Fox News 2024-07-13 12:08:01


Renowned Democratic strategist warns party they’re falling into a trap

James Carville, a veteran Democratic campaign strategist, warned Friday that sticking with President Biden is exactly what former President Trump wants.

MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell noted that Carville seeks to have former presidents Obama and Clinton moderate town halls to discern who can replace Biden as the nominee. The host then asked, “Is that the recipe for chaos?”

“You know, it might be chaos. [But] I tell you, what we are doing right now, we’re doing exactly what Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago wants us to do,” Carville said, referencing a report that the Trump campaign wants to face Biden.

“If the Democratic Party is hellbent on pleasing Donald Trump, then go ahead and [run Biden]. It’s just that simple,” he said.

Carville then slammed “Washington-types” he says quibble with the details about his idea for town halls to find a new candidate, “Well, I don’t care, do something! Don’t just stand there!” 

“The details are, we are on track to lose an election to a major criminal who is going to destroy the western alliance, the constitution and everything in between. So we ought to act like it,” he argued.

JAMES CARVILLE CALLS ON BIDEN TO STEP DOWN AFTER ‘EVERYONE SAW WHAT THEY SAW’ AT DEBATE

Mitchell followed by asking what he thinks Democratic Party elites like “Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer maybe, Hakeem Jeffries” are up to.

“I think they’re mortified,” Carville replied. “I think they want to make a change. I think they see the path that we’re on.”

Carville reiterated his earlier point, slamming the Democratic Party establishment for sticking with what he says is a losing tactic that benefits Trump, merely because new plans to find a more viable candidate “don’t have the details flushed out yet.”

“Think about it. You know exactly what Donald Trump wants us to do. You know precisely what Steve Bannon wants us to do, and we’re hellbent on pleasing them,” he said. “I think it’s a big mistake. I thought it was. I still do. I’m highly unlikely to change my mind because of some namby-pamby technical reasons about how you put a town hall together.”

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Carville concluded that one major concern for Democrats is that “the donor class is shutting down. I know these people. Not only are they shutting down contributions to the Biden campaign, they are shutting down contributions to the Senate committee, to the House committee.”

He concluded, “Unlike me, all I can do is shut my mouth. That would make a lot of people happy. But they shut their wallet and they will make a lot of people unhappy, and that’s going on, a very underappreciated story, and it goes beyond just the top of the ticket.”

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Elon Musk reportedly donates to presidential candidate’s PAC in apparent reversal of stance

Elon Musk has reportedly donated to America PAC, a super political action committee working to elect former President Trump. 

Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the donations, said that the SpaceX and Tesla CEO donated an undisclosed amount of money to the pro-Trump PAC.

The PAC is next required to disclose its list of donors on July 17, the outlet noted.

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Musk has not publicly endorsed a candidate for the 2024 race, but has increasingly weighed in on politics on X.

In the months leading up to the election, Musk scorched President Biden on X for his immigration policies and unambiguously sided with conservatives.

In September, he visited the U.S.-Mexico border at Eagle Pass, Texas, declaring the “situation is beyond insane and growing fast.” 

He has also criticized the Biden administration following the brutal killing of Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley in Athens, Georgia by an illegal migrant.

ELON MUSK WINS DISMISSAL OF $500M SEVERANCE SUIT FILED BY FIRED TWITTER WORKERS

“Dems won’t deport, because every illegal is a highly likely vote at some point,” Musk wrote.

“That simple incentive explains what seems to be insane behavior.”

“It has become so brazen that a gang of illegals can beat up police officers on camera in Times Square, get out of jail for free and *still* not get deported!”

He previously said that he was not planning on donating to a campaign in a post on X in March.

“Just to be super clear, I am not donating money to either candidate for US President,” he wrote.

Musk’s reported donation comes as Make America Great Again Inc., a top super PAC, says it raked in $104 million during the April-June second quarter of 2024 fundraising for Trump’s campaign.

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Trump’s campaign previously showcased that it and the Republican National Committee hauled in a staggering $331 million in the past three months, topping the massive $264 million raked in by President Biden’s reelection campaign and the Democratic National Committee during the second quarter.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment.

