Happy Monday! The Veepstakes is in its final stretch; Death penalty back on the table for 9/11 plotters; Potential Iran attack on Israel looming

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Good morning,

Team USA dominated this weekend at the Olympics, adding several more gold medals to the tally and taking the lead with the highest overall medal count.

• American sprinter Noah Lyles won the 100-meter Olympic gold (by five 1/1000ths of a second!) to earn the title of fastest man in the world. It was a photo finish.

• Team USA broke a world record to win the gold in the women’s 4×100-meter relay

• Scottie Scheffler clinched the gold after an epic comeback

• Simone Biles took home the gold in vault (her third gold medal in Paris) and celebrated with an ode to America: hot dogs

But one athlete — Stephen Nedoroscik, aka pommel horse guy — really is the gift that keeps on giving. His incredible feat in Paris is inspiring boys with his same rare eye condition to get involved in gymnastics, reminding us all that hard work and passion can overcome any of life’s setbacks.

How’s that for some Monday motivation?

Mosheh, Jill, & Courtney

PS: Don’t forget to refer friends & family to subscribe to the Mo Newsletter… you could get free Mo News merch — DETAILS at the bottom of this newsletter!

📌 HARRIS ZEROES IN ON HER NUMBER TWO

We have exactly three months until election day… but who’s counting? In two weeks Harris has reset the electoral map, Trump says he’ll debate Harris on Fox News or nowhere, and we are about to learn who will complete the (updated) Democratic ticket.

THE VEEP’S VEEP
Harris met with her six VP finalists this weekend: four governors, one senator, and one cabinet secretary. We expect to have an announcement by tomorrow afternoon, when she will appear with her running mate for the first time at a rally in Philly to kick off their battleground state tour.

Each contender offers Harris a unique way to balance out her ticket:

• Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro: He is a popular governor in a state (60%+ approval rating) that could help solidify a win in arguably the most important swing state (19 electoral votes) this election. He is charismatic and viewed as more moderate, which could be an asset for winning over Independent voters. His leadership has also been praised in his handling of a number of crises.

• Minnesota Governor Tim Walz: He chairs the Democratic Governors Association which has posted a record-breaking fundraising haul this year. Walz is a veteran, former congressman from a swing district, and a great communicator on TV.

• Arizona Senator Mark Kelly: The former astronaut and naval aviator could help drum up Democratic support in another key battleground state that saw Biden only win by 0.3% points. Kelly represents a border state, which would also give a boost to the ticket on immigration — one of Harris’ biggest vulnerabilities.

• Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear: He won an election and re-election in a red state, highlighting his ability to appeal to voters outside of his own party and within rural areas of the country.

• Illinois Governor JB Pritzker: As governor, Pritzker has signed legislation into law that includes a ban on assault weapons and has increased his state’s minimum wage. His family owns Hyatt hotels, putting his net worth at $3.5 billion—meaning his wallet could help in the home stretch.

• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg: At 42, he is the youngest of the bunch. His better-than-expected 2020 Presidential primary campaign vaulted him to a cabinet role and strong spokesperson for the party. His role in the Biden-Harris White House has exposed him to a longer public vetting process than the others, but he also risks being targeted for a slew of nationwide transportation crises, including the 2023 train derailment in Ohio.

NEW POLLING: RAZOR-THIN RACE
A CBS News poll out Sunday finds Harris holds a 1-point advantage over Trump nationwide — something Biden never had. In the swing states that could decide how the election falls, Harris and Trump are tied.

• Harris is also ahead of Trump on who is viewed as more energetic and focused — qualities Biden trailed Trump badly on. She’s also tied with Trump on perceived competence, but trails the former president on being tough and effective.

• At the same time, on two of the most important issues to voters, Trump is still leading. He maintains a significant edge on the economy and handling immigration.

DEBATE OVER THE DEBATE
Meanwhile, Trump and Harris are at odds over their first head-to-head debate.

• The Harris campaign is pushing for the original scheduled September 10th debate on ABC. Trump said this debate was “terminated” when Biden dropped out. Harris vows to be there on the 10th and take the podium regardless, saying it is interesting how Trump’s pledge to debate her “any time, any place” became “one specific time, one specific safe space.”

• The Trump campaign is instead calling for a new debate hosted by Fox News, hosted on September 4th in Pennsylvania. If she doesn’t agree to the new date and network, he says he will host a town hall that night.

