Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprising revelation during Tuesday's presidential debate: she owns a gun. The statement came in response to former President Donald Trump's accusation that "she has a plan to confiscate everybody's gun," as reported by The New York Times.

Harris countered Trump's claim by highlighting her own firearm ownership, as well as that of her vice-presidential nominee, Gov Tim Walz of Minnesota. "This business about taking everyone's guns away, Tim Walz and I are both gun owners," she said. "We're not taking anybody's guns away, so stop with the continuous lying about this stuff."

Vice President Harris: "Tim Walz and I are both gun owners. We aren't taking anyone's guns away so stop with the continuous lying about this stuff." pic.twitter.com/dR6rZM31wo

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 11, 2024

This is not the first time Harris has disclosed her gun ownership, a detail that has historically been more associated with Republican politicians. During her 2020 Democratic primary campaign, Harris, a former prosecutor, explained her reason for owning a firearm. "I am a gun owner, and I own a gun for probably the reason a lot of people do, for personal safety," she told reporters in Iowa in 2019, according to The New York Times.

By mentioning gun ownership, Harris and Walz aim to counter the notion that one must either support an unrestricted interpretation of the Second Amendment or advocate for complete gun confiscation. Both Democrats have called for certain limitations on gun ownership and purchasing processes, often renewing these appeals following mass shootings.

Harris's statement during the debate positions herself and her running mate as supporters of responsible gun ownership while advocating for reasonable restrictions. This stance attempts to bridge the gap between gun rights advocates and those calling for stricter gun control measures.

The New York Times reports that Trump also owns guns, though it's worth noting that the New York Police Department sought to revoke his concealed carry permit after he was convicted of 34 felonies in May.

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Minnesota Gov Tim Walz strongly criticized Ohio Sen JD Vance's recent remarks about school shootings during a speech at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner in Washington, DC, on Saturday, according to USA Today.

"It's a fact of life that some people are gay," Walz said. "But you know what's not a fact of life? Our children being shot dead in schools."

Walz was responding to comments Vance made Thursday at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, where the senator called school shootings a "fact of life" and advocated for increased school security measures. Vance's remarks came one day after a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, that left four people dead and injured eight students and one teacher.

"I don't like that this is a fact of life," Vance had said. "But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster security at our schools."

Speaking to approximately 3,500 attendees at the HRC dinner, Walz highlighted his and Vice President Kamala Harris' records on LGBTQ+ rights. He noted that Harris was among the country's first officials to officiate same-sex marriages.

Walz also shared his personal experience as a high school teacher in Minnesota, where he served as the faculty advisor for his school's first gay-straight alliance club in 1999. He mentioned that one of the students who helped start the alliance, Jacob Reitan, was present at the dinner. "It's easy to be an ally, what really matters is knowing who's going to be at your side to stand up when it's hard," Walz said.

Throughout his speech, Walz repeatedly criticized Vance and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. He accused the Trump administration of inaction on issues like childhood poverty and childcare costs. "They didn't do anything on lowering childcare costs," Walz said, before referencing a recent Trump proposal to use tariffs to fund childcare. "Did you hear? He's got a plan on childcare costs that no one in the world understood a damn word about."

Here's Colin Gray, the father of the Apalachee High School shooter, at his first court appearance after being charged with murder in Georgia.

He's facing up to 180 years in prison for giving his son the AR-platform gun to use in the shooting.

Good!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/FKytbTVGBJ

— Art Candee (@ArtCandee) September 6, 2024

 While criticizing the Republican ticket, Walz emphasized the importance of Democrats running on a concrete plan rather than simply hoping for victory. He outlined several policy goals, including lowering taxes for working families, enacting family and medical leave, and passing the Equality Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"You look around this room, you can feel hope. We hope we win this election. We hope we pass these laws. We hope we lift people out of poverty," Walz said. "But my wife always reminds me of this, it's not a damn plan. It's not a plan to hope we win this election. We've got to have a plan. We've got to work for it," he added.

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CHICAGO, IL –

The massive United Center convention hall has long been the main stage for Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, whose statue stands outside the enormous structure. Jordan worked magic on the court, uniting even rival team fans who came to see him and cheered for him. Whoever decided to hold the Democratic Party convention here may have wanted some of Jordan's magic dust for Kamala Harris, and she'll need it in the very close race against Trump.

