Daily Skimm: What a night, I loved it

Skimm'd while trying to keep all the 2020 candidates straight

JULY 31, 2019 READ IN BROWSER

Skimm'd while trying to keep all the 2020 candidates straight

QUOTE OF THE DAY   "Bobby, builder of every structure on Earth, thinks of lumber" – AI took a stab at writing a "Queer Eye" episode. It's a treat.

THEY'RE BAAACK

The Story Last night, Americans were glued to the TV, rooting for their favorites. No "Bachelorette" spoilers, please. We're actually talking about the Democratic debates but that's cool. There are still a million (read: 25) Dem candidates running. The frontrunners in the race right now are former VP Joe Biden, followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). So which ones showed up last night? Warren and Sanders...plus eight others. 20 candidates qualified for the second round of debates (which, like last time, are split up into two nights). But the rules are about to get tougher for the third debate in September, so enjoy the large groups while we have 'em. K, get to the good stuff. What happened last night? A couple of big moments. Let's talk about the standouts... The big faceoff...progressives v moderates. Some expected the debate to be a Sanders v Warren faceoff – but the two refused to play. Instead, moderates like former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, Gov. Steve Bullock (D-MT), and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper teamed up to suggest progressives like Sanders and Warren are too extreme to be electable. Topics that divided people: whether to decriminalize the border, whether the Green New Deal was realistic, and what to do about health care. On that note… Hot topic alert...health care. Candidates spent a lot of time arguing about whether Medicare for All – aka government-run health insurance for all Americans – is a viable option. Some think it's necessary, while others like the idea of a public option (where people could opt in to gov insurance or stick to private). Warren skirted around whether the middle class would have to pay more in taxes for Medicare for All. On the topic, Sanders drove a lot of the conversation since he "wrote the damn bill." He also wants to remind you that Medicare turned 54 yesterday. Send birthday gifts to Capitol Hill. Allow me to reintroduce myself...my name is Marianne. Self-help guru Marianne Williamson had her practice debate run back in June, but stepped it up last night. She spoke out fiercely against what happened in Flint, acknowledging that a crisis like that wouldn't have happened in an affluent community. And that it will continue to happen if we don't address the underlying cause: racial and economic disparity. She pushed back against characterizations that reparations are "financial assistance," instead calling them a "debt that is owed." And came with receipts to back up how she got to her estimate for them. Don't forget us...aka everyone else on the stage. South Bend, IN Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) wants constitutional reform, brought up the problem of gun violence in his community, and put into context how long the war in Afghanistan has gone on. Delaney got more screen time than he was probably expecting. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) was peak pragmatist, saying ideas like Medicare for All and free college probably won't work in reality. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) is accepting job applications for chief manufacturing officer. Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke reminded everyone of his Senate loss by calling Texas a "battleground state." Bullock (aka the new guy at the debate) wants to crack down on the influence of money in politics. And Hickenlooper was just grateful to be there. And we're doing another round of this tonight? Yep. 10 more candidates take the stage in Detroit. Expect candidates to pile on Biden. He says he'll be ready for the fight this time. Did Trump watch? Not sure, he hasn't tweeted about it. That could be because he's busy thinking about California. Yesterday, the state's governor signed a bill that requires all presidential candidates to release their tax returns...or they won't be on the primary ballot in March. You can guess who the bill may or may not be targeting. Bet Bill Weld (R) isn't mad about it. theSkimm Last night's debate was a clear example of what the Democratic Party's shift to the left looks like in reality. Progressives are trying to make sweeping changes to health care and education. Moderates are trying to win over Trump voters and put more money in the hands of the middle class. Over the next few months, we'll see what Democratic ideals come out on top. Now...let's do this all over again tonight.

AND ALSO...THIS

What's trying to convince you everything is fine now… China. Yesterday, the country said it has released most of the Uighurs and other ethnic-minority Muslims that were being kept in "re-education" camps. This is all happening in China's Xinjiang region, where years ago, a series of deadly attacks were blamed on Uighur separatists. Since then, it's come out that China is holding a million or more Muslims in camps. At first China denied these camps exist. Then it said they're voluntary programs designed to teach Muslims job skills and stamp out extremism. Now, amid international outcry, China says 'don't worry' and that it's released most of its "students"...but experts are saying 'where's the evidence?' And families of those supposedly released are saying their family members are still missing.

What's on some senators' to-do lists... Protecting athletes. Yesterday, senators intro'd a bipartisan bill to better hold the US Olympic Committee and national sports governing bodies accountable for things like sexual abuse against athletes. This came after a congressional report found that Olympic organizations "knowingly concealed" abuse by Larry Nassar. If lawmakers pass the bill, it may not take effect until after the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Snapstreaks. Yesterday, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) intro'd a bill to ban the Snapchat feature and others to help make social media less addictive. Another theory: someone hasn't been returning his Snaps and the senator is having exactly none of it.

Who's saying 'my work here is done'... Jill Ellis. The head coach of the US women's national soccer team is saying goodbye to the ladies and stepping down. This comes weeks after she led the team to win the Women's World Cup in France. Fun fact: she's the first coach to ever win two Women's World Cups. And she's leaving the job with 102 wins under her belt...and only seven losses (what, like it's hard?). She said coaching the women was "the honor of a lifetime."

When you hear about the baby boom at a Kansas City hospital... Don't tell Prince Harry.

