To the Editor:

I agree with the writer of “ Democrats need to learn a lesson” in the July 17 issue, when he says that, during the June 27 presidential debate with Trump, President Biden looked “diminished cognitively … Who can deny what we saw?” 

To the Editor:

It is exceedingly rare for members of a former president’s cabinet or inner circle of advisers not to support their boss for reelection. It is also highly unusual for members of the military to make political comments. Here are just a few of the comments by former appointees of President Trump . 

A  bipartisan panel of election law experts is largely satisfied with the integrity of the American election system, but they’re also warning about evolving threats from artificial intelligence, foreign governments and home-grown malfeasants spreading rumors and lies about the process and the outcome of the 2024 General Election. 

Remarks given by Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, stumping for the Democratic presidential ticket during a visit to Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, took on a more poignant air due to a tragic coincidence and a surprise guest — suggesting Americans remain especially divided on a controversial issue. 

It’s a name familiar to older North Carolina voters largely due to her father’s two separate eight-year terms as the state’s governor, but Mecklenburg attorney, former House representative and current Sen. Rachel Hunt’s been building her own legacy and is poised to serve as lieutenant governor in what she hopes will be a Gov. Josh Stein administration, if they can both win. 

Editor’s note: This story is a compilation of Smoky Mountain News Politics Editor Cory Vaillancourt’s pop-up daily dispatches, “Via Chicago,” originally published online from the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago the week of Aug. 19. 

Torches were passed at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week, even more so than most people might have seen on their television screens. 

Editor’s note: “Via Chicago” is Smoky Mountain News Politics Editor Cory Vaillancourt’s pop-up daily dispatch from the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Look for a new installment each day this week, through Friday.

At his Aug. 14 rally in Asheville — billed as an opportunity to deliver remarks on the economy — former President Donald Trump didn’t have much in the way of specifics, but he may have finally found his voice on the candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris. 

To the Editor:  

You have done something rare in American politics putting the needs of the country above your own by ending your run for a second term.