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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi is a sports and cultural icon for his worldwide legion of fans. Now, he’s a superhero, too.

Messi unveiled his new superhero toy, Captain Messi, in collaboration with Hard Rock International during an event Tuesday. He was asked by a young girl if he could use his new superpowers to help Inter Miami win the MLS Cup title.

It’s hard to deny Messi’s superpowers before Inter Miami’s playoff game against Atlanta United at Chase Stadium on Friday. He enters the postseason after two hat tricks in the last week — one with the national team and his first in MLS. After a severe right ankle injury caused him to miss two months, Messi is the strongest he’s been since he led Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup title in August 2023 with 10 goals in his first seven games.

Inter Miami won the MLS Supporters’ Shield title for best record in the league during the regular season. Now, Inter Miami seeks its third title of the Messi era.

“We will try as we have been trying all this year. I think we are prepared and very excited for this moment that we are going through in these playoffs that are coming, and well, we will fight to try to get it,” Messi said before signing every child’s shirt during the event at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tuesday.

Along with Messi’s pursuit of his 47th title for club and country, the synergy around Messi continues to thrive and flourish for him, other businesses, and soccer fans.  

The MLS and Inter Miami TikTok accounts will have an exclusive live Messi cam, focused solely on the MVP favorite during the playoff match Friday. The match, and the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs will also be free on Apple TV.

“We’re getting behind Leo Messi’s historic MLS Cup Playoffs debut in a big way. It’s not just must-see television, but it’s a barometer for the entire postseason on MLS Season Pass,” said Emeka Ofodile, Apple Global Head of Sports Marketing. “We’ll make this match the most widely distributed match in MLS Season Pass history, bringing this match to as many fans as possible around the globe.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino named Messi’s Inter Miami as the host team for the FIFA Club World Cup to be played in the United States next summer, with hopes the Argentine World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will be the biggest star in the tournament.

“Inter Miami is supported from across Florida and beyond for your exciting brand of football. … You have shown that in the United States, you are consistently the best club on the field of play,” Infantino said in a news release.

Messi and Latin music star Bad Bunny this week announced a new collaboration with Adidas, featuring the same khaki-colored cleats Messi wore when he scored three goals in an 11-minute span to set the MLS points record last week.

“Messi’s last name has become its own word, a synonym for greatness, courage and heart,” Bad Bunny said in a news release. “Collaborating with him is an honor that so many people dream of, and I never even imagined I could achieve it. Today, I feel so grateful to be able to represent our culture with the GOAT.”

Messi also recently debuted his first fragrance, Messi Eau de Parfum, exclusively with JCPenney. The commercial lauds Messi as a footballer, world champion, father, gentleman, and legend with the tagline “Messi, more than we see.”

Let’s also mention the interesting product placement of the Mas+ by Messi drink, held in his hand with the. name visible as he lifted the MLS Supporters’ Shield trophy in the locker room after clinching the title with a win over reigning champions Columbus Crew earlier this month.

The Captain Messi toy comes with every kids meal at Hard Rock Cafe locations and available online, along with branded children items like a backpack, lunch bag, water bottle and t-shirts. It continues a three-year partnership between Messi and Hard Rock, where food items like the Messi Burger and Messi Chicken Sandwich continue to be big popular menu items for the company’s restaurants worldwide.

“He’s one of the most famous people in the world with like half a billion followers, but it’s more about his personality, his beautiful thoughts of life, of giving to others and helping the children,” Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, said of Messi. ‘He’s an absolute magician on the field. But I think it’s his personality. He’s a fair player. People respect him. He mentors others. And I think all those qualities are the greatest things any athlete or celebrity can have.”

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If North Korean troops invade Ukraine, America must ‘seriously consider’ engaging in military action against them, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence chair Rep. Mike Turner said in a statement issued Wednesday.

‘If North Korean troops were to invade Ukraine’s sovereign territory, the United States needs to seriously consider taking direct military action against the North Korean troops,’ the Ohio Republican asserted.

Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin has said that there is evidence North Korean troops are present in Russia.

‘We assess that between early to mid-October, North Korea moved at least 3,000 soldiers into eastern Russia. We assess that these soldiers traveled by ship from the Wonsan area in North Korea to Vladivostok, Russia,’ White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said.

‘These soldiers then traveled onward to multiple Russian military training sites in eastern Russia, where they are currently undergoing training,’ he continued. 

Kirby said that the U.S. does not know whether the North Korean troops will fight alongside Russian forces, but described the prospect as ‘a highly concerning probability.’

