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1. Donald Trump
Even by Donald Trump’s standards, this was stunning. Just a day after he condemned and called out by name white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other far-right extremists groups who violently rallied in Charlottesville, Virginia, the President did a bewildering, unexpected about-face and pretty much took it all back. At a press event that was supposed to be about infrastructure, Trump said “both sides” — the so-called alt-right and alt-left — were responsible for the violence at the “Unite the Right” rally that left a counterprotester dead. He also said that there were some “very fine people” among the torch-carrying, insult-yelling, Nazi flag-waving throng that marched through the city.
Democrats were incensed. A lot of Republicans were, too. Criticism on social media was blistering. Well, not all of it, because extremist groups were thrilled. David Duke even sent Trump a Twitter thank you. White House aides were just as stunned as the rest of us (“That was all him,” one said later). CNN’s Chris Cillizza says Trump is who we thought he was.
So where do we go from here? Whatever road we take will be lined with a lot more conflict. And the drive to remove Confederate monuments likely will pick up. Baltimore took down at least two of its statues early this morning.
2. Obamacare
If President Trump makes good on his threat to stop funding subsidies, premiums would skyrocket for some Obamacare plans. The Congressional Budget Office says premiums for Obamacare silver plans would jump 20% next year if the President stops the payments that go directly to insurers to reimburse them for reducing deductibles and co-pays for lower-income enrollees. Only people who get silver plans qualify for the subsidies. Dumping them would also blow up the deficit by $194 billion through 2026.
3. NAFTA
The heavy lifting on reworking the North American Free Trade Agreement starts today in DC. Team Trump begins renegotiating the ’90s-era trade pact that includes the US, Canada and Mexico. Talks among the three countries may last until early 2018. Getting a new NAFTA deal done is huge for the President, since it was one of his biggest promises on the campaign trail.
4. India hospital deaths
It’s a number that, quite frankly, is hard to wrap your head around. Sixty-eight children died in one week — at the same hospital in northern India. Parents and relatives of children still being treated at Baba Raghav Das Medical College are scrambling to get them out. Some parents say their children were deprived of oxygen when tanks ran out because supplier’s bills had not been paid. The government disputes this and is investigating.
5. Solar eclipse
You’ve got your eclipse glasses, and you’ve found the perfect spot to watch the Great American Eclipse. But none of that will matter if it’s cloudy on Monday. So, what will the weather be for the first total eclipse to occur in the US since 1979? We’re less than a week away from the big day — and forecasts can change — but right now it looks like the Southeast will be the trouble spot. A stalled front could bring clouds and storms Monday afternoon to Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. If the weather spoils your view, all is not lost. You can go to cnn.com/eclipse to watch it live in virtual reality.
NUMBER OF THE DAY
19%
The rate at which teen drug overdose deaths climbed in one year in the US
BREAKFAST BROWSE
People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.
Craig, Daniel Craig
Apparently, M has made the call. Daniel Craig says he’s back as James Bond.
Seeing purple
No better way to remember the Purple One than to give the late music legend Prince his own shade of his favorite color.
We got next?
You’re most definitely not getting picked for this pickup game of basketball when LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony get together.
Not again!!!!!!!
Facebook’s rolling out some new changes to its newsfeed, so go ahead and let the wailing and gnashing of teeth begin.
AND FINALLY …
Walk of life
Here’s a boxer trying to walk wearing shoes, because we all could use a laugh today. (Click to view)