Kanye West just confirmed he is definitely NOT down to be second banana in this election -- he says he wants the whole enchilada or nothing at all.
Ye's campaign just sent out a note letting voters in Cali know he's gunning for President, not Vice Prez ... and although he's a VP candidate for the American Independent Party on California ballots, he'd actually prefer folks to write him in as the main guy.
He says, "I am campaigning to be the next President of our great country -- not Vice President. The political party in California that listed my name as its VP candidate has done so without my knowledge." Ye adds a direct plea to the good people of the Golden State.
His remarks end with, "Californians, I ask for your vote for President and urge you to write in 'Kanye West.'" Kanye's request comes on the heels of what a buddy of his recently did ... namely, writing him in and snapping a photo of their ballot to prove they voted Ye.
Mail-in ballots have started to be sent out to folks here on the West Coast -- and the moment of truth is upon us ... even a few weeks before actual election day. The pic Kanye posted got tons of people riled up on Twitter this week ... who couldn't believe someone had actually cast their ballot for the rapper/producer.
Wild as it may seem, there might be a decent amount of people who end up voting for Kanye, actually. However, it's beyond a long shot for him to play spoiler to Biden in Cali, a solid blue state ... whose 55 electoral college votes are a lock for Biden/Harris.
Donald Trump went back to the scene of the crime -- AKA a public event at The White House -- to host Black and brown people ... while he's still recovering from COVID-19.
Our COVID-riddled POTUS threw a campaign event Saturday along the South Lawn of the White House, which was meant to cater to supporters of his who are POC ... a group that, statistically speaking, has been unequally infected by the virus -- and often worse.
Trump came out to a terrace-like area with a waiting podium to address the crowd that had formed below -- almost like Mussolini from the balcony ... it seriously had that type of vibe.
Anyway, his remarks were brief -- but it was definitely in the spirit of a traditional Trump rally ... which was an odd scene, considering Trump is usually pretty polished whenever he does White House gigs. Here, it was about as unhinged and off-the-cuff as he might get at a stadium somewhere, except the backdrop of the White House was front and center.
Trump rambled about how his administration had done more for Black and Latino people in this country than probably any president in history -- stuff we've heard him say before -- and he also threw some lines out jabbing at Joe Biden and the "socialist" Democrats. He told his audience -- which were decked out in light blue shirts and red hats -- that they needed to vote the other party to oblivion come Election Day ... which drew cheers from everyone.
He also said he felt great health-wise, and again referred to COVID as the "China virus." Trump went on to promise to eradicate coronavirus all over the world once a vaccine was developed here at home ... something he assured them was right around the corner.
While it's unclear exactly how many people were in attendance -- it's fair to say it was around a few hundred or so. Almost similar to the Amy Coney Barrett event which became a super-spreader event 2 weeks ago to the day. The White House is now riddled with 'rona.
Frankly, today's event was reckless ... even if Trump was far enough from the crowd. No one will be tested, there will be no mandatory mask-wearing and, based on history, there's not likely to be social distancing. Trump did call this a "protest" ... but it's one that could potentially leave people sick or dead -- the White House is a hazard area these days.
The event was organized by ultra-conservative Candace Owens, who launched a "Blexit" campaign urging Black voters to leave the Dems. The theme -- "Remarks to Peaceful Protesters for Law & Order."
Trump will speak from the Truman Balcony. It's unclear if he'll have a face-to-face reception before or after, like he did with the Amy Coney Barrett event.
Although Trump says he feels "perfect" ... there are lots of deep concerns. He clearly still has a cough -- you could hear it when he spoke with Hannity -- and no one at the White House will say if Trump's still testing positive for the virus. He's also on steroids, which mask symptoms.
Trump is doing everything most doctors say a COVID-positive patient should not be doing. He is not self-isolating, he is exposing himself to an untold number of staff, he is not wearing a mask, he is not resting.
