Trump gets heinously racist with African reporter

Top Stories for September 29:

Donald Trump asks “How is Ebola going?” during question about Congo War
Hariana Verás is the first African journalist given access to the Trump White House, and Trump responded to her questions the way that one might expect an ageing racist to respond to questions from a young Black woman. “She loves Africa, she always asks about Africa. She never talks about any other place,” started Trump before she was allowed to ask her question…one he did not like.

Trump loves to tout the “peace agreement” he “helped arrange” between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda last December, an agreement that Rwanda has systematically violated, displacing millions of people. Verás asked Trump about the agreement violations, to which he replied “So, well look, I just heard about it a little while ago, if there’s a problem we’ll stop it.”

Intent on assuring him that there was, in fact, a problem, Verás recounted her own trip to the Congolese border and how she personally witnessed the evidence of killings and violence.

In response Trump asked, “how’s Ebola going?”

This is infuriating not just because Trump is clearly just lashing out racistly in response to percieved criticism of one of his tremendous accomplishments but also because his administration cut all the funding for Ebola prevention and bears responsibility for enabling the spread of the disease, which has currently reached 8,000 new cases. Trump can’t even hear the name “Africa” without his brain immediately going to “shithole.” Because he’s racist.

VIDEO OF THE DAY: Trump caught in another scandal ahead of midterms
Brian Tyler Cohen breaks down the latest scandal surrounding Trump’s use of taxpayer dollars to pay for pro-Trump political campaign ads on public television and all the legal implications surrounding it (hint: it’s illegal!)

Progressive champion Abdul El-Sayed hit with DISGUSTINGLY RACIST new attack ad
Abdul El-Sayed for Senate: A new poll out of Michigan shows Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed with a SEVEN point lead over his MAGA opponent, Mike Rogers. That’s why MAGA Mike is so desperate, and that’s why his corrupt crony PAC has been running a horrendously racist AI-generated attack ad against El-Sayed, baselessly accusing him of supporting terrorism just because he’s a Muslim. Will you chip in to help Abdul El-Sayed fight back against these smears?

Prosecutor reopens probe into Cornell gang rape allegations after accuser files lawsuit
After sustained public outcry, a New York prosecutor has reopened the case of a 2024 alleged gang-rape by seven Cornell students who plied a woman with ketamine and alcohol and then took turn raping her. The perpetrators texted their frat bros to come join them for “free pussy,” yet somehow the school failed to issue any punishments more severe than ordering the accused to write remorseful essays. The accuser, Jane Doe, is now suing the men, the Chi Phi fraternity, the university, an Ithaca bar and others, seeking undisclosed damages.

Anthropic “warns of existential AI risks to humanity” in IPO document
The AI giant claims that its work poses “catastrophic or existential risks to humanity” because its AIs are showing “self-preserving behaviours”, including attempts to “resist shutdown”, to “conceal or manipulate information” and behaviour “resembling blackmail,” but also that we should value this company at $2 trillion. They also admitted they have so far LOST $42 billion, but are looking to investors for another $500 billion to invest in data center infrastructure next year.

So, to recap, this technology could kill everybody and doesn’t make any money…but we should keep throwing hundreds of billions of dollars into it because, why, exactly?

Senate GOP to press Jack Smith on Trump Jan. 6 probe as DOJ targets investigators
The hearing’s title, “Oversight of Jack Smith’s Abuse of Authority and the Targeting of Republicans and Related Matters,” leaves little wonder as to what we’re about to see in the Judiciary Committee today. It’s going to be another wasted day of public money as Republicans pursue a baseless witch-hunt against Jack Smith for holding the terrorists of January 6th accountable, all to placate Donald Trump and the rabid MAGA extremists who are simply beside themselves at the sight of the law being enforced in a way that negatively affects Republicans.

Senate passes college sports bill that would rein in athlete payments and transfers
The introduction of “name, image, and likeness” deals in college sports was essentially their Citizens United moment, throwing the highly lucrative college sports industry into chaos as Super PACs for Football have now led to roster payrolls that are higher than $40 million a school. The Senate has attempted to rein in the flow of money and set some guardrails with a new bill, but, seeing as this bill was spearheaded by Ted Cruz, it doesn’t actually do its job. “This is a bill that essentially ensconces a system of exploitation, and it doesn’t fix the broader problems,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy. Sounds about right for a Ted Cruz bill.

Ken Paxton defends one-day plea deal offered to child sex predator
Yeah. we’re not sure “um actually, I gave the repeat child rapist TWO WHOLE MONTHS in jail” is really the argument you want to be making as a vulnerable Senate candidate.