Judge tosses Alec Baldwin’s criminal case amid trial in stunning victory for actor

SANTE FE, N.M. – A Santa Fe judge Friday dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin for the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust” after ruling that the prosecution concealed evidence from his legal team.

Baldwin cupped his face in his hands and wept as Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning the charge cannot be brought against the actor again.

“The state’s willful withholding of this information was intentional and deliberate,” Sommer said. “If this conduct does not rise to the level of bad faith, it certainly comes so near to bad faith as to show signs of scorching prejudice.”

The judge added: “There is no way for the court to right this wrong.”

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After the judge’s ruling, prosecutor Kari Morrissey spoke with the media outside the courthouse. 

“I’m disappointed because I believe that the importance of the evidence was misconstrued by the defense attorneys, but I have to respect the court’s decision,” Morrissey said. 

ALEC BALDWIN “RUST” TRIAL LIVE UPDATES

WATCH: SPECIAL PROSECUTOR SPEAKS TO PRESS FOLLOWING DISMISSAL OF ‘RUST’ CASE

Baldwin’s brother Stephen was in court every day of the trial showing his support. After Baldwin’s major win in court, Stephen had one thing to say when asked for comment by Fox News Digital. 

“I got one word,” Stephen said as he got into a car, “scorching. Scorching.”

WATCH: STEPHEN BALDWIN REACTS TO BROTHER ALEC’S CASE BEING DISMISSED

The third full day of the trial in the First Judicial District Court opened with defense attorney Luke Nikas accusing the state of withholding evidence that prop distributor Seth Kenney was the source of the live ammunition.

The move prompted the Santa Fe judge to send the jury home so she could hold an 11th hour hearing, which led to lead prosecutor Kari Morrissey calling herself as a witness.

Morrissey emphasized on the stand that she never believed that the evidence in question, which came from ex-Arizona police officer Troy Teske, was exculpatory because the ammunition turned over to law enforcement never left the state of Arizona before the fatal shooting on the “Rust” set.

“I decided not to take any steps to collect this ammunition because it was in Arizona, had never come to New Mexico and didn’t match the live rounds on the set of ‘Rust,'” Morrissey testified. 

The defense team argued investigators and prosecutors concealed evidence related to the source of ammunition linked to the accidental shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust” in 2021.

Armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed was convicted of loading a live round into a revolver, which Baldwin fired, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

During her trial on March 6, Teske, who is also a family friend of Gutierrez Reed’s father, walked into the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office and delivered a collection of rounds to crime scene technician Marissa Poppell.

He said the rounds came from Kenney and matched the bullet that killed Hutchins. 

Poppell admitted Friday at the hearing that she didn’t inventory the evidence from Teske under the “Rust” case, but instead under a different case number. The defense also didn’t receive a supplemental report on the new evidence.

WATCH: ALEC BALDWIN RETURNS TO HOTEL AFTER JUDGE DISMISSED ‘RUST’ SHOOTING CASE

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Corporal Alexendria Hancock, the lead investigator on the case admitted this decision was made in consultation with prosecutors and her supervisors. 

“Okay. So you, you all had discussions about what to do with what he dropped off?” asked Judge Sommer.

“Yes,” she replied.

“And you all agreed to put it in the separate file?” the judge pressed. “Yes,” she answered. The evidence was also not stored with the other evidence for the case, she said.

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Defense attorneys appeared to have learned about the ammunition Teske turned over from body camera footage that captured him walking into the sheriff’s office. At the time, he told Poppell that he had critical evidence and offered to give a statement. 

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Morrissey told the court earlier in the day that the first time she saw the supplemental report, which was allegedly withheld from the defense, was that morning.

The stunning blow to the prosecution team, which had been working on the case for more than three years, arrived after the state had called only seven witnesses. 

Lawmakers warn EPA of potential ‘catastrophic’ fallout from new rules

FIRST ON FOX: Twenty-six House lawmakers penned a letter to Environmental Protection Agency chief Michael Regan warning him and the agency against implementing their “Clean Power Plan 2.0.”

Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa., led the letter to the administrator, predicting rules outlined in the plan will endanger electrical grid reliability for 65 million Americans from New Jersey to North Carolina.

Smucker, whose Lancaster district is home to hydroelectric stations on the Susquehanna River, said new EPA rules target coal and gas plants and requested Regan provide evidence the restrictions won’t endanger the electric grid.