In fairness ... the White House has "instructed" guests to wear masks, but ultimately it seems like it's optional, because the invite goes on to say attendees are "strongly encouraged" to follow CDC guidelines ... including wearing masks and socially distancing. They won't be tested ... just temperature checked.
Although the number of guests are expected to be in the hundreds, 2,000 invitations went out.
Trump will be hitting the road ... making various campaign stops in battleground states.
Donald Trump says he feels great and he received special treatment at Walter Reed Hospital ... as he put it -- "It's good to be President."
The President was interviewed on Fox News Channel by Dr. Marc Siegel, a Fox News contributor who is not part of Trump's medical team.
Trump said he went to the hospital last Friday because he didn't feel strong. He said he didn't have a problem breathing, but failed to mention he got supplemental oxygen twice and had a fever. His own Chief of Staff said Trump's condition was "very concerning."
Trump says he's not taking meds now, but credits what he says is his bounce-back to an experimental drug he got in the hospital ... a drug he says will somehow be available to everyone for free.
FOX News
He says he listened to his doctors, so incredibly, that seems to suggest the doctors thought it was ok for him to take a drive with 2 members of the Secret Service in a sealed SUV. Trump said he felt it was his obligation to take the ride to see his supporters who hung around for 3 days.
And, wow ... Trump says one thing he learned is that COVID is highly contagious. He didn't know that until now?
Trump did say he got a CT scan to test his lungs. All he said was that there was a little congestion.
Dr. Siegel did not ask if there was lung damage, he did not ask when the last time was that Trump tested negative, he did not ask Trump about coming back to The White House and gasping for air after climbing a flight of stairs, and he did not challenge Trump when he said he didn't have trouble breathing the day he went to Walter Reed. He also didn't ask if Trump is still COVID positive -- HIGHLY RELEVANT because he's hosting an event at The White House Saturday as well as attending campaign rallies.
President Trump will not square off -- face-to-face, anyway -- as the second debate has been canceled, which could be a win for your eyes and ears ... if it was gonna be anything like the first one.
The Commission on Presidential Debates pulled the plug Friday on the showdown scheduled for Oct. 15 ... after the President complained about the new virtual format, and said he wouldn't go. Of course, the CPD moved to a virtual debate due to Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis.
His reaction to the change was, "I'm not gonna waste my time on a virtual debate. That's not what debating's all about."
Fox News
POTUS was also ticked off about possibly getting muted by the moderator ... a feature the CPD said it was considering in light of the constant interruptions and name-calling at the first debate.
For what it's worth, Biden's team initially agreed to the new safety protocols but after Trump dug in his heels ... Biden also pulled out. Instead, his team says he'll hold a town hall in Philly, moderated by ABC's George Stephanopoulos.
Remember ... the second debate had been in doubt since Trump was diagnosed with coronavirus ... along with more than a dozen White House staffers. As of right now ... a third and final debate's slated for October 22 ... just 12 days before the election.
"I'm honest, I've never voted in my life. This is my first time voting."
That's Shaquille O'Nealdropping a Shaq-sized bombshell -- confessing he's NEVER voted in an election!
... UNTIL NOW!!
"I've never voted before, America," Shaq said this week on Wednesday on The Big Podcast... "But, now I'm doing all these voting campaigns and ya know one thing I never like to do, is be a hypocrite."
Yep, the 48-year-old NBA legend says he felt weird pushing voting initiatives like his #MyStartingFive challenge -- which helps people register to vote for Election Day 2020 -- while sitting on the sidelines.
So, he decided to actually vote this year -- by absentee ballot!
"In other words America, I voted for the first time and it feels good."
Shaq's co-hosts were in complete shock -- especially after Shaq was virtually sitting next to his buddy President Barack Obama, at Game 1 of the NBA Finals -- who obviously didn't get Shaq's vote back in the day!
Election Day is Nov. 3 -- make sure you get out there!!!