The U.S. has provided Ukraine with billions of dollars worth of assistance as the Eastern European nation has been fighting a war against Russia.

Turner suggested that if North Korean forces target Ukraine from within Russian territory, America should allow Ukraine to utilize U.S. weapons to retaliate.

‘I have long challenged the Biden-Harris Administration’s unwise position on restricting Ukraine’s use of U.S. weapons against targets within Russian territory. If North Korean troops attack Ukraine from Russian territory, Ukraine should be permitted to use American weapons to respond,’ the lawmaker declared.

Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois declared in a tweet, ‘For those who think the war in Ukraine is unimportant, consider who Putin is partnering with. The presence of North Korean troops in Russia clearly indicates that Putin is not interested in ending this conflict—he is determined to escalate it at any cost.’

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A new poll shows that former President Trump has historically strong support from young minority voters with less than two weeks before Election Day.

The latest GenForward poll from the University of Chicago, released Wednesday, found that 26 percent of Black men between the ages of 18 and 40 said they would vote for Trump, while only 12 percent of Black women said the same. It is a significant gain since Black voters overall supported Biden over Trump by a nine to one ratio in the 2020 presidential election. 

Trump also has improved with young Latino men, 44 percent of whom said they’d support him compared to about 38 percent who voted for him in 2020. Even so, Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris leads Trump overall 47-35 in the poll, which includes large oversamples of young voters of color. 

Still, the underlying results provide further evidence of a potential political realignment among minority voters on generational and gender lines. Young Black and Latino Americans have typically supported Democratic candidates – but several surveys have shown weakened support for Harris among these groups, who say economic issues and immigration are the top concerns for their communities. 

Where Harris is strong is among women of color. A majority of Black (63%), Asian American and Pacific Islander (60%) and Latina (55%) women say they support Harris over Trump.

White women showed a slight preference for Harris over Trump, 44-40 percent.

The GenForward poll ran from Sept. 26 to Oct. 6 and included 2,359 eligible voters 18 to 40 years old. It has a plus or minus 3.13 percentage point margin of error. 

Both Harris and Trump have focused on outreach to minority voters in the closing days of the 2024 presidential election.

The Harris campaign unveiled an economic agenda for Black men last week, emphasizing her plans to provide small business loans to Black-owned businesses and legalize marijuana. 

Her campaign also ramped up events targeting Latino and Black voters in battleground states, and former President Barack Obama chastised Black men, claiming they could be hesitant to vote for a woman as president. 

Trump has highlighted recent endorsements from Black celebrities and athletes at his rallies, including Detroit rapper Trick Trick, boxing legend Tommy ‘Hitman’ Hearns and former NFL players Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell.  

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Former President Trump is in a neck-and-neck race with Vice President Kamala Harris in three critical swing states, according to new polling.

The Thursday Marist polls found Trump and Harris virtually tied in Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia, while Harris holds a 5-point lead in national polling.

Trump leads Harris by one point in Arizona with a 50%-49% match-up. Meanwhile in North Carolina, Trump holds another slim 50%-48% lead. Both candidates are tied at 49% in Georgia, according to the poll.

The Marist polls were conducted from Oct. 17-22, surveying over 1,400 residents from each of the states. The margin of error for North Carolina was 3.2%, while it was 3.7% in Arizona and 3.9% in Georgia.

The poll lines up with other surveys in the final stretch before Election Day. The Wall Street Journal released a poll on Wednesday showing Trump and Harris in a dead heat nationally, giving Trump a slight 47%-45% lead.

The polls widely indicate that the honeymoon period has passed for Harris, though she remains much more popular than President Biden when he led the Democratic ticket.

The latest Fox News poll results, with Trump with 50% support and Harris at 48%, were a reversal from last month, when the vice president had the edge.

‘Overall, the movement toward Trump is subtle but potentially consequential, especially if he is making gains among college-educated voters,’ said veteran Democratic pollster Chris Anderson, who conducts Fox News surveys with Republican Daron Shaw. ‘However, the race has been well within the margin of error for three months and the outcome will likely hinge on which side is more effective at getting their voters to the polls as opposed to persuasion.’

While national polls are helpful, the race for the White House is not based on the national popular vote. The winner on Election Day will be determined by their performance in the swing states.

Harris has the clear advantage on the financial front as she and Trump enter the home stretch. The Harris campaign hauled in $221.8 million in September, according to filings, more than triple the $63 million brought in by the Trump campaign last month.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

With America barreling toward Election Day on Nov. 5, the path to 270 electoral votes for former President Trump is looking more promising with each passing day.  

