Hitting the battleground states: Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, kicked off a bus tour in battleground Georgia today. GOP vice presidential candidate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, spoke in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Arlington controversy: Vance defended the campaign over a reported altercation this week during former President Donald Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery, calling it a media creation. The Ohio senator also rejected criticism of comments he made in 2021 about the leader of a powerful teacher’s union being childless.
First joint interview: Harris and Walz will sit with CNN for their first joint interview Thursday that will air at 9 p.m. ET. It marks the first time Harris has sat with a journalist for an in-depth, on-the-record conversation since President Joe Biden ended his bid.
Ohio Sen. JD Vance posted a picture of a cat wearing a “Cats for Vance 2024” bandana, appearing to make light of the scrutiny surrounding his 2021 “childless cat ladies” comments.
After being announced as Trump’s vice presidential pick, Vance faced scrutiny for previously saying the United States is being run by “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives.” CNN also reported Vance has a history of disparaging comments against those without children, including fundraising emails referring to the “radical childless leaders in this country.”
Recently, Vance faced fresh scrutiny for resurfaced comments aimed at Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers.
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Where the candidates stand: The Russia-Ukraine war
From CNN staff
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
Harris: The vice president has committed to supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. She has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at least six times and announced $1.5 billion for energy assistance, humanitarian needs and other aid for the war-torn country last month.
At the Munich Security Conference this year, Harris said: “I will make clear President Joe Biden and I stand with Ukraine. In partnership with supportive, bipartisan majorities in both houses of the United States Congress, we will work to secure critical weapons and resources that Ukraine so badly needs. And let me be clear: The failure to do so would be a gift to Vladimir Putin.”
Trump: The former president previously pledged to end the war in Ukraine, though he’s offered no details on how he would do so. “Shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled,” Trump said at a New Hampshire campaign event last year, adding in another speech that it would take him “no longer than one day” to settle the war if elected.
Trump further addressed his strategy of stopping the “never-ending wars” by vowing to remove “warmongers,” “frauds” and “failures in the senior ranks of our government,” and replacing them with national security officials who would defend America’s interests. The former president added in a campaign video that he would stop lobbyists and government contractors from pushing senior military officials toward war.
Carole King, Elizabeth Warren and others join "Swifties for Kamala" call
From CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister
Musician Carole King, left, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Getty Images
Left-leaning Taylor Swift fans joined artists like Carole King and politicians, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, for a Zoom call organized by the group “Swifties for Kamala” to mobilize fans of the pop superstar to vote for Kamala Harris.
Swift has no affiliation with the group and was not involved in the call on Tuesday.
“Swifties for Kamala” has amassed roughly a quarter of a million followers across multiple social media platforms and raised over $13,000 for the Harris-Walz campaign.
More than 26,000 participants registered to join the call, which was attended by CNN and also featured remarks by Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Chris Deluzio, Rep. Becca Balint and chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party Anderson Clayton.
Irene Kim, the co-founder of “Swifties for Kamala,” had previously told CNN the group was hopeful Harris or her running mate, Tim Walz, might join the call, though neither was present.
“Hello Swifties!” is how Warren, the first speaker of the night, greeted the group as heart, thumbs up and party emojis flowed through the stream.
King sang her favorite Swift song, “Shake It Off,” telling those gathered not to be afraid of standing up and using their voice.
Trump added that he would instruct the Department of Justice to open civil rights investigations into “radical left” prosecutors’ offices that engaged in racial enforcement of the law, encourage Congress to use their legal authority over Washington, DC, to restore “law and order” and overhaul federal standards of disciplining minors to address rising crimes like carjackings.
Addressing policies made in what Trump calls the “Democrats’ war on police,” the former president vowed in a campaign video that he would pass a “record investment” to hire and retrain police, strengthen protections like qualified immunity, increase penalties for assaulting law enforcement officers and deploy the National Guard when local law enforcement “refuses to act.”
The former president added that he would require law enforcement agencies that receive money from his funding investment or the Department of Justice to use “proven common sense” measures such as stop-and-frisk.
Campaign issues: What Harris has said on consumer debt
From CNN's Tami Luhby and Way Mullery
Hefty debt loads, which hurt people’s ability to buy homes, get car loans, or start small businesses, are also an area of interest to Kamala Harris.
In her economic plan, she pledged to work with states to cancel medical debt for millions of Americans and help them avoid falling behind on health care bills in the future. States and municipalities have used American Rescue Plan funds to cancel $7 billion of medical debt for up to 3 million Americans, according to the campaign.
Harris has been a leader in the White House’s efforts to ban medical debt from credit reports, noting that those with medical debt are no less likely to repay a loan than those who don’t have unpaid medical bills.
As vice president, she has promoted the Biden administration’s initiatives on student debt, which have so far forgiven more than $168 billion for nearly 4.8 million borrowers. In July, Harris said that “nearly 950,000 public servants have benefitted” from student debt forgiveness, compared with only 7,000 when Biden was inaugurated.
A potential Harris administration could keep that momentum going – though some of Joe Biden’s efforts have gotten tangled up in litigation, such as a program aimed at cutting monthly student loan payments for roughly 3 million borrowers enrolled in a repayment plan the administration implemented last year.
“We want them to run the education of our children, because they’ll do a much better job of it,” he added.
The former president has also promised to “put parents back in charge and give them the final say” in education. In a January 2023 campaign video, the former president said he would give funding preferences and “favorable treatment” to schools that allow parents to elect principals, abolish teacher tenure for K-12 teachers, use merit pay to incentivize quality teaching and cut the number of school administrators, such as those overseeing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
We want them to run the education of our children, because they’ll do a much better job of it.”
Trump also said in that campaign video that he would cut funding for schools that teach critical race theory and gender ideology. In a later speech, Trump said he would bring back the 1776 Commission, which was launched in his previous administration to “teach our values and promote our history and our traditions to our children.”
The former president said he would charge the Department of Justice and the Department of Education with investigating civil rights violations of race-based discrimination in schools while also removing “Marxists” from the Department of Education. A second Trump administration would pursue violations in schools of both the Constitution’s Establishment and Free Exercise clauses, which prohibit the government establishment of religion and protect a citizen’s right to practice their own religion, he said.
In preview of remarks to firefighters' union, Vance says right-to-work laws should be left to states
From CNN's Aaron Pellish
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks at a campaign event in DePere, Wisconsin on August 28.
Morry Gash/AP
Ohio Sen. JD Vance previewed his message to a firefighters’ union convention in Boston on Thursday, pledging to work to improve wages of both union and non-union members while declining to say whether he supports right to work laws nationally or at the state level.
During a Wednesday campaign event in De Pere, Wisconsin, Vance said he plans to tell workers at the International Association of Fire Fighters conference he wants workers to “have safe jobs” and livable wages “without being destroyed by our public leadership.”
When asked by CNN whether he would support a bill similar to the House Republican bill proposed last year to implement a national right-to-work law, Vance noted he did not support the bill and indicated he would want states to implement their own laws individually if they choose. When asked by CNN if he supports Wisconsin’s right-to-work law or if he supports Michigan’s decision to repeal its right-to-work law last year, Vance said states should make their own decisions on the issue.
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Vance claims Arlington incident is "not a gross violation of federal law"
From CNN's Aaron Pellish
Ohio Sen. JD Vance speaks at a campaign event Wednesday, August 28, in DePere, Wisconsin.
Morry Gash/AP
Ohio Sen. JD Vance continued to defend the Trump campaign in response to an altercation between campaign aides and a staff member at Arlington National Cemetery during the former president’s visit earlier this week.
In response to a question about whether Vance feels Trump should have to abide by a federal law banning political campaigns from filming at military grave sites, Vance denied the campaign filming at the grave site amounted to “a gross violation of federal law.”
The comment comes after an incident during Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery in which an individual physically blocked Trump’s team from accompanying him during his visit on Monday. A cemetery spokesperson confirmed to CNN “there was an incident” and a “report was filed” but didn’t provide additional details.