📌 DEATH PENALTY BACK ON THE TABLE FOR 9/11 TERRORISTS

In a stunning about face, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has revoked a plea deal for the mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks and his accomplices. The move places the death penalty back on the table for the three terrorists.

U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY REJECTS PLEA DEAL
In a surprise memo quietly released Friday night, Austin wrote the responsibility for a decision of this magnitude “should rest with me.” His reversal came just two days after the Pentagon announced the deal, in which the three co-defendants agreed to plead guilty to all charges — including the murder of nearly 3,000 people — in exchange for avoiding the death penalty and receiving a life sentence at Guantanamo.

• That plea deal prompted fierce outrage from both sides of the political aisle, the families of 9/11 victims, and some FDNY firefighters, who all believe the death penalty was just for the worst attacks on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor.

DELAYED JUSTICE
Prosecuting the 9/11 plotters detained at Guantanamo has been delayed by more than a decade over both legal and political obstacles spanning each administration since George W. Bush. Under the now-void plea deal, they were scheduled to be sentenced in the summer of 2025. Next month will mark 23 years since the attacks.

📌 WATCHING THIS WEEK: IRAN ATTACK

NOT IF, BUT WHEN
An Iranian counterstrike on Israel could be imminent. Iran says it will strike Israel directly, with help from U.S.-designated terror group Hezbollah. Three U.S. and Israeli officials tell Axios they expect Iran to attack Israel as early as today. Others report Iran plans to attack Israel on Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning, which begins on August 12th.

• The U.S. is bolstering its forces in anticipation. Top U.S. General Michael Kurilla has landed in the Middle East as the US boosts forces. The Pentagon is also sending more warships and fighter jets.

TEMPERS FLARE
President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke via phone last week to discuss plans for their joint defense against Iran— and things reportedly got tense quick.

• Biden reportedly scolded Netanyahu, telling him to “stop bullsh*****g me” over the Prime Minister’s apparent reluctance to move forward with hostage negotiations.

• Biden allegedly raised his voice, telling the Prime Minister he has two weeks to reach a hostage deal, stating his assassination of the Hamas leader in Iran was “poorly timed” in order to achieve that.

• Patience is running thin. The Biden Administration fears it could be harder to garner the same level of international support for Israel against Iran’s attack this time around.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Hurricane Debby barrels toward Florida, with potential record-setting rains farther north (AP)

📌 Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch has stern words for Biden’s plan to overhaul high court: “Be careful.” (FOX NEWS)

📌 San Francisco takes harder line against homeless camps, defying its reputation (NY TIMES)

📌 More US schools are taking breaks for meditation (ABC)

📌 Robert F Kennedy Jr. admits to dumping dead bear in Central Park (THE WRAP)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Dozens killed in protests against Bangladesh’s Prime Minister (WSJ)

📌 Maduro lost election, tallies collected by Venezuela’s opposition show (WASHINGTON POST)

📌 Rioters attack hotels used to house asylum seekers amid worst UK disorder in years (CNN)

📌 Chinese migrants rush to find way to U.S. border before doors close (WSJ)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 How Elon Musk wants to wire the human brain (YAHOO! FINANCE)

📌 Why pharmacy chains like Walgreens and CVS are shuttering locations (CNBC)

📌 S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq end sharply lower as weak jobs report triggers recession fears. (USA TODAY)

📌 ‘The summer job is back’: Teens enter the labor force as employers dish out higher wages, perks (CNBC)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Julia Louis Dreyfus says Kamala Harris is too smart to take advice from ‘Veep’ character Selina Meyer (THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

📌 Box Office: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ scores $97 million in massive second weekend (VARIETY)

📌 South Korea just held its tenth annual ‘Do Nothing’ competition (CNN)

🗓 ON THIS DAY: AUGUST 5

• 1861: President Lincoln imposes the first federal income tax by signing the Revenue Act. Strapped for cash with which to pursue the Civil War, Lincoln and Congress agreed to impose a 3% tax on annual incomes over $800.

• 1957: “American Bandstand,” a music and dance show hosted by Dick Clark, made its national network debut, beginning a 30-year run on ABC-TV.

• 1962: South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was arrested on charges of leaving the country without a passport and inciting workers to strike, beginning 27 years of imprisonment. He become the first democratically elected president in the country.

• 1962: Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her Los Angeles home at 36-years-old; it was ruled a probable suicide from “acute barbiturate poisoning.”

• 2003: ‘The O.C.’ premiered 21 years ago on Fox.