Kanye West is in the home stretch of his Presidential campaign, and he's laser-focused ... on making money off a pricey line of 2020 Vision merch.
Ye unveiled a collection that included $60 hats and $160 hoodies Wednesday night while the legit VP candidates were debating. The items included messages like, "Vote Kanye" and "God Save America."
Among other things, Kanye says he wants to restore prayer in classrooms, reduce household and student loan debt, work on equality in the criminal justice system and take care of the environment.
He does not go into detail about how he'd accomplish those goals ... but that's typical for politicians.
What's odd is the guy who claims he's really running for President hasn't made a single public campaign appearance since South Carolina back in July, when he cried while talking about abortion.
On the other hand, Kanye introduced a section on his website for supporters to donate in margins of as little as $20 to the maximum of $2800.
Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris seemed to avoid answering nearly every question during their debate, but one of 'em couldn't dodge a fly ... for an uncomfortably long time.
Much of the buzz about the debate is focused on what looks like a common housefly that set up shop on the head of President Trump's Veep. While Harris and Pence danced around direct responses to moderator Susan Page's questions about COVID, the Supreme Court and the election ... the fly would not be deterred.
It landed on Pence's head during one of his remarks about systemic racism and police reform ... and remained there quietly, not moving an inch, even after he stopped talking. Talk about patience -- the fly even hung out during much of Harris' rebuttal, before taking off. Total photobomb time? 2 minutes!!!
As you'd imagine ... the little bugger is trending on social media -- and even Joe Biden couldn't help but fire off a Twitter jab.
Not exactly what the American people were tuning in for, especially after last week's disastrous debate between Trump and Biden.
No word if the fly is registered to vote. We've got a call in to Jeff Goldblum.
On a more serious note, Pence's left eye also caught the eye of many debate viewers, because it at least looked like a case of conjunctivitis ... aka pink eye.
Pink eye is a possible symptom of COVID-19, but pretty rarely ... according to doctors and scientists. Still, with more than a dozen people around the President already testing positive for the coronavirus ... the bloodshot eye made people wonder.
The White House says Pence's test results have been negative since the outbreak, and that includes one he took Wednesday in Salt Lake City ahead of the debate.
6:00 PM PT -- Crede Bailey, a top White House security official, is gravely ill with the virus and has been hospitalized since last month, according to a report from Bloomberg News.
President Trump says his COVID diagnosis was a blessing from God in disguise ... and he wants the American people to get the same treatment he did -- for free.
Trump just released another video update on his health, and he says he's feeling great after getting treated with Regeneron. Trump promised to give the therapeutic to Americans who come down with COVID, and it's all gonna be free.
Ok ... lots of issues. First, Trump was speaking at The White House with NO MASK, despite the fact he has COVID, is contagious, and a hundred people who work in the residence quarters may be compromised.
What's even more ridiculous ... Trump says he's the one who decided he should take Regeneron. So, with all the doctors at Walter Reed, Trump decided he knows best so he's self-medicating.
And, there's this ... people with COVID can take a dramatically bad turn 5 to 7 days in, even if they feel good. In other words, he's not out of the woods. And, he's on steroids, which mask the symptoms.
Watch the video ... one minute in, you see Trump, and as he says "A short 24 hours later," spittle shoots out of his mouth. We point this out to show the dangers of the President being around people while he's still recovering from the virus.
BTW ... Trump's medical treatment for COVID would have cost more than $100,000 in our health care system, according to The New York Times.
Trump claims there are huge amounts of Regeneron just waiting to get sent to hospitals all over the country. He's also strangely calling it a cure and saying there are vaccines right around the corner.
If nudity and democracy don't seem like 2 things that go hand in hand -- welcome to 2020, where celebs are seamlessly pairing booties and ballots.
A bunch of A-listers stripped down to their birthday suits to warn voters this year about "naked" ballots -- that's when your voter card isn't properly filled out or placed in the right number of envelopes (in certain states). Those don't get counted, and that's no bueno.