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Campaign issues: What Trump has said on energy
From CNN's Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Abby Turner, Way Mullery and Kenneth Uzquiano
At a South Carolina rally in February, he pledged to remove limits on American natural gas exports. The Washington Post has also reported that Trump, during an April meeting at Mar-a-Lago, pledged to roll back some of President Joe Biden’s climate policies if oil executives raised $1 billion for his campaign.
As for other energy sources, Trump has also changed his tune on the expansion of offshore wind farms, which he had touted at the start of his presidency as part of a broader push to “unleash the forces of economic innovation to more fully develop and explore our ocean economy.”
In May, Trump described wind farms as “horrible” and accused turbines of killing birds and whales, adding that he would “make sure that ends on day one.”
The vice president’s plan promises to provide up to $25,000 in down-payment support for first-time homebuyers. The down-payment support would apply to working families who have paid rent on time for two years, with more generous support for first-time homebuyers. The plan would also provide a $10,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers, something Biden proposed earlier this year.
The plan would allow for more than 1 million first-time buyers per year, including first-generation homebuyers, to access the funds, according to her campaign.
Harris is also calling for the building of 3 million new housing units. To spur construction, she would provide a first-ever tax incentive for builders who build starter homes sold to first-time buyers. She also would expand an existing tax incentive for building affordable rental housing.
The plan also highlights two main proposals that aim to lower rent costs in the US. The first would block landlords from using algorithm-driven price-setting tools to set rents. The second would discourage wealthy investors from buying up properties and marking up rents in bulk by removing tax benefits for investors who buy large numbers of single-family rental homes.
West denies "being used" by Republicans amid ties to GOP ballot access firm
From CNN's Aaron Pellish
Independent presidential candidate Cornel West speaks with CNN on August 27.
CNN
Independent presidential candidate Cornel West acknowledged his affiliations with signature-collecting firms and ballot access operatives with ties to Republicans. But he denied he’s “being used” by Republicans to pull votes away from Vice President Kamala Harris in key battleground states.
In an interview with CNN’s Laura Coates on Tuesday, West responded to attacks from Democrats who point to his use of Republican-aligned ballot access firms in battleground states to circulate petitions to get him on the ballot by saying it’s “very important” to work with lawyers and other staff who are working to expand ballot access in states even if they have a “Republican association.”
West denied his campaign is being propped up by Republicans to give progressive Democrats an alternative in battleground states. West’s campaign has been linked with Republican-aligned ballot access firms in several battleground states, where his campaign has committed to focusing its ballot qualification efforts in recent weeks.
When asked if he would consider suspending his campaign and endorsing Harris, West indicated he plans to stay in the race through Election Day.
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Harris and Walz finish their Georgia bus tour for the day
From CNN's Ebony Davis
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrived at their hotel this evening, walking off their tour bus at around 7:40 p.m. after making two stops in south Georgia.
They both gave a quick wave before entering their hotel with staff.
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Analysis: Arlington confrontation isn’t Trump’s first military cemetery controversy
From CNN's Zachary B. Wolf
Donald Trump’s campaign is co-managed by the man who engineered the “swift boating” of John Kerry in 2004, so it should come as no surprise that 20 years later, military service and treatment of veterans are turning into uncomfortable political issues.
Trump pivoted from a visit to Arlington National Cemetery earlier this week to an attack on President Joe Biden’s Afghanistan policy – a turn that apparently followed a dustup with an official at the cemetery over the campaign’s attempt to use cameras in Section 60, an area where American troops who were killed in recent wars are buried.
The story was first reported by NPR, but both Trump’s campaign and the cemetery have since issued statements.
The cemetery’s statement, according to CNN’s report, noted that federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries. Trump’s campaign noted that he was invited into Section 60 by Gold Star families.
It’s notable that the summer is ending with controversy over Trump’s decision to visit Section 60 as a candidate, since the summer began with Biden’s look back at criticism of Trump’s decision as president not to visit a US military cemetery in France in 2018 and comments he reportedly made during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery’s Section 60 in 2017.
At the CNN presidential debate in June that was the beginning of the end of Biden’s presidential campaign, the president recalled a 2020 report in The Atlantic that Trump refused to visit a cemetery near Paris honoring Americans who died in World War I because they were “losers.”
Trump denied using that term, which came from a recounting of the incident by retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, his former White House chief of staff. Kelly later confirmed elements of the Atlantic story to CNN’s Jake Tapper and also discussed a Memorial Day ceremony in 2017 when the two were in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery. “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?” Trump said at the time, according to Kelly’s recollection, which Trump denies.
Harris and Walz visit local BBQ restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, while on bus tour
From CNN's Ebony Davis
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz visit Sandfly BBQ restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, on Wednesday, August 28.
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz visited Sandfly BBQ — a local business in Savannah, Georgia — on Wednesday as they continue their bus tour through the southern region of the Peach State.
The two greeted the restaurant’s owner, employees and several tables of diners as they walked around. They also posed for a few selfies.
Before the pool was escorted out of the venue, Harris stopped at the front counter and spoke to two employees.
“Congratulations on all of your success. I’ve been reading about all you’ve been doing,” Harris said.
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Trump shares flurry of social media posts calling for retribution against perceived political enemies
From CNN's Steve Contorno and Alejandra Jaramillo
Former President Donald Trump has shared a flurry of posts on his social media website since Tuesday that called for retribution against his perceived political enemies.
One post included an image that portrayed Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in orange prison jumpsuits.
Trump’s dizzying array of attacks are both familiar and an escalation of the missives he has directed at Harris, Biden and other political foes as the race for the White House has become increasingly competitive for the former president. They come as some Republicans, including close allies, have publicly urged Trump to wage a less personal campaign against Harris — a suggestion the former president has roundly dismissed.
In one post, Trump suggested that Harris is manufacturing her online support, an accusation that echoed a conspiracy he promoted last month that the vice president’s crowds were faked.
Another included an image of Trump and former President Barack Obama with the words “All roads lead to Obama … retruth if you want public military tribunals.”
Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Sunshine said in a statement that the posts were “highlighting the fact that Kamala Harris is a coward and a fraud – in addition to being weak, failed and dangerously liberal.” She added that coverage of Trump should focus on his policy speeches and not “a few social media posts.”
The Harris campaign said Trump was “out of his mind” in a statement.
“If a family member posted what Donald Trump is sharing today, Americans would rightly be concerned. But this is what Donald Trump and his Project 2025 agenda offer America: prosecuting political opponents, using dangerous conspiracy theories to justify harmful policies, and dividing Americans against each other,” campaign spokesperson James Singer said.
This post has been updated with a statement from the Harris campaign. CNN’s Samantha Waldenberg contributed reporting to this post.
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Vance says he would not support American troops on ground in Israel
From CNN's Kit Maher in Erie, Pennsylvania
Sen. JD Vance speaks at a campaign event in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, August 28.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
Ohio Sen. JD Vance said he would be against putting American troops on the ground in Israel if they were to ask a potential Trump-Vance administration for that kind of support.
“I don’t want to put American troops on the ground for anybody’s wars but ourselves,” the Republican vice presidential nominee told reporters at an event in Pennsylvania. “That’s a very important principle.”
As CNN reported, Israel launched large-scale raids in multiple parts of the occupied West Bank, an offensive they say is their most expansive in years.
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Fox News polling following the DNC find no clear leader in the Sun Belt swing states
From CNN's Jennifer Agiesta
New polls in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina from Fox News show no clear leader in any of these critical swing states.
Among registered voters, the surveys find Vice President Kamala Harris at 50% to former President Donald Trump’s 49% in Arizona in a head-to-head matchup, Harris at 50% to Trump’s 48% in both Georgia and Nevada, and Trump at 50% to Harris’s 49% in North Carolina. Each state poll has an error margin of plus or minus three points, meaning the poll shows no clear leader in any of these races.
