Politics

A vote for Trump is a vote for a potential Vance presidency

Published

2 years ago

November 11, 2024

A vote for Trump is a vote for a potential Vance presidency

This is an adapted excerpt from the Oct. 5 episode of “The Katie Phang Show.”

In some ways, vice presidents are like understudies; you may never need them to step into the breach but they’re there just in case something goes wrong.

And as we inch closer to November’s election, I want you to consider this: If elected, Donald Trump — who is currently 78 years old, regularly frequents McDonald’sand loves his Diet Cokes — would end his second term as the oldest personeverto serve as president of the United States. On the final day of his presidency in January 2029, Trump would be 82 years, seven months and six days old.

Trump’s meandering speeches have led some mental health experts to go on the record, raising concerns about his potential cognitive decline.

The former president’s rambling, meandering speeches on the campaign trail have led some mental health experts to go on the record, raising concerns about his potential cognitive decline. Despite these concerns, Trump refuses to release even the most basic information about his health.

So what happens if Trump wins in November and then, days, weeks, months or years into his presidency, dies or becomes incapacitated and can no longer serve? Well, according to Section 1 of the 25th Amendment, in that event, the vice president would become the president automatically.

To state it plainly: Sen. JD Vance is a heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States. The same Vance who, right now, has poll numbers labeling him the least popular vice-presidential candidate of the 21s t century — unsurprising given his many extremist views on everything from child care to the truth of who won the 2020 election. I mean, not admitting your running mate lost the last election is a huge red flag that you have an issue with the truth.

During last week’s vice-presidential debate, Vance got caught in another lie. The senator claimed he never supported a national abortion ban. However, in 2022 while he was running for the Senate, Vance said on a podcast he “certainly would like abortion to be illegal nationally.”

Then there’s his extremist stances. Also during that 2022 run for the Senate, Vance delivered a 30-minute speech titled “The Universities are the Enemy” at the National Conservatism Conference.

It seems Yale-educated Vance wants to overhaul the education system in his image.

“I think if any of us want to do the things that we want to do for our country and for the people who live in it, we have to honestly and aggressively attack the universities in this country,” the then-candidate told the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, the universities do not pursue knowledge and truth, they pursue deceit and lies, and it’s time to be honest about that fact.”

Now, in my opinion, the best way to pursue a good and fulfilling life is through education, but it seems Yale-educated Vance wants to overhaul the education system in his image. Under Project 2025, a Trump-Vance administration could eliminate the Department of Education, privatize K-12and dismantle the current collegiate system.

He’s a threat to everything Americans hold dear: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And if something were to happen to Trump, the big job would go to Vance: the guy who refuses to acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election, promotes anti-immigrant hate rhetoricand supports a national abortion ban.

And let’s be clear, 40-year-old Vance is fully aware that Trump is 78 years old. You’re kidding yourself if you think he didn’t consider Trump’s physical and mental health issues when contemplating his career advancement and upward mobility prospects as the Republican VP nominee.

So, before you cast your ballot in this year’s election, you should remember this: Any vote for Donald Trump is a vote for a potential automatic JD Vance presidency. Vote accordingly.

Katie S. Phang

Katie S. Phang is the host of “The Katie Phang Show,” which airs Saturdays at 12 p.m. ET on BLN. She is a legal contributor for NBC News and BLN based in Miami. She leverages her significant trial attorney experience to provide analysis and commentary on the latest legal issues.

Allison Detzel

contributed

Politics

Collins dominates Platner on World Cup ad spending

Published

3 hours ago

July 5, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

The political race for eyeballs during the World Cup continued this week, with a total of at least $2.1 million spent on ads by campaigns, committees and causes so far through all matches as of Friday, according to an analysis by AdImpact for Blue Light News.

Stronger America, an issue advocacy 501(c)(4) organization aligned with Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, emerged as the biggest spender of the World Cup so far, dropping $287,500 through matches so far. Pine Tree Results PAC, also aligned with Collins, has spent $123,000 through matches. Collins’ campaign itself spent $25,000 on ads, while Graham Platner’s campaign, meanwhile, spent $3,500.