"Sweet Home Chicago", sang the Blues Brothers to the representative American city. Not the international and sophisticated New York or Los Angeles, not the diplomatic-political Washington, not one of the Deep South cities, or the Bible Belt. A city that has everything from everything and a character of its own. I'll be a bit pretentious and quote Larry, a 60-year-old black taxi driver I rode with, who gave me the perspective of an average American, if you will: "I work two jobs to help my daughters. One with three children, the second in college. I pay more than $4 a gallon for gas, and this week I got stuck too many times in traffic jams caused by protesters with scarves (keffiyeh, the traditional Arab garb) on their faces when they burn flags of my country. Let them go protest in the Middle East, what are they doing here?"

But America needs it more. The United States of America is still the strongest country in the world, but it is sick. Some might say that's too strong a word, and that it's in a period of change, but beyond the well-organized and impressive convention, the excellent speeches and the enthusiastic crowd – there are still no real solutions to American ailments: illegal immigration, which under Harris' watch, who was appointed to handle it, has grown to monstrous proportions causing difficulties and enormous damage to major cities, including Chicago itself; rising crime in many large cities; prices that have risen significantly in recent years; and foreign relations – Russia and China are allowing themselves much more than before in different parts of the world, including in our own private neighborhood.

American society is in a series of deep crises and divisions, and as in every election – and we felt this well in our series of election campaigns in recent years – the divisions are widening, statements are becoming more extreme and healing seems far off. This election campaign is no different from others also because of the opponent, Donald Trump, who takes an approach of personal attacks on Harris and her deputy in harsh language. The Democrats are not far behind. At the Chicago convention, speakers competed in derogatory terms towards him, and even Hillary Clinton said about him that he was "on the run" – an expression reserved for escaped prisoners.

On the street and on social media, the statements are much harsher, even by Israeli standards, and calls to harm candidates from both parties are too common. It's a familiar and painful truth that elections give voice to the noisy, extreme and anarchist elements much stronger than they really have. But this is probably just the assumption I'm making for us, because American politics is changing and becoming more extreme on both ends of the spectrum.

The attempt by anti-Israel and Islamist groups to take over the Democratic Party convention agenda was a complete failure, but that doesn't mean the administration's policy towards Israel won't be tougher if it's elected. Will Harris be good for Jews and Israel? It's not clear. She lacks the natural affinity for Israel of Biden and most of the old generation of Democratic leadership. But for now, the anti-Israel side in the party is proving to be less influential, and its real power is much smaller than the noise it makes. It failed in several of its main goals, including the desire to make a statement on the issue of arms sales to Israel and change the party platform accordingly, and even failed to bring the issue of the war in Gaza to one of the focal points of the convention.

At the Democratic National Convention, temporary success was recorded in curbing the extreme Democratic faction, one of whose ugly expressions is anti-Israelism, which does not hide the antisemitism behind it. Fears before the convention were at a hysterical level, which caused Harris' team to meet urgently with some of the leaders of these organizations, including Muslims who supported, even if indirectly, the October 7 massacre. What she promised them is not yet clear, but Israel should certainly closely follow developments in this arena. The moves succeeded, or perhaps the threat was exaggerated from the start, and the sigh of relief from the Democratic Party leadership echoed throughout the huge convention center in Chicago, after it became clear that the mountain was a molehill.

The attempt by anti-Israel and Islamist groups to take over the Democratic Party convention agenda was a complete failure, but that doesn't mean the administration's policy towards Israel won't be tougher if it's elected. Will Harris be good for Jews and Israel? It's not clear. She lacks the natural affinity for Israel of Biden and most of the old generation of Democratic leadership. But for now, the anti-Israel side in the party is proving to be less influential, and its real power is much smaller than the noise it makes. It failed in several of its main goals, including the desire to make a statement on the issue of arms sales to Israel and change the party platform accordingly, and even failed to bring the issue of the war in Gaza to one of the focal points of the convention.

Captain America

"Sweet Home Chicago", sang the Blues Brothers to the representative American city. Not the international and sophisticated New York or Los Angeles, not the diplomatic-political Washington, not one of the Deep South cities, or the Bible Belt. A city that has everything from everything and a character of its own. I'll be a bit pretentious and quote Larry, a 60-year-old black taxi driver I rode with, who gave me the perspective of an average American, if you will: "I work two jobs to help my daughters. One with three children, the second in college. I pay more than $4 a gallon for gas, and this week I got stuck too many times in traffic jams caused by protesters with scarves (keffiyeh, the traditional Arab garb) on their faces when they burn flags of my country. Let them go protest in the Middle East, what are they doing here?"

And what do you think about the war in Gaza? "I saw some of the reports about what happened in October to you. It's a great shame, these are not human beings. But I also see the pictures from Gaza, and it's hard. The civilians are pitiful, and my daughter cries when she sees dead babies there. Is there no way to solve this? To end all this violence already?" He tried to explain Harris' advantages like this: She is the new America, an independent woman who grew from nothing, a daughter of immigrants, understands the mindset of young people, and this is the reason why Republicans fear her.