The picture is more mixed when voters are asked which candidate would do a better job at “fighting for people like you” or “bringing needed change.” Harris has the edge on fighting for people like you in Nevada (51% Harris to 46% Trump), Georgia (50% Harris to 46% Trump) and Arizona (51% Harris to 47% Trump), while the two are about even on that score in North Carolina (49% Harris to 48% Trump).
And the two are near even in each state on who would better bring needed change (Harris 50% to Trump 47% in both Georgia and Nevada, Harris 50% to Trump 48% in Arizona, and Trump 49% to Harris 48% in North Carolina).
In both Arizona and Nevada, the polls find Democratic Senate candidates leading Republicans: Incumbent Democrat Jacky Rosen tops Republican Sam Brown in Nevada 55% to 41%, and Democrat Ruben Gallego tops Republican Kari Lake in Arizona 56% to 41%.
The surveys were conducted from August 23 through 26 by telephone and online among roughly 1,000 voters in each state.
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Trump campaign posts video of the former president's visit to Arlington National Cemetery
From CNN's Rashard Rose
Donald Trump’s campaign posted a video on TikTok of the former president’s Monday visit to Arlington National Cemetery.
The video shows images of Trump laying a wreath to honor the 13 US military service members who were killed at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate, along with images of him at Section 60, the area where American troops who were killed in recent wars are buried.
Trump’s voice along with a guitar is heard over the clips, criticizing the Biden administration over the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
The campaign video follows a report from NPR about a “verbal and physical altercation” after a cemetery official attempted to prevent Trump’s team from photographing and filming in Section 60.
In a statement addressing the controversy, Arlington National Cemetery said it “reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants” which includes “photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign.”
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Harris and Walz visit a Georgia high school for the first stop of their bus tour
From CNN's Ebony Davis
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz stopped by a local high school in south Georgia during the first stop of their bus tour where they offered words of encouragement to students while emphasizing the role their generation plays in shaping the future of the country.
Harris told students — including the marching band and athletes at Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Georgia — that she’s been “hearing about you incredible young leaders,” adding that the country is counting on them to propel the country forward.
Walz briefly spoke briefly before, introducing Harris as “head coach” and the next president of the United States. He discussed being a former public school teacher and coach, while underscoring that “education is the key to the middle class.”
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Vance says Harris is running a "copycat campaign"
From CNN's Kit Maher
Ohio Sen. JD Vance speaks at a rally on Wednesday, August 28, in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Republican vice presidential candidate, said that he and former President Donald Trump discussed during a phone call what they called Vice President Kamala Harris’ “copycat campaign.”
“I said: ‘Mr. President, I think I figured out what’s going on. She wants my job,’” Vance said, speaking at Team Hardinger, a trucking and warehousing company in Erie, Pennsylvania. “She’s realizing that they don’t have any chance. She’s going to ditch Tim Walz, and she wants to run alongside Donald Trump. She’s pretending she agrees with you on everything.”
Also, in response to a question about how he is debate prepping, Vance said “we don’t need to prepare for a debate with Tim Walz.”
“We need to get out there and talk to the American people,” Vance said. “That’s the biggest way that we’re going to prepare for that debate on October the first.”
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Campaign issues: Trump's stance on trade
From CNN's Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Abby Turner, Way Mullery and Kenneth Uzquiano
“It’s called you screw us, and we screw you,” Trump said at a South Carolina rally.
It was the same pledge Trump made in a campaign video in 2023: to impose the same tariffs that other countries may impose on the US on those countries. The goal, the former president said then, is to get other countries to drop their tariffs.
As part of a larger strategy to bring jobs back into the US, Trump also said he would implement his so-called “America First” trade agenda if elected. By setting universal baseline tariffs on a majority of foreign goods, the former president said Americans would see taxes decrease as tariffs increase. His proposal also includes a four-year plan to phase out all Chinese imports of essential goods, as well as stopping China from buying up America and stopping the investment of US companies in China.
In a meeting with GOP congressional lawmakers in June, Trump also suggested replacing federal income taxes with high tariffs, according to a report from Reuters.
The former president has particularly focused on China, vowing in a January 2023 campaign video to restrict Chinese ownership of US infrastructure such as energy, technology, telecommunications and natural resources. Trump also said he would force the Chinese to sell current holdings that may put national security at risk. “Economic security is national security,” he said.
Harris and Walz launch Georgia bus tour while Vance blasts media over Arlington story. Here's the latest
From CNN staff
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz embarked on a bus tour of Georgia today, putting a spotlight on one of the top battleground states.
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign stirred new controversy during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery that was intended to draw attention to the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Harris’ campaign is launching a new ad focused on Project 2025, the policy blueprint crafted by Trump’s conservative allies, to warn of the consequences of a second Trump administration.
A group of Democratic strategists is launching a new super PAC geared at supporting state parties and allied groups in addressing legal challenges surrounding the election, according to officials with the group.
Walz courted the support of the International Association of Fire Fighters, one of the largest labor unions that has yet to endorse a presidential candidate, at the union’s annual convention in Boston on Wednesday. Vance will speak at their convention Thursday.
Upcoming events:
Harris and Walz will sit with CNN for their first joint interview Thursday that will air at 9 p.m. ET. It will mark the first time Harris has sat with a journalist for an in-depth, on-the-record conversation since President Joe Biden ended his bid.
Harris’ campaign communications director Michael Tyler told CNN that “both candidates here have agreed to the exact same rules” in favor of unmuted microphones during the September 10 debate — despite Trump saying he “reached an agreement” to participate with the same rules as the CNN debate in June, which included muted microphones.
Biden will travel to the battleground state of Wisconsin next Thursday, the White House announced.
Trump assassination attempt probe:
The FBI on Wednesday laid out how Donald Trump’s would-be assassin had researched campaign events for the former president as well as Biden, but then became “hyper-focused” on the Pennsylvania rally just 40 minutes from the shooter’s home.
The FBI released new photos of the gun used to shoot Trump during the July rally, as well as pictures of his backpack and explosives the shooter had in his car.
Officials have not yet identified a motive and said that Matthew Crooks expressed “no definitive ideology.”
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Vance defends Trump after reported Arlington cemetery altercation
From CNN's Kit Maher in Erie, Pennsylvania
Former President Donald Trump lays a wreath alongside retired Marine Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart and retired US Marine Corps. Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, August 26, in Arlington, Virginia.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance said the reported altercation at Arlington National Cemetery, which he referred to as a “little disagreement,” is “the media creating a story” where he doesn’t think there is one.
Vance said the Trump campaign was invited by some of the families of the 13 Americans killed at the Kabul airport bombing during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, adding that it is “not an insult to the memories of their loved ones. They wanted Donald Trump there.”
“Thank God that we have a president who stands with our veterans, instead of one who runs away from ‘em,” he said.
Vance also said that Vice President Kamala Harris could “go to hell” in regards to the Afghanistan withdrawal — a statement he later doubled down on, saying it is an indication of his “frustration” despite previously condemning heightened political rhetoric in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump appeared to suggest the incident in Arlington stemmed from his campaign’s use of photography, sharing a statement from the family members of the fallen soldiers expressing their approval.
However, Arlington National Cemetery said in a statement, obtained by CNN, that federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries and that it “reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants” which includes “photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign.”
Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler weighed in on the Arlington incident in a statement, saying, “This episode is pretty sad when it’s all said and done. This is what we’ve come to expect from Donald Trump and his team. Donald Trump is a person who wants to make everything all about Donald Trump. He’s also someone who has a history of demeaning and degrading military servicemembers.”
This post was updated with additional remarks from JD Vance.
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Vance denies he was "peace broker" between Trump and Georgia's governor
From Kit Maher in Erie, Pennsylvania
Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance speaks at a campaign event in Erie, Pennsylvania. on Wednesday, August 28.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance denied that he was the “peace broker” between Brian Kemp and former President Donald Trump after having a phone call with the Georgia governor last Thursday.
He said on that call he and the governor talked about “the need to have a unified Republican team.” Vance said Kemp and Trump have “some personal disagreements,” but “they’re both big enough to put the country over personal interests.”