Make no mistake about it, while the unprecedented presidential campaign of 2024 remains a razor-thin affair, there are several indicators showing that Trump is running stronger than he did in both 2016 and 2020.  

Perhaps the most crucial factor is what voters think about the direction of the country under the failed leadership of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris over the past four years. According to polling averages, the right track-wrong track numbers are underwater by a stunning 37%,with Biden and Harris at the helm.  

Some polls have the wrong direction number coming in as high as 79% while others found that only 18% believe we are on the right track.  In the face of massive inflation, open borders and crime around the country, many people are wondering what these 18% are thinking.

Among key demographic groups, there’s even more reason for optimism for Trump. In 2016 when he was elected president, Trump received 8% of the African American vote. Now, polls show him with the support of a much-improved 29% of Black voters. 

Recent reporting from the Wall Street Journal has indicated that losing Black men at the ballot box is of primary concern for Democrats: ‘Polling has shown Trump receiving a higher percentage of support among Black voters, particularly among men, than in past campaigns, raising the possibility he could disrupt Democrats’ voting coalition.’

Similarly, with Hispanic voters, Trump received 28% of the vote in 2016, and today polls show Trump jumping to 47% support among Latinos. When even the New York Times is writing things like ‘Vice President Kamala Harris’s support among Hispanic voters is in dangerously low territory for Democrats’ and ‘Almost any way we can measure it, Mr. Trump is running as well or better among Black and Hispanic voters as any Republican in recent memory,’ it’s obviously cause for great concern on the left.  

The reason for the gravitation toward Trump’s candidacy is likely a simple one: families were more prosperous, our streets were safer and our border was secure when he was in office. Trump’s commonsense policies achieved positive results regardless of one’s socioeconomic status or background. 

And notwithstanding the misinformation du jour you hear from Harris and her allies in the liberal mainstream media, the 2024 presidential election is a referendum on the disastrous policies of the incumbent – in this case the sitting vice president – who has been in power for almost four years.  

The radical Biden-Harris agenda caused the cost of living to spiral out of control for millions of American families now struggling to make ends meet. Reckless open border policies – and the conscious decision to reverse Trump’s successful border security measures – have caused an unnecessary catastrophe that we’ll be dealing with for decades. And weakness on the world stage has emboldened our enemies around the globe.

The crystal-clear contrast on display in this campaign is unmistakable. Bold colors not pale pastels, as President Ronald Reagan used to say. Under President Trump, we had essentially no inflation, our border was secure and the world was at peace.  

Leadership matters and elections do indeed have consequences. Americans are not better off today than they were four years ago when Trump left office.

And perhaps therein lies the reason that Trump is faring better in the polls now than he was at the same time of the races in both 2016 and 2020.

As of this writing, Trump is leading Harris – albeit narrowly – in the seven most critical battleground states. The state of the race, according to public polling data, was far different in previous campaigns. 

At this time in 2016, Hillary Clinton was leading in North Carolina by 3.3 percentage points, but Trump ended up carrying the state. In 2020, Biden was leading in North Carolina as well, but Trump ended up winning the Tar Heel State again. 

Fast-forward to 2024 and now polls show Trump with a small lead in this critically important state. So, if the Trumpian trademark of outperforming survey data continues, the former president is well-positioned to once again carry North Carolina’s coveted 16 electoral votes.

In Pennsylvania and the fight for its all-important 19 electoral votes, an average of polls shows Trump in the lead. But in 2016 and 2020 at this time, Clinton and Biden were ahead of Trump by 6.7 and 4.4 percentage points, respectively.  As it turned out, Trump carried the Keystone State in 2016 and did much better in 2020 than the polls were predicting.

Similar trends are happening in other swing states. Look no further than Arizona, where in 2016 polls showed Trump winning the state by 0.7 points at this time of the race, but he ended up carrying the state by 3.5 percentage points. In 2020, polls placed Biden in the lead by 3.9 points, but he took the Grand Canyon state by just 0.3 points.  

Contrast the Biden-Trump numbers with what’s happening this time around, where the average of polls has Trump leading the battle for Arizona’s 11 electoral votes in the lead-up to the race, just like in 2016 when he won the state. 

  

When analyzing polling data from the 2016, 2020 and 2024 presidential races, perhaps the most stunning numbers come out of Midwestern heavyweight Wisconsin.