To avoid that ... folks like Sarah Silverman, Mark Ruffalo, Chelsea Handler, Naomi Campbell, Josh Gad, Chris Rock and others disrobed to emphasize the point. They might be naked, but that doesn't mean your absentee ballot has to follow (birthday)suit.
The PSA was put together by an org called RepresentUs, and their whole purpose seems to be spreading awareness about voting from home this election cycle -- something that's been hotly debated, and incorrectly described as corrupt by the Trump administration.
You can check out what the stars have to say about mail-in ballots yourself -- but the gist is ... follow directions, and make sure you know your state's protocol for mailing in your vote.
Oh, and most important -- get your paperwork in the system early and often, otherwise, it might not be counted.
Americans should absolutely be concerned the man with our nuclear codes is on steroids, because the reality is President Trump's judgment could be impaired ... according to Dr. Robert Wachter.
Dr. Wachter, considered the father of the hospitalist field, joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and told us older COVID patients sick enough to be hospitalized have a decent chance of experiencing cognitive problems.
He added ... coupling that with steroids increases the odds POTUS might not be thinking straight.
Dr. Wachter, who's the chair of UC San Francisco's Dept. of Medicine, says Trump could be experiencing euphoria or sometimes even mania due to the steroids ... which might explain some of the President's recent tweetstorms. Let's be honest, its hard to tell.
Just to give you an idea how impairing steroids can be ... Dr. Wachter says the FAA wouldn't allow the Prez to fly a plane -- if he were a pilot -- due to his steroid dosage.
The hard part for President Trump's doctors has everything to do with the patient himself ... and this good doc told us what they're up against.
Frickin' raccoons, man ... they're feisty little beasts -- especially the ones in DC -- as CNN reporter Joe Johns learned while trying to report on President Trump's schedule.
The hilarious moment of levity went down early Wednesday morning on one of the White House lawns as a pesky raccoon interrupted Joe setting up for a live shot.
Joe stood his ground and yelled, "Get!!! AHHHHHH!!!!" ... trying to scare off the furry photobomber. He even threw a large object in its direction, but the raccoon kept coming.
JJ inched closer to losing his cool, and had some harsh words ... but we'll give him credit for not cursing while wearing a hot mic.
Apparently, this is an ongoing problem at 1600 Pennsylvania -- Joe later tweeted it's the second time in 2 weeks a raccoon's shown up during his morning show shift. He also dropped an important fact ... "No animals were harmed. I threw something to scare it off."
The coronavirus outbreak in the White House continues to spread -- Stephen Miller, one of President Trump's most trusted advisers, is the latest to contract the disease.
Trump's senior aide reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday ... less than a week after he was seen hopping onto Marine One alongside Hope Hicks, who got her positive test result on Friday.
That was the first of what is now well over a dozen people, including the President, to be infected.
Miller -- Trump's top speechwriter and policy adviser -- has reportedly been working remotely for the last 5 days and tested negative every day through Monday before today's test came back positive ... according to NBC News.
This is not the first time the virus has hit home for Miller. Just last May, his wife -- Katie Miller -- also tested positive. She's VP Mike Pence's communications director.
A number of White House correspondents also caught the 'rona ... resulting in the press briefing room getting sanitized to help stem the spread of the virus.
Melania Trump referred to her husband's alleged mistress, Stormy Daniels, as "the porn hooker" ... while talking to a friend, who was secretly recording her for a book.
The First Lady's former BFF and adviser, Stephanie Wolkoff, just released the audio, recorded in 2018, and you hear Melania going off about the fact Stormy was getting A-list treatment with a Vogue cover story. The September 2018 issue was a big deal at the time of this recording because it's when the Stormy hush-money scandal was making headlines
Anyway, Melania says ... "Go Google and read it, Annie Leibovitz shot the porn hooker, and she will be in one of the issues" Wolkoff responded with confusion about the term "porn hooker," forcing Melania to say Stormy's name.