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SKIMM'RS

Lab at it…Paige E (OK), who's starting her molecular biology PhD program next month. She's hoping to focus on cancer research. All of the fanny packs for...Kourtney C and Ben C (NH). They're traveling the world for a year after quitting their jobs. And Jourdan M (MN) who backpacked and camped for days to see the Grand Canyon right. (Some) Birthdays...theSkimm's Michelle Simon (NY), Elena Gallo (IL), Matt Stuczynski (OH), Kathryn Prieto (CA), Tasneem Warwani (CAN), Ashley Jefferson (NJ), Samantha Jackson (FL), Katie Kieft (MI), Julie Ellis (VA), Sally Ostendorf (MA), Laura Kopp (NH), Mandy Bui (TX), Ana Sofia Fabre (SC), Ural Grant (NY) *Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured.

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Skimm'd something we missed? skimmthis@theSkimm.com Issues? help@theSkimm.com Copyright (c) 2019 theSkimm, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: theSkimm Inc. 50 West 23rd Street, Suite 5B New York, NY, 10010, United States Unsubscribe

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Daily Skimm: Voilà, le French fry

Skimm'd while planning a last-minute viewing party

JULY 30, 2019 READ IN BROWSER

Skimm'd while planning a last-minute viewing party

QUOTE OF THE DAY   "It's just insane" – A 16-year-old from Pennsylvania who won $3 million in the Fortnite World Cup. So that was a valid career option no one told us about.

SNIP, SNIP

The Story Tomorrow, the Federal Reserve is expected to bring interest rates down. Well isn't that fun. It is for the stock market. If you were wondering what the money doctors at the Fed do, they take the US's economic temperature and prescribe interest rates. The goal is to keep the economy growing nice and steady – not too fast, not too slow. Which means (just for those in the back)… If the US economy is looking good (think: low unemployment, strong GDP), the Fed often decides it can handle higher rates. But if the economy isn't looking too hot, the Fed gives it a boost with lower rates. That helps encourage people to spend money and companies to invest in those big ideas bosses keep talking about. So tomorrow's decision... Means that Fed Chair Jerome Powell thinks the US economy could use an assist. That's because of things like trade tensions and a global economic slowdown, which could lower demand for US-made products abroad. Wait, I thought people have been saying the economy was doing well? Well, US unemployment is close to a 50-year low. This would be the first time the Fed is lowering interest rates since the 2008 financial crisis. There isn't consistent messaging from Fed officials on why they'd lower rates, but it appears to be to try to keep the good (economy) times rolling. What are people saying? Some say the move will help the stock market, not the actual economy. Others say this could help protect the economy from an economic downturn. President Trump has repeatedly made it clear he wants lower rates to apparently keep the economy on the up and up – but he's unimpressed with the expected rate cut. Also, the Fed says that lowering rates has nothing to do with getting Trump off its back. So stop asking. So what happens next? Even though the Fed's hinted at it, we'll learn tomorrow whether rates are officially going down. And by how much. theSkimm It's unclear if this potential interest rate cut is the Emergen-C to help keep a cold (hint: US recession) away. Or if it's like overmedicating an already healthy economy...potentially fueling economic bubbles like the one that led to the 2008 financial crisis. In other words, the stakes could be high – and this is already being seen as the biggest test for Powell so far. $: Interest rates impact things like your credit card debt and whether the time is right to take out a mortgage. Here's what lower interest rates could mean for your wallet.

AND ALSO...THIS

What people are watching… Nigeria. Over the weekend, armed men attacked a funeral procession in the northeastern part of the country, killing at least 65 people. No one's claimed responsibility yet, but the terror group Boko Haram is suspected to be behind it. The group gained worldwide attention when it kidnapped more than 270 schoolgirls a few years ago. And it's been terrorizing the country for 10 years with the goal of establishing an Islamist state in the area. In that time, it's killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions more. This attack seems to be the deadliest against civilians there this year.

What you didn't need today... This Capital One data breach. A hacker stole the data of more than 100 million people in the US and Canada – and she allegedly made zero attempts to hide it. It's one of the largest ever data breaches of a major bank, compromising about 140,000 Social Security numbers and 80,000 bank account numbers, among other pieces of data. Capital One says it'll let you know if your data was affected.

What your friend who's been studying for the bar is eyeing... This leak. California accidentally released some of its bar exam topics. Psst…good luck to everyone taking the test this week.

Who has Big Nature Energy… India's PM Narendra Modi.

When you're thiiiiis close to winning your office "Bachelorette" bracket… I'm gonna take my prize to the old town road.

THE ROAD TO 2020

Round two of the Democratic primary debates kicks off tonight. Fun facts: - There are still a million people in the race. - Ok, we exaggerate. But not every candidate made the cut. 10 will debate tonight. Another 10 debate tomorrow night. The remaining five are SOL. Here's a primer on everything you need to know, and why this might be the last chance for some candidates to show voters what they've got.

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SKIMM'RS

Skimm'r of the Week…Ellen Wiss. She's the founder and CEO of the non-profit Read USA. The organization hosts annual one-day book fairs at certain elementary schools to give students free Scholastic books. The goal: help improve reading levels and break the cycle of poverty. Learn more here. (Some) Birthdays…Amy Blaschke (IN), Val Feula (MA), Tess Buchberger (IL), Katie Christovich (DC), Lauren Hicks (MI), Rhea Allen (NJ), Rita Zasowski (NY), Eriel Cavanaugh (FL), Jim Stoulil (MO), Peggy Reiber (WA), Helen Sakkaris (CA), Joey Popp (NC), Maryann Witte (NY) *Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out here for a chance to be featured.

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Skimm HQ is ready to geek out over another 2020 debate. Share theSkimm with your politico friends who'll also be glued to the TV. Or use this referral link theskimm.com/?r=e98aa03e

Skimm'd something we missed? skimmthis@theSkimm.com Issues? help@theSkimm.com Copyright (c) 2019 theSkimm, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: theSkimm Inc. 50 West 23rd Street, Suite 5B New York, NY, 10010, United States Unsubscribe

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