In 2016, it appeared that Hillary Clinton was in the driver’s seat in the Badger State with a 6.4-point lead at this point in the race, but Trump won the state. And in 2020, the polling average had Biden out in front by six points too, but he only managed to hang on by a 0.6 percent margin.  

Of course, Biden’s bloated lead in the state leading up to the election was buoyed by a Washington Post-ABC poll taken in late October that showed Biden ahead by 17 points. Many believe that irresponsible polls like this amount to election interference because they may end up suppressing the vote for the candidate who they say is trailing.

And in Wisconsin in 2020, where the margin came down to just 20,000 votes, who knows what could have happened if voters had more accurate polling to consider before going – or not going – to the polls. Currently in Wisconsin, the polls show the race a dead heat, which is good news for Trump if history is any indication.     

As Americans cast their ballots across the country, there’s ample reason to believe that the wind is at Donald Trump’s back. And if this turns out to be a ‘change’ election in the tradition of 1980, voters may very well break dramatically to ‘Trump the challenger’ at the very end.  

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Second-year quarterback Bryce Young will step back into the starting role for the Carolina Panthers against the Denver Broncos in Week 8 after Andy Dalton was injured in a car accident on Tuesday.

Dalton was with his family when the accident happened, but everyone in the car was able to avoid a trip to the hospital immediately afterward. However, Carolina’s medical personnel discovered that the veteran quarterback had sprained his thumb when they evaluated him later that day.

Dalton was unable to participate in the Panthers’ Wednesday practice session, and head coach Dave Canales announced after practice that Bryce Young would return as the starter under center.

‘We’ll be evaluating Andy day-to-day going into this weekend to see if we can get him up as the [No.] 2 [quarterback] on gameday,’ Canales told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

After the Panthers’ 40-7 loss to the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Canales told reporters that the team planned to stick with Dalton despite the four-game losing streak. The veteran quarterback’s injury forced the Panthers to change that plan.

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Why is Bryce Young starting against the Broncos?

Young is again taking over the starting quarterback duties after Dalton injured his thumb in a car accident on Tuesday. His matchup against the Broncos will be his first start since Week 2.

Canales told reporters Wednesday that everyone involved in the car accident was alright but that the veteran quarterback sprained his thumb. Dalton could not practice on Wednesday but will be evaluated throughout the week to potentially be active as Young’s backup come gameday.

Bryce Young stats

This year, Young was 0-2 as a starter. He had a 56.9% completion rate through two games while throwing for 299 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Young is 2-16 in his two-year career with a 59.5% completion rate, 3,176 passing yards, and 11 touchdowns to 13 interceptions.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Over the last three runs through March Madness, no conference has had more to celebrate than the ACC: Four different programs reaching a Final Four, filling seven of the 24 spots in the Elite Eight and earning 33 overall tournament wins.

In all three categories, the ACC has been the best-performing conference despite ranking fourth over that span in number of tournament bids. 

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LOS ANGELES — Longtime Dodgers star Fernando Valenzuela had been sick for quite a while, but refused to talk about it, even to his closest friends and associates, wanting to preserve his privacy.

You marveled watching him pitch with his unique style, his eyes rolling to the heavens. You enjoyed his company long after retirement, laughing at his delightful sense of humor, feeling good just watching him walk into the room.

It was only this summer that things dramatically changed.

You saw him, you talked to him, you spent time with him, and that beautiful, engaging spirit was gone, replaced by a vacant look in his eyes.

I last saw him in Phoenix six weeks ago, when the Dodgers came into town to play the Arizona Diamondbacks. You looked at him and were concerned. You talked to him and were alarmed.

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It might have been the first time Valenzuela didn’t address me by calling me “Matt.’’ He called me “Matt’’ for decades, insisting I resembled former All-Star infielder Matt Williams. He giggled every time he said it. I’m still not sure he ever knew my real name.

This time, he didn’t call me by any name. He acknowledged me only when I stopped by his table, but was awfully quiet. No jokes. No laughter. No stories. He just sat quietly and ate his dinner while everyone else talked.

You asked about his health to those closest to him, and they would just grimace, saying that although everyone knew he was sick, Valenzuela refused to talk about it.

He was diagnosed with cancer, liver cancer to be specific, but suffered in silence, not wanting anyone to feel sorry for him. He died Tuesday at the age of 63.

Valenzuela wanted to cherish and preserve that same unadulterated joy he created when he burst onto the scene as a rookie in 1981.

