her Hands On Gun

    Senate Freaking Out After Dianne Feinstein Gets Her Hands On Gun

    WASHINGTON—Thrown into a panic when the confused 89-year-old appeared on the Senate floor randomly pointing a firearm at various colleagues, lawmakers reportedly freaked out Friday after Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) got her hands on a gun. “Good God, someone get that thing away from her!” said Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who ducked behind a chair as Feinstein rolled down the aisle and waved a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun in several faces, screaming that there were terrorists hiding in the attic and they had been poisoning her food. “She clearly doesn’t understand what she’s doing. If someone puts their hands up and approaches her slowly, maybe she’ll just give it to you. It’s probably not loaded. There’s no way she’s still lucid enough to know how to—oh, shit, hit the deck!” At press time, after appearing surprised to realize where she was and what she was doing, Feinstein was said to have calmly and systemically shot every member of Congress who has called for her resignation.

    Taxidermist Returns Finished Bob Dole To Display In Capitol Rotunda

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  • Biden Announces 2024 Reelection Bid

    Biden Announces 2024 Reelection Bid

    President Biden officially announced his bid for reelection Tuesday morning, saying in a solemn launch video that he wants to “finish the job” he started when the country was racked by a deadly pandemic, a reeling economy and a teetering democracy. What do you think?

    “Who better to capture my weariness?”

    Donny Latimer, Unemployed

    “If he needs the money to retire that badly, maybe he should just have a fundraiser.”

    Hank Brennan, Building Climber

    “Okay, but can anyone tell me if this is the most important election of my lifetime or not?”

    Renee Sheridan, Bookmark Artist

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  • Sen. Feinstein Faces Increased Pressure From Hallucination Of JFK Yelling At Her To Step Down

    Sen. Feinstein Faces Increased Pressure From Hallucination Of JFK Yelling At Her To Step Down

    SAN FRANCISCO—With the powerful Democrat making frequent appearances before her and urging her to resign her seat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) reportedly faced increased pressure Friday from a hallucination of the late former President John F. Kennedy yelling at her to step down. “The party, Dianne! Think of the party!” said an apparition of the 35th president who is visible only to Feinstein and has served as her top aide since he entered her hospital room last month, trailing behind him the endless brain tissue that continually oozes from a wound in his skull. “There is nothing left for you in the Senate, Dianne, or indeed in this earthly realm. Soon you will carry out the ultimate service to your country by joining me on the other side. And together, we will govern the afterlife!” At press time, Feinstein told sources she felt betrayed after discovering the phantasm of Kennedy was merely angling to be appointed to her vacant Senate seat.

    Taxidermist Returns Finished Bob Dole To Display In Capitol Rotunda

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  • Week In Review: April 9, 2023

    Week In Review: April 9, 2023

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  • Week In Review: April 2, 2023

    Week In Review: April 2, 2023

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  • Biden Approves Controversial Oil Drilling Project In Alaska

    Biden Approves Controversial Oil Drilling Project In Alaska

    The Biden administration approved a massive $8 billion drilling project in Alaska for oil company ConocoPhillips, drawing objections from environmental groups who say it will speed up the climate breakdown and undermine food security. What do you think?

    “This is the kind of bipartisan destruction people wanted when they voted for Biden.”

    Buck Gallizeau, Unemployed

    “If protesters have a better idea to speed up our climate breakdown, I’m sure the government is all ears.”

    Daniel Mello, Blackjack Dealer

    “Okay, but let’s start fresh with stopping climate change tomorrow.”

    Kim Lytie, Plan Consultant

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  • Biden Delivers State Of The Union

    Biden Delivers State Of The Union

    President Biden, two years into his term and facing a Republican-led House for the first time, delivered his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress last night. What did you think of the speech?

    “There wasn’t enough groveling to me specifically.”

    Russ Melendez, Unemployed

    “I hope I’m giving State of the Union speeches that good when I’m 80.”

    Kelly DiToma, Confection Expert

    “He puts on a good show, but everyone knows he’s lip-syncing.”

    Griffith Feldman, Clock Resetter

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