The recording, which Wolkoff reveled on Michael Cohen's 'Mea Culpa' podcast, shows Melania had the exact kinda disdain you'd expect her to have for Stormy.
CNN
This is just the latest embarrassing convo Melania was recorded having with Wolkoff -- who's been slowly releasing the audio clips to pimp out her own tell-all book about her relationship with Mrs. Trump.
Prior to this, she dropped a clip of Melania shrugging off the immigrant children in cages controversy, and getting pissed about having to deal with White House Christmas decorations.
It's cleanup on EVERY aisle inside the White House press room these days with staffers in full HAZMAT gear to deal with the coronavirus hot spot.
Workers armed with sanitizing guns sprayed the bejeezus out of the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room Monday ... as President Trumpwas returning home ... to defiantly take his mask off right away, despite still being contagious.
Anyway, the press room ... talk about the hot zone! As you know, the President, his Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, 2 of her aides and 3 members of the press corps have recently tested positive for COVID-19.
The outbreak follows the Supreme Court nomination event for Amy Coney Barrett in the Rose Garden. Nearly a dozen people there ended up with COVID, like Trump ... who was hospitalized at Walter Reed.
Still, POTUS continues to downplay the gravity of the pandemic and suggest Americans live with it like it's the flu ... despite the fact it's resulted in tens of thousands more deaths, and Trump still appears to be having trouble breathing after 3 full days of the best medical care in the country.
Even though the President continues to be reckless, the good news is the WH staff seems to be taking the situation much more seriously now ... just look at how workers were sanitizing back in March!!!
President Trump is having trouble breathing ... and he's trying like hell not to show it.
Check out this video of Trump climbing a set of stairs at the White House after being discharged from Walter Reed Medical Center. Look closely -- Trump appears to be gasping for air after reaching the top and shedding his face mask.
While Trump says he's feeling better than he has in 20 years after getting pumped full of drugs at Walter Reed to combat COVID-19, the video tells an entirely different story.
Remember ... we now know Trump received supplemental oxygen at least twice over the past 3 days, and Dr. Sean Conley refused to answer questions about lung damage and other potential complications, strangely invoking HIPAA.
Trump's wondering if he's already immune from the virus too ... but it seems he's not out of the woods yet.
Kanye West isn't a top choice on the Presidential ticket in Cali -- but the reason he's been tapped to be VP to someone else is all about an attempt to screw Joe Biden.
You mighta heard Kanye will be a Vice Presidential candidate in the Golden State, the running mate alongside a guy named Rocky De La Fuente ... who's running for Prez from the American Independent Party. The AIP admits choosing Ye as Veep was an anti-Dems strategy.
Markham Robinson -- Vice Chairman of the AIP -- tells TMZ party leaders nominated Kanye to be on the ticket with De La Fuente at their state convention in late August ... and no, they did NOT run it by KW or RDLF for that matter. That's just how the AIP does it.
Anyway, Robinson says Kanye was right up their alley as far as political views -- but also, they thought he was perfect to help siphon votes from CA Dems, plus "Never Trump" Republicans. There's more of the former in California, so this move clearly has Biden in mind.
If you're wondering how De La Fuente feels about all this ... he's not all that happy about the process of choosing Ye, but accepts the way it worked out in the end and wants to make of the most of it at the polls. He tells us Ye's popular with voters in the 18-25 demographic, and even though he acknowledges he won't win CA ... he's hoping for a strong third place.
Here's the fatal flaw in the plan ... California is a winner-take-all state when it comes to Electoral College votes. The winner gets all 55 votes, and there's no chance Trump's gonna win in the Golden State. So putting Ye on the ballot won't affect anything.
Between De La Fuente and Kanye each running in several other states as the top-dog candidate -- it'll be interesting to see how their combined forces play on the West Coast.