The rules set limits on carbon output and differ from an Obama-era rule that instead relied on state-based targets, according to Politico. All coal plants in the U.S. are subject to the regulation, and any plants still around by 2040 would have to curb emissions nearly 90% or enable carbon-capture technology, according to the analysis.

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The letter said most of the affected area falls under the PJM, which coordinates the grid among many Atlantic coast states via 88,000 miles of transmission lines.

The lawmakers cited increases in electricity usage due to artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and manufacturing projects, predicting the growth demand for power will soon double.

“The forced closure of existing electric generation, coupled with a rushed transition to renewable energy sources without having the solutions in place to guarantee a reliable stream of uninterrupted power onto a grid already suffering from an interconnection backlog, will lead to both the rationing of electric power and an increase in electric costs for consumers,” the lawmakers warned.

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“We strongly urge you to reconsider these rules given their catastrophic impact on the PJM Interconnection service area.”

One Democratic lawmaker also criticized the new EPA plans in prior comments.

Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., suggested EPA regulators’ goal is to “stop the use of fossil fuels to produce reliable energy in the U.S. by forcing the premature closure of coal plants and blocking new natural gas plants.”

Manchin’s fellow Mountaineer, Rep. Alex X. Mooney, R-W.Va., signed Smucker’s letter Thursday and attributed the new rules to the president’s “dangerous agenda.”

“The liberal extremist Biden administration has made it their mission to put hardworking West Virginia coal miners out of work, which will result in higher energy prices and grid unreliability,” Mooney said Friday.

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., also joined Smucker’s demand for answers, saying the EPA is implementing a radical list of costly regulations, citing the fact that more than two-thirds of the nation’s electricity is a derivative of coal.

Comer said the rules put the U.S. at risk of rolling blackouts and instability at a time when people are already facing elevated energy costs.

“I am proud to join my colleagues in demanding answers from EPA Administrator Michael Regan to ensure Kentuckians and Americans across the country have access to reliable and affordable energy,” said Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee.

The letter calls for Regan to respond by August whether the White House or EPA consulted with PJM, energy groups or other grid operators before enacting the plan.

Among the list of demands, the signatories asked the agency to note whether it also sought other stakeholder feedback from agricultural, manufacturing or technology interests that rely on a safe and substantive electric grid.

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They also asked whether the Biden administration thought rule changes that push the U.S. away from reliable coal and gas might affect its plans for “national electrification of the transportation and home heating sectors.”

In exclusive comments later Friday, Smucker elaborated on the purpose of his letter, remarking “energy security is national security.”

“We know that the Biden administration’s plan has already been criticized by PJM, who clearly said that ‘demand cannot be met simply through renewables.’ Yet, the administration is moving ahead with these overreaching regulations,” he said.

Reached for comment, a spokeswoman for PJM provided Fox News Digital with a previous press release that commented on the importance of EPA rulemaking taking into account reliability needs of relevant electric grids.

The EPA acknowledged but ultimately did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

Harrison Butker responds after women’s tennis legend takes shot at him in viral moment

Serena Williams said women “don’t need” Harrison Butker to celebrate women’s sports.

The tennis legend made the comment Thursday night at the ESPY Awards alongside her sister Venus Williams and actress Quinta Brunson.

The Kansas City Chiefs kicker drew criticism when he delivered a commencement speech at Benedictine College that included encouraging female graduates to embrace being a “homemaker.” 

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“You can enjoy women’s sports, just like any other sport, because they are sports,” Venus said.

Serena gave her response about Butker while barely able to control her laughter.

Butker, who was in attendance, released a statement saying Williams was a “great host” but didn’t use the “opportunity” for good.

“I thought Mrs. Williams was a great host and applaud her for using her platform to express her beliefs on a variety of topics,” Butker told NBC Sports. “Sports are supposed to be the great unifier. And at an event dedicated to celebrating a diverse group of men and women who have accomplished great feats, she used it as an opportunity to disinvite those with whom she disagrees with from supporting fellow athletes.”

Williams’ jab got a positive reaction from the crowd and went viral.

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Butker remained unapologetic for his speech when he made another public appearance a couple of weeks later, saying it was “not people, but Jesus Christ who I’m trying to please.”

