Scott Bradford: Off on a Tangent

Biden Drops Reelection Campaign

Posted
Updated

President Joe Biden (D) is ending his campaign for reelection as President of the United States.

Biden posted a letter on his account on X (Twitter) saying, “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.” He plans to address the nation later this week to “speak in more detail about my decision.”

The Biden campaign was upended by a disastrous showing in a June 27 debate against Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump (R). That led to widespread concern about whether Biden, 81, was physically and mentally capable of winning the election or fulfilling the duties of the office for another four years. Prominent political figures in the Democratic Party, including numerous members of Congress, have added to a chorus of calls for Biden to drop out of the race.

Soon after announcing the end of his campaign, Biden made another X (Twitter) post offering his “full support and endorsement” for Vice President Kamala Harris (D) to be the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee in his place. The delegates who were pledged to Biden will now be free to vote for whomever they wish, but most are expected to cast their votes for Harris in accordance with Biden’s endorsement. At least two potential challengers—California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D)—immediately endorsed Harris.

Read more . . .

Republican Party Officially Nominates Trump

Posted
Donald Trump
Donald Trump

The delegates to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have officially nominated former President Donald Trump (R) as the Republican Party candidate for President of the United States. Trump will likely stand in the November general election against the presumptive Democratic nominee, President Joe Biden (D).

Trump has been the presumptive Republican nominee since his last primary opponent dropped out in March; today’s convention vote makes his nomination official. He is joined on the Republican ticket by his running mate, Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH).

Trump was elected president in 2016 and served one term. He ran for reelection in 2020, but was defeated by Biden. Before his campaign for president, Trump was a well-known real estate mogul, businessman, and reality television star.

Trump is a controversial figure who upended many American political norms. He was the subject of a special council investigation and two impeachment attempts and acquittals. He later faced ninety-one charges in four indictments; he was (wrongly) convicted in his New York business records case, charges were (wrongly) dismissed in his federal documents case, and he still faces charges in his federal election case and Georgia election case.

The nomination comes two days after Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump’s right ear was injured, a rally attendee was killed, and two attendees were seriously injured. The shooter was killed by Secret Service agents.

The Republican Party is the first of the two major parties to officially select its 2024 presidential and vice presidential nominees. The Democratic Party is is expected to select theirs at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, next month. The Virginia filing deadline for independent and third-party candidates is August 23.

Former President Trump Injured in Shooting

Posted
Updated

Former President Donald Trump (R) was shot and injured Saturday evening while speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump’s right ear was damaged, but his injuries are considered minor. One rally attendee was killed and two were critically injured. The shooter was killed at the scene by U.S. Secret Service agents.

Trump is the presumptive Republican Party nominee in the upcoming presidential election. He is expected to be formally nominated at the Republican National Convention, which starts tomorrow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Trump plans to speak at the convention as previously scheduled.

Video of the assassination attempt captured the sound of gunshots around 6:15 p.m. Trump immediately reached to the right side of his head, then dropped down behind the podium as Secret Service agents began rushing the stage. Moments later, after it was clear that the shooting had stopped, they lifted Trump to his feet and rushed him off stage. Trump looked shaken; there was a visible injury to his right ear and streaks of blood on his face. He was conscious, and raised a fist to the crowd as he was led to a nearby vehicle. Trump was treated at Butler Memorial Hospital and released later in the evening.

Read more . . .

On President Biden

Posted
President Biden
President Biden

In my political commentary, I focus on matters of law and policy. When I consider candidates for political office, I also consider their character. In either case, I avoid getting bogged-down with trivialities and distractions. I do not ridicule political figures when they make harmless gaffes, and I shy away from bringing things like age or medical condition into the discussion.

In my 2020 presidential election endorsement, I did not even mention that both then-President Donald Trump (R) and now-President Joe Biden (D) were quite elderly. I only briefly mentioned Trump’s “miscommunications, gaffes, flubs, and obnoxious Tweets,” and later described Biden as being “like America’s lovable, goofy uncle,” but I did not harp on their long histories of saying weird things in public.

Many Trump supporters attempted to paint Biden as a feeble, old man (even though he is only four years older than Trump). Some called him “Dementia Joe” and alleged that he was mentally unfit to serve as president. It was clear that Biden had slowed down with age—as most people do—but I saw no evidence of serious incapacity. This line of argument played no part in how I voted.

Read more . . .

Pancreases Sue Insulin Makers

Posted

The International Association of Pancreases (IAP) today announced a lawsuit on behalf of its members against makers of artificial insulin, including Sanofi, Eli Lilly, and Novo Nordisk. The suit alleges that numerous manufacturers of insulin have refused to license the design of the peptide hormone from the organ that created it.

If successful, the suit could generate billions of dollars in damages, which would be distributed among claimants who can prove they have a pancreas that generated insulin at some point during their lifetime.

Pancreases are organs in the vertebrate digestive and endocrine systems. They are typically located in the abdomen near the stomach, and serve to regulate blood sugar levels. Human pancreases secrete multiple hormones including insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptides. They also secrete pancreatic juices into the duodenum, which assist in breaking down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from food.

Off on a Tangent contacted IAP spokesman Alfred M. Yankovich via AOL Instant Messenger, but he was unable to respond to our questions. Yankovich sent a prepared statement saying, in part, “My pancreas attracts every other pancreas in the universe with a force proportional to the product of their masses, and inversely proportional to the distance between them, woo woo woo woo.”

Scott Bradford is a writer and technologist who has been putting his opinions online since 1995. He believes in three inviolable human rights: life, liberty, and property. He is a Catholic Christian who worships the trinitarian God described in the Nicene Creed. Scott is a husband, nerd, pet lover, and AMC/Jeep enthusiast with a B.S. degree in public administration from George Mason University.