Those are some of the latest signs that Maine’s marquee Senate race between Collins and Democrat oysterman Graham Platner is as ubiquitous in the Maine media markets as hydration breaks during this tournament. It’s a race that Senate Republicans’ campaign arm has called “the linchpin” in “this year’s fight for control of the Senate.” One recent poll revealed a narrow lead for Platner and another a slight edge for Collins.

The battle for control of the Senate has been a defining feature of the World Cup ad wars so far: One Nation, the Senate GOP leadership-aligned group, spent $122,150 through the round of 32. (AdImpact cautioned totals could change as spending still trickles in.)

House Majority Forward, the nonprofit aligned with House Democratic leadership, has dumped $76,155 into ads during matches.

And United Democracy Project, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee super PAC at the center of Democratic primary battles across the map this year, has spent $117,200.

Politics

Canada’s World Cup run ends in heartache — but politicos embrace soccer

Published

4 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

CALGARY, Alberta — In a room packed full of international dignitaries within earshot of Calgary’s iconic Stampede rodeo, Canada’s historic run at the 2026 World Cup ended with an anticlimactic whimper.

Irish Ambassador to Canada John Concannon marked his country’s assumption of the EU Council presidency with a Stampede reception attended by a delegation of European envoys. “This must rank as the friendliest European invasion in history,” he quipped.

As the seconds ticked away in Canada’s knockout-round showdown with Morocco, few minglers at the Irish reception noticed the TV at the back of the room — set on mute — broadcasting the Moroccan victory. They were busy pressing the flesh, making small talk and planning their Stampede itineraries.

Back in Ottawa, in the park that hosted recent Canada Day festivities, fans gathered hoping to see Canada move deeper into the tournament. Instead, they cheered the Canadians at the end of an upstart run that will be remembered for years.

In a nation known for hockey, everyone seemed to be a soccer fan — for 22 days, at least.

After Canada’s first-ever men’s World Cup victory on June 18 against Qatar, Prime Minister Mark Carney paid a visit to the locker room. “You showed a level of character that some people never achieve in their life. And you showed it when the entire country and a good part of the world is watching,” he told the players. “I couldn’t be prouder as a Canadian,”

Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden brought the team an offering when he visited them at practice in Vancouver on June 24 — the Maple Leaf flag that had flown atop the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill on the day of Canada’s opening match.

“They are inspiring a generation and have brought an entire nation together,” he said.

On Canada Day, Governor General Louise Arbour used her first July 1 remarks as the king’s representative to connect the World Cup moment to the national celebration and beyond.

“Whether in FIFA soccer stadiums or at the Olympics, one thing is clear: We know who we’re cheering for,” she said. “And when we play ferociously … we don’t hate the other team, we just like them better when they lose!”

To that, she added: “This is us. We like to play. And we play by the rules.” Even the king’s representative can subtweet a trade war.

Politics

Beating the heat is now part of hosting

Published

5 hours ago

July 4, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Even as they dueled today in Houston, Canada and Morocco have something in common: They’re both World Cup hosts in an era of rising temperatures.

That shared status — Canada co-hosting this year with the U.S. and Mexico, and Morocco in 2030 with Portugal and Spain — has led the World Health Organization, to work with both countries on a Beat the Heat initiative that the United Nations’ global health body developed with FIFA to address the risks of extreme weather at sporting and mass gathering events.

While this week’s urgent concerns revolve around North American humidity, which makes heat worse because it limits the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating, four years from now public health officials will be worrying about high, dry heat and strong sun exposure. That the 2030 emphasis there will be on cooling areas, hydration and sun protection, said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević.

“The consistent message is that every host city should conduct its own heat risk assessment and build a tailored heat health action plan, rather than apply a single fixed rule,” Jašarević said.

The United States has not been a member of the WHO since January, after President Donald Trump withdrew from the global health body over his complaints about funding and the WHO’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, said Jašarević, the U.S., Canada and Mexico have been working since 2023 on World Cup preparedness through a health security working group coordinated by the WHO and its regional arm, the Pan American Health Organization.