BIDEN, PRESIDENTIALLY
President Biden is delivering speech after stirring speech—uplifting, uniting. This week, it was in Normandy, France, where Americans joined many nations in 1944 to defeat fascistic dictators. “To surrender to bullies, to bow down to dictators is simply unthinkable. Were we to do that, it means we’d be forgetting what happened here on these hallowed beaches. Make no mistake: We will not bow down. We will not forget.” If you read one article, read this from The Daily Beast. Or here’s the transcript. It’s not long.
The president isn’t interfering with the prosecution of his son. Instead, he’s offering strong family support while making a public appeal to everyone who has loved ones with addiction problems. Hunter Biden, in his darkest hours, didn’t pay taxes and lied about purchasing a gun while being addicted to crack. He pleaded guilty and repaid the taxes. Republicans have long hounded Hunter and the plea deal fell apart, but the president has never flexed executive powers, allowing the DOJ to proceed independently. It has been suggested that the prosecution could backfire on Republicans. Everyone knows someone who has struggled with addiction. Everyone can relate.
The New York Times
In a surprise speech by President Biden on Friday, a cease-fire plan for Gaza is putting a political squeeze on Netanyahu in Israel. Pressure is mounting as more than 100,000 Israelis flooded the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night, demanding Netanyahu accept the three-part deal that Biden officials say is the best offer either side could hope to have. Phase Two is a permanent end to the fighting, full withdrawal of Israel from Gaza and the return of all remaining hostages. The third phase outlines a 3-5 year period of internationally funded reconstruction of Gaza and the establishment of a non-Hamas Palestinian government. Both Israel and Hamas issued positive initial responses following Biden’s statement. The Washington Post
POLITICAL WINDS
This should have political power at the ballot box for Democrats; Republicans are declaring they’re against making contraception a federal right, arguing that it’s not threatened—even though far-right conservatives are inaccurately characterizing IUDs, emergency contraception, even birth-control pills, as causing abortions. Senate Republicans blocked a bill on Wednesday that would have guaranteed the right to birth control. Vanity Fair, The Washington Post
“On June 4, 1919, Congress passed the 19th Amendment—giving women the right to vote. Since then, women have taken their rightful place in America’s leadership, but small men like Trump threaten the progress made. This November, it’s time for women to make their voices heard.” This is a short, empowering political ad from Lincoln Project.
Medicare For All is seeing a resurgence nationally. Growing bipartisan anger over issues with healthcare prices, private insurers’ denials of claims, and huge profits raked in by insurance companies while an estimated 98 million American adults skip or delay costly medical appointments, are pushing more people to demand change. Common Dreams
A Republican group is fronting a multi-state campaign urging the Supreme Court to reject Donald Trump’s presidential immunity claim in association with ongoing federal criminal trials. Newsweek
POLLS, POLLS, POLLS—TAKEN WITH MANY GRAINS OF SALT
Poll: RFK Jr. would swing the edge to Biden in key battleground states. Kennedy is not yet on the ballot in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, or Michigan. Yet this poll shows if he is added to PA, he will attract a crucial margin of Trump voters, throwing the state to Biden. For now, it’s just an indicator, one worth keeping in mind. The Hill
Most independents say former President Trump received a fair trial in the New York falsification of business records and election interference criminal case, in a CBS News/YouGov poll published Sunday. The Hill
48 hours after his guilty verdict, Donald Trump suffered triple polling disappointments. Here’s some of the head-spinning data from Newsweek, in case you want to dive in. The dust is still settling. It’s only been a week, with sentencing yet to come, yet findings indicate ten percent of Republicans are less likely to support him. Margins are tight and this could make a significant difference. Fox News
Joe Biden suddenly leads Donald Trump in multiple battleground states. It’s still early for polls—though it seems like they’ve been going on forever. If you can’t avoid ingesting them, you might like this one. According to swing state polling by Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and Mainstreet Research, Biden is gaining ground in three key states. Newsweek
EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW
Trump’s conviction in New York extends his recent losing streak with jurors to 0-42. With all these jurors, in state criminal trials and federal civil trials, “he didn’t succeed in getting one, not one person,” said criminal defense attorney Robert McWhirter. CBS News
Trump has few ways to overturn his conviction as a New York felon. Though his lawyers might challenge the novel theory at the case’s center, experts say the judge in Trump’s case closed off many avenues of appeal. The New York Times
2000 Mules, the election denial conspiracy film, and a related book, were pulled from platforms and will cease distribution. Salem Media settled a defamation lawsuit for a “significant” amount. The movie was supposed to be the definitive proof that Democrats stole the 2020 election from President Trump. It wasn’t true. CBS News, Wall Street Journal
Steve Bannon must surrender for his prison term by July 1. He was convicted two years ago of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 committee. He faces a four-month sentence. The New York Times
The Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. must pay more of Native American tribes’ healthcare costs. Reuters
Another committee with accusatory conspiracy theories came up short. Republicans, attacking Anthony Fauci, could not prove that he influenced the CIA on a COVID lab leak theory. More nothingburgers. The Washington Post
NYPD is preparing to revoke Donald Trump’s license to carry a gun. Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is a federal crime. CNN
AND FINALLY
Worry less. Do more. June messages from FridayAction.
Resist the Republican gaslighting and support the rule of law. Stand up to the bullies. Only a small minority of Americans have a positive view of MAGA—take the focus away from them and defend what Democrats stand for, who we are and what we do. Reproductive rights. Democracy. NATO. Ecology. Education. Inclusion. Social contracts for the good of all. Tell it often.
Here’s what you can do this month. You can change the narrative. Create a growing blue wave. Be visible. Put up a lawn sign. Wear a T-shirt. Or a cap. Apply a magnetic bumper sticker. Don’t be cowed by the haters—it’s what they want. More people will be grateful for your solidarity than you will ever know.