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Today’s top stories

NPR Senior Political Editor/Correspondent Domenico Montanaro joins the newsletter today to analyze the DNC so far:

Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, Kamala Harris’s vice presidential candidate, took the spotlight on the third night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago — and he gave the crowd a pep talk as Democrats tried to build broad appeal. Here are six takeaways from the DNC so far:

1. Motivational speech by “Coach Walz”: In his trademark upbeat, folksy Midwestern style, he said it was the fourth quarter and Democrats needed to block and tackle.
2. The Democrats tried to appeal to independent and undecided voters: They tried to show that their values ​​are mainstream. Oprah Winfrey told the crowd that she is a registered independent and that Harris-Walz represents the “common sense” camp.
3. The third night also featured rising stars: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Maryland Governor Wes Moore are three names the country is likely to hear more about in future presidential elections.
4. This is not Joe Biden’s convention: From loud name-calling to praise for the “joy” of politics, enthusiasm has returned to the Democratic Party because Biden has resigned.
5. Michelle Obama gave the speech she could never give as First Lady: The Obamas had to toe the line to avoid offending those who wouldn’t vote for Barack Obama because he’s black. But Michelle Obama’s retirement from electoral politics gave her a measure of freedom when she attacked Trump in a speech that brought the house down.
6. Doug Emhoff supported his wife, but also showed what a modern family looks like: An interracial, interfaith marriage with stepchildren is less unusual these days than a man putting his wife forward as a presidential candidate.

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Harris will exit the DNC tonight and officially accept the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. She will also lay out her vision for the country. Harris’ short campaign has allowed her to gain momentum without saying how she would govern, which is what most candidates do. For the past four years as vice president, President Biden’s policy agenda has been hers, too. Now she has the opportunity to tackle important issues with a little more authority.

• 🎧 NPR’s Deepa Shivaram tells First There was interest and questions about what Harris’ approaches to foreign policy or criminal justice would look like. So far, she has not presented a platform as detailed as the Republicans. That is partly a matter of time, according to Doug Sosnik, adviser to former President Bill Clinton. Sosnik said the most successful candidates appeal to voters emotionally rather than intellectually – and it is more important that Harris explain to voters who she is and what values ​​she stands for. Shivaram says Harris will continue to try to do that and introduce herself to voters. She is also expected to build a contrast with Donald Trump by talking about people’s choices and freedoms, including abortion.
• ➡️ Climate and energy policy are discussed tonight at the DNC. Here are the keynote speakers.
• ➡️ Before the last night of the DNCRead the most important speeches of the third day here.

New COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be approved that could combat the latest virus strains The Food and Drug Administration can prescribe new doses of vaccines every day. The new vaccines have been reformulated to keep pace with the virus, which is constantly evolving to evade our immune systems. The Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines target the KP-2 variant. Novavax’s vaccine targets an earlier strain called JN.1. Both target strains have already been overtaken by newer variants, but there is hope the vaccines will come close enough to boost immunity and protect people during the rest of the summer surge and the surge expected this winter. Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, tells NPR the new vaccines could reduce the risk of getting COVID by 60 to 70% and reduce the risk of getting severely ill by 80 to 90%.

Deep insight

Dr. Michael Moss could not explain why an intensive care patient developed cramps after eating a chocolate bar enriched with mushrooms. Moss, a toxicologist at the University of Utah Hospital, began calling poison control centers across the country for help. He discovered that similar cases kept cropping up: patients with nausea, vomiting, agitation, seizures, loss of consciousness and other symptoms. According to the Food and Drug Administration, there are now 130 documented illnesses – including two suspected deaths – all linked to the same brand of edible mushrooms called Diamond Shruumz. The manufacturer of the edible mushrooms said it has stopped producing and distributing the products, citing “toxic levels of muscimol,” the compound found in Fly agaricthe fungus from which the food was made. However, it is not yet clear whether the fungus is responsible for the illnesses.

• 🍄 Most toxicology laboratories had no Fly agarica red-capped mushroom containing muscimol, on their radar, as they would with common street drugs.
• 🍄 The federal investigation found a synthetic version of psilocybin in the chocolate barswhich is not a controlled substance but could be considered illegal under federal law due to its similarity to psilocybin.
• 🍄 Fly agaric Mushroom is poisonousHowever, there are not many documented reports of overdoses and deaths.
• ➡️ Here is what else Our coverage surfaced and what else you should know about these edible mushrooms.

Picture show

Young tattoo artists are challenging the traditional way of running a business and inking skin. They’re working to leave a lasting mark by forming independent collectives or reviving the “stick and poke” method of etching designs with a single needle. Independent studios like these emerged during the pandemic, driving the evolution of styles and tastes, but the goal has remained the same: to create distinctive, meaningful, and lasting art.

Before departure

1. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could end his independent presidential candidacy and support former President Trumpsaid his running mate. Californian lawyer Nicole Shanahan, Kennedy’s running mate, says the campaign is considering dropping out of the race due to declining poll numbers and fundraising difficulties.
2. Utah voters will decide whether to give state lawmakers the power to revise or repeal citizen-initiated ballot initiatives. The two-thirds Republican majority in the state legislature voted to put the proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot, despite objections from some members of their own party. (via KUER)
3. Ford is abandoning its plans for fully electric SUVs and will offer hybrid versions instead. The next electric vehicles in the pipeline are currently pickup trucks and vans, which Ford CFO John Lawler sees as a competitive advantage for the company.

This newsletter was published by Obey Manuel.