Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Another one: “Hurricane Maria was strengthening fast into a monster storm Monday as it barreled towards Martinique and Puerto Rico and the other Irma-battered Caribbean islands.”
* St. Louis: “Protests in St. Louis over a former police officer’s acquittal in the shooting death of a black man continued Monday after a weekend capped by the arrests of more than 80 people.”
* Oh my: “On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, President Donald Trump on Monday previewed a new tradition he would like to institute: a parade of military pageantry in the nation’s capital in the style of the one he attended in Paris for Bastille Day this year.”
* In related news: “President Donald Trump opened his first remarks at the United Nations Monday by complimenting the Trump-branded property across the street.”
* Trump’s latest court defeat: “A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to use Justice Department public-safety grant programs to discourage so-called sanctuary city policies aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants.”
* Russia: “A revitalized Russian military on Monday sent tanks, paratroopers, artillery, antiaircraft weapons, jets and helicopters into frigid rains to engage the forces of a mock enemy called the ‘Western Coalition.’ The barrage of firepower, part of war games that began last week, was an explosive show of force that Baltic leaders said was a simulation of an attack against NATO forces in Eastern Europe.”
* I wonder if Elton John will mind: “President Trump is calling Kim Jong Un names — the ‘Rocket Man.’”
* Afghanistan: “Soon, American Embassy employees in Kabul will no longer need to take a Chinook helicopter ride to cross the street to a military base less than 100 yards outside the present Green Zone security district.” * Jody Hunt’s confirmation testimony should be interesting: “The Justice Department aide who the White House announced Friday would be President Trump’s pick for a top DOJ position appears to have also been present at a key meeting between Attorney General Jeff Sessions and then-FBI Director James Comey.” * This is what our lives are like now: “President Trump on Sunday morning retweeted a doctored video showing him hitting Hillary Clinton with a golf ball — from an account that makes racial, anti-Semitic, and anti-LGBT comments.” Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