Some background: In the 2020 election, Trump lost the state of Georgia to President Joe Biden by more than 11,000 votes. Biden became the first Democrat to win Georgia since former President Bill Clinton in 1992.
Kemp has clashed with Trump after he refused to call a special legislative session to help Trump as he sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia. Trump was so furious with Kemp, he pledged to end his political career and backed a primary challenger in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary. The move failed spectacularly and Kemp beat David Perdue by over 50 points.
But the two have seemed to reconciled recently, with Trump praising Kemp in a post on Truth Social last week. The same night Kemp told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that, “We’re going to put Georgia back in the red column for the presidential race, unlike we did in 2020.” A source similar with the matter told CNN that Kemp with help fundraise for Trump on Thursday.
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Vice president arrives in Savannah to kick off Harris-Walz bus tour through south Georgia
From CNN's Ebony Davis
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrive at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Savannah, Georgia, on August 28.
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
Vice President Kamala Harris landed at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport this afternoon and deplaned Air Force Two alongside Gov. Tim Walz, who did not travel with her, but instead met her at the airport.
They were greeted by several people on the tarmac, including Rep. Nikema Williams and Savannah Mayor Van Johnson.
The Democrats also met students from Savannah State University, the oldest public HBCU in Georgia.
Before boarding the red, white and blue Harris-Walz tour bus at 3:56 p.m. ET, they met a group of supporters and participated in group photos, along with a few selfies.
The bus tour is expected to include a series of campaign stops in south Georgia.
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These are the changes Jack Smith made to the election meddling indictment against Trump
From CNN's Tierney Sneed
Special counsel Jack Smith had to take a hammer to some parts of his election subversion case against former President Donald Trump after the Supreme Court’s sweeping ruling that Trump had at least some presidential immunity in the prosecution.
The high court’s 6-3 ruling said that Trump had at least presumed immunity for his official acts as president and that for some “core” acts, that immunity was absolute.
Removed: Briefings Trump received from his official advisers
The Supreme Court rejected prosecutors’ arguments that they could use evidence related to a president’s official acts to help prove their allegations about his unofficial conduct. That means any evidence stemming from conduct Trump arguably was engaged in his official capacity as president is unusable for prosecutors.
Jeff Clark, the Justice Department official who tried to send a department letter seeking to interfere with the certification of Georgia’s election results, is no longer listed as a co-conspirator, and in several places, references to any DOJ-related activity are removed.
Removed: Efforts to get Trump to tamp down the riot
In the timeline Smith has laid out for how the January 6 attack on Congress unfolded, now missing are the efforts by Trump’s advisers and others to convince the president that he needed to tell the rioters to leave the Capitol. Trump’s various responses to the requests are now also gone, including his mid-afternoon tweets that told the rioters to “remain peaceful” without explicitly asking them to leave. Prosecutors also removed from the indictment their description of the video message he filmed from the Rose Garden later that day.
Reworked: The Pence pressure campaign
Perhaps the boldest decision Smith made in retooling his indictment was to keep his allegations about the Pence pressure campaign. The Supreme Court said that alleged conduct was “presumptively immune” and put the burden on prosecutors to prove that criminal liability for those acts wouldn’t intrude on a president’s Executive Branch authorities.
In response, Smith tried to distinguish Trump’s January 6-related interactions with Pence from the role a vice president plays as a president’s close adviser and potential replacement. The new indictment repeatedly describes Trump’s conduct towards Pence as stemming from Pence’s position as his running mate and as the president of the Senate, who would preside over Congress’ certification of the election results – a process separate from the Executive Branch in which Trump had no involvement.
From CNN's Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Abby Turner, Way Mullery and Kenneth Uzquiano
Humanitarian assistance volunteers distribute food to immigrants waiting to be taken into custody by US Border Patrol agents on March 7, in Campo, California.
John Moore/Getty Images
Donald Trump has made immigration and the border a central campaign issue, successfully pressuring Republicans to reject a major bipartisan border deal earlier this year and making a trip to the southern border on February 29, where he touted his previous hard-line immigration policies.
Meanwhile, Kamala Harris has quickly started to try to counter Trump’s attacks on her immigration record and outlined her policies.
Use the “Alien Enemies Act to remove known or suspected gang members, drug dealers, or cartel members from the United States,” he wrote in a Des Moines Register op-ed published about a week before the Iowa caucuses in January.
“We will shift massive portions of federal law enforcement to immigration enforcement — including parts of the DEA, ATF, FBI, and DHS,” he wrote.
“Carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history,” he said in a video posted on Truth Social in late February before his border visit.
“We will shift massive portions of federal law enforcement to immigration enforcement — including parts of the DEA, ATF, FBI, and DHS,” he added.
But in June, Trump proposed “automatically” giving green cards to foreign nationals who graduate from US colleges — comments that break from his efforts to curb both legal and illegal immigration while in office.
Her campaign released a video in late July citing Harris’ support for increasing the number of Border Patrol agents and Trump’s successful push to scuttle a bipartisan immigration deal that included some of the toughest border security measures in recent memory.
In June of this year, the White House announced a crackdown on asylum claims meant to continue reducing crossings at the US-Mexico border – a policy that Harris’ campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, indicated in late July to CBS News would continue under a Harris administration.
Trump’s attacks stem from Biden having tasked Harris with overseeing diplomatic efforts in Central America in March 2021. While Harris focused on long-term fixes, the Department of Homeland Security remained responsible for overseeing border security.
She has only occasionally talked about her efforts as the situation along the US-Mexico border became a political vulnerability for Biden. But she put her own stamp on the administration’s efforts, engaging the private sector. Harris pulled together the Partnership for Central America, which has acted as a liaison between companies and the US government. Her team and the partnership are closely coordinating on initiatives that have led to job creation in the region. Harris has also engaged directly with foreign leaders in the region.
Biden to travel to battleground Wisconsin next week
From CNN’s Samantha Waldenberg
President Joe Biden will travel to the battleground state of Wisconsin next Thursday, the White House announced. In Wisconsin, the president is expected to tout his “Investing in America agenda.”
It will be the second battleground state the president is expected to travel to after he returns from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he is currently. The president is expected to appear with Vice President Kamala Harris in Pittsburgh on Monday to mark Labor Day.
Though the president is no longer running for reelection, his visit to the battleground state signals an uptick in his travels as the 2024 election looms large. The president has spent the past 9 days out of the public eye in both Santa Ynez, California, and Rehoboth Beach.
Wisconsin and its 10 electoral votes will be critical to the election. President Biden won the state by about 20,000 votes in 2020. Former President Trump won the state by about 22,700 votes in 2016.
Harris last appeared in Wisconsin for a campaign rally in Milwaukee during the Democratic National Convention.
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Vance faces fresh scrutiny for past comments about childless Democratic leaders
From CNN's Kit Maher
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is yet again drawing scrutiny for past comments surrounding Democratic leaders without children — this time aimed at Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers.
Vance was answering a question about how to “fix the crisis” in American schools, following former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s comment during the Virginia gubernatorial debate in 2021 that parents shouldn’t tell schools what to teach.
The Harris campaign’s rapid response team, @KamalaHQ, posted audio of Vance’s comments on Tuesday.
Weingarten yesterday posted on X: “Gross! JD Vance’s comments are sad and insulting to millions of modern families, and school teachers including Catholic nuns, none of whom should be targeted for their family decisions.”
In a statement, Weingarten said “it sure seems like Vance lacks an empathy gene.”
In response, Vance campaign spokesperson Taylor VanKirk said in a statement to CNN:
“There is no bigger threat to American children than the left wing indoctrination being forced on our schools by elites like Randi Weingarten, with the support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”
Vance himself on Wednesday denied that he criticized Weingarten for not having children. “I didn’t criticize Randy Weingarten for not having kids. I criticized her for wanting to brainwash mine,” he said in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
“If she wants to brainwash anybody’s kids, she ought to have her own and leave mine alone,” Vance added.
