News On Tap For Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Keep Focused While They Flail – 77 Days To Election

Today’s “News On Tap” may not quite be what you think - & that might not be a bad thing. We've got the news you need - and who’s misdirecting you too. First, it’s the last big primary Election Day this year, and while the Polls & Politics are flying fast, what the mainstream media thinks is important really isn’t - at least, not how they’re covering it. What is important? Trump’s failures in the Middle East, and with other nations, as well as the costs of war, and the failing U.S. economy. Meanwhile, the War Over Democracy continues, as does the War In The Courts. We’ve also got Media Matters, TV & Music news, and Sports news too. Plus, our friends Jo Carducci AKA JoJo From Jerz is back in the bar tonight! Read up, get informed, & we’ll see you here!

First Round - Primary Concerns

One More Big Primary Day

• What To Watch In Tuesday’s Primary Elections In Alaska, Florida And A Special Election In California

• Both Florida Republican & Democratic Primaries Put Unlikely Candidates On Tuesday’s Ballot

• Florida Rep. Cory Mills, One Of Congress’ Most Scandal-Plagued Republicans, May Be About To Lose His Primary

• Donald Trump, Who Keeps Trying To Take Away Voting By Mail From Millions, Once Again Votes By Mail In Florida Primaries

• Trump Heading Into General Election Season With String Of Primary Losses From Candidates He’d Endorsed

Polls & Politics

• New Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds Trump Approval Falls To 33%, Lowest Of His Presidency

• Planned Parenthood Announces Its Biggest Ad Buy Of 2026, $600,000 - Against Susan Collins

• In Rare Move, Democrat James Talarico Poaches Staffer From Republican John Cornyn

• Mary Peltola Shakes Up Her Campaign Staff Just Before Alaska’s Senate Primary

• Conduct Unbecoming: Sec Of Defense Pete Hegseth Campaigns For Vulnerable House Republican Zach Nunn In Iowa

• Political Dirty Tricks & Meddling In Both Party’s Primaries Upending Midterm Races Across The Country

Harping & Misdirection

• Trump Regime Takes The Bait After Sen. Jon Ossoff Mentions Natalie Harp

• Steve Benen: Sen. Jon Ossoff Touched A Nerve In The Trump White House With His Reference To Natalie Harp - But He Had A Reason

• Josh Marshall: It Doesn’t Matter If Natalie Harp & Trump Are Having An Affair. What Matters Is How She’s Shaping His View Of The World

• Jo Carducci: Who The Eff Is Natalie Harp? Meet Donald’s Flowers In The Attic Fluffer, Human Binkie, & Single White Female With A Government Badge.

Second Round - Donald's Failed Foreign Affairs

Trump’s Iran Quagmire

• As Iran Ceasefire Deal Expires And Options Shrivel, Trump Lashing Out Once Again

• Former Trump Ambassador To Oman Says Trump’s Threat To Bomb U.S.’ Persian Gulf Ally An Attempt To Get Their ‘Attention’

• Trump Contradicts Vance, Says Nukes, Not Oil Prices, Is Once Again U.S.’ No. 1 Priority In Iran

• David Graham: As The War With Iran Drags On, Trump Is At Odds With His Own Administration—And With Reality [Gift Link]

• Pentagon Weighing Smaller U.S. Military Presence In Gulf Once Iran War Ends

The Costs Of War

• Depleted Stocks: Sources Now Say Trump’s Iran War Has Burned Through Well Over 90% Of U.S.’ Key Long-Range Missiles

• Failure To Maintain Readiness: U.S Navy Destroyer Adrift In South China Sea For Four Days After Losing Power

• Dollars But No Sense: Global Bond Yields Hit Multi-Decade Highs, Driving Up Inflation Worldwide, As Governments Pay The Price For U.S.-Iran Stalemate

Other Foreign Affairs

• Ukraine Targets Moscow With Huge Drone Strike As Russia Warns U.K. Will Pay Price For Supplying Attack Drones

• U.K. Will Support Ukraine “100%” Despite Russian Warning, New Pm Burnham Says

• Russian People Are Now Pulling Billions From Banks, Fearing Kremlin Will Seize Deposits For War

• South Korean Pres. Lee Calls For Military Independence In Wake Of Trump Call To Cut Joint Drills

• Ret. Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling: Given How Trump Treats Our Allies, Who Would Want To Be Friends With America Now?