Butker’s jersey sales have since skyrocketed on NFL Shop, and many in the media remain split about the speech.

Kim Kardashian, Nick Jonas lead star-studded guest list at reported $600M wedding

Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, John Cena, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra were among the celebrities on the star-studded guest list for the extravagant wedding of the youngest son of Asia’s richest man, Indian billionaire Mukash Ambani.

Adele, Drake, Lana Del Rey and David Beckham and former British prime ministers Boris Johnson and Tony Blair will also be in attendance for the nuptials of Anant Ambani and his bride, Radhika Merchant, according to local news outlets via The Associated Press. 

The four-day wedding festivities in Mumbai, India, will kick off with a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony Friday, followed by a grand reception that will run through the weekend.

The Kardashian sisters wore traditional Indian outfits in photos and videos that Kim, 43, shared on her Instagram story Friday.

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Kim wore a crimson lehenga adorned with glittering beads and sequins. The lehenga featured a cropped top with tassels and off-the-shoulder straps, a floor-length skirt and a draping shawl-like scarf known as a dupatta. The SKIMS founder accessorized with two diamond necklaces, a diamond maang tikka and a diamond hand chain bracelet.

The color of Kim’s wedding attire could be seen as breaking Hindu wedding etiquette, since red is typically worn by the bride, according to People magazine. 

Khloé wore a gold and white lehenga with long, off-the-shoulder sleeves and a matching dupatta. She completed her look with a layered gold choker necklace and a white and gold maang tikka.

Kim shared videos in which she was seen prepping for the evening and showing off her ensemble as she walked down a set of marble stairs. She also uploaded videos of herself and her sister as they posed with wedding guests. 

“Had to screen grab our video bc we’re just so happy to be lucky enough to travel the world together!” Kim wrote on an image of herself with Khloé. 

“And duh were filming The Kardashians too so you guys can see Kim and Khloe Take India,” she added with an Indian flag emoji.

Other celebrity guests joined the Kardashians in traditional Indian attire for the celebration. Chopra was pictured in a marigold yellow beaded lehenga set that featured a cropped top with dangling beads, a floor-length skirt with wide pleats and an embellished light orange dupatta. Jonas opted for a pale pink sherwani set consisting of a knee-length fitted overcoat with matching silk pants. 

Cena wore a light blue sherwani with silver embroidery on the shoulders, flowing white pants and brown shoes. The WWE star smiled widely and flashed a peace symbol as he posed for the cameras.

This weekend’s celebrations are taking place at the Ambani-owned Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai and the Ambani family home and are the culmination of months of wedding events that featured performances by pop stars, including Rihanna and Justin Bieber.

The wedding extravaganza is estimated to cost over $600 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The father of the groom, Mukesh, 66, is the world’s ninth-richest man with a net worth of $116 billion, according to Forbes. Mukesh’s Reliance Industries is a massive conglomerate, reporting over $100 billion in annual revenue, with interests ranging from petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecoms and retail.

Ambani’s son, Anant, oversees the conglomerate’s renewable and green energy expansion. He also runs a 3,000-acre (about 1,200-hectare) animal rescue center in Gujarat state’s Jamnagar, the family’s hometown.

The bride, Radhika Merchant, 29, is the daughter of pharmaceutical tycoon Viren Merchant and is the marketing director for his company, Encore Healthcare, according to Vogue.

Leading up to the wedding weekend, the Ambani family hosted a series of star-studded celebrations. 

In March, they threw a three-day prenuptial bash for Anant with 1,200 guests, including former world leaders, tech tycoons and Bollywood megastars and performances by Rihanna, Akon and Diljit Dosanjh, a Punjabi singer who shot to international fame when he performed at Coachella. The event was also attended by tech billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates.

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In May, the family took guests on a three-day cruise from Italy to France, which included Katy Perry singing her hit song “Firework” and a performance by Pitbull, according to reports.

Last week, Bieber performed for hundreds of guests at a pre-wedding concert that included performances by Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh and Salman Khan.

The “Baby” singer shared photos and videos on his social media from the weekend, including the crowd singing along to his hits “Love Yourself,” “Where Are Ü Now,” as well as DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One,”

He also posted several photos with Ambani and Merchant.