After being announced as Trump’s vice presidential pick, the Ohio senator has faced scrutiny for previously saying the US is being run by “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives.” CNN’s KFile also reported Vance has a history of disparaging comments against those without children, including fundraising emails referring to the “radical childless leaders in this country.”
This post has been updated with more comments JD Vance.
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Where the candidates stand: The Israel-Hamas war
From CNN staff
Israeli soldiers in a tank as it drives along the border with the Gaza Strip on August 7 in Southern Israel, Israel.
Amir Levy/Getty Images
Take a look at the positions of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the most fraught foreign policy issue facing the country that has spurred a multitude of protests around the US since it began in October.
Harris: After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late July, the vice president gave a forceful and notable speech about the situation in Gaza. She echoed President Joe Biden’s repeated comments about the “ironclad support” and “unwavering commitment” to Israel, as well as the need to get hostages back from Hamas captivity. The country has a right to defend itself, she said, while noting, “how it does so, matters.”
However, the empathy she expressed regarding the Palestinian plight and suffering was far more forceful than what Biden has said on the matter in recent months. She went on to describe “the images of dead children and desperate hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time,” and said, “I will not be silent.”
Trump: The former presidenthas not specified how he would approach the Israel-Hamas war if reelected to the White House and how his policies would differ from Biden’s. Trump, who has been asked many times during his third presidential run about what actions he would take, only offers vague commentary while criticizing Biden and arguing the October 7 attack would not have happened if he were president.
He has defended comments he made in an interview with Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, in which he said Israel needed to “finish up” its war with Hamas and that the country was “losing a lot of support” among the world.
Trump — who often claims he was the most pro-Israel president in modern history — argued the country had an issue with its public messaging, saying that “Israel is absolutely losing the PR war.”
Shortly after the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, Trump criticized Netanyahu and Israeli intelligence services for being caught unprepared by the attack. The former president has held personal animosity toward Netanyahu ever since the prime minister publicly acknowledged Biden won the 2020 presidential election.
The two men met for the first time since Trump left the White House following Netanyahu’s remarks to Congress. The former president said he asked Netanyahu during their meeting how a Jewish person can vote for the Democratic Party.
FBI says Trump shooter saw rally as a "target of opportunity" after also researching Biden events
From CNN’s Holmes Lybrand, Hannah Rabinowitz and Evan Perez
The FBI on Wednesday laid out how Donald Trump’s would-be assassin had researched campaign events for the former president as well as President Joe Biden, but then became “hyper-focused” on the Pennsylvania rally just 40 minutes from the shooter’s home.
The FBI released new photos of the gun used to shoot Trump during the July rally, as well as pictures of his backpack and explosives the shooter had in his car.
Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, detailed how the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, saw the Trump rally as a “target of opportunity.” Officials have not yet identified a motive and said that Crooks expressed “no definitive ideology.”
Those searches, Rojek said, also show the detailed searches Crooks made regarding the rally location, including the building where Crooks shot Trump.
On July 6, nearly a week before the rally, Crooks searched online “where Will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show” as well as “Butler Farm Show podium” and “Butler farm show photos,” according to Rojek.
Two days later, Crooks searched “AGR International,” the company that owned the buildings Crooks climbed before opening fire. On July 9, Crooks searched “ballistic calculator” and the next day, he searched “weather” and “Butler.”
On Crooks’ motive, Bobby Wells, executive assistant director of the FBI’s National Security Branch, said investigators have as a “clearer idea of mindset” but that “at this time, the FBI has not identified a motive, nor any co-conspirators or associates of Crooks with advanced knowledge of the attack.”
Rojek said “we see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either left-leaning or right-leaning.”
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Campaign issues: What voters need to know about Trump's and Harris' economic and tax proposals
From CNN staff
High prices are a top concern for many Americans who are struggling to afford the cost of living after a period of steep inflation. Many voters give President Joe Biden poor marks for his handling of the economy, and Vice President Kamala Harris may also face their frustration.
She is calling for the first-ever federal ban on price gouging on food and groceries to counter the increase in food costs, which she argues stems in part from some big grocery chains keeping prices high even though their production costs have leveled off.
She would also secure new authority for the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to investigate and penalize companies that unfairly exploit consumers in the quest for excessive profits on food and groceries.
Harris says she wants to give Americans more opportunities to get ahead, echoing many of the same economic themes as Biden in campaign speeches.
She promised in a July rally to continue the Biden administration’s drive to eliminate so-called junk fees and to fully disclose all charges, such as for events, lodging and car rentals.
She has proposed using tax credits to provide relief to middle class and lower-income Americans.
Her plan revives or extends temporary measures that Biden and congressional Democrats enacted in major packages when the party controlled Congress during the first two years of the president’s term.
Harris’ proposal would restore the American Rescue Plan’s popular expansion of the child tax credit to as much as $3,600, up from $2,000, and call for it to be made permanent. Earlier, the enhancement was only in effect in 2021.
Plus, the proposal would also add a new child tax credit of up to $6,000 for middle-class and lower-income families with children in their first year of life.
Trump has promised to extend the cuts from his 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, notably the TCJA’s individual income tax breaks. The former president has also talked about reducing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 15%. “We’ll make it permanent and give you a new economic boom,” he said at an event in South Carolina earlier this year.
Trump last week dodged when asked by CNN how he plans to pay for this plan that would add to the federal deficit. “We have tremendous growth,” Trump said in response to a question from CNN.
Sixteen Nobel Prize-winning economists sent a stark warning in a letter in June that Trump’s agenda would not only “reignite inflation” but would have “a negative impact on the US’ economic standing in the world and a destabilizing effect on the US’ domestic economy.”
Trump has also opposed any changes to entitlement programs like Medicare or Social Security to help offset some of the costs of his cuts.
Trump has also pledged to repeal Biden’s tax hikes, “immediately tackle” inflation and end what he called Biden’s “war” on American energy production.
In Georgia, Democrats are suing to stop new election certification rules. The state election board recently passed two rules that allow election officials to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying election results and permit members of county election boards to investigate ballot counts. The Democratic National Committee, the Georgia Democratic Party and Democratic members of several county election boards have argued in court that the rules could lead to post-election “chaos” if local officials refuse to certify elections.
In Arizona, proof of citizenship is currently required to register to vote. The US Supreme Court gave Arizona Republicans a partial win last week when it allowed part of a new voter ID law to stand, at least for now. People who newly register to vote in Arizona using a state form will now have to prove their citizenship, but people who are already registered will not have to prove citizenship to vote in the coming presidential election.
In North Carolina, there are new rules for voting by mail. People mailing in their ballot will have to include a photocopy of a photo ID and fill out their ballot in the presence of either two witnesses or a notary public. In many states controlled by Democrats, including the key states of Michigan and Pennsylvania, access to mail-in ballots has been expanded. In other states, many of them controlled by Republicans, absentee voting has been made more difficult.
In Texas, there is outcry over home searches tied to a voter fraud probe that dates back to 2022. The office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton conducted raids last week. This week, the League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC, filed a complaint with the Department of Justice over the raids, which its leaders said constitute “a direct attempt to suppress the Latino vote through intimidation and harassment, in violation of the Voting Rights Act and other federal civil rights law.”
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Harris campaign pours ad money into Savannah, Georgia, around bus tour
From CNN's David Wright
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz kick off their bus tour Wednesday in Savannah, Georgia, as they look to broaden Democrats’ reach in the state beyond the metro Atlanta area.
Coinciding with the swing, Harris’ campaign is pouring money into advertising in the Savannah media market. According to AdImpact data, Harris’ campaign has spent a total of about $1.7 million in advertising there over the last three weeks and including reservations into this weekend.
That ranks 20th among all media markets nationwide in ad spending by the Harris campaign so far, and second in Georgia behind Atlanta, where the Harris campaign has spent about $9.7 million, including bookings through this weekend.
In Savannah, the Harris campaign has put the most money behind a pair of ads, one highlighting her background and “middle-class” upbringing, the other promoting her record as a former prosecutor and touting her toughness as the campaign looks to blunt sharp criticism from the Trump campaign on the issues of immigration and crime.