Third Round - Trump's Failed Administration

Republicans’ Failed Economy

• U.S. And Canada Hold Last-Minute Talks In An Attempt To Stop Trump’s 50% Tariffs From Going Into Effect

• U.S. Debt Set To Hit $40 Trillion Months Earlier Than Expected, In Part Due To Billions In Lost Revenue From Trump’s Tariffs

• Justin Wolfers: The $20 Burrito Brouhaha Shows That Even Trump’s Maga Base Voters Are Finally Seeing Through His Lies On The Economy

Regime From Hell

• Trump CDC Reports Kindergarten Vaccine Exemptions Hitting All Time High

• Trump’s Second Regime Has Deleted Or Altered Nearly 400 Us Datasets, Endangering Public Health, Education, And More

• Trump Genuinely Doesn’t Know Who To Pick To Replace Karoline Leavitt - And Has Expressed Zero Urgency In Picking Anyone

Immigration Wars

• ICE Now Pitching Plan To Fund Liability Insurance To Shield Local Law Officers Who Help Them Make Immigration Arrests

• San Diego Padres Minor-League Catching Coordinator, A Legal U.S. Resident, Detained By ICE In Texas

• Lawyer Says ICE Detainee Suffered Brain Bleed After Violent Apprehension, Was Guarded By Agents Instead Of Given Private Medical Care

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

War Over Democracy

• Trump DOJ Announces Plans To Send 1000 Elections Monitors Around The U.S. This Fall

• Federal Judge Rips Apart Trump DOJ’s ‘Fishing Expedition’ As She Hands Trump Regime Its 23rd Straight Loss In Its Efforts To Seize States’ Voter Rolls

• Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche Now Says Trump DOJ ‘May Absolutely’ Take Voter Roll Fight To Supreme Court

War In The Courts

• Supreme Court Asked To Review Texas State Law Requiring The Ten Commandments In Public Schools

• Federal Appeals Court Boots Nevada’s Top Federal Prosecutor Ruling They’re Illegally Holding Office Over Lack Of Senate Confirmation

• Federal Judge Blocks Trump Regime From Moving FBI Headquarters To D.C. Office Building, Says They Must Follow Through On Move To Maryland

Climate Crisis Continues

• One Death Linked To Tropical Storm Lala As More Than 100,000 Remain Without Power In Hawaii

• Nation’s Largest Water Reservoirs Are Drying Up, Hitting Record Low Levels, Threatening Millions In Seven Western States

Miscellaneous But Important

• New Yale Study Confirms Medicare for All Would Save Over 114,000 Lives And $1 Trillion A Year

• ICYMI: Trump’s Corrupt DOJ Asks Supreme Court To Let White House Ballroom Construction Continue During Appeal

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Media Matters

• Rest In Peace: Bill Rasmussen, Co-Founder Of ESPN, Dies At 93

• Disney/ABC File First Amendment Lawsuit Against Trump FCC, Citing Trump Regime’s “Retaliatory Campaign” Against Free Speech

TV, Music, & More

• Rosie O’Donnell Shines in ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Hosting Debut, Attacks ‘Mango Mussolini’ Trump and Gives Moving Hayden Panettiere Tribute

• Madonna Leads VMAs Nominations With 11, Followed by Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande

• After 71 Years, Mail-Order Music Club Columbia House Is Finally Ceasing Operations

Sports Entertainment

• Ohtani’s 2 Homers Ignite Dodgers Breakout At Coors Field In Denver, As L.A. Gets 11-5 Win Over Rockies

• Josh Bell Has Early 2-Run Double And Twins Bullpen Sustains The Lead As Minnesota Gets A 4-2 Win Over The Atlanta Braves

• Pete Crow-Armstrong’s First Career Walk-Off Homer Gives Cubs 7-5 Win Over White Sox In 10 Innings

• Golden State Valkyries Clinch Playoff Berth For 2nd Straight Year, Beating Dallas Wings 78--70

• Serena And Venus Williams Return To Doubles And Lose Close Match In Cincinnati

Today’s Special Guest

Jo Carducci, AKA Jo From Jerz, political commentator, firebrand, burgeoning media mogul, and friend of ours comes back to the bar tonight! We’ll talk about her prolific Substack “Are you f’ng kidding me?”, her primary podcast “Sane(ish) with Jo Carducci” & her other show with our friend BrooklynDad_Defiant! “The JoJo & BDD Show,” as well as her growing media group The Siren Network. We’ll probably talk about her latest Substack post too, “Who the Fu** Is Natalie Harp?” which is pretty spot on too. We’ll also draw a few rounds from today’s News On Tap. Join us tonight!

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