Kamala Harris and Tim Walz rally in Philadelphia

U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris holds a campaign rally with her newly chosen vice presidential running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., August 6, 2024. 

Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, her newly minted running mate, made their first public appearance together at a a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.

“I couldn’t be prouder to be on this ticket,” Walz said to an excited crowd that numbered more than 12,000, according to the Harris campaign. “Thank you for bringing back the joy.”

“Since the day that I announced my candidacy, I set out to find a partner who can help build this brighter future,” Harris said in her own rally speech Tuesday. “I found such a leader: Governor Tim Walz of the great state of Minnesota.”

Two weeks ago, Walz was a relatively unknown Democrat on the national stage. But his sharp, plain-spoken media interviews, paired with his compelling Midwest, middle-class profile soon catapulted him onto Harris’ VP short list.

The Harris campaign officially announced Walz as her running mate Tuesday morning, solidifying the Democratic ticket with just 91 days until the election.

U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris reacts as she holds a campaign rally with her newly chosen vice presidential running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., August 6, 2024. 

Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters

Walz directed sharp critiques at the Republican ticket of former President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, some of which drew laughs from the audience.

“Make no mistake, violent crime was up under Donald Trump,” Walz said, “and that’s not even counting the crimes he committed.”

The Minnesota governor also worked to draw a sharp contrast between himself and Vance, who has built much of his political biography on representing Midwestern values.

“Like all the regular people I grew up with in the heartland, JD studied at Yale, had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, and then wrote a bestseller trashing that community,” Walz quipped.

Harris used her speech to draw attention to several elements of Walz’s biography: his time serving in the Army National Guard; his decades-long career as a high school teacher and football coach, and his time advising the school’s gay-straight alliance.

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Harris also debuted some new lines in her evolving stump speech, which sounded tailor made to appeal to moderates and political independents.

“My promise to you is this: Our campaign will reach out to everyone, from red states to blue states, from the heartland to the coast, in rural, urban, suburban and tribal communities,” Harris said, underscoring the campaign’s strategy to use Walz to expand the Democratic coalition.

“We are running a campaign on behalf of all Americans,” she said.

In the hours since Walz was announced as her running mate, the campaign has released new Harris-Walz merchandise, as well as several advertisements introducing Walz and social media statements.

Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appear on stage together during a campaign event at Girard College on August 6, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Andrew Harnik | Getty Images

The campaign said it raised $20 million in donations after Walz was announced, a drop in the bucket relative to the $310 million the campaign hauled in July alone.

Over the past two weeks, Walz went through an accelerated VP vetting process, along side fellow contenders like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Shapiro, reportedly the second-strongest contender, joined the Harris-Walz rally in his home state Tuesday evening and gave a roaring speech supporting the ticket, despite ultimately being passed up for the VP job.

“I’m gonna be working my tail off to make sure we make Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the next leaders of the United States of America,” Shapiro told the crowd. “Tim Walz is a great patriot. I’ll tell you what else: Tim Walz is a dear friend.”

U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her newly chosen vice presidential running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz react as they hold a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., August 6, 2024. 

Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters

Harris’ running mate decision punctuated a weeks-long frenzy to pivot the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race following his dismal June debate performance against Trump.

“I launched my campaign for the President of the United States a mere two weeks ago, and it’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” Harris said at the Philadelphia rally, acknowledging the turbocharged timeline on which her campaign has been operating. “Now we got some work to do. We need to move to the general election, and win that.”

Julien Alfred Wins Saint Lucia’s First Gold Medal

Black women are outchea taking over the 2024 Paris Olympics!

RELATED: Sha’Carri Richardson Explains Her “I’m Not Back, I’m Better” Success Mantra & The Foundation Of Her Success

St. Lucia Sprinter Takes Home Gold Medal

Congratulations are in order for Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred! The sprinter won the women’s 100-meter dash in 10.72 seconds at State de France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking the first medal of any kind for her home country.

Julien Alfred narrowly outpaced Sha’Carri Richardson, finishing in 10.72 seconds. Sha’Carri, representing Team USA, came in second with a time of 10.87 seconds, earning her a silver medal. Melissa Jefferson, also of Team USA, secured the bronze medal with a time of 10.92 seconds.

After winning her gold medal, Julien Alfred spoke exclusively with AP News. The St. Lucian sprinter was overjoyed with emotions and burst into tears moments later.

“It means a lot to me. It means a lot to my coach. It means a lot to my country. I’m sure they’re celebrating right now,” Julien said.

 

Julien Alfred’s victory surprised many, as NBC News notes, because Sha’Carri Richardson had demonstrated exceptional speed and consistency throughout the 2023 season.

Despite not winning gold in the individual event, Sha’Carri still has an opportunity to secure a gold medal in the 4 x 100 relay on August 9, according to the New York Times.

Social Media Reacts

Commenters under The Shade Room’s Instagram report expressed extreme happiness for Julien and her competitors. Many felt excited to see her bring home the gold medal for St. Lucia.