He arrived from Etchohuaquila, Mexico, became an overnight star in Los Angeles, and had the Latino community bursting with pride to be Dodgers fans, with the Anglo fans scrambling to learn Spanish — or at least a few popular phrases.

Valenzuela, the only pitcher in baseball history to win the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season in ‘81, was easily the greatest ballplayer to ever come out of Mexico.

Now, 43 years later, he still is the greatest.

He was such a legend that there was no need for a last name.

He simply was called “Fernando.’’

He remained revered in Mexico, considered royalty wherever he traveled.

He didn’t need a license plate while driving in Mexico. He didn’t even need a driver’s license. Everyone knew him.

Fernando.

Why complicate it with more?

Now, just three days before the World Series — with the Dodgers playing the New York Yankees starting Friday for the first time in the Fall Classic since Valenzuela’s rookie year — he is gone.

But ‘Fernandomania’ will live forever.

“He is one of the most influential Dodgers ever and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of franchise heroes,’ said Stan Kasten, Dodgers CEO and president, in a statement. ‘He galvanized the fan base with the Fernandomania season of 1981 and has remained close to our hearts ever since, not only as a player but also as a broadcaster. He has left us all too soon.’’

Valenzuela never did make it to the Baseball Hall of Fame. No matter. He is as legendary in Dodgers history as Sandy Koufax.

You walk into Dodger Stadium today, and there are more Valenzuela No. 34 jerseys than Koufax jerseys. They would show him on the videoboard working Dodgers games as part of their Spanish-language broadcast team, and raucous cheers would break out, with fans chanting his name over and over.

The man made the Dodgers who they are today, and his influence can be seen throughout Dodger Stadium with their diverse crowd, and large Latino population.

There was never any braggadocio with Valenzuela. He only talked about himself when asked. He didn’t need anyone to validate his greatness.

He was just Fernando, and Fernando never stopped being Fernando.

It has been 43 years since Valenzuela pitched the Dodgers to the ’81 World Series, and the Dodgers will carry his legacy throughout this series. They will dedicate this World Series to him. They’ll wear honorary patches on their uniforms. They’ll have an emotional moment of silence Friday. Memories will be passed on to future generations.

Fernando would be embarrassed by all of the attention, just as he never talked about his disease, refusing to be the center of attention.

He came to this country known only as Fernando, left this world being Fernando, and the memories of his beautiful innocence will be forever cherished in Los Angeles folklore.

Everyone who saw him pitch understands it was a privilege.

Well, it was a greater honor to know him.

What a legend.

What a beautiful human being.

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This article was updated to add a video.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

America the Beautiful. 

The land of the free and the home of the brave. 

They’re playin’ my song. They know I’m gonna be okay (I’m gonna be okay). 

Yeah, it’s a party in the U.S.A.

For the last decade or so, it has not felt much like a party in the U.S.A. Perhaps as far back as the Bill Clinton era, the country has seemed unusually divided, uncommonly partisan. There have been fewer productive friendships across the aisle in Washington and a tangible lack of compassion and unity in communities from coast to coast.

Now, as Election Day looms right in front of us, the nation appears not merely disjointed, but virtually torn in half. And an inexorable truth remains: on November 5, or shortly thereafter, either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump will be declared the winner of the presidential election.

Many voters will receive the news calmly. They will be variously pleased, or disappointed, or anxious, or relieved. They will await the new chapter in our history with curiosity and hope.

But millions of Americans will feel dismayed, even traumatized. They will dread the new administration, condemn their fellow voters, feel betrayed by their country, and be gripped by stress and despair. 

Here, then, is a reminder that we are all fellow countrypeople. We all belong here. We are all connected. On some fundamental levels, we all are on the same side –- and the same ride.

Plus, we do share some universal bonds. For example: 

Simone Biles. Pretty amazing, no? Inspirational, magical, and charming, she makes us all proud.

Travis and Taylor. Maybe you don’t care about football, maybe you aren’t a Swiftie or even a fan of Taylor Swift’s music, maybe you want your celebrity couples to be politics-free. But c’mon. TNT is a fabulous only-in-America show.

How about ‘Friends,’ another fabulous show. Who doesn’t love ‘Friends’?

