June 6, 2026 - Knicks Take 2-0 Finals Lead in S.A.

The Hill's headline from a new Quinnipiac poll: "22 percent do not consider themselves proud Americans." I read the same poll and saw something different. How about this headline instead - over three-quarters of Americans consider themselves proud Americans. Same data. Opposite takeaway.

And it gets more interesting when you put three questions side by side. Sixty-one percent say America isn't living up to the Declaration's promise of equality and liberty. Fair enough - that's a tough verdict as we approach the 250th anniversary of its signing. But then ask those same Americans if the best days are ahead - and fifty percent say yes. And ask if they're proud Americans - and 78 percent raise their hand.

That's not a contradiction. That's the American DNA. We've always been a country that measured itself against an ideal it hadn't yet reached. The Declaration itself was aspirational - written by men who didn't fully live up to it. The gap between promise and performance isn't a source of shame. It's the source of the argument - the constant, generational push to close the distance.

Taken together, it says to me that we collectively realize we are in the midst of a difficult period but that people are nevertheless proud to be American, believe we're going to get through it and half think the nation's best days are in the future, not the past. Glass half empty? I'll take three-quarters full.

##

Victor Wembanyama's 20-foot jumper at the buzzer fell short as the Knicks escaped San Antonio with a 105-104 Game 2 win, extending their postseason winning streak to 13 and grabbing a commanding 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals.

NBA.com

The Nasdaq Composite plunged 4.18% Friday as a weak Broadcom AI outlook hammered chipmakers, a hotter-than-expected 172,000 May payrolls gain sharply raised odds of a Fed rate hike by year-end, and investors rotated into consumer staples and health care.

CNBC

The U.S. economy added 172,000 jobs in May — more than double expectations — as employers shake off the 2025 slump even amid the Iran war, tariffs and AI disruption, though white-collar hiring has flatlined and wage growth is trailing inflation.

Axios

Democrat Xavier Becerra overtook Republican Steve Hilton in late vote counts Friday to lock down a spot in November's California gubernatorial general election, while the battle between Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer for the second runoff slot remains too close to call.

SFGATE

Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner told supporters that Maine continues to stand by him despite renewed scrutiny over past conduct and abuse allegations, as he seeks to maintain momentum ahead of a closely watched primary election.

MS NOW

A military adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei told CNN that a US-Iran deal hinges on the Trump administration releasing $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets, ruled out a Trump-Khamenei meeting, and warned Tehran would widen the war from the Strait of Hormuz to the Mediterranean if fighting resumes.

CNN

Multiple sources tell Page Six that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are planning a highly secretive wedding at Madison Square Garden over the July 3 holiday weekend, with the iconic venue reportedly chosen for its privacy, security, and ability to be transformed into a lavish ceremony space.

Page Six

A new Quinnipiac poll finds that 22% of Americans do not consider themselves proud of their country, with national pride and confidence in U.S. democracy sharply divided along generational and partisan lines.

The Hill

New Jersey Republican Representative Tom Kean Jr.’s unexplained three-month absence from Congress has drawn growing scrutiny as his office continues projecting business as usual through social media posts, legislative activity and constituent outreach while offering few details about his medical condition.

NBC News

The Trump administration escalates sanctions, economic pressure and conditional humanitarian aid on Cuba in a bid to force political change, betting that mounting hardship could push the island’s Communist government toward collapse without direct U.S. military intervention.

USA TODAY