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According to Entertainment Tonight, Bieber is believed to have been paid $10 million for his performance at the Sangeet, a traditional ceremony where the bride and groom’s families perform dances for their guests. 

Sharon Stone, 66, recreates ‘Basic Instinct’ scene in lingerie and heels

Sharon Stone is channeling her inner “Basic Instinct” character, Catherine Tramell. 

On Thursday, the famed actress — who rose to fame in the 1990s with breakthrough roles in “Basic Instinct” and “Casino” — posted a photo of herself recreating an iconic scene from the Paul Verhoeven-directed hit film.

In the photo posted to Instagram, Stone wore a red, laced lingerie ensemble and crossed her legs while sitting in a luxurious white and gold chair. Paired with strappy blue heels and a chunky white-pearled necklace, Stone gazed into the camera lens with a slight smirk. 

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“BASICALLY ….YOURS,” she captioned the post. 

The post resembles the iconic “Basic Instinct” scene in which her character was being interrogated by the police.

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Fans were quick to share their thoughts on the comparison and offer Stone plenty of praise. 

“Sharon is a timeless muse!” one user wrote. “Her beauty and confidence are simply stunning.”

“This is what we want to see more, women of a certain age bold and daring,” another wrote. 

Earlier this year, the actress opened up about how “expensive” it is to be a Hollywood actress. 

“It’s very expensive to be famous,” Stone told InStyle for their Confidence Issue. “You go out to dinner, and there’s 15 people at the table, and who gets the check? You get the $3,000 dinner check every single time.”

During an appearance on U.K.’s “Good Morning Britain” in May, Stone spoke about how her career significantly pivoted from acting to activism after suffering a “near-death experience” over 20 years ago. 

“I went to the first hospital and had an MRI and had this near-death experience and then was transferred to a specialized hospital. I continued to bleed into my brain for nine days before my best friend convinced [the doctors] to look again,” she said. “Thank God they did, because they realized what was going on and how it had happened and were able to repair it at the last moment.”

“It was really one of those beautiful miracles,” Stone added. “Of course I’m a different person. I have an invisible disability. People can help you when they see you are walking with crutches, but when you are having a bit of a problem with brain function, people don’t know that you need help with that.”

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The actress, who has now spent over 20 years as an activist for the World Health Organization, said her first step of recovery lasted about “seven years.”

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“That’s a long time to lose your momentum,” she said. 

“In seven years, you’re no longer the flavor of the time, you no longer have box office heat, the same people you were working with are no longer in power anymore,” she added. “Everything changes, and people don’t really care about that person anymore. It’s like going back to your old job seven years later … you don’t just walk back into your job and think nothing’s changed.”

“I was sort of hurt that the world moved on without me,” Stone admitted. “But I’ve kind of gotten over it now.”

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the mom of three said she’s no longer holding onto any bitterness.

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“I decided to stay present and let go,” she said. “I decided not to hang onto being sick or to any bitterness or anger. If you bite into the seed of bitterness, it never leaves you. But if you hold faith, even if that faith is the size of a mustard seed, you will survive.” 

“So, I live for joy now,” Stone added. “I live for purpose.”

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GOP Senate candidate in blue-leaning state aims to become first to win in decades

EXCLUSIVE — As she aims to become the first Republican in New Mexico to win a Senate election in more than two decades, Nella Domenici is shattering records.

Domenici’s campaign reports that the candidate hauled in $2.9 million during the April-June second quarter of 2024 fundraising, which they said was “the largest fundraising quarter of any U.S. Senate candidate in New Mexico political history.”

The money was raised by both Domenici’s Senate campaign and its associated joint fundraising committees. The figures were shared first with Fox News on Friday.

It has been 22 years since a Republican has won in the one-time swing state that now leans blue. The last GOP politician to win was Sen. Pete Domenici, Nella’s father, who in 2002 was re-elected to a sixth six-year term.

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Fast-forward to the present day, and his daughter aims to end the losing streak.

The momentum is growing, the movement is building, and our state is ready for new leadership,” the candidate said in a statement. “New Mexico is at a tipping point and I’m grateful to all of those who are rallying behind our campaign to demand more for our state and our nation.”