Statewide: Georgia voters, in a premier battleground state, are seeing fierce ad wars play out across their screens, as both sides lob sharp attacks and deliver urgent pitches.
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign and its allies have also spent millions toggling between several lines of attack, alternately focusing on the economy, immigration, and crime.
Remember, Harris and Walz will sit with CNN for their first joint interview on Thursday as the candidates campaign in the battleground state.
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Can Beyoncé, Celine Dion and Foo Fighters stop Trump's campaign from playing their music? It's complicated
From CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister
Beyoncé, Celine Dion and Dave Grohl.
Getty Images
The day after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Kamala Harris to become the Democratic presidential nominee, CNN reported that Beyoncé had given her sign-off for the vice president to use “Freedom” as her official campaign song. So, it was a seemingly antagonistic choice when the Republican nominee’s campaign played the same Beyoncé song as the backdrop of a recent social media video to showcase former President Donald Trump.
From Celine Dion and Foo Fighters to Bruce Springsteen and Prince’s estate numerous artists over the years have objected to the use of their music by the Trump campaign. But depending on how and where their music is used, musicians may have grounds to take action beyond rebuking, according to legal experts.
Beyoncé’s representatives did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment. But last week, Rolling Stone reported her label threatened to send a cease-and-desist to the Trump campaign after they had used “Freedom” in the social media video, which was posted by Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung. Shortly after Beyoncé’s team reportedly threatened legal action, the video was taken down.
In a statement to CNN, Cheung said he used “Freedom” to provoke the opposing party.
Licensing music and obtaining rights and clearances is an expensive, complicated and litigious business. Movie studios regularly pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to obtain the rights to a single song, while brands can pay millions to repeat a tune in commercials to help sell a product.
Congressional Democrats urge Harris to prioritize character over policy on campaign trail
From CNN's Haley Talbot, Morgan Rimmer and Manu Raju
Many congressional Democrats are arguing that Vice President Kamala Harris does not need to focus on laying out a detailed policy agenda as election day looms and should instead highlight the contrast in values between herself and former President Donald Trump.
Voters will be more focused on the character and values of the candidates than on policy specifics, more than a dozen Democrats have said in recent weeks in public statements and comments to CNN.
“If it turns on character, this election is over. That’s what people are looking for,” Kildee said. Kildee is not running for reelection, but Michigan is set to be a key battleground state this election cycle.
While Democrats are hoping to retain the White House, control of Congress is also at stake in the upcoming November elections, and Democrats are on guard to protect their vulnerable members in moderate and more conservative districts. A push to make the presidential election a referendum on values and character would mean that vulnerable Democrats will have more leeway on policy specifics.
Walz asks firefighters union to "step up to the plate" as group weighs endorsement
From CNN's Aaron Pellish and Aaron Cooper
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks on stage during the International Association of Fire Fighters Convention on August 28 in Boston.
Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz courted the support of the International Association of Fire Fighters, one of the largest labor unions in the country that has yet to endorse a presidential candidate, in remarks at the union’s annual convention in Boston on Wednesday.
Walz made the case for Vice President Kamala Harris as a pro-union candidate, laying out her work protecting union pensions during her time as California attorney general and casting the deciding vote as vice president to pass the 2021 Covid stimulus package that “helped keep workers on the job.” Walz also noted that Harris’ brother-in-law is a retired firefighter and IAFF union member.
“When unions are strong, America is strong,” he continued.
Walz sought to rally the firefighters to engage in the presidential race, stressing for those in the audience who are “really not that into politics” that “politics is into you,” while using a baseball metaphor to underscore the impact the union’s support could have on the Harris campaign.
“Sisters and brothers in labor, it’s time for you to step up to the plate. We’ve got 69 days to win this thing, 69 days to protect labor rights,” he added.
Walz’s remarks were received warmly by the crowd as the Harris and Trump campaigns compete for the union’s endorsement in a bid to earn support from working-class workers around the country. GOP vice presidential candidate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, is scheduled to address the union in Boston tomorrow.
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New Democratic PAC will focus on legal election challenges
From CNN's Arlette Saenz
A group of Democratic strategists is launching a new super PAC geared toward supporting state parties and allied groups in addressing legal challenges surrounding the election, according to officials with the newly formed PAC.
Democracy Defenders PAC will focus on pushing back against “an unprecedented assault from Donald Trump and his allies who seek to undermine the American people’s fundamental right to vote, and confidence their vote will be fairly counted,” a PAC official said.
Former President Barack Obama campaign veteran Jim Messina will be the chair of the group, and Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, an ally of former Georgia state Rep. Stacey Abrams and attorney who worked on the Bush v. Gore case in 2000, will serve as the chief legal adviser.
TJ Ducklo, who worked on President Joe Biden’s 2020 and 2024 bids, is departing Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign to serve as the group’s chief strategist. Brookings Institute senior fellow and CNN legal analyst Norm Eisen will be an outside counsel to the group.
The group will start with $10 million to offer legal and messaging support to state parties and allied groups, as well as focus on certain battleground states and down-ballot races, officials said. They will continue to raise funds for the efforts in the coming months.
PAC officials also said they will help confront “bad actors” trying to sow doubt about election results after voting in November is complete.
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A new indictment was filed yesterday against Trump in the January 6 case. Here's what happens next
From CNN's Marshall Cohen, John Fritze and Devan Cole
The slimmed-down indictment clocks in at 36 pages, down from the original 45 pages. The special counsel did not drop any of the four counts against Trump, but he was forced by the conservative Supreme Court justices to refashion the allegations underlying the charges.
The Republican presidential nominee previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, which stem from his attempts to overturn the 2020 election after he lost to Joe Biden resulting in the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol. The new indictment was filed mere weeks before voters begin casting ballots in the 2024 presidential election, but a trial isn’t expected to happen anytime soon.
What happens next: Although the charges haven’t changed, Trump must enter a new plea to the superseding indictment. Prosecutors on Tuesday indicated they would waive a requirement for the former president to appear in court.
Meanwhile, expect Trump to continue his strategy of challenging every aspect of the case, especially since the Supreme Court left aspects of the case unresolved.
“Trump still can litigate and then appeal the immunity issue before trial,” CNN legal analyst Elie Honig said. “There’s no chance this trial happens before the election.”
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Georgia, in the spotlight with Harris-Walz's bus tour, has seen a flood of ad spending
From CNN's David Wright
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz are set to embark on a bus tour of Georgia today, putting a spotlight on one of the top presidential battlegrounds this election.
In the wake of President Joe Biden’s narrow 2020 victory there, both parties are fiercely contesting the state. Georgia ranks third in total presidential ad buys, at $174.5 million, including spending by campaigns and outside groups from both parties since the start of 2023, and including their future bookings through Election Day. That trails only Pennsylvania, a behemoth at $356.8 million in total presidential ad buys, and Michigan, at $196.9 million, according to AdImpact data.
And Atlanta ranks second among media markets with the most presidential ad buys, at $118.7 million total, behind only Philadelphia, at $152.7 million.
Where things stand: Excluding future reservations — counting only what has already aired, from the start of 2023 through today — Georgia has seen $102.7 million in presidential ad spending so far, and Democrats have outspent Republicans there by about $57.1 million to $44.7 million.
In the period since Biden dropped out and upended the race on July 21, through today, Georgia has seen a flood of ad spending, $59.6 million total, also ranking third overall, also behind Pennsylvania ($112.9 million) and Michigan ($78 million). Republicans have outspent Democrats in Georgia by about $34.3 million to $23.7 million during that stretch, since Biden withdrew through today.
But going forward, in the post-Labor Day sprint to Election Day, Democrats are poised to outspend Republicans in Georgia by about $37.9 million to $26.4 million, according to future bookings currently recorded by AdImpact.
With a total of $64.4 million in future bookings, Georgia ranks second among states projected to see the most presidential ad spending through Election Day, behind only Pennsylvania, with $133.7 million in total future bookings remaining.