Hawaii and Alaska. Two of the most spectacular places on the whole planet. Both in America! Not to mention the Maine coast, the Oregon coast, the Florida Keys, the Great Lakes, the farmers around the country who feed us, the oceans that border and protect us, the home-grown musicians who lift us up, Hollywood, New Orleans, Big Sur, the Big Apple, the Grand Ole Opry, the Grand Canyon, the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, the Boston Freedom Trail, Lin Manuel Miranda, Dolly Parton, Mel Brooks, Jackson Pollock, Nora Ephron, Jennifer Garner, Adam Sandler, and Muhammad Ali. 

That’s America. The greatest country on earth. Can you believe how lucky we are to live here and vote here? Even with all our problems, our past afflictions, our present clashes, our future challenges. 

We don’t agree on everything. We never will. But we need to find room for nuance, sensitivity, and common ground.

With the election outcome nearly upon us, there is still time for voters to prepare for the result, which might be crushing or exciting, and could provoke strong reactions from neighbors, co-workers, friends or family. Some citizens might be baffled, distraught, or face an existential crisis. On Election Day, there will be cheers and sobs, gloating and consolation, celebration and mourning. And after it all subsides, on January 20, 2025, there will be a new president in the White House and life will go on.

So, as a public service, here are the five truths each side should know in order to understand the other tribe and be ready to accept the result, reconcile, and move forward as a united country, no matter what.

Not necessarily because they deplore all progressive, left-leaning, or Democratic-style principles, but because they have systematically been driven away from the Democratic Party by a culture they deem unfair, unsafe, and even un-American: a media they perceive as so biased as to be untrustworthy; woke trends in schools, higher learning, and the workplace that can create more discrimination than equity; troubling rhetoric about Israel from Democratic leaders that they fear could jeopardize the American-Israel alliance, stability in the Middle East, and the safety of Jews in the United States; and aggressive machinations against Trump from Democrats such as Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., that they feel have cracked appropriate boundaries of political power. 

Many Reds remain deeply troubled by Trump’s conduct and attitude during the storming of the Capitol, but they file January 6th along with Trump’s other irrational and self-centered choices, as part of the egocentric, outsized package that is Donald Trump. Their grocery bills are high. Their kids need braces. Their parents are aging. They have other priorities.

Throughout much of the 2024 presidential race, Trump has been wrestling with criminal indictments and civil actions, both state and federal, ranging from falsifying business transactions to mishandling classified documents to fallout from the 2020 election dispute. Some voters find the facts and timing of the indictments themselves to be worse than any Trump wrongdoing, and that the one way for them to send a clear message about their distaste for an abuse of the legal system is to vote for the former president.  

Everything costs more these days, and it is tough to make ends meet. They may be sympathetic to individuals and families crossing the border to find a better life, but now their own kids don’t have a desk to sit at in a school that is newly crowded with illegal immigrants. Their hometown needs more money to fix its roads and parks and public buildings, yet they watch as billions in tax dollars are allocated to Ukraine and the Middle East. They think if Trump wins, he will do a better job as president addressing their own everyday concerns. And to be clear, they do in fact appreciate the complexities and ramifications of pregnancy and abortion, and the potential for agonizing choices and risks.

They are not all MAGA-hat wearing, gun-toting, Trump disciples. Each Red voter is an individual with distinct needs, interests, and experiences. Some adore Donald Trump, and think he’s a hero and the greatest president who has ever lived. Some consider him a bit of a blowhard but prefer his administrative positions to those of Harris. Some think he’s an iconoclast who loves to push buttons and break the stateman’s mold, while still getting the job done. Some find him hilarious. Some find him maddening. Some find him downright unappealing, but think he will be better for their family’s long-term financial prospects, so will hold their noses and their wallets when they vote. Some are more comfortable with Trump, a person they know, the bad and the good, than with Harris, a candidate they feel they still haven’t gotten a chance to fully apprehend. Some have family members, children, spouses, best friends, bosses, and employees who will vote for the other candidate.

Really, really upset. Devastated. Many Blues consider Donald Trump to be an utterly loathsome, irredeemable, crude, dangerous, despicable soul. Furthermore, they think he’s not intellectually, spiritually, or attitudinally prepared to do the job. They hate him personally, they are embarrassed to have him represent the nation, the thought of his success is a torment. This level of pure abhorrence may seem to the Reds to be hyperbolic, misguided, overblown. But it is the reality in which the Blues operate, and many could deliver an excellent and convincing Ted Talk on the topic. If Trump beats Harris, they will need compassion, space to grieve, maybe a reassuring pat on the shoulder or hug.