Instagram user @lijitimate wrote, “Proud of Julien!! Product of St. Lucia. Went to high school and competed in Jamaica! A massive win for her small but resilient island. Know her name. 🥇” 

Instagram user @howijourney wrote, “Our 1st Olympic medal and it’s GOLD 🏅” 

While Instagram user @get_moefit wrote, “Proud of Julian she worked damn hard. All the ladies did and they all will only get better! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾” 

Then Instagram user @aprnbeauty wrote, “Shacarri overcame so much adversity!! And still made it to the Olympics and is still number 2 fastest in the world in the 100m that’s commendable.” 

Another Instagram user @mia_raye3 wrote, “The fact she came in second while not being able to warm up! Good for her.” 

Finally Instagram user @beyoncexsavage_ wrote, “Either way brown girls are taking the 2024 Olympics Congratulations to them all 🫶🏾” 

RELATED: Ya Girl Is Dominating! Sha’Carri Richardson Trends After Winning The 100-Meter Qualifying For 2024 Paris Olympics (WATCH)

What Do You Think Roomies?

Paris Summer season Olympics viewership rises, with Snoop Dogg creating buzz

Snoop Dogg attends the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Qualification on day two of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at Bercy Arena in Paris on July 28, 2024.

Arturo Holmes | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

Millions of viewers in the U.S. are tuning into the Summer Olympics in Paris — and many of them are getting a big dose of Snoop Dogg as part of the experience.

Beginning with the opening ceremony, the five-day total audience delivery average was 34 million viewers, combining daytime and primetime coverage, up 79% from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, according to an NBC Sports release.

Executives of Comcast‘s NBCUniversal — the TV and streaming broadcaster of the Games in the U.S. — have been touting not only the success of their production, but also of the celebrities and personalities employed as part of the coverage, namely Snoop Dogg.

The hip-hop artist turned sports commentator and entertainer has been on the sidelines at the Games in Paris, talking to athletes and their families, trying out sports with Olympic stars and taking a crack at analysis.

Molly Solomon, NBC’s executive producer of the Olympics, referred to Snoop Dogg as an “ambassador of happiness” during a press call this week.

“We’ve been pleasantly surprised by his popularity, but you never ever underestimate Snoop Dogg,” said Solomon, calling out his “wonderful mix of swagger and positivity and just the charisma and vibes are so positive.”

Snoop Dogg carries the Olympic flame during the last stage of the Olympic torch before the opening ceremony in Seine-Saint-Denis, France, on July 26, 2024.

Victoria Valdivia | Hans Lucas | AFP | Getty Images

Snoop Dogg, who joined the Olympic torch run, has generated considerable buzz on social media — from clips of him cheering alongside Olympians’ family members to snapping numerous selfies with athletes and those on the sidelines, including tennis legend Billie Jean King.

He has spurred some viral moments, including by cheering alongside U.S. swimmer Caeleb Dressel’s wife and baby son when Team USA won its first gold medal and dancing in the crowd as the U.S. women’s gymnastics team responded from the mat.

His swimming lesson from Olympic legend Michael Phelps also floated around the internet.

“The first time I ever actually watched him on Olympic coverage was the track and field trials back in June,” said Krissy Birdsall, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, adding she has been watching more of the Games due to the favorable time difference in Paris. “He was pretty entertaining. And he kind of brought a different perspective into the world of track and field.”

Pumped-up audience

NBCUniversal had been banking on the success of the Paris Olympics, and Snoop Dogg, for the past few years.

The rapper, once known for hits such as “Gin and Juice,” got his first spin at the Olympics in 2021 when he hosted a highlight show with comedian Kevin Hart on Peacock. While viewership for the Tokyo Games that year was lackluster, and few live events aired on Peacock, their show captured the audience, with various clips going viral.

Snoop Dogg is interviewed at the beach volleyball event on day five of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at Eiffel Tower Stadium in Paris on July 31, 2024.

Carl Recine | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

“Snoop set the Olympic world on fire in Tokyo,” Solomon said in an interview with CNBC. The following year, NBC’s executives met with Snoop Dogg to discuss his future place in the Olympics broadcast, she said.

“He really wanted to go to the Olympic city, and tell the athletes’ story,” Solomon said.

Solomon and “Primetime in Paris” host Mike Tirico talked up Snoop Dogg’s work before the Games during a press call in July, noting his early arrival ahead of the opening ceremony and his relationships with athletes.

For his part, Snoop Dogg made his prep work sound a bit simpler.

“My preparation for prime time is being me,” he said during the press call, adding he was “sliding into the practice facilities with different teams. … I’m one of those individuals that likes to get involved.”

Ahead of the Games, Snoop Dogg was also present at the Olympic trials earlier this summer, and since then has popped up in various places. While Tirico, singer Kelly Clarkson and former National Football League star Peyton Manning led the opening ceremony, Snoop Dogg was interviewing American athletes while donning the same Ralph Lauren blazer as them.

“Snoop Dogg is one of those people that can totally just transcend and be versatile,” said Kendall Wright, a student at Northwestern University.