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Vance will speak at firefighters union convention Thursday, a day after Walz
From CNN's Kit Maher
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance will speak at the International Association of Firefighters Convention on Thursday — a day after his opponent Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is speaking — according to a source familiar.
Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, the International Association of Fire Fighters became the first major labor group to officially endorse a candidate in the 2020 campaign, throwing its support behind Joe Biden. The union has yet to endorse a candidate this cycle.
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Harris campaign aide: Both candidates "have agreed to the exact same rules" for debate, including unmuted mics
From CNN's Andrew Millman
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign communications director Michael Tyler told CNN that “both candidates here have agreed to the exact same rules” in favor of unmuted microphones during the upcoming September 10 debate — despite former President Donald Trump saying he “reached an agreement” to participate with the same rules as the CNN debate in June, which included muted microphones.
“The question you have to ask is to Donald Trump and his team,” he said, while affirming that “we fully intend to debate” even if the microphones are muted while candidates are not speaking.
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European influencers are angry at their stolen photos being used on fake pro-Trump accounts
From CNN's Katie Polglase, Pallabi Munsi, Barbara Arvanitidis, Alex Platt, Mark Baron and Oscar Featherstone
Photo Illustration by Alberto Mier/CNN/X
Luna, a self-described 32-year-old “MAGA Trump supporter” from the battleground state of Wisconsin, has gained a huge following since she joined X, formerly Twitter, in March. Her timeline has become a digital bullhorn for the “Make America Great Again” movement, praising former President Donald Trump’s reelection bid, promoting conspiracy theories about his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, and touting Republican talking points to nearly 30,000 followers, who she addresses as “patriots.”
But Luna isn’t real. The photos of the smiling brunette posted periodically on @Luna_2K24’s timeline are of Debbie Nederlof, a German fashion influencer who lives across the Atlantic and won’t be voting in the US presidential election in November. When CNN reached out to the 32-year-old, a trained optician and single mother who is working two jobs, at a marketing firm and as a model to raise money for her child, she was angry and frustrated that her face was being used to push pro-Trump propaganda on X.
Nederlof is one of 17 real European women — fashion and beauty influencers from the Netherlands, Denmark and as far away as Russia — whose online photos have been stolen by unknown actors to promote Trump and his pick as running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, on X, a CNN investigation in collaboration with the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) has found. CIR is an independent, nonprofit social enterprise that describes itself as dedicated to exposing human rights abuses. It receives funding for individual projects from governments, nongovernmental organizations and individuals.
Analysis: Harris’ economic plan is a response to voters’ frustrations. Appeasing them carries steep costs
From CNN's Elisabeth Buchwald
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on her policy platform, including improving the cost of living for all Americans, at the Hendrick Center For Automotive Excellence on August 16, in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Grant Baldwin/Getty Images
Inflation has cooled so much over the past year that even Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is pleased with the progress. But, in poll after poll, Americans have sent a clear message: They aren’t.
That has created a prime opportunity for Vice President Kamala Harris to take a populist approach to how she’ll handle the economy if elected president.
“[A]s president, I will bring together labor and workers and small-business owners and entrepreneurs and American companies to create jobs, to grow our economy and to lower the cost of everyday needs like health care and housing and groceries,” she said.
Harris continued by attempting to contrast herself with former President Donald Trump, who she claimed has only elite interests top of mind.
Her approach may jive well with some voters, but there’s an open question as to whether the economic policies she has proposed — which thus far have been only vaguely outlined in speeches and fact sheets shared with reporters and aren’t on her campaign site — will benefit them in the long run, if at all. (The Harris campaign declined to comment.)
Georgia Democratic strategists and organizers say focusing on rural communities is crucial to win
From CNN's Eva McKend
Ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz’s bus tour in southern Georgia, Democratic strategists and organizers see a real opportunity to reach voters in the rural pockets of the state.
Butler said the voters Harris encounters on the tour will primarily want to hear about how the Harris-Walz ticket will work to improve their lives from an economic standpoint.
This means a message grounded in reducing inflation and advancing affordable health care, Butler said.
Democratic strategist Fred Hicks says Democrats can’t afford to overlook any part of the state.
“In order to make Georgia truly competitive and give yourself any kind of breathing room, they’re going to need to get votes, drive up Democratic votes outside of Metro Atlanta,” Hicks said.
The veteran strategist says he’s watching how Walz, in particular, connects with voters in the rural South.
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Conservative group launches ad slamming Harris over Afghanistan withdrawal on third anniversary
From CNN's David Wright
A conservative outside group launched an ad Wednesday slamming Kamala Harris over the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, aimed to coincide with its third anniversary this week.
The new ad, from the group Veterans On Duty, features a clip of Vice President Harris in a 2021 interview with CNN, discussing her role in the administration’s handling of the withdrawal.
“This is the true cost of Kamala Harris’s failed leadership. Tell Vice President Harris it’s time to protect our national security,” the ad warns.
The ad began airing on cable news stations in the Washington, DC, media market – not targeting battleground voters, but rather elected officials, media members and influencers in the nation’s capital, likely aimed at shaping the conversation around the heavily criticized withdrawal’s third anniversary this week.
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Why Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery is stirring up controversy
From CNN's Colin McCullough
Former President Donald Trump observes a changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier alongside Arlington National Cemetery Deputy Chief of Staff Bob Quackenbush at Arlington National Cemetery on August 26, in Arlington, Virginia
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign stirred new controversy this week during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery that was intended to draw attention to the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
A person physically blocked Trump’s team from accompanying him during the Monday visit, two Trump campaign officials said. A cemetery spokesperson confirmed to CNN “there was an incident” and a “report was filed” but didn’t provide further details.
Trump was visiting the cemetery following a wreath laying to honor 13 US military service members who were killed at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate. Monday marked three years since the tragedy.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump appeared to suggest the incident stemmed from his campaign’s use of photography, sharing a statement from the family members of the fallen soldiers expressing their approval.
“We had given our approval for President Trump’s official videographer and photographer to attend the event, ensuring these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully captured and so we can cherish these memories forever,” the families said.
But according to a statement from Arlington National Cemetery obtained by CNN, federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries.
Trump’s post came after a report from NPR about a “verbal and physical altercation.” A source with knowledge of the incident told the outlet that a cemetery official attempted to prevent Trump’s team from photographing and filming in the area where recent US casualties are buried. In response, Trump campaign staff “verbally abused and pushed the official aside,” according to NPR.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is launching a new ad focused on Project 2025, the policy blueprint crafted by conservative allies of former President Donald Trump, to warn of the consequences of a second Trump administration. The ad will run in the days leading up to the September 10 presidential debate.
The new ad, which will air on TV and digital as part of the campaign’s previous $370 million advertising commitment, reiterates Democrats’ framing of the plan — published by the think tank Heritage Foundation — as a “922-page blueprint to make Donald Trump the most powerful president ever.”
“Donald Trump may try to deny it, but those are Donald Trump’s plans,” it continues.
The ad is the latest effort by Democrats to frame Project 2025 as the outline for the next Trump administration. Harris references the document regularly in campaign speeches. In her remarks accepting the Democratic nomination at the party’s convention last week, Harris pointed to Project 2025 as evidence that “we know what a second Trump term would look like,” arguing “its sum total is to pull our country back to the past.”
What Trump says about Project 2025: Trump and his campaign have repeatedly denied any direct links between the campaign and the conservative groups behind the proposal. But at least 140 people who worked in the Trump administration had a hand in Project 2025, a CNN review found.
CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez contributed to this report.
#Trump##
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Harris and Walz set sights on battleground Georgia in post-DNC swing
From CNN's Priscilla Alvarez and Betsy Klein
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appear on stage together during a campaign event in Philadelphia on August 6.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will campaign together in Georgia for the first time this week, targeting the southeastern portion of the state and providing a window into their strategy in the crucial battleground ahead of November.
