Donald Trump's selection of JD Vance as running mate is a sign of weakness (Salon.com, July 2024)

I had assumed...(that) South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem would be Trump's pick for running mate...When she fell out of contention...with PuppyGate...I figured Trump would choose North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, a "central casting" guy who looks like he could be on money and would be the other half of a "successful billionaire" ticket...Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina could theoretically attract some Black voters, but more likely might reassure some white suburban types who are uncomfortable with all the racism. And Florida Senator Marco Rubio might have been a draw for the Latino vote...So of all the choices discussed over the past few weeks, Senator JD Vance of Ohio was the guy who made the least sense.

...(Vance's) state of Ohio is already in the bag...and...he appeals to none of the constituencies Trump needs to get him over top...Vance was a vociferous Never Trumper until he decided to run for the Senate and assessed that jumping on the Trump train was his best bet to win it. There are seemingly hours of interviews and articles filled with insulting quotes from Vance about Trump and harsh criticism of his character, intelligence and policies...

Vance was championed by three people Trump apparently trusts above all the others...Tucker Carlson, who lobbied hard for Vance...(and his) sons...Eric...(and) Don Jr...(who) explained that he will be exercising veto power over personnel decisions that don't carry the MAGA party line...NBC reported that in the final days before Trump made the decision, (he) was leaning in the direction of Burgum, causing the boys to go ballistic...But does (Trump) really believe he can trust (Vance)?

(MSN.com): Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation, said...that he is "good friends" with Vance..."He listens. He's thoughtful. He's funny...He's obviously going to be his own man. He's got to work with our conservative standard bearer..."

(In a)...video...the Heritage Foundation posted... Vance (said): "We are gonna, hopefully in 2024, take back the White House, and this organization is gonna play a major role in helping us figure out how to govern at the White House, at the Senate, at the House and all across our great country. So, Kevin, thank you for your leadership..."

Washington Times: ...Miller initially told investigators that he and his friends began running after hearing gunfire and that he was shot in the back, one affidavit says. When investigators told Miller they had video of him chasing someone in Mays’ group and shooting, Miller admitted to firing four to five shots.

A bullet from Miller’s gun killed Lisa Lopez-Galvan...

CBS News: ...(A) witness told police a group of four males approached Mays and one of them asked him what he was looking at. In surveillance video, Mays started to approach the group "in an aggressive manner" and pointed at them before pulling out his gun...

Mays...allegedly told police he drew his gun because someone in the group said, "I'm going to get you"...While Mays was chasing a member of the group and pointing the gun at him, the other people in the group pulled out their guns and appeared to start shooting at him...

Fox4KC.com: ...(T)wo minors were charged in family court on gun-related and resisting arrest charges...They haven’t been identified yet because they haven’t been certified to stand trial as adults...Miller and Mays were both injured in the shooting...(F)irst responders took them to local hospitals...

Prosecutor...(Jean) Peters Baker declined to comment...on how many shooters in all were involved but said they’re determined to hold every shooter accountable.

ABC13.com, 6/2020: Cassandra Damper was sentenced to serve 10 years for an aggravated assault count and five years for a tampering with evidence charge.

She pleaded guilty...after the April 2018 shooting of Devyn Holmes...(who) survived, but has had to undergo rigorous rehab since then...A judge ruled in favor of granting (Damper) "shock" probation...(after serving)...six months...(and) will lay out the conditions of her probation for the next nine and a half years.

Damper's attorney...praised the judge's decision..."I don't consider this a 'get out of jail free' card...(T)his is a judge...using all the tools in his box to apply justice in this case...(by) coming up with other means...of just incarceration..."

In September 2021, Elizabeth Hirschhorn rented Sascha Jovanovic’s guest home in Brentwood for a period of six months, for $105 a night...(T)he total stay amounted to $20,793...(Since) April 2022, she has continued to live there rent-free...

“She asked for more time, but I told her it wasn’t possible since I had other Airbnb reservations coming up,” Jovanovic explained...“But then I tried to be nice and give her an extra few weeks...”

(A) judge (ruled that)...Jovanovic has no legal reason to evict her (and) would have to pay (Hirschhorn)...a fee to evict her.

Hirschhorn (had)...notified the city that the shower in the unit was (not) permitted and that the property was unapproved for occupancy...(She) allegedly refused Jovanovic access to the unit to fix issues that would make it compliant. He was then fined $600...

Flipside seems to be about mocking a strawman conservative power structure ("Don't wear jeans! Fix your hair!") -- which preserves and respects the inherent authoritarianism of its real one -- and using that as the basis on which to pass itself off as being at least as "fair and balanced" as Stewart and Colbert.