PBC News & Comment: Trump and Beto O’Rourke Duel in El Paso

No pistols are involved, but O’Rourke’s rally and march will directly confront Trump’s mob rally in support of The Wall…--Congressional negotiations on border bill have broken down, another shutdown could start Friday
--New Mexico’s new Democratic governor pulls most National Guard troops from border deployment by Trump
--new Dem California Governor Newsom slams “manufactured crisis” as he pulls most California Guardspeople from the border
--Hungarian strongman Orban ignores climate change and refugee rights as he uses tax incentives to promote more Hungarian births
--for a wrenching, first person account of human trafficking, committed by and against Americans, we talk with Elizabeth Quiroz in new podcast
--in Sunday NY Times, Bret Stephens details the false case that progressive criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic
--and Sunday night, a stupid Twitter war blew up because Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) made honest comments about AIPAC’s influence on the US Congress
--Pelosi piles on with Jewish Dems who all use the term “tropes” to claim incredible hurt from hearing the truth, and Omar issues apology
--Pelosi’s statement on Venezuela is cockeyed and inaccurate, too
--Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Elizabeth Warren officially launch prez bids, as Sen. Kamala Harris admits she inhaled, says weed “gives a lot of people joy”
--NY Times reporter Maggie Astor goes deep on sexism toward women candidates, mixing accurate research with some psychobabble
--in Virginia, it looks like the white guys who dabbled in blackface will survive, but the African American accused of sexual assaults will get forced out
--at Newsweek, opinion piece by Ian Wilkie says Mattis admits there was “no evidence” that Assad used Sarin in Ghouta or Khan Sheikoun
--and at The Intercept, James Harkin does a deep dive into claims of chemical weapons used by Assad forces in Douma