Few states will be more closely watched than Georgia for signs of how voters are responding to campaign outreach and the newly minted ticket, making it a fitting kickoff for Harris and Walz on the heels of the Democratic National Convention. Four years ago, President Joe Biden became the first Democrat to carry the state since Bill Clinton in 1992, winning it by fewer than 12,000 votes.
When Harris and Walz launch their bus tour in the Peach State Wednesday, they’ll be making a rare trip through southern Georgia, a region that typically leans Republican but where Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock had success in the 2022 Senate runoff.
Analysis: Trump’s new indictment rattles his newly reshaped race against Harris
From CNN's Stephen Collinson
Former President Donald Trump during the National Guard Association of the United States' 146th General Conference & Exhibition at Huntington Place Convention Center in Detroit on August 26.
Emily Elconin/Getty Images
Special counsel Jack Smith defiantly re-injected the question of Donald Trump’s bid to steal the 2020 election into the intensifying end game of this year’s White House race.
By trying to rescue his case after his initial indictment was gutted by the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling, Smith signaled that he is determined to bring the former president to justice — even though there will be no trial before Election Day.
His move underscored the huge personal investment Trump has in winning the presidency in November: He not only would return to the nation’s top office, but would also gain the authority to halt this and another federal case against him and head off any sentences that could include jail time if he is convicted.
The conservative majority’s ruling earlier this summer that Trump could be covered by immunity from criminal prosecution for some of his actions as president represented one of the most consequential moments in Supreme Court history and has massive implications for the US system of government.
Exclusive: Inside Iranian hacking operation that has US on edge ahead of election
From CNN's Sean Lyngaas, Zachary Cohen and Evan Perez
Two years before Iranian hackers breached Donald Trump’s campaign this summer, they used a similar ploy to target a former administration official and onetime confidant of John Bolton, Trump’s national security adviser and prominent Iran critic.
After infiltrating the person’s email account, the hackers sent what seemed like a harmless request to a group of fellow US-based Iran hawks, asking them to review a supposed book the person was writing about Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs.
The email encouraged the half-dozen recipients to click a link that promised to take them to the supposed manuscript. Instead, it contained malicious code that would have granted the hackers unfettered access to the targets’ computers.
Not long after the email was sent, the person notified the FBI and warned colleagues in a subsequent email of a “pretty sophisticated hack” that was impersonating them.
A CNN review of the hacking group, which experts believe works on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reveals previously unreported details of the hackers’ multiyear operation, including how they have targeted former members of both the Trump and Biden administrations.
The quiet but relentless Iranian effort to hack current and former US officials across multiple administrations has attracted fresh attention from US intelligence agencies in recent weeks, as Iran has emerged as one of the most aggressive foreign powers trying to sow discord ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Obama emphasizes importance of redistricting and spending on down-ballot races to help Harris
From CNN's Gregory Krieg
Former President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, on August 20.
Mike Segar/Reuters
Former President Barack Obama offered a note of caution to Democrats buzzing over Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign, telling donors on Martha’s Vineyard on Monday night that the party needs to ramp up its focus — and spending — on down-ballot races across the country.
The NDRC told CNN the fundraiser brought in $1.7 million.
Obama said Republicans have been trying to “redraw maps and manipulate the rules” — which are backed up by courts “that are willing to uphold unfair maps and unfair rules.” This is an obstacle for Democrats, he said, policies aside.
“Politics in America is and always has been, not simply a matter of rhetoric and joy and excitement. It is also nuts and bolts exercises of power,” Obama said, adding that Democrats need to address these “nuts and bolts” to help Harris.
Democrats lost more than a thousand seats in state legislatures during Obama’s presidency, while also suffering a string of defeats at the gubernatorial level and in the US Congress. Meantime, Republicans won a 2010 House landslide before taking control of the Senate in 2014. The damage at the state level, though, has been the most difficult for Democrats to unwind, in part due to gerrymandering by state GOP leaders.
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Trump adds former Democrats Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr. to his transition team
From CNN's Kristen Holmes
Tulsi Gabbard, left, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
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Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have both been added to Donald Trump’s transition team. They endorsed the GOP presidential nominee in recent days.
Gabbard, who now identifies as an independent, endorsed Trump on Monday at a National Guard conference in Detroit.
Trump praises RFK Jr. but doesn't explicitly say whether he would have administration role
From CNN's Kit Maher
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joins Donald Trump onstage at a rally in Glendale, Arizona, on August 23.
Rebecca Noble/Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump praised Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after earning his endorsement but didn’t explicitly say whether he would have a role in a potential second Trump administration.
CNN reported Tuesday that Kennedy was added to the Trump transition team.
Trump said Kennedy’s support can help his campaign “build up the margins” and said the election – which several polls suggest will be a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris – could be a “landslide” for Republicans.
Trump agreed when Dr. Phil said there are many things Kennedy could offer in a potential Trump administration, suggesting something environmental or attorney general.
“That’s true,” Trump said.
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Election officials brace for November after fallout from 2020 election lies
From CNN's Marshall Cohen
Weeks before the 2022 midterms, a stranger showed up at the Denver headquarters of Dominion Voting Systems. He didn’t have an appointment, so the front desk asked him to leave. But staffers noticed him lingering outside, and one Dominion executive spotted a rifle case and scope in his vehicle.
A week later, the man returned, rambling about supposed problems with election security. He then said he had a pistol in his car. Alarmed, Dominion staff involved the police and obtained a restraining order.
The episode, described in court filings and by a senior Dominion official who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity, is part of the continued fallout from 2020 election lies. The impact has been acutely felt at Dominion, the voting technology company that became the poster child for baseless right-wing voter fraud claims in 2020.
The avalanche of disinformation forced voting companies and election officials to overhaul their approach for 2024, according to interviews with nearly a dozen people involved in running the election. They’ve ramped up investments in physical security, found new ways to combat false claims, and cracked down on employees’ political postings.
Yet, more than one year after Fox News paid Dominion $787 million, the largest known defamation settlement in US media history, former President Donald Trump and his allies are still flooding right-wing media with the lie that voting machine companies rigged the 2020 election — and that the 2024 election might be stolen too.
Even as they adapt for 2024, some involved in administering elections still fear for their lives. There has been an exodus of election workers who have quit or retired.
Analysis: Mark Zuckerberg’s election-season gift to Republicans
From CNN's Jon Passantino
Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg attends the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 31.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
Mark Zuckerberg, chairman and CEO of the social media company Meta, is handing Republicans political victories ahead of the 2024 presidential election, acquiescing to years of GOP grievances over his company’s policies.
In recent days, the Meta chief executive has made newsworthy public statements implicitly supporting right-wing “censorship” narratives and offered praise for Donald Trump as “badass” – even as he claimed he wanted to appear “neutral” and nonpartisan.
On Monday, Zuckerberg sent a letter to the powerful House Judiciary Committee, stating that the Biden administration had “pressured” Meta to “censor” content during the pandemic.
The Meta chief added that the pressure he felt was “wrong” and he came to “regret” that his company, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, was not more outspoken.
The letter was immediately weaponized by Trump, who used it to once again promote the lie that the 2020 election was stolen.
The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee also welcomed Zuckerberg’s letter, posting a copy Monday on social media and using it to attack President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now running as the Democratic nominee for president.
The letter was sent amid a two-year investigation by House Republicans into the content moderation policies of major social media networks.
Trump is fundraising off the special counsel's superseding indictment
From CNN's Brian Rokus
Special Counsel Jack Smith, left, and Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump
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Former President Donald Trump is soliciting donations after Tuesday afternoon’s superseding indictment.
He said in an email, “I WAS JUST INDICTED AGAIN!” and called it “Another Jack Smith HOAX!”
Trump also slammed the superseding indictment in a series of posts on Truth Social.
What happened: Special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday filed a reworked indictment in the federal election interference case against Trump. Prosecutors have not dropped any of the four charges that they initially brought against the former president.
However, the newly retooled indictment has carved out some of Trump’s alleged conduct, including allegations about the attempts to use the Justice Department to promote his false claims of election fraud. Prosecutors are working to try to comply with the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling.
