Trump visits Cincinnati, Lollapalooza, Hurricanes Erick and Flossie: 5 things to know Thursday
Cincinnati braces for Trump rally following attacks on Dem lawmakers
President Donald Trump is traveling to Cincinnati Thursday for his first campaign rally since his blistering attacks on Democratic House lawmakers prompting accusations that the president is stoking racial tensions as a way to solidify his white working-class base ahead of the 2020 election. For his part, Trump insists that he's not racist, but rather simply calling out Democratic leaders, who he says are doing too little to stem violence and poverty in some of the nation's biggest cities. The rally comes a day after two nights of Democratic debates where Dems said they will defeat Trump because voters know his economy benefits the wealthy and that his administration is targeting migrants and minorities.
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Father of twins in devastating hot car deaths due in court
An Iraq war veteran, charged in the deaths of infant twins who were apparently left in a hot car for hours while he was at work, is due in court Thursday. Juan Rodriguez, 39, told investigators he dropped one of his children at daycare, then drove to work, forgetting the 1-year-olds were in the parked car. Temperatures that day reached into the mid-80s, but cars parked in the sun can get much hotter. Rodriguez faces two counts each of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a child. In the past 20 years, more than 800 children have died while trapped in oven-like cars.
Lollapalooza takes on Chicago's Grant Park
Lollapalooza 2019 kickstarts Thursday with opening night headliners, the Strokes and Chainsmokers. The Chicago mega-festival is saving the best for last; top-of-the-bill headliner Ariana Grande will be closing out the four-day festival in Grant Park, practically guaranteeing a major final-day attendance boost. And recent Coachella headliners Childish Gambino and Tame Impala will be going head-to-head on Friday. Saturday's headliners include J. Balvin – the first Lollapalooza headliner whose songs are almost exclusively in Spanish – and Twenty One Pilots, who had a crowd size that rivaled Paul McCartney the last time they played Lolla in 2015. Also playing Lollapalooza this year: Shaquille O'Neal. Yes, that Shaquille O'Neal, who is performing under his stage name Diesel.
Hurricanes Erick and Flossie approach Hawaii
Hawaii is keeping a wary eye on two hurricanes churning in the central and eastern Pacific. But the stronger one, Erick, is set to weaken as it passes south of the islands, while the second storm, Flossie, will likely to become a tropical storm by Thursday. Hawaii can expect high surf, strong winds and heavy rain, but the impact will depend on the intensity as Erick approaches, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Forecasters warn of potentially dangerous surf conditions, mainly along east facing shores.
Republicans face tough vote on budget bill backed by Trump
A budget pact between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Donald Trump is facing a key vote in the GOP-held Senate, with many conservatives torn between supporting the president and risking their political brand with an unpopular vote to add $2 trillion or more to the government’s credit card. The Trump-supported legislation backed by the Democratic speaker would stave off a government shutdown and protect budget gains for the Pentagon and popular domestic programs. The vote, expected Thursday, is a politically tough one for many Republicans. The tea party-driven House GOP conference broke against it by a 2-1 ratio, but most pragmatists see the measure as preferable to an alternative fall landscape of high-wire deadlines and potential chaos.
Contributing: Associated Press