Remember Saturday morning cartoons?
I used to wake myself at 6am for the earliest batch of the shows (Muppet Babies, SuperFriends, Looney Toons, Smurfs, etc).
It was a generation-defining part of growing up during the pre-internet, pre-cable TV era, in which broadcast TV was at the peak of its power.
On Saturday mornings, this was the lineup on ABC TV.
The cartoons were also…. well…. effective vehicles for an overdose of toy commercials and sugar cereal ads.
But we friggin loved them anyway…. including the advertisements for superhero action figures or My Little Pony lunchboxes.
Broadcast TV’s dominant years are behind it. Sadly.
But holy hell: ABC TV has a chance to be a new type of superstar.
Why?
Because courage breeds courage. And because pushback breeds pushback.
A judge has set a deadline for today for ABC Television and the Trump Administration to make new filings – and establish some deadlines - in ABC’s new, blistering lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission. ABC argues the FCC is unfairly and unlawfully “coercing and retaliating against a network that refuses to bow to the Administration’s demands.”
Technically, federal judge Loren AliKhan has ordered the parties to propose “a briefing schedule on the motion and provide three dates and times for a hearing on the motion.” I’ll birddog the court docket all day for updates.
But no matter the disposition of ABC’s lawsuit, the legal fight itself might help deter Team Trump from bullying and weaponizing its agency against other media outlets.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Biden appointee who has emphatically criticized FCC chair Brendan Carr for deploying a heavy hand, spoke with DAY AHEAD.
Gomez said ABC’s legal challenge is critically important.
DAY AHEAD asked Gomez if she believes Chairman Carr’s claim that he’s launched the review of ABC because of his concerns about the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Gomez said that claim is hogwash. And ….yes…. dangerously cartoonish.
Lisa Stark, a former ABC News Correspondent, told DAY AHEAD that she is proud of her former employer for drawing a line in the sand.
As major media contracts and downsizes, Trump has found a more vulnerable target to menace.
CBS – and previously ABC – paid settlements to end some remarkably frivolous lawsuits by Trump last year. The settlements appear to have only emboldened Trump, not satisfy him. It was capitulation, according to critics.
Other broadcasters sent reporters to cozy up with Trump and his Cabinet at last month’s White House Correspondents Association dinner, at which Trump spewed venom and menacing words at journalists.
ABC is taking a harder stance now. These federal civil cases span months, if not years. So it’s a long and expensive battle. Though ABC has hired a heavy hitter for its case, with the appointment of attorney Paul Clement to the case. Clement is a former US solicitor general.
Like their 10:30am Saturday morning show (circa 1986), they’re perhaps hoping to launch a *league* of media “superfriends” who are willing to fight.
More here:
Trump wasn’t ambiguous or subtle when he sought to weaponize the FCC. At an October 2024 speech at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump said the following, “Y’know, they have a license which is worth billions of dollars and they pay nothing. All of these networks are all crooked as hell. You saw that with ABC.”
Nearly two years later, the pushback has — finally — begun.
Here are some of the other news threads I’m pulling today, all over the map in communities big and small:
1) Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) is preparing for a campaign appearance with Trump tomorrow, to sure up support in her runoff for the GOP US Senate nomination against Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC). The appearance will be held in Myrtle Beach.
Graham and Norman have agreed to postpone a planned forum that was initially scheduled for tomorrow, to accommodate Trump’s travel schedule.
Here’s headline in Spartanburg this morning.
Meanwhile, Democratic US Senate nominee Dr Annie Andrews is seeking to emphasize Graham’s gaffe at a debate on Tuesday, in which Graham stumbled mightily on a question about national defense in the Far East.
Andrews has circulated the clip of Graham on social media, arguing “Darline Graham Nordone is asking for six years as South Carolina’s senator — during wartime — yet has the gall to tell voters ‘national security isn’t her thing.” “South Carolina deserves better.”
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DRmqCHXMx/
Andrews spoke with DAY AHEAD and said she’s concerned that Graham’s team will pivot and not accept any debates in general election
Andrews says Graham “is not ready for primetime.”
Graham attempted some damage control on FOX News late last night. She argued, “I tripped up on one question… regarding Taiwan. I don't speak politician. I was just honest. Of course, Taiwan is our friend. But I think people in South Carolina are more worried about boys in girls sports.”
We’ll see how that works. The runoff election is Tuesday.