At the Democratic National Convention, temporary success was recorded in curbing the extreme Democratic faction, one of whose ugly expressions is anti-Israelism, which does not hide the antisemitism behind it. Fears before the convention were at a hysterical level, which caused Harris's team to meet urgently with some of the leaders of these organizations, including Muslims who supported, even if indirectly, the October 7 massacre. What she promised them is not yet clear, but Israel should certainly closely follow developments in this arena. The moves succeeded, or perhaps the threat was exaggerated from the start, and the sigh of relief from the Democratic Party leadership echoed throughout the huge convention center in Chicago, after it became clear that the mountain had given birth to a mouse.

Michelle, a Jewish activist of the Democratic Party who came from Philadelphia, gave another explanation: "Even if there is something to the claims of the protesters on the streets and campuses about the war and the killing of civilians, they have crossed many red lines. I and many in the party and the Jewish street have criticism of the Israeli government's policy, but the protesters show that they are interested in the disappearance of Israel and in changing America. Burning the US flag?"

"They went too far," said Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling. "The freedom of expression and demonstration given to them was full, but they violated every agreement, acted violently, injured police officers, tried to damage property and more. I gave my people instructions to take off the gloves." He also, by the way, indirectly criticized his mayor, Brandon Johnson, who allowed the demonstrations, thus requiring huge amounts of police from all over the area, which has the highest crime rate in America. By Wednesday evening, the police had arrested about 80 of the protesters, and Snelling promised they would be brought to quick judgment and punished severely. The organizers of the demonstrations came prepared, and a battery of lawyers rushed to the courts to bring about their quick release.

A whiff of Intifada

At a demonstration I attended during the convention, which was attended by hundreds to nearly 1,000 people (the organizers reported tens of thousands), they broke through a police barrier three blocks from the United Center, the convention center. The police who rushed to the scene were wearing helmets and vests, holding batons, and some armed with firearms and tear gas rifles – riot control measures. The scent of a Palestinian Intifada grew strong at the sight of hundreds of masked individuals, some holding work tools to destroy the fences. The call to bring the Intifada to America is often heard in demonstrations of this kind, and the wider American public doesn't really like it, nor the burning of their flag.

It's noticeable that like its leadership, the Democratic audience at the convention prefers the positive momentum brought by the Biden-Harris change and focusing on domestic issues rather than wallowing in the Gazan mud. They cheered every statement about a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the return of the hostages, but the applause was much louder on almost every other topic. And apart from Biden, the war was mentioned only by Hillary Clinton, who was the US Secretary of State, Senator Bernie Sanders and "Squad" member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and even she spoke in the same breath about the return of the hostages and the ceasefire.

According to Jeremy Ben-Ami, Ocasio-Cortez has softened considerably towards Israel, and at the convention, a meeting was recorded between her and the families of the hostages. The keffiyeh, the hallmark of Palestinian supporters, was hardly seen inside the hall, and only once during the entire convention did an incident occur in the hall when a pro-Palestinian raised a banner claiming genocide – but it was quickly removed.

Apart from these reasons, there is another important reason why the anti-Israeli forces were pushed aside, at least for now: The American public, including the Democratic one, saw the horror images of October 7, and after them the demonstrations on campuses, many of which undermined Americanism itself. This had no small impact. Within themselves, the quiet wisdom of the masses understands that in this story, Israel should also be heard.

Those who are making Israel heard in a wonderful way are the families of the hostages and the fallen, mainly those with American citizenship, who are going on moving advocacy journeys for their loved ones and for Israel. Ruby Chen, father of Israel's hero tank driver Itay, who was killed in the battle for Nahal Oz and whose body was kidnapped, said at an event of the Israeli Consulate that he is on a mission from his son to tell and spread the story of October 7, and the importance that the whole world has in returning all the hostages, including his son. "We didn't sit shiva, despite the notice we received about Itay's death in battle. We'll do it only when he returns with the others."

They have a lot of criticism of the Israeli government and its leader. Some express it harshly, and sometimes in what seems like unfairness, with severe accusations, but in interviews and speeches in English most of them keep the criticism to themselves, speaking to the heart and conscience of the listeners.

A particularly moving performance like this was recorded on the third evening of the convention – by Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin, parents of Hersh who was kidnapped from the Nova party. The appearance on stage came after much persuasion work with the organizers. Their being Chicago natives also helped the persuasion efforts. Jon and Rachel spoke American and moved the tens of thousands. A look around showed many teary eyes, even of veteran journalists like myself. They knew how to speak also about the suffering of the Gazans, and about the need for a ceasefire that would bring about the release of the hostages and the end of suffering in Gaza. The audience responded with calls of "Bring them home."

