NEWS AND OPINION:
Publishers are not overlooking politics as a way to appeal to a certain age group.
An author and an artist have rushed to write and illustrate a new children’s book, set to be released by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on Oct. 29 — just a week before election day.
The title of the 29-page book is “Kamala Raised Her Hand,” by writer Raakhee Mirchandani and artist Supriya Kelkar.
“Kamala Raised Her Hand marks the many times Harris raised her hand — to protest war and apartheid on her college campus or to advocate for women and children and marriage equality in court. The book has an ambiguous ending, given the timing of its publication, but both creators and Gentry believe that the book stands on its own regardless,” Publishers Weekly said in a written statement.
“This celebration of standing up for what you believe in is a powerful message to children everywhere that you can find your voice, and find the courage to raise your hand for what you believe in, too!” publisher Little Brown Books for Young Readers advises in advance notes for the book.
Meanwhile, presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin has also written a book for children:
“The Leadership Journey: How Four Kids Became President” follows Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson through their formative years.
The book arrives Tuesday, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
THE BUSH BUZZ
Former President George W. Bush earned some substantial press coverage after revealing he will not endorse a 2024 presidential candidate. Some headlines from the last 24 hours:
“Bush stays silent on how he will vote in 2024” (Yahoo); “Bush previously supported the campaigns of John McCain and Mitt Romney” (Fox News); “George W. Bush has no plans to endorse a 2024 presidential candidate” (Axios); “George W. Bush reveals his decision on 2024 endorsement after Dick Cheney snubbed Trump” (The Independent); “George W. Bush won’t endorse Donald Trump or Kamala Harris in 2024 election” (USA Today); and “George W. Bush won’t endorse candidate in 2024 election as his former VP Dick Cheney backs Kamala Harris” (New York Post).
SOME QUICK ADVICE
Some have advice for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump when the two debate on Tuesday. Those two sources are GOP communications consultant and debate coach Brett O’Donnell and Jim Messina, who served as campaign manager for President Obama during his 2012 re-election bid.
“What’s your one best piece of advice, Brett, for the Trump campaign?” asked Shannon Bream, host of “Fox News Sunday.”
“Keep the debate focused on policy, not about persona,” Mr. O’Donnell replied.
Ms. Bream then turned to Mr. Messina: “And, Jim, your piece of advice to the Harris team?”
The presidential image of Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump comes into play here.
“It’s all about the future. I would write the word future on my little white pad — and I would never stop putting her in the future and him in the past,” he replied, adding a prediction about Ms. Harris.
“If she does that, she will be the president of the United States,” Mr. Messina replied.
FOR THE LEXICON
“Designers for Democracy.”
This three-word phrase is part of the public outreach from the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, and it surfaced on Sunday.
“New York Fashion Week is here, and we’ve got something special to share with you! In August, we teamed up with some of the most iconic names in fashion, including Aurora James, Prabal Gurung, Sergio Hudson, Tory Burch, Ulla Johnson and more, to bring you a one-of-a-kind Team Harris-Walz merch collection,” the campaign said in an emailed message to Inside the Beltway.
“We brought together the artistry of top designers to create the Designers for Democracy collection. Adding something designer to your wardrobe not only shows you have great style, but that you are fighting for a brighter future for all Americans. But this can only happen if Kamala Harris and Tim Walz win in November. By purchasing today, you will be powering our campaign and bringing us one step closer to victory nationwide! Happy shopping, and be sure to keep an eye out for our incredible designers at New York Fashion Week!” the message advised.
The collection includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, hats, scarves and tote bags — with prices ranging from $35 to $85.
SCIENCE CORNER
When NASA’s Artemis 3 crewed mission lands on the lunar surface in 2026, our remarkable astronauts will have access to helpful technology addition in a very convenient spot.
“Artemis 3’s astronauts will wear spacesuits equipped with 4G connectivity — the same 4G that makes up the majority of Earth’s mobile phone networks today,” reports Space.com.
“The spacesuits, Axiom Space’s AxEMU models, will be able to connect to a 4G network designed by Nokia. Astronauts can use the network to perform feats like broadcasting high-definition video. On Earth, a mobile network consists of a grid of base stations — the towers that dot the 21st century’s landscape — and are equipped with a radio array. A wholesale mobile tower is obviously a bit difficult to carry to the moon, so Nokia’s design compresses all of a tower’s base station equipment into a box that can fit onto a lunar lander,” the report said.
“For the Artemis 3 mission, we will be able to reach astronauts up to 2 kilometers away from the lander,” Thierry E. Klein, president of Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research, told Space.com.
POLL DU JOUR
• 60% of registered U.S. voters say the United States is headed in the “wrong direction.”
• 20% of this group are “very optimistic” that the U.S. can get back on the right track over the next decade.
• 50% are “somewhat optimistic” that the nation can get back on the right track over the next decade.
• 11% are “somewhat pessimistic” that the nation can get back on the right track over the next decade.
• 11% are “very pessimistic” that the nation can get back on the right track over the next decade.
• 7% don’t know or refused to answer.
SOURCE: A New York Times/Siena College poll of 1,695 registered U.S. voters conducted by telephone Sept. 3-6.
• Follow Jennifer Harper on X @HarperBulletin, on Facebook @HarperUniverse.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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