He has been decked out in USA gear, including an NBC jacket emblazoned with his name and T-shirts with the faces of star athletes such as Coco Gauff and Kelly Cheng.

Snoop Dogg cheers the USA team for women’s gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Wally Skalij | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

“It’s a sporting event, but it’s not your traditional audience,” John Fortunato, a communications and media management professor at the Fordham University Gabelli School of Business, said of the Olympics. “You see him at the various events, and he has so much personality that he can relate to the audience as a fan. That’s really where his appeal is.”

Snoop Dogg is sticking with NBC. Fans will get more of him on NBC and Peacock this fall when he joins the coaching seats on “The Voice.”

“I understand why Snoop Dogg and Alex Cooper have been looped into the Olympics, especially for the millennial and Gen X audience,” said Jenna Mindes, a human resources professional from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

She is a big fan of gymnastics and went to the Olympic trials in Minneapolis this summer. However, she has not loved the inclusion of celebrities in the Olympics.

“I think for gymnastics and maybe less mainstream sports, big fans are kind of gatekeepers who take their sports very seriously … and celebrities entering the conversation almost seems to dilute the sport,” she said.

There has been “a lot more pop culture, celebrities and a lot more Snoop than we’ve had before,” said NBC Sports President Rick Cordella, adding that this has helped to popularize the Paris Olympics.

Snoop Dogg poses for photos with American sportscasters Bob Costas (L) and Al Michaels at beach volleyball on day five of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at Eiffel Tower Stadium in Paris on July 31, 2024.

Carl Recine | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

Meanwhile, the “Gold Zone” show on Peacock, which shows multiple live sports at once and is led by Scott Hanson of “NFL Red Zone” in a similar format, has become a big hit, as has the watch-along show led by Alex Cooper, host of the podcast “Call Her Daddy.”

“We’ve really taken a different path at how we approach this,” Cordella said of Peacock’s Olympics strategy, which has been a big part of the viewership numbers.

The success of the Paris Olympics follows the lowest-ever rated Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, as well as the lesser-watched Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022.

The Tokyo Olympics faced myriad issues. They were delayed a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic; no family and fans were present at the events; few, if any, events were available on streaming service Peacock; and there was a severe time difference for U.S. viewers.

Since July 26, the Paris Olympics audience has been on a roll, according to NBC Sports. The opening ceremony, which took place on the Seine River, had 28.6 million viewers, compared to 17.9 million for Tokyo and 26.5 million for the 2016 Rio Games, making it the most-watched Opening Ceremony since 2012 in London. 

During a recent interview with NBC Nightly News’ Lester Holt, Snoop Dogg said he never expected to play this role “in his wildest dreams,” especially after watching the Olympics when he was a child.

“I’m the biggest kid in the crowd,” he told Holt of his cheering on the U.S. athletes at the games.

Disclosure: CNBC parent NBCUniversal owns NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. NBC Olympics is the U.S. broadcast rights holder to all Summer and Winter Games through 2032.

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Eli Lilly Zepbound, Mounjaro obtainable after shortages, FDA says

An injection pen of Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug, is displayed in New York City on Dec. 11, 2023.

Brendan McDermid | Reuters

All doses of Eli Lilly’s highly popular weight loss injection Zepbound and diabetes drug Mounjaro are now available in the U.S., according to an update on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s drug shortage database on Friday. 

A previous update said some doses of the treatments were still in short supply. Some doses of Mounjaro have been in shortage since as early as 2022, while doses of Zepbound joined the FDA’s shortage list earlier this year following its U.S. approval in November. 

Demand for weight loss and diabetes drugs has trounced supply for months, pushing Eli Lilly and its rival Novo Nordisk to invest billions to ramp up manufacturing. 

The FDA’s update comes one day after Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks told Bloomberg that the shortages of Mounjaro and Zepbound would end “very soon.” 

“I think actually today or tomorrow we plan to exit that process,” he told the outlet in an interview. 

A spokesperson for Eli Lilly did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the FDA’s update on Friday. 

All doses of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes injection Ozempic are available in the U.S. as of Friday, according to the FDA’s database. Meanwhile, the FDA said some doses of Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy have limited supply.

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Trump Screws Over His Personal Marketing campaign Earlier than Kamala Harris Picks Working Mate

By claiming that running mate choices don’t matter, Trump has sabotaged his own campaign’s criticisms of Kamala Harris’s VP choice.

Eli Stokols said on MSNBC, “The Trump team, they are looking at these folks, looking into the files, trying to game out who she might pick. They are ready with hits on whoever it is. But I think, you know, the former president, Donald Trump, the other day just said himself, you know, in sort of defense or lack of defense of his own choice, the vice presidential pick doesn’t really matter. It’s the top of the ticket, and so, in a way, former president trump has already undercut his own campaign’s efforts to go after whoever Harris picks because he’s already gone out and said that part of the campaign doesn’t matter.”

Video:

Eli Stokles on MSNBC, “President Trump has already undercut his own campaign’s efforts to go after whoever Harris picks because he’s already gone out and said that part of the campaign doesn’t matter.” