The 18 Most Unprecedented and Bizzarre Moments of the 2024 GE
2024 was the wildest election of my lifetime. Maybe 1968 was wilder but I was too young to really understand the significance.
1. Musk buys Twitter -- October 27, 2022, the general election of 2024 begins with Elon Musk buying Twitter for $44 billion. Not since William Randolph Hearst has one individual exerted such influence over national discussions. Trump's account is restored November 19, 2022, less than one month after the Twitter deal is completed.
2. SCOTUS announces Dobbs Decision -- June 24, 2022. Roe v Wade is overturned after 49 years but the resulting Blue Wave fails to flip the Senate.
3. Mar-a-Lago Raided by FBI -- August 8, 2022. Citing the Espionage Act of 1917 and Sarbanes-Oxley, the FBI executes a warrant against a former President for the first time in US history.
4. Trump Found Liable in the E Jean Carroll Suit -- May 9 , 2023. Ordered to pay $5 million for sexually abusing and defaming.
5. Robert DeNiro Trolls the NYC Trump Trial -- May 28, 2024. Echoing Booth, the actor calls Trump a "tyrant". DeNiro's character in "Taxi Driver" was the inspiration for the 1981 attempt on Ronald Reagan.
6. Trump Found Guilty on 34 Counts of Falsifying Business Records -- May 30, 2024. 34 felonies.
7. Biden's Performance in Debate #1 -- June 27, 2024. A rift opens in the DNC. Poll numbers decline to unwinnable levels.
8. Trump is Shot in Butler PA -- July 13, 2024. Two dead, three injured.
9. Schiff, Pelosi and Schumer Call For Biden to Withdraw -- July 17, 2024, They are joined in the next two days by Jamie Raskin, Jon Testor, Sherrod Brown, Martin Heinrich, Marc Veasey, Jared Huffman, Chuy Garcia, Mark Pocan, Zoe Lofgren, Sean Casten, Greg Landsman, Betty McCollum, Kathy Castor, Morgan McGarvey, and Gabe Vasquez
10. Harris Replaces Biden as Candidate -- July 21, 2024.
11. RFK Jr. Suspends and Endorses Trump -- August 23, 2024. Leading to cabinet position as Sec of HHS.
12. Second Assassination Attempt -- September 15, 2024. Trump becomes first since Gerald Ford to survive two attempts during one campaign.
13. Trump Pretends to Work at McDonalds -- October 20. Over-salts french fries.
14. WaPo Joins LA Times Declining to Endorse a Candidate -- October 25. First time since 1988.
15. Trump Holds "Hitler" Rally at MSG -- October 27. Tony Hinchcliffe calls PR "a floating island of garbage"
16. Biden Calls Trump Voters "Garbage" -- October 30. The attack echoes HRC's "basket of deplorables"
17. Trump Holds Garbage Truck Photo Op -- October 31. Oh boy...
18. Swing State Pennsylvania is Called for Trump -- November 6, 2:24AM, ending the GE. 30 minutes later Emmanuel Macron is the first world leader to call Trump. Followed in order by Netanyahu, Zelensky and Starmer.
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Did I miss any?