The candidate’s haul is more than double the $1.25 million she brought in during the first quarter of 2024 fundraising. Domenici’s campaign said they entered July with more than $2 million in cash on hand.

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Domenici is using her powerful political brand and ample name recognition in New Mexico as she challenges Democrat Sen. Martin Heinrich, who is running in November for a third six-year term. 

Heinrich hauled in $1.5 million during the first three months of the year but has yet to announce his second-quarter fundraising.

In her race against Heinrich, Domenici is also showcasing her résumé. She has decades of experience in the finance industry at Bridgewater Associates, where she served as chief financial officer, Credit Suisse and Citadel Investment group.

In recent cycles, New Mexico, which was once a general election battleground, has shifted to the left and is no longer considered a crucial swing state.

Heinrich won re-election in 2018, which was a blue-wave cycle, by more than 30 points. President Biden carried the state by 10 points in 2020.

But with the turmoil surrounding Biden in the wake of his disastrous performance in his debate last month with former President Trump, which has fueled calls from within his own party for the president to end his re-election bid, the GOP sees an opportunity to expand the map in New Mexico and a couple of other states.

Internal Democratic polling conducted post-debate suggests a tightening political climate in New Mexico.

Ice cream shop’s patriotic promotion for kids spreads to nearly every state

There is a song that begins, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream” — but a nationwide project spearheaded by an independent ice cream shop in Georgia puts a patriotic twist on these lyrics.

The “I Pledge Project” gives children age 12 and under a free scoop of ice cream at participating businesses as long as they — instead of screaming — recite the Pledge of Allegiance from memory. 

Now in its 14th year, the “I Pledge Project” started in 2010 at Leopold’s Ice Cream in Savannah, Georgia

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“Our company’s been rooted in patriotism since my dad served in World War I,” Stratton Leopold told Fox News Digital in a phone interview. 

“And my siblings – my brother – and cousins [served] in World War II.” 

Stratton and his wife, Mary, own Leopold’s Ice Cream. 

The idea for the “I Pledge Project” came from Jan Macchi, a Leopold’s Ice Cream customer and a teacher.

Macchi suggested that children who recite the Pledge of Allegiance on the Fourth of July receive a free ice cream.

There is a seamless integration of ice cream and patriotism in this project.

“I said, ‘Oh, I love the whole idea,'” Mary Leopold recalled to Fox News Digital. 

She decided to expand on Macchi’s idea in order to “dedicate more time and make it much more about the kids than the Fourth of July specifically.” 

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July is also “National Ice Cream Month,” she said — which led to the seamless integration of ice cream and patriotism.

News of the “I Pledge Project” spread after the Leopolds received an award for best promotion by the National Ice Cream Retailers Association.

“Mary serves on the board of the National Ice Cream Retailers Association. And we just said, ‘What the heck, we’re going to tell them about it,'” Stratton Leopold recalled. 

“And they gave us an award.” 

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He added, “Soon after the award, I became inflamed with the idea that every kid and every ice cream shop across the country should do this.”

The Leopolds made a website for the project, which includes promotional materials for other independent ice cream shops to use as they roll out the program. 

A list of participating ice cream shops is available on the website. 

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Stores in 42 states are currently participating, and customers are encouraged to contact the individual shops for details about their promotions. 

“My dream is to have participation in all 50 states,” Mary Leopold said. 

“We’re so close, and we have a few outliers still.”

ICE CREAM QUIZ! HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THESE SWEET FACTS ABOUT THE POPULAR DESSERT?

Even with the outliers, the Leopolds said they’re happy with how their project has spread and served to promote civic education for children. 

“It feels good,” Mary Leopold said. “The community appreciates it. The kids appreciate it, you know?”

“Make sure to bring your family and friends!”

She also said, “And all you have to do is give away a little bit of ice cream. It’s just – it’s a no-brainer.”

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The website clearly explains how it works.

“If you are a kid and you love ice cream, then join us at any of the participating ice cream or treat shops listed on this website and recite the Pledge of Allegiance from memory,” it says. “We’ll reward your patriotic spirit with a free scoop of ice cream! It’s that simple! Make sure to bring your family and friends!”

Anyone can learn more at ipledgeforicecream.com.