To them, Donald Trump placed his own interests above the wellbeing of the nation, an unforgivable breach of his central duty as president. As former Vice President Mike Pence stated, ‘President Trump asked me to put himself over my oath to the Constitution. Anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States.’ To these Blues, this sentiment is neither a luxury nor a pretense. It is a core conviction, an existential urgency.

They view this intel as revelatory and frightening, and note that the sheer number of former Trump intimates who have spoken out on the record is unprecedented. To them, these insider insights are a vindication of their own personal fears and an urgent warning to the nation against a second Trump term.

The Dobbs decision in 2022 created a visceral and emotional earthquake in their views on the rights, protection, and quality of life for women in America. And to be clear, they do understand the complexities and ramifications of pregnancy and abortion, and the potential for agonizing choices and risks.

Some admire Kamala Harris for her accomplishments, her charisma, her empathy. They like her record and her resume. They want to vote for her as a political leader, not just as a woman and person of color. They don’t uniformly prioritize the rights of immigrants, transgender individuals, and foreign entities over the rights of all other American civilians. Some of them think Trump is fun and funny, a good showman. They are not all knee-jerk, bleeding heart, yellow dogs. Some of them own guns, love country music, and fly the American flag on their lawn. Some have family members, children, spouses, best friends, bosses, and employees who will vote for the other candidate.

So hang in there, America. We are and will remain one nation. Please take comfort in that.

And if that doesn’t work, just remember that this too shall pass. Put your feet up and instruct Alexa or Siri to play the little ditty ‘For Now,’ from the Tony Award-winning (albeit decidedly R-rated) musical comedy, ‘Avenue Q,’ which debuted back in 2003, in the midst of the 2004 presidential campaign that ultimately saw George W. Bush reelected. (Note to readers: insert either ‘Donald Trump’ or ‘Kamala Harris’ into the ‘George Bush’ line): 

Everyone’s a little bit unsatisfied.

Everyone goes ’round a little empty inside.

Take a breath,

Look around,

Swallow your pride,

For now…

Nothing lasts,

Life goes on,

Full of surprises.

You’ll be faced with problems of all shapes and sizes.

You’re going to have to make a few compromises…

For now…

But only for now! 

For now we’re happy…

If not overjoyed.

And we’ll accept the things we cannot avoid, for now…

Only for now!

For now there’s life!

For now there’s love!

For now there’s work!

For now there’s happiness!

For now discomfort!

For now there’s friendship!

Is only for now! 

Your hair is only for now! 

George Bush is only for now!

Don’t stress,

Relax,

Let life roll off your backs

Except for death and paying taxes,

Everything in life is only for now!

Each time you smile…

It’ll only last a while.

Life may be scary…

But it’s only temporary

Everything in life is only for now.

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With less than two weeks until Election Day, the Trump campaign is giving its closing message to voters: Vice President Harris ‘broke it’ and former President Trump ‘will fix it,’ officials told Fox News Digital as they previewed their strategy for the final stretch. 

Fox News Digital spoke exclusively with Trump campaign officials about the former president’s strategy to rally supporters to the ballot box on Nov. 5, or before, by focusing heavily on the economy and the crisis at the southern border.

‘Kamala Harris for the last four years has wrecked the economy and the border,’ Trump campaign senior advisor Tim Murtaugh told Fox News Digital. ‘Donald Trump will fix both of them.’ 

Murtaugh said that ‘the beauty of this election cycle is that everybody who is going to vote has lived through the Trump years and the Harris years.’

‘They have experienced both administrations. When Trump was president, the economy was fantastic, inflation was nonexistent, the border was secure, and the world was at peace,’ Murtaugh said. ‘By contrast, under Harris’ leadership, the economy is in shambles, inflation is still sky-high, our border has been erased, and the world, at large, is on fire.’

Trump has relentlessly hammered home that message in stop after stop as he crisscrosses the country campaigning in the final weeks of the cycle, something his campaign believes has given him momentum over the vice president who they say has largely shifted her message to attacking the former president.

‘Trump is talking about solving problems for Americans while Kamala Harris is focused exclusively on attacking him,’ a campaign official told Fox News Digital.

Harris on Tuesday accused Trump of seeking ‘unchecked power’ and being ‘unhinged and unstable.’

But the Trump campaign said the former president is ‘asking people to vote for something, while she is asking for people to vote against something.’ 

‘He is selling optimism and positive messages to fix the problems she and President Biden created,’ a campaign official said. 

The latest Fox News Poll shows Trump ahead of Harris 50% to 48% nationally.

