Swing-State Battle Intensifies With Dueling Campaign Events; Why Two Astronauts Are "Stuck" in Space

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The US women’s gymnastics team is #1 in the world again in Paris after winning the team silver in Tokyo in 2021. Could their success this year come, in part, from a 4-year-old golden retriever?

Beacon is one of USA Gymnastics first-ever therapy dogs. And he’s getting celebrity status.
He wears a “Goodest Boy” tag and is always on call! His owner, former gymnast Tracey Callahan Molnar, said that he “senses people’s stress and knows how to soothe them.”

The team also has mindfulness sessions and therapists. It comes after Simone Biles exited the Tokyo games early to focus on her mental health.

We all need a Beacon!

Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren

PS: Don’t forget to refer friends & family to subscribe to the Mo Newsletter… you could get free Mo News merch — DETAILS at the bottom of this newsletter!

📌 SWING-STATE BLITZ: OFFENSE VS. DEFENSE

As Vice President Harris and her Veep pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, traveled to Wisconsin and Michigan on Wednesday, former President Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, was right behind. So close, Vance literally walked behind her on a tarmac in Wisconsin pushing the media to be more critical of the fact she hasn’t done an interview since becoming the de facto nominee (video above).

There are 89 days until the election and candidates are making a mad dash through the must-win states. While Harris has taken the lead over Trump in some national polls, he still has a lead in the electoral college (below)—which actually determines the winner.

STATES AT PLAY
Harris with Walz made it to all “Blue Wall” states — Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — in the 36 hours after following the announcement of their complete ticket. They’re calling it the “Blue Walz”— get it?!

Vance was right there, in some of the exact cities, while Trump has been off the campaign trail for a few days.

Democrats need to win those three states to get to 270 electoral votes and keep the White House. Trump won them in 2016. Four years later, they went to President Biden. Now it’s a toss-up.
Biden also won Georgia and Arizona in 2020, and right now they are polling for Trump. Those two states, along with Nevada and North Carolina make up the Sun Belt. Harris has shrunk Trump’s lead there since Biden’s withdrawal from the race, but still trails.

Tit for tat: The campaign strategy of going to the same states, let alone cities, is part of the game of politics. In this case, it allows Vance to be instantly included in media coverage of the rollout of the Democratic ticket.

The Harris campaign said, “We appreciate J.D. Vance providing voters in battleground states exactly the split-screen that defines the choice this November.”

SURGE FOR HARRIS
Since President Biden dropped out of the race, Harris has seen a surge in financial support and polling. But she still trails in the must-win states (chart above).

The race to 270 electoral votes: Looking at the electoral map, Trump has a 268-226 lead over Harris.

The hypotheticals: If Harris wins all the states that she’s currently slated to win, along with the “Blue Wall” and one congressional district in Omaha, NE that Biden won handily in 2020, she would get 270.

It is a slimmest of slim margins and Trump’s team knows that. Since the spring, Trump and his allies have spent 77% of their ad money in Pennsylvania and Georgia, hoping to guarantee victory in November.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour canceled three upcoming concerts in Vienna, Austria after authorities foiled an ISIS terror plot aimed for her show and other major events.

MORE ON THE ARRESTS
On Wednesday, two men were arrested — one a 19-year-old Austrian citizen. Both men reportedly had become radicalized online and had detailed plans for attack. One man pledged loyalty to ISIS in the beginning of July.

A bomb squad found chemical substances while arresting the 19-year-old. Investigators are working to determine if the substances could have been used to build a bomb.
Austrian authorities say: “Both suspects had become radicalized on the internet and had taken concrete preparatory actions for a terrorist attack.”
Experts say this has the hallmarks of ISIS-K, the Islamic State affiliate based in Afghanistan. It has recently carried out attacks in Russia, Iran and Turkey.
- “The Taylor Swift concert plot fits ISIS-K’s modus operandi perfectly…. A high-profile soft target which, if successfully attacked, would result in massive civilian casualties while generating worldwide publicity.” ~ Colin P. Clarke, a counterterrorism analyst, tells the NY Times

SWIFT SAYS: In a 2019 interview with Elle Magazine, Swift said an attack at one of her shows was one of her biggest fears.

