Bits n' pieces from east, west and beyond

East, west or beyond, sooner or later events elsewhere may have a local impact. A recent sampling:

President Joe Biden, 81, after showing confusion and signs of infirmity at the June presidential debate with Donald Trump, said on Sunday he will not run for re-election, various media reported. He’s endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, as the presidential candidate. 

Biden had been under pressure from Democratic leaders to step aside. He plans to complete his term of office.

Harris has been flooded with endorsements and donations and has more delegate support than is required for securing the presidential nomination. In a public speech she spoke of her many roles as a prosecutor taking on “perpetrators of all kinds,” such as those who “abused women…ripped off consumer [and] who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type.”

Newsweek: A pro-Nikki Haley (Republican) group quickly pledged their support for Harris.

Trump, 78, is now the oldest presidential nominee in U.S. history, various media reported.

Congressional Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez has been found guilty on 16 charges of accepting bribes that benefitted Egypt and Qatar. NBC says he faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

A faulty software update late last week from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike crashed numerous computer systems worldwide, particularly impacting banks, air flights, hospitals and government services, various media reported. A year ago, The Lever wrote, Microsoft had resisted regulators investigating risks posed by cloud service companies.

CNN’s fact-checking for the recent Republican National Convention, where Trump accepted the party’s presidential nomination:

- Regarding the RNC claim that Biden has “eroded” American energy dominance: rather, fossil fuel production has increased as compared to under Trump; that is attributed to market factors. As well, contrary to wishes of environmentalists, Biden approved controversial drilling and pipeline projects.

- The claim of “dramatic increases” in violence, crime and drugs due to Democrats’ policies is false: official FBI data shows violent crime dropping significantly under Biden (down 13% for murders, which could be the fastest decline ever). The violent crime level is now below Trump’s last year in office.

- Regarding the Republican claim that prisons are being “emptied” so migrants can come to the U.S.: there is no proof or corroboration. Rather, prison populations have increased worldwide.

- Regarding minority unemployment, Republicans claimed that under Trump there was a record low of 5.3% -- true at the time -- but it is now 4.8% under Biden.

- Regarding a Republican claim of record-high inflation under Biden: While it peaked post-Covid at 9.1% mid-2022, this June it was down to 3%.

- Trump’s election fraud claims via video were labeled “nonsense” that lacks evidence.

- Regarding a claim of a House vote to allow millions who are here illegally to vote, fact-checkers said there was no vote and it’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections.

- After the RNC’s posturing that their party is pro-labor, The American Prospect noted that the claim ignores Republicans’ consistent pattern of ongoing opposition to unions.

- One RNC speaker lamented WWII heroes who “faced down communism” and do not recognize our country anymore. Historians’ correction: the U.S. heroes fought fascism, not communism.

An RNC “first”: on stage wrestler Hulk Hogan hollered “So all you criminals, all you lowlifes, all you scumbags…whatcha gonna do when Donald Trump and the Trumpmaniacs run wild on you, brother?!” He then tore off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance shirt.

The Lever: despite the recent assassination attempt on Trump, due to pro-gun Wisconsin laws, the RNC was prohibited from banning most guns in the “soft security zone” surrounding the convention center -- but, glass bottles and tennis balls were prohibited.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Elon Musk, who is worth $250 billion, plans to donate $45 million a month to Trump’s campaign.

Trump’s failure to share medical records after he was shot in the ear at a rally has triggered speculation he didn’t have a bullet wound, but, like others nearby, was hit by broken glass. 

Newsweek says Trump has not released his medical records, normally a standard procedure. That raises questions about Trump’s health: his personal physician once wrote he was “the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” But that doctor later told CNN that Trump had dictated the letter to him.

Since 2020 “charity groups” run by the nation’s top financial firms donated more than $18 million to the Trump-aligned Heritage Foundation, which crafted Project 2025, The Lever reported. Project 2025 is seen as favoring a dictatorial theocratic Christian nationalism led by Trump.

Blast from the past: “The willingness to change one’s mind in the light of new evidence is a sign of rationality, not weakness.” Stuart Sutherland, 1927-1998, a British psychologist and writer.