Team USA gymnast Jake Dalton – I know, I know, just look at him – shares his morning workout circuit.
I gotta get back to the gym…
Mid-Day Brain Break: Body By Jake Dalton
USA Freedom Kids To Sue Donald Trump For Stiffing Them
Another day, another broken deal with Donald Trump.
Jeff Popick is not only the father of one of the USA Freedom Kids but he created the pre-teen musical group.
Back in January, the star-spangled kids’ performance of “Over There” at a Donald Trump campaign rally became a viral sensation.
But now, Popick is ready to sue the Trumpster for reneging on payment to the kids for their appearance.
“I’m doing this because I think they have to do the right thing,” Popick said to the Post about his plans to file a suit. “And if this means having to go through the court system to enforce them doing the right thing, then that’s what I have to do. I’m not looking to do battle with the Trump campaign, but I have to show my girls that this is the right thing.”
Popick explained to the Post that his agreement with the campaign was mostly verbal, and he never had a written contract. He spoke with various campaign officials, including former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, and agreed that the Freedom Kids would be paid $2,500 for the Pensacola performance. The campaign then offered to set up a table at the rally where they could sell albums. But no such table was ever set up.
The girls were also invited to perform at Trump’s impromptu event for veterans in January that was planned in lieu of a Fox News debate. But after traveling to Iowa, the Freedom Kids did not get a chance to perform.
In truth, this is the essence of Trump.
Throughout the past year, several stories have surfaced chronicling Trump’s many instances of stiffing past employees and contracted employees. So, in truth, this is just more of the same for Trump.
Doesn’t matter to his followers, though. They probably appreciate his ability to “negotiate” this.
DNC Email Hacker Connected To Russian Government
The Daily Beast has the details:
The hacker who claims to have stolen emails from the Democratic National Committee and provided them to WikiLeaks is actually an agent of the Russian government and part of an orchestrated attempt to influence U.S. media coverage surrounding the presidential election, a security research group concluded on Tuesday.
The researchers, at Arlington, Va.-based ThreatConnect, traced the self-described Romanian hacker Guccifer 2.0 back to an Internet server in Russia and to a digital address that has been linked in the past to Russian online scams. Far from being a singly, sophisticated hacker, Guccifer 2.0 is more likely a collection of people from the propaganda arm of the Russian government meant to deflect attention away from Moscow as the force behind the DNC hacks and leaks of emails, the researchers found.
ThreatConnect is the first known group of experts to link the self-proclaimed hacker to a Russian operation, amidst an ongoing FBI investigation and a presidential campaign rocked by the release of DNC emails that have embarrassed senior party leaders and inflamed intraparty tensions turning the Democratic National Convention. The emails revealed that party insiders plotted ways to undermine Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid.
WikiLeaks hasn’t responded to Guccifer 2.0’s claims of responsibility for the email leak.
Seen At DNC2016: Cecile Richards
I hadn’t made the connection until my friend Aaron Baldwin pointed out – seated next to President Bill Clinton last night was Cecile Richards, the CEO of Planned Parenthood.
I know who Cecile is, but didn’t realize that her mother was Texas Governor Ann Richards, who gave her now famous keynote address at the Dukakis DNC nomination, bringing down the house.
Listen to the speech below – you could make the same speech today and be just as relevant.
Daily Dance: J.T. and Robert “So You Think You Can Dance”
Gorgeous, thoughtful, evocative.
Choreography by the brilliant Travis Wall.
NBA-er Jason Collins Met With Hillary Clinton Before Coming Out
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| Out NBA player Jason Collins |
Former NBA player Jason Collins addressed last night’s Democratic National Convention telling the crowd that Hillary Clinton was a source of support when he made the decision to come out.
Collins has known the Clinton family for years ever since he attended Stanford University with Chelsea Clinton.
Collins, the first openly gay player in a major American league sport, shared with the audience that he met with the Clintons privately before coming out.
From The Advocate:
“I’ve known their family for almost 20 years,” Collins said. “I knew that they would accept me for who I was and that they would help pave a path for others to do the same. I am forever grateful for their words of wisdom back then and their unconditional support. They knew that my sexual orientation made no difference in my ability to play basketball.”
“My dream was to play in the NBA and live my authentic life as a proud gay man at the same time,” Collins said. “I was able to accomplish both of those goals because of the people who have supported me throughout my life.”
Since leaving the league, the now retired player has become an advocate for LGBT rights, most recently praising the NBA for moving the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte.
Talks Underway For Bernie Sanders To Formally Nominate Hillary Clinton At #DNCinPHL
Talks underway about Bernie Sanders being the person tonight who puts Hillary Clinton "over the top" for nomination at #DNCinPHL (via CNN)— Matthew Nordin (@MatthewNordin) July 26, 2016
I heard from two sources now that say talks are underway for Bernie Sanders to call for the Democratic National Convention to accept Hillary Clinton as presidential candidate “by acclamation.”
A somewhat ceremonial move, but a step towards party unity.
Michelle Obama Covers NY Daily News
It says much that after First Lady Michelle Obama’s rafter-raising speech at the Democratic National Convention last night, the New York Daily News quickly swapped out an already planned snarky cover (regarding frictions at the DNC) to highlight and praise the First Lady.
Tweet Of The Day: Bernie Sanders
Sen. Cory Booker Isn’t Going To Take Donald Trump’s Hate Bait
After Sen. Cory Booker’s electrifying speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention last night, Republican presidential candidate did what he does and attacked Booker via Twitter.
With a mysterious, veiled threat, the Trumpster wrote, “If Cory Booker is the future of the Democratic Party, they have no future! I know more about Cory than he knows about himself.”
If Cory Booker is the future of the Democratic Party, they have no future! I know more about Cory than he knows about himself.— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2016
But Booker isn’t taking Trump’s hate bait.
Speaking with CNN this morning, Booker said, “I love you, Donald. I pray for you.”
Watching below. This is how you take on a bully.
And, in case you missed it, here’s just the last few minutes of Booker’s roof-raising speech. This really is a must-watch: