US ambassador to South Africa warned of possible Iranian assassination plot: Report

A U.S. diplomat had been informed that Iran is considering a plot to assassinate her, which officials believe could be one way Tehran is considering retaliation for the killing of top military commander Qassem Soleimani. The U.S. intelligence community has known about a general threat against the life of U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks since the spring, sources told Politico, but in recent weeks the threat has become more specific and is said to involve the Iranian embassy in South Africa. Marks was notified of the threat under a directive known as Duty to Warn, which requires U.S. agencies to notify a potential target if intelligence indicates they could be in danger.

Soleimani, 62, was killed in a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport along with Abu Mahdi al Muhandis, head of the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces in January. Iranian officials vowed revenge in response to the death of Soleimani, who was known to have coordinated Iranian proxy terrorist groups in the Middle East. Tehran fired a barrage of missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. On the same night it fired the volley of missiles, Iran also shot down a Ukrainian passenger airliner, killing all 176 onboard and sparking renewed domestic protests, which Tehran claims was an accident. Marks, who has known President Trump for decades, has been in her role since last October.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/us-ambassador-to-south-africa-warned-of-possible-iranian-assassination-plot-report

Officials: Iran weighing plot to kill U.S. ambassador to South Africa

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/13/iran-south-africa-ambassador-assassination-plot-413831

Duty to Warn

https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICD/ICD_191.pdf

Thinking this directive wasn't used for Ambassador Stevens

US ambassador to China stepping down to join Trump campaign

The United States's ambassador to China is stepping down from his role and will assume a new position with the Trump campaign. Terry Branstad's departure was announced on Monday, and he will officially be leaving his post next month. Branstad is scheduled to be back in time for the final leg of the campaign. “I am proudest of our work in getting the Phase One trade deal and delivering tangible results for our communities back home," Branstad said in a statement, according to Fox Business. "Our goal remains meaningful, measurable results for American families. We have made significant progress and we will not stop pressing for more.” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Branstad, who left his role as governor of Iowa for the ambassadorship, for his more than three years in the diplomatic corps and for "contribut[ing] to rebalancing U.S.-China relations so that it is results-oriented, reciprocal, and fair." He added that President Trump chose Branstad for the role because his "decades long experience dealing with China made him the best person to represent the Administration and to defend American interests and ideals in this important relationship."

The ambassador's son Eric Branstad is already working on Trump's reelection campaign, and the president teased Branstad's decision to join his son on the campaign during a phone call with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican, which was posted on social media. "Eric's father is coming home from China because he wants to campaign," Trump said during the call. When Branstad was picked for the role of ambassador in 2017, Trump said in a statement, “Governor Branstad’s decades of experience in public service and long-time relationship with President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders make him the ideal choice to serve as America’s Ambassador to China."

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/us-ambassador-to-china-stepping-down-to-join-trump-campaign

Donald Trump Says ‘I Do’ To Joe Rogan-Moderated Debate With Biden

President Donald Trump said he wants a debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden moderated by podcast host Joe Rogan. Tim Kennedy, a Green Beret in the United States Army, tweeted Sunday evening that Rogan “offered to moderate a debate between” the two presidential candidates during a segment on Kennedy’s podcast. The debate “would be four hours with no live audience,” Kennedy added. “Who wants this?” he asked. Trump responded by tweeting “I do!”

President Donald Trump’s campaign has pushed for more debates with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, with Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani sending a letter requesting a fourth debate and listing potential moderators. The request was rejected and moderators were announced Sept. 2 for the three presidential debates and the vice presidential debate. Fox News’ Chris Wallace, Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today Susan Page, senior executive producer and political editor for C-SPAN Steve Scully and NBC News’ White House correspondent Kristen Welker will be moderating the debates leading up to the 2020 November election.

https://dailycaller.com/2020/09/14/donald-trump-i-do-debate-joe-biden-moderated-joe-rogan/

Honoring The Sacrifices Of American Heroes: Tim Kennedy

https://dailycaller.com/2020/06/28/american-heroes-tim-kennedy/

Commission On Presidential Debates Rejects Trump’s Request To Move Up Schedule, Add 4th Debate

https://dailycaller.com/2020/08/06/commission-on-presidential-debates-rejects-trumps-request-move-up-schedule-add-fourth-debate/

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1305487258036781056

>>10643961

Interesting..isn't it.. That would certainly make one laugh..

Bloomberg to back Biden by spending $100M in Florida

'The need to inject real capital in that state quickly is an urgent need,' adviser says

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's onetime rival, billionaire Mike Bloomberg, will spend $100 million to get Biden elected in Florida. “Voting starts on Sept. 24 in Florida so the need to inject real capital in that state quickly is an urgent need,” Bloomberg adviser Kevin Sheekey said in a statement. “Mike believes that by investing in Florida it will allow campaign resources and other Democratic resources to be used in other states, in particular the state of Pennsylvania.” Bloomberg ran against Biden in the 2020 Democratic primary and dropped out of the race in March after his record spending failed to yield any wins on Super Tuesday beyond a single victory in the American Samoa caucuses. The money will be funneled through Bloomberg's super PAC Independence USA and other Democratic organizations. Bloomberg's team told the Washington Post he is planning to spend "nine figures" and wants to inspire other megadonors to pour money into the Biden campaign. The money will be mainly spent on television ads in English and Spanish, The Washington Post reported. The billionaire and former Republican mayor of New York City made the decision after news that Trump was open to spending his own money on the race, The Washington Post reported.

The announcement comes days after the Cook Political Report moved Florida from its "Lean Democrat" to "Toss Up" category. "[A] more competitive Florida contest is good news for Pres. Trump, who can't afford to lose this state," Cook's national editor Amy Walter wrote in a blog post. "Even so, many Democrats never expected Biden to be able to win here, having long written off the Sunshine State as a loser." Meanwhile, a pro-Trump The group named Preserve America was expected to go up with TV and digital commercials in early September in the battleground states of Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Preserve America is spending $30 million on its initial ad blitz. President Trump went after Bloomberg on Twitter on Sunday morning in an apparent reaction to the news. "In the highly competitive world of high tech, how come nobody has ever challenged Mini Mike Bloomberg and his very average, [and] supposedly outdated, 'stuff' that he sells to so many?" Trump wrote on Twitter. "Did he use his position as Mayor of New York to create what is now a monopoly? Just askin'?"

Bloomberg famously spent nearly $1 billion of his own money on his own failed presidential bid, which lasted less than five months and ended without him winning any major primary contests in the Democratic primary season. Before ending his campaign in March, Bloomberg faced a wave of accusations that he was trying to "buy" his way to the Democratic nomination. The former mayor, whose net worth is estimated to exceed $60 billion, flooded the airwaves with $550 million in advertisements. That included $224 million for Super Tuesday states. Out of the 1,000 delegates up for grabs, Bloomberg only took dozens and failed to pick up wins in any major states. Instead, he only won the American Samoa caucuses.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mike-bloomberg-biden-campaign-spending-donation

Electoral College Rating Changes: Florida and Nevada Shift Right

https://cookpolitical.com/analysis/national/national-politics/electoral-college-rating-changes-florida-and-nevada-shift-right

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1305144292109774849

New super PAC launches to boost Trump in ad wars

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/super-pac-ad-wars-trump