She noted the Manchester, UK bombing on an Ariana Grande concert and the Las Vegas concert shootings—both in 2017.
“I was completely terrified to go on tour this time because I didn’t know how we were going to keep 3 million fans safe over seven months," she said ahead prior to her last planned tour.

🧑‍🚀 STUCK IN SPACE: HOW WILL LONG WILL TWO NASA ASTRONAUTS KEEP ORBITING?

It’s been over two months since NASA astronauts flew Boeing’s Starliner to the International Space Station (ISS)— a round trip originally planned for just eight days— and there is no return in sight.

On Wednesday, NASA officials admitted that the problems with the spacecraft meant to ferry them back and forth are more serious than initially thought. A possible plan B (or is this C?) to take them back to earth: Boeing’s competitor SpaceX.
- On Tuesday, NASA pushed a planned SpaceX launch from mid-August to Sept. 24 to allow “more time for mission managers to finalize return planning” for the Starliner and its crew.
  - And with yesterday’s announcement, it looks like the Starliner crew might have to come back WITH them... in about six months. Yes. In February 2025.

It’s just more bad press for Boeing, which has been hit by scandal after scandal in recent years. The question is what comes next for the Starliner, and will it be able to complete the half-dozen flights it is contracted to conduct with NASA. For now, it has only made a one way trip to the ISS.

“STUCK” IN SPACE
NASA insists that astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams are not “stuck” in space. They have plenty of food, supplies and oxygen, and have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS). They are keeping “thoroughly busy,” helping out 7 other astronauts aboard the craft.

The issue: A problem with several thrusters and helium leaks in the propulsion system on the Boeing craft.
Engineers are now running tests to determine what went wrong and to ensure that the spacecraft is safe to fly home. Boeing thinks it’s ready, NASA appears more hesitant.

WHAT’S NEXT
The astronauts were the first to fly in Boeing’s Starliner to space. This mission was to help finalize certification for the Starliner — it’s unclear whether the spacecraft will be ready for the other missions.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Tropical Storm Debby churns up the East Coast, and affects weather as far away as the Great Lakes (AP)

📌 Senate investigation into Coast Guard finds that sexual misconduct is a ‘pervasive problem’ throughout the service (CNN)

📌 Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz doesn't own a single stock (AXIOS)

📌 President Biden says he is not confident there will be a peaceful transfer of power if Trump loses (CBS NEWS)

📌 Bob Woodward's new book tells story of Biden's "three wars" (AXIOS)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Russia says Ukrainian troops crossed into its territory and launched ‘massive attack’ (CNN)

📌 UK, Egypt issue alerts for Iran, Lebanon airspace as risks of military conflict rise (REUTERS)

📌 Polish man sentenced to four months, deported from Denmark for June assault on Danish prime minister (AP)

📌 After violent riots, thousands of counterprotesters gather in UK (NY TIMES)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 NASA: Americans should leave cities this weekend to check out Perseid Meteor Shower (DAILY MAIL)

📌'Bluey' coins worth $400,000 stolen by Australian warehouse worker, police say (REUTERS)

📌 Deadlier strain of mpox spreads to more countries, raising officials’ alarm (CNN)

📌 Warmest ocean temperatures in 400 years threaten Great Barrier Reef (AXIOS)

📌 Beyonce, PlayStation games help Sony post a 10% jump in profits (CNBC)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Rapper Nelly arrested for ecstasy possession at Missouri casino (NY POST)

📌 Australian field hockey Olympian breaks silence after arrest for allegedly buying cocaine in Paris (FOX NEWS)

📌 Lauryn Hill and the Fugees cancel tour days before it was set to begin (EW)

📌 BTS member Suga apologizes for 'negligence' riding electric scooter drunk after being fined (PEOPLE)

🗓 ON THIS DAY: AUGUST 8

1844: Brigham Young is chosen to lead the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (know for some time as Mormonism) after founder Joseph Smith is murdered by a mob.
1969: The iconic cover for the Beatles album ‘Abbey Road’ was photographed by Iain Macmillan outside of EMI Recording Studios.
1974: Faced with the near-certain prospect of impeachment for his role in the Watergate scandal, US President Richard Nixon announced his resignation and was succeeded by Gerald Ford the following day.
1988: N.W.A. released their debut studio album ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ revolutionizing hip hop music and pop culture.