U.S. and world news for August 30

Harris-Walz interview: Donald Trump says he watched most of the CNN interview with Vice President Harris and her running mate Tim Walz that was aired last night. Trump said that Harris seemed weak. Others, however, said Harris was confident, clear and precise in what she said and confident in her ability to handle the economy, promote freedom and strengthen the middle class. Harris and Walz were interviewed by CNN correspondent Dana Bash.  

Johnson and Arlington: CNN reported today that Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson used his influence to help arrange for Donald Trump to visit Arlington National Cemetery and participate in a wreath-laying event with some of the family members of U.S. servicemen killed during the evacuation from Afghanistan. Johnson had been brought into the situation by Rep. Mike McCaul who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Trump used the event to make a political campaign video, which violated the cemetery’s rules.  

Hush money case: Attorneys for Donald Trump have asked a federal court in Manhattan to take over the criminal Stormy Daniels hush money case in which Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts. They also want the federal court to delay Trump’s sentencing that is scheduled for Sept. 18 in addition to reversing his felony convictions. Trump’s attorneys previously tried but failed to move the case to federal court.  

Vance booed: Republican vice presidential candidate J. D. Vance was loudly booed when he spoke to the International Association of Firefighters conference in Boston yesterday. The booing began when Vance first took the stage. He acknowledged that there were what he called “haters” in the audience. Vance said he and Trump are pro-worker but did not dispute the anti-union positions traditionally taken by Republicans. Vance finished speaking after about 20 minutes and received a mix of boos and cheers as he left. The reaction to Vance was in sharp contrast to the loud cheers Democrat vice presidential candidate Tim Walz received when he spoke to the firefighters.

New polls: The Wall Street Journal released a new poll today showing that Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump 48% to 47% in the presidential contest, but her lead becomes 47% to 45% when third-party candidates are added to the mix. The Journal is a Rupert Murdoch newspaper. A new poll by Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, shows Harris receiving 49% support among likely voters, Trump receiving 47% support, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Party candidate Chase Oliver each receiving 1%.

Convoy: Five people were reported killed in Gaza when an Israeli missile hit a convoy carrying medical supplies to a hospital. The Israeli military, however, says that gunmen had seized the lead car in the convoy and it was the lead car that they targeted. The people killed were working for an organization named American Near East Refugee Aid that was transporting the medical supplies to a hospital in Rafah.