Today's Liberal News

“Tragic Beyond Proportions”: Attorney Ben Crump on Sonya Massey’s Killing and Police Cover-Up

The family of Sonya Massey is demanding justice after they say authorities tried to cover up her fatal shooting by a sheriff’s deputy in Springfield, Illinois, by initially claiming it was “self-inflicted.” Police body-camera footage showed this was a lie. The 36-year-old mother of two was shot dead in her own home on July 6 after she called 911 for help. “This is the worst police shooting video that I’ve seen.

“Terrible Mistake”: Leading Israelis Say Netanyahu’s Invite to Address Congress Rewards Bad Behavior

As the death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza tops 39,100, tens of thousands of protesters plan to march on Capitol Hill today during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers plan to boycott the speech, including Senators Dick Durbin, Chris Van Hollen, Jeff Merkley, Patty Murray and Bernie Sanders.

Can Memes Really Win Elections?

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
In some corners of the internet, Kamala Harris is the main character. Will her viral moment serve her?
First, here are four new stories from The Atlantic:
J. D. Vance has a point about Mountain Dew.
Kamala Harris’s diversity hire
Adrienne LaFrance: American fury
The party is not over.

Want to See a Snake Eat Its Tail?

The first Deadpool film, released in 2016, broke lots of rules. It was R-rated and hyper-violent, but it was also self-aware in the Family Guy way, frequently puncturing the fourth wall and mocking the seriousness of the superhero genre. Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds, knew he was in a movie—and a dumb one, at that.

When Storm Prep Is Left Up to Citizens

This is an edition of The Weekly Planet, a newsletter that provides a guide for living through climate change. Sign up for it here.
Last month, at the start of hurricane season, I invited my inner circle to a hurricane-preparation dinner. Over a supreme pizza and a bottle of wine, my girlfriend, our roommate, my best friend, and I discussed how we would evacuate together from New Orleans with our three dogs and three chickens.

Kamala Harris’s White-Boy Summer

Maybe you’ve seen the joke permeating the internet this week, as Vice President Kamala Harris begins her 100-day campaign for president. In one variation on X Sunday, someone wrote “Kamala’s VP options” above a lineup of Chablis and Chardonnay bottles on a grocery-store shelf labeled “Exciting Whites.” Another user posted a picture of Harris and a saltine cracker, with the caption: “This will be the ticket.

J. D. Vance Has a Point About Mountain Dew

“Democrats say that it is racist to believe … well, they say it’s racist to do anything,” J. D. Vance proclaimed during a campaign rally this week, after bringing up the need for voter-ID requirements. “I had a Diet Mountain Dew yesterday and one today, and I’m sure they’re going to call that racist too,” he said, adding, “But—it’s good.” His audience laughed, and Vance laughed before punctuating the moment: “I love you guys.”
The clip has spread widely, mostly because it seems absurd.

Bangladesh: 174 Killed, 2,500 Arrests in Student-Led Protests over Jobs, Inequality & Corruption

The death toll in Bangladesh from a crackdown on massive student protests has risen to at least 174, with more than 2,500 people arrested, after police and soldiers were granted “shoot-on-sight” orders amid the unrest. The protests were in response to a highly contested quota system for civil service jobs, with 30% of government positions reserved for relatives of veterans who fought in the country’s independence war against Pakistan in 1971.

“The Prescription Is Ceasefire”: Israeli Public Health Leaders Sound Alarm over Polio in Gaza

The Israeli military says it has begun vaccinating its soldiers against poliovirus after the paralytic disease was found in several wastewater samples in Gaza. The World Health Organization warns the risk of further spread remains high while Gaza’s children go unvaccinated during Israel’s assault, which has devastated Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure. Public health officials have called it a major setback for global efforts to eradicate polio.

The Next 100 Days

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
Now that President Joe Biden has dropped out of the race, Democrats have about 100 days to mount an entirely new campaign. Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris made her the heir apparent to the Democratic nomination, but much about the Democrats’ next moves remains unsettled.

The Harris Gamble

The documentarian Matt Ornstein interviewed two young Latino men in Long Beach, California, at the midpoint of the Trump presidency. They were both strong Donald Trump supporters. Why?
One answered, “Trump’s smart. He knows right from wrong.”
The other one scoffed, “No. No he doesn’t. He’s dumb as shit. But he’s got balls.”
In 2016, Hillary Clinton lost to Trump among male voters by 11 points. In 2020, Joe Biden ran about even with Trump among men. Clinton lost. Biden won.