‘Donald Trump is leading all the battleground states, and the momentum and polling averages continue to move in his direction,’ Murtaugh said, citing national trends.

Campaign officials pointed to ads being run in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin by vulnerable incumbent Democrats who have sought to distance themselves from Harris.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., is running an ad in the Keystone State highlighting how he ‘bucked Biden’ and ‘sided with’ Trump while painting the Democrat senator as an ‘independent.’ The ad features a Republican woman and her Democrat husband and does not once mention Harris. 

Similar ads featuring Trump are running in Wisconsin for Sen. Tammy Baldwin and in Michigan for Sen. Elissa Slotkin.

‘Democrat Senate candidates are spending Democrat donor money promoting Donald Trump in the Blue Wall battleground states,’ an official said.

And the latest USA Today/Suffolk University poll also showed Trump leading by a margin with a key group: Latino voters. Trump is leading Harris by 11 percentage points in that critical voting bloc. 

‘But the polls are only theoretical election results and polls don’t win races. Actual votes win elections, and that’s why we’re continuing to accelerate,’ Murtaugh added. ‘And we’ll run through the tape on Election Day.’ 

The Trump campaign said it is confident they have the ‘momentum.’

‘President Trump will be relentless and tireless,’ an official told Fox News Digital. ‘He’ll be barnstorming the country — rinse and repeat — over and over and over again until Election Day.’ 

Trump held events in battleground Georgia on Tuesday, holding a massive rally with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, country music singer Jason Aldean and former collegiate athlete Riley Gaines.

Trump this week made a campaign stop at a McDonald’s location in Pennsylvania to mock Harris for claiming that she once worked at the fast-food chain.

‘The McDonald’s trip was an encapsulation of his positive message,’ an official said. ‘He is a cheerful, optimistic guy who knows he can fix it. And what was the Harris campaign’s reaction? They mocked it.’ 

The Harris campaign blasted that campaign stop as a ‘staged photo-op,’ saying Trump ‘doesn’t understand what it’s like to work for a living’ and that the vice president ‘has a record of standing up for workers and taking on bad actors who rip people off, and she’ll do the same as President.’

The next scheduled stops for Trump include major campaign rallies in Tempe, Arizona; Las Vegas; Traverse City, Michigan; Novi, Michigan; State College, Pennsylvania; and then a massive rally on Sunday at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

Campaign officials said the former president will continue to engage with the press and sit for major media interviews. On Friday, Trump will be interviewed for the Joe Rogan podcast. Rogan has 17 million subscribers on YouTube and 14 million on Spotify. 

And his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, will also continue engaging with the media and has already held major campaign events this week in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada. In the coming days, Vance will be in Waterford, Michigan, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

But Trump campaign surrogates are also hosting major events, including Donald Trump Jr. campaigning in battleground states; a Trump campaign bus tour; and Women for Trump visiting areas damaged by recent hurricanes.

Even Dr. Phil and RFK Jr. are joining forces to host a ‘Make America Healthy Again’ event in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

And Trump campaign officials expressed the importance of early voting and are encouraging their supporters to ‘vote by any way they possibly can.’ 

‘Whether they vote by mail, vote early in person, vote on Election Day, we want them to make a plan to vote,’ an official said. ‘We need people to show up. And we are getting to the point where persuasion is almost over, and now we are getting to turnout.’ 

Meanwhile, Harris’ campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Harris, though, is expected to deliver what’s being described as a major ‘closing argument’ address next Tuesday – one week until Election Day – on the Ellipse, which is just south of the White House and north of the National Mall. The Harris campaign spotlighted that then-President Trump headlined a large rally of supporters at the Ellipse on Jan 6, 2021.

Her campaign this week also announced a new concert series featuring Bruce Springsteen and former President Obama, while the Democratic National Committee launched a new Taylor Swift-themed, get-out-the-vote campaign for young voters. 

As for President Biden, he’s largely stayed off the campaign trail as Harris alternates between promising to continue the policies and vision of the Biden-Harris administration while also promising to bring ‘a new way forward.’ 

But on Tuesday, Biden weighed in. 

‘We got to lock him up,’ Biden said of Trump. However, the president quickly added, ‘Politically lock him up, lock him out. That’s what we have to do.’ 

A Trump campaign official reacted, telling Fox News Digital that ‘for four years, it has been clear to the American people that the Biden-Harris administration has been using the weight of the federal government to go after Donald Trump and his supporters.’ 

The official added, ‘Two weeks before the election, Joe Biden finally confirmed it.’

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