Apart from these reasons, there is another important reason why the anti-Israelis were pushed aside, at least for now: The American public, including the Democratic one, saw the horror images of October 7, and after them the demonstrations on campuses, many of which undermined Americanism itself. This had no small impact. Within themselves, the quiet wisdom of the masses understands that in this story, Israel should also be heard.

A cold Democrat

The sentiment towards the anti-Israelis was vividly illustrated in the audience's attitude towards the protest watch, which stood next to the long line on the way to the security check for the convention. I stood there on the side for almost half an hour, and the vast majority of passers-by ignored, turned a cold shoulder in the literal sense. I entered into a conversation in two languages, English and Arabic, with one of the protesters, Abdul Rahman, who admitted in frustration to the marginalization of the Palestinian issue. I asked about Hamas flags and burning the American flag. He claimed it was an unrepresentative minority, but added: "Don't rejoice too much, the journey to public opinion and decision-making junctions in the US has just begun. You have an advantage over us in organization and experience, but we are determined to change the situation and make America balanced in the conflict."

Congressman Brad Schneider of Illinois, a Jewish Democrat, says that the sidelining is not only of the pro-Palestinians, but of all extreme groups. "It's clear to us that the party and the country need to focus on the real values, on American democracy and on the warm bond with Israel. This noisy minority has little influence, and I'm sure the party, and Harris at its head, will continue the line of support for Israel, in the war to topple Hamas, in the fight against Iran and Hezbollah and in returning the hostages."

Another senior Israeli, who is deeply involved in relations between the countries, tells us that Harris is trying to quickly learn the foreign relations issues she hasn't dealt with, and among other things, she participated in the Joe Biden-Benjamin Netanyahu conversation on Wednesday. She asks tough questions, says the senior official, some out of insufficient understanding and knowledge of the situation, some sound as if they came from the less pro-Israel side. "If elected, her conduct will most likey be Obamaesque, and let's hope that she will at least learn the lessons from the failures of American foreign policy during his presidency."

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has accepted an invitation from CBS News for a vice presidential debate against Senator JD Vance of Ohio on Oct. 1, setting the stage for a potential showdown between the two candidates weeks before Election Day.

Walz responded promptly to the network's proposal on social media platform X, writing, "See you on Oct. 1, JD," just minutes after CBS News announced the invitation.

A Harris campaign official followed up with a statement, saying, "Governor Walz looks forward to debating JD Vance – if he shows up." The pointed remark hinted at potential uncertainty surrounding Vance's participation.

When asked about the debate during a Fox News interview Wednesday night, Vance expressed interest but stopped short of committing to the specific date. "We're certainly going to debate Tim Walz. We just heard about this thing three hours ago, so we're going to talk to them and figure out when we can debate," Vance told host Laura Ingraham.

The Ohio senator added a caveat to his potential participation, stating, "I strongly suspect we're going to be there on October the first, but we're not going to do one of these fake debates, Laura, where they don't actually have an audience there."

Vance's comments alluded to the recent debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden on June 27, which took place in a venue without any audience members. "In other words, we're not going to walk into a fake news media garbage debate," Vance emphasized. "We're going to do a real debate, and if CBS agrees to it, then certainly we'll do it."

CBS News had proposed four potential dates for the vice presidential debate: September 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, and Oct. 8. The network stated, "We look forward to their responses." As of now, CBS News has not publicly responded to Vance's comments or conditions for participation.

Last week, Trump announced that his campaign had agreed to participate in a vice presidential debate on CBS News, praising Vance's performance. "He's doing a fantastic job," Trump said, although no specific debate date was mentioned at that time.

Trump and Kamala Harris have already agreed to a Sept. 10 debate hosted by ABC News, setting the stage for a series of high-profile political face-offs as the election season intensifies.

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Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz are preparing to embark on a bus tour through Pennsylvania. The tour, scheduled to kick off in Pittsburgh on Sunday, comes just days before the Democratic National Convention and underscores the importance of Pennsylvania in the upcoming election.

Kamala Harris loves a good bus tour! Can't wait for joyful gems like this from Pennsylvania in the coming days. pic.twitter.com/b3KJDqJywr

— Madam Auntie VP Kamala Harris for PRESIDENT! (@flywithkamala) August 14, 2024

 The tour will commence in Pittsburgh, a major urban center in western Pennsylvania. Joining VP Harris and Gov. Walz will be their spouses, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz. The tour will include several stops, including retail locations, providing opportunities for direct interaction with voters.

American political strategist Scott Jennings said on Wednesday on CNN, "The person who wins Pennsylvania is highly likely to win the race." Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes, has been a key swing state in recent presidential elections. In 2020, it was narrowly won by the Democratic ticket, and maintaining this support is likely a priority for the party. The tour allows the leaders to address specific concerns of Pennsylvania voters, demonstrating their commitment to the state.

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A video from 2018 has surfaced showing Minnesota Governor Tim Walz referring to a Muslim cleric with controversial views as a "master teacher," according to reporting by the Washington Examiner. The footage, which emerged during Walz's campaign for vice president, contradicts recent statements from his campaign team.

The video, recorded at a February 16, 2018 event hosted by Minnesota's Muslim American Society, captures Walz praising Asad Zaman, director of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota. "I am a teacher, so when I see a master teacher, I know it. Over the time we've spent together, one of the things I've had the privilege of is seeing the things in life through the eye of a master teacher, to try and get the understanding," Walz said at the event.

EXCLUSIVE: Tim Walz—in footage unearthed by @dcexaminer—called Hitler-promoting imam Asad Zaman a "master teacher" who offered Walz lessons over the time they "spent together"

The footage further contradicts the Harris campaign's claim Walz has no personal relationship w/ Zaman pic.twitter.com/F1lKcJyzI1

— Gabe Kaminsky (@gekaminsky) August 13, 2024

This revelation comes after a spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign stated on Friday that Walz does not "have a personal relationship" with Zaman. The statement was in response to a previous Washington Examiner report detailing how Walz, as governor of Minnesota, had repeatedly hosted the imam at events where Zaman also spoke.

During the 2018 event, held at the South Metro Islamic Center in Rosemount, Minnesota, Walz stood alongside Peggy Flanagan, now the lieutenant governor of Minnesota. He went on to describe lessons he had learned from Zaman, saying, "It was imam talking [saying that] 'in those times is where we find who we are, in those times is where we really see.'"

Walz also credited Zaman for encouraging him to engage with people and push back against the "demonization of Islam" and immigrants. "In this space, Imam Zaman is right on this, there is Islamophobia, there is a hatred that is being stirred," Walz stated. The Washington Examiner reports that Zaman has a history of controversial statements and actions. On October 7, 2023, following a terrorist attack that killed 1,200 Israelis, Zaman expressed solidarity with Palestinians "against Israeli attacks."

This is an actual Facebook post from Imam Asad Zaman, who Tim Walz invited to speak at events 5 times.

Walz's administration also gave Zaman's organizations $100,000 in state funding.

Zaman openly celebrated the October 7th attacks. pic.twitter.com/AqQ9lVxmc1

— Parker Thayer (@ParkerThayer) August 9, 2024

Zaman's social media activity has included sharing content related to a pro-Hitler film and a Hamas press release, the Examiner reported. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has criticized Zaman, stating on Friday that he "has a troubling history of playing into classic anti-Jewish themes and justifying violence against Israel."

"He also has justified violence against Israel, including from terror groups," the ADL spokesperson said. "Given his hurtful remarks post-Oct. 7, and absent any recognition of the pain he has caused the Jewish community, we urge all public officials and leaders to avoid meeting with him in the future. Those who have met with Imam Zaman should clarify that they don't agree with his toxic views about Jews and the Jewish state."

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The Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice-presidential candidate.

I am proud to announce that I've asked @Tim_Walz to be my running mate.

As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he's delivered for working families like his.

It's great to have him on the team.

Now let's get to work. Join us:https://t.co/W4AE2WlMTj

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 6, 2024

It appears that with Walz's selection, Harris aims to reduce the likelihood of losing support from progressive elements within the Democratic party, who had expressed dissatisfaction with the now-irrelevant potential candidacies of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly.

Walz, 60, a former schoolteacher and football coach, has been elected governor of Minnesota twice. Since 2023, he has served as the head of the Democratic Governors Association, and is expected to help the Democrats in the neighboring critical swing state of Wisconsin. As governor, Walz dealt with the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis in 2020, and is a staunch supporter of abortion rights.

Walz's rural background and pleasant demeanor are expected to appeal to moderate voters. As such, Walz is considered a comfortable and non-divisive candidate within the Democratic Party. He gained recognition within the party when he coined the term "weirdos" in reference to the Trump-Vance duo, a phrase that successfully resonated in the US political discourse.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced that he will be at the rally in Philadelphia where Tim Walz will be presented as the vice-presidential candidate. He promised to "Unite the people of Pennsylvania behind my friends Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to defeat Donald Trump."

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