February 27, 2024 - 7:00pm

→ It’s immigration, stupid

Unlike the heady days of the Bill Clinton era, the economy is no longer the overriding concern for most Americans. Now it’s immigration, stupid. Today, a new Gallup poll has found that immigration is, according to 28% of Americans, the most important problem, up eight percentage points in just the last month.

 With Joe Biden and Donald Trump due to visit different parts of the border on Thursday, both men are clearly aware of the political capital to be won (or lost) on the issue. While (we hope) there will be no tears on their visit a la AOC, there is certainly enough to make the incumbent president despondent: a separate question in the Gallup survey found a record-high 55% of Americans, up eight points from last year, said that “large numbers of immigrants entering the United States illegally” is a critical threat to US vital interests. The prior high was 50% in 2004. Matt Yglesias’ dream of one billion Americans may be coming true sooner rather than later…

→ Mate, mate, Andrew Tate

He might be flip-flopping on Gaza, but at least Keir Starmer is taking a no-nonsense line to one of the biggest issues of the day. As part of a push to combat the negative impact of people like Andrew Tate, Labour wants to “develop role models” who could provide a “power counterbalance” to the manosphere influencer, the shadow education secretary has said.

Labour announced plans today to help schools develop young male mentors and to teach pupils how to question the material they see on social media from people like Tate. Under the proposals, the party would send “regional improvement teams” into schools to train staff. Another victory for the ‘mate, mate State’.

→ Sleepy Joe fluffs his lines

 Gone are the days when Joe Biden could campaign from inside his basement for months on end under the pretence of Covid safety. Now, the octogenarian is taking to the campaign trail with all the gusto of what you’d expect from an 81-year-old. Last night, the President appeared on Seth Meyer’s Late Night to talk about his rival, saying that “he’s as old as I am” (actually the difference is four years, but close enough), “but can’t remember his wife’s name”.

Unfortunately, stringing together more than six sentences in a row proved too difficult for the President, who lost his train of thought shortly after. Can anyone make sense of these remarks? “They told us we couldn’t get ’em done ’cause things were so divided and, but I think everything’s everything we’ve gotten done. He’s just a friendly state he wants to do away with, he gets elected and I really think his views on where to take America are older than… anyway.” …What?