Grab the popcorn and Milk Duds, because Biden-Trump: The Sequel is coming your way. It’s 242 days until Election Day 2024.

Welcome to Biden-Trump II

While there’s been little doubt since day one, Nikki Haley’s announcement Wednesday that she was suspending her campaign all but sealed Donald Trump’s destiny as the GOP nominee for a third time. Even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, through gritted teeth, endorsed Trump Wednesday morning.

Haley’s departure sets the stage for a 2020 presidential rematch — barring any surprises in a year that promises to be full of surprises: Donald Trump vs. Joe Biden; 45 vs. 46; The Donald vs. The Big Guy.

You have to go back to 1892 to find an election in which two presidents squared off in this way, when our nation’s twenty-second president, Grover Cleveland, challenged the man who defeated him in 1888, President Benjamin Harrison. Cleveland won handily, becoming the only president to return to office after losing re-election. Will Trump become the second?

Haley Bows Out After Super Tuesday Blowout

Super Tuesday proved to be indeed super for Donald Trump. He handily won 14 of 15 contests, putting him within sneezing distance of the number of delegates he needs to officially lock up the Republican presidential nomination. He’s got 995. He needs 1,215, which he should have by Easter.

Haley did win the open primary in Vermont, 49.9% to 45.9%, thanks to Democrats crossing the aisle in an effort to stick it to Trump. But a win’s a win, and Vermont makes Haley the first female to win a Republican primary. The former UN ambassador also takes home the impressive fact that she was the last one standing against the most powerful political puncher of our generation.

In her withdrawal speech, the former South Carolina governor reached out to the women and girls inspired by her campaign, quoting Joshua 1:9:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Sounds like a good message for Americans, regardless of sex.

Biden Loses American Samoa to Obscure Entrepreneur?

Joe Biden easily won all the Super Tuesday Democratic primaries. But make no mistake, the news was not all good. For example, he lost the caucus in the South Pacific territory of American Samoa to an entrepreneur named Jason Palmer. The loss won’t have any impact on the race, but is it embarrassing? Yes. Biden is the first incumbent to lose a primary race since Jimmy Carter in 1980. But Carter lost 12 contests to Sen. Ted Kennedy — the Lion of the Senate and proud product of the nation’s most influential political dynasty. Biden lost to man whose name anyone outside his own family had to google.

A much bigger red flag for the Biden campaign is the vote percentage earned by “uncommitted” in Minnesota. Nearly 20% of Minnesota Democratic primary voters who bothered to go to the polls voted “uncommitted.” These were largely Muslim voters who are unhappy with Biden’s level of support for Israel. How many who were just as upset didn’t vote at all?

Immam Hassan Jama, a Muslim community leader in Minneapolis, pushed the “uncommitted” movement. “Hopefully we’ll send a strong message from Minnesota to White House,” he told The Guardian. “And if they don’t listen, November is coming.”

The Democrats are starting to listen. Kamala Harris is now calling for an immediate six-week cease-fire “at least” in Gaza. A burning question: Just how far will Biden-Harris go in hampering Israel’s fight against the genocidal Hamas terrorists to secure Minnesota’s vote in November? Perhaps another way to frame this is: How little will the Biden-Harris administration do to curtail the violent protests against Jews in this country to avoid angering Muslims?

Meanwhile, from Our “They Keep Telling Us It Doesn’t Happen” File

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg went into Love Park Community Center Tuesday morning to cast a ballot for her own primary race — only to be told someone had already voted in her name, according to spokesperson Michael Kolenc.https://t.co/5do5dIDPyj pic.twitter.com/yQXvWgJQsO

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) March 5, 2024

Let us keep praying for a free and fair election, with crookedness exposed and the people’s political will being done.

Basketball Great Turned CNN Host Charles Barkley Threatens to Punch Black People Wearing Trump Mug-Shot Merch

Remind me again how we need to be worried about political violence from the right? Former NBA great-turned-CNN weekend host Charles Barkley threatened to punch any black person he sees wearing a Trump mug-shot t-shirt.

Barkley was responding to Trump boasting of his growing support among black people and how some are wearing T-shirts featuring his mug shot.

“If I see a black person walking around with Trump’s mug shot, I’m [gonna] punch him in the face,” Barkley said, insisting he was serious. In Barkley’s mind, Trump’s comments are an “insult to black people” because he’s comparing his indictments to the centuries of race-based discrimination they have faced.

So Barkley’s answer to an insult to black people is to beat up on black people who decided for themselves to wear the Trump swag? Talk about shooting a rhetorical brick.

Cohost Gayle King tried to dissuade Barkley from the violent talk, before quipping that she’d pay his bail.

Black Trump supporters were quick to respond to Barkley’s threat. Reasonable Suspicion podcast host Zeek Arkham went viral. 

Anyone seen Charles Barkley? I heard he was looking for me.

I grew up in the “you hit me, I’m gonna hit you back” era. pic.twitter.com/ie8X1Ynm7y

— Zeek Arkham 🇺🇸 (@ZeekArkham) March 6, 2024

Texas Congressman and combat vet Wesley Hunt told Barkley to “come and take it.”

Charles Barkley fell into the media’s trap by taking a 2 hour speech from President Trump out of context.

One thing I can guarantee is when you see Wesley Hunt sporting “The Mugshot” Sir Charles won’t be punching this Combat Vet in the face. pic.twitter.com/P27t0p0Ez2

— Wesley Hunt (@WesleyHuntTX) March 5, 2024

No, we do not support fisticuffs. Here’s a better idea. Why doesn’t Sir Charles invite Rep. Hunt and Arkham onto his show? Have a real conversation. And as a side benefit, draw more than five viewers.

Tonight Is the State of the Union

Joe Biden will roll down Pennsylvania Avenue this evening to deliver the annual State of the Union address. Nothing in the Constitution says the president has to give a speech, so Biden could simply drop off his report with House Speaker Mike Johnson, make a U-turn, and head back to bed. However tempting that might be for the White House, we doubt that’ll happen. 

We preview the State of the Union in this morning’s Brew, titled “Tonight’s State of the Union to Be a High-Wire Act.”

 

Al Perrotta is managing editor of The Stream, coauthor with John Zmirak of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and coauthor of the counterterrorism memoir Hostile Intent: Protecting Yourself Against Terrorism.