1a) While we’re talking about South Carolina, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is shifting the South Carolina 1st Congressional District into its more competitive “red to blue” program, signaling newfound optimism in winning the seat of outgoing Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC)
The Democrats have nominated Nancy Lacore and are emphasizing her “outsider” credentials in this anti-establishment wave. The campaign committee touts Lacore’s background, saying “She served our nation for 35 years in the Navy, beginning as a helicopter pilot and culminating as a three star admiral and the Chief of Navy Reserve where she led more than 60,000 sailors. Twice deployed as she raised her six children, Nancy is now running for Congress to bring the same common-sense leadership and integrity she learned in the Navy to clean up Washington.”
Lacore posted this message today, not-so-subtly referencing Darline Graham’s gaffe:
In a further sign of a Democratic aspirations, the DCCC will also shift the following GOP-held races into the “red to blue” program today.
Florida 13th, which is held by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL)
Virginia 5th, where former Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA) has new polling show him within range of Rep. John McGuire (R-VA)
Kentucky 6th - Democrats are eyeing the GOP seat, held by departing Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), who’s running for Senate
2) “Ballroom Watch” resumes today at the Supreme Court. The Court has less than 48 hours to potentially overturn a lower appeals court ruling that will halt the above-ground work on the Ballroom by the end of the day tomorrow.
Trump is again touting the security upgrades in the project. At the White House on Wednesday, he argued, “It’s going to have a drone-proof roof. And you’re going to have on top of the roof drones, many drones, which will protect Washington DC and will protect the White House. Very important.”
That is not the issue before the court, however.
The lower courts agreed to allow the underground, security work to proceed. It’s the work on the ornate ballroom itself that must be halted by the end of tomorrow.
Why? The courts have ruled that Trump unlawfully circumvented Congress is launching the Ballroom project. (Congress must approve such things first, per the district and appeals courts)
The National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States has filed a brief with the Supreme Court. Note what they argue on page 8: Trump and the White House “insist they will keep building—no matter what anyone says.. More astonishing is Petitioners’ declaration that they are on the brink of a fait accompli. They tell this Court that because the ballroom is being built with the type of concrete used ‘in nuclear power plants,’ it will soon be ‘virtually impossible to deconstruct.’ That striking admission decides this application. Absent an injunction, Petitioners candidly contend that if the ballroom were ‘ordered to be taken down, or even altered, by the court, there would be no way to do so.’ That is the essence of irreparable harm.”
3) Checking the numbers this morning: Trump’s decision to build a new White House helipad is going to cost at least five million dollars. He’s making the case that the upgrade to the White House grounds makes the space more suitable for visits by other heads of state.
Trump said, “This will be much better for state arrivals. And in fact, instead of being on grass, now they’ll be using that almost like a table. They can have events on it. They can have people go there for cocktails and then walk to the ballroom after that’s finished.”
I checked some updated numbers provided by sources inside the National Park Service.
Looks like the Park Service will be allotting more money to Trump’s helipad project this year than they’ve set aside for each of the following national parks/attractions.
Gettysburg National historic site
Olympic Natl Park
Glen Canyon
Bryce Canyon
Some National Park Service employees are wondering why Trump isn’t leaning on donors to help pay for some of the $30 billion in deferred maintenance at federal parks nationwide.
4) I’m watching the home stretch to the Sept. 1 primary in Massachusetts, where the 2026 political “youth movement” will be severely tested.
The top of the ticket includes a whopper of a Democratic fight. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), 80, is fighting for the nomination for re-election to the Senate. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), 47, is surrendering his US House seat in an effort to wrest the nomination from Markey in a very blue state.
Here’s this morning’s Boston Globe
Moulton is an Iraq war veteran who is making the case for a “change election.” In a message Wednesday, he argued, “Voters are sending a clear message across the country: they want next-generation leaders who are willing to challenge the party establishment. It’s time for new energy, urgency, and accountability in the Senate.” Speaking of the Boston Globe, Moulton won their endorsement.
Markey is touting his support from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)
Here’s the image from this latest YOUTUBE campaign video
In a post this morning, Markey tries to outflank Moulton on healthcare issues. Markey said, “Our health care system is broken. We need to pass Medicare for All. Let’s send progressives to the Senate to get it done.”
I’m also keeping tabs on the final days of the primary in Massachusetts’ 8th Congressional District, where Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) is trying to fend off a younger challenger.
Lynch has been in Congress for more than two decades, is a former state representative and a former union ironworker.
His primary challenger is Patrick Roath, who was part of a forum with Lynch in Weymouth earlier this month. Boston.com reported, “Roath emphasized the age difference between himself and Lynch throughout the forum, framing himself as part of a younger generation ready to bring creative solutions to Washington. He decried the Trump administration’s ‘extremist’ agenda and spoke about how that threat necessitates a new kind of proactive leadership.”
5) We’ll see a whole bunch of statements today from elected leaders in Washington about the national debt. We’ve hit a brutal milestone, as the debt has exceeded $40 trillion.
The Wall St. Journal this morning acknowledged, “The breakdown of federal spending shows why meaningful cuts are so difficult. The vast majority of the government’s spending goes to programs that promise benefits to individuals, such as Social Security and Medicare. Trimming these would likely anger many voters. Meanwhile, rising debt means higher interest payments, which aren’t optional either.”
6) Bay City is the battleground community in the battleground state of Michigan. It’s as “purple” a region as you can find on the map. So I’ll note the midday event by Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI) today. She’s touting the event as a press conference to highlight the “White House’s chaotic domestic manufacturing policies.” She’ll note plans by SK Siltron to close its manufacturing plant in Bay City, eliminating approximately 140 jobs.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) will join the event.
McDonald Rivet is one of the handful of Democrats who represent Congressional districts in which Trump prevailed in 2024. She’s going to take the opportunity to jam Trump and the GOP as she hits the homestretch of her first re-election race. (Democrats are very bullish on her prospects)
7) DATA CENTER WATCH: Add Dallas to the list of communities considering a tightening of rules and restrictions on data center development.
Dallas has eclipsed other regions of the country as a giant in the data center industry.
But now the city council is considering tightening rules. Environmental groups, concerned homeowners and community activists appear to have made inroads with local elected officials.
Here’s the Dallas Morning News front page:
8) Even before Trump and RFK Jr’s recent claims about childhood vaccines, vaccine hesitancy was flourishing alarmingly in parts of America.
A new Centers for Disease Control report shows some disheartening trends on vaccinations of kindergarten students.
I sifted through the new state-by-state data. The trend is pretty damn clear in Idaho.
KBOI-TV in Boise reports this morning: “In Idaho, however, MMR and DTaP vaccination rates for kindergartners are at 75%, 10% lower than any other state for the MMR shot, well below the 95% recommendation aimed at preventing outbreaks.
Exemptions are also rising. Nationally, exemptions have reached an all-time high of more than 4 percent. In Idaho, the exemption rate is up to a record 17.5 percent.
Comparing Idaho’s 2025-2026 numbers with the 2019-2020 school year, the MMR and DTaP vaccination rates dropped 14%. The exemption rate rose 10 percent, from 7.5% to 17.5% in those same six years.”
Check for your state’s data here;
https://www.cdc.gov/schoolvaxview/data/index.html
9) Congress remains deeply concerned with how the Trump Admin. Is blocking access for Members of Congress to I.C.E. facilities and other detention centers. A new US House bill from Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) would “prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from preventing Members of Congress, or employees accompanying a Member, from entering, for the purpose of conducting oversight, any facility operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security used to detain or otherwise house aliens, and for other purposes.”
Here’s the bill:
10) Virginia kiddos have returned to school. (Some went back as early as August 3) Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) is going to tout the new budget which has emphasized education. Spanberger, who is 8 months into her term, will emphasize this facet of her first year, “Two billion new dollars in public education funding — the largest investment in Virginia’s history. Teachers and school support staff are getting a four percent raise, and other public employees are getting a 3.5 percent raise this year and again next year.”
This morning’s paper in southwest Virginia notes a little bit of a rebound in Spanberger’s poll numbers, which had drooped in her earliest months in office.
Busy day ahead. I’ll see you on SUBSTACK LIVE at 10am eastern with Pete Dominick, who has been a contributor and host on SIRIUS XM for many years. Pete’s a former stand-up comic and an engaging show host. We’ll dig into how Trump’s rock-bottom poll numbers are a potential gravitational pull against fellow Republicans who are on the ballot in November.
I notice the FCC doesn't go after FOX News or NewsMax for flagrantly false stories. I wonder why?
Thank you so much for your in-depth analysis of your day. We have trouble with the spending in the white house. The debt is outrageous. Fox News should be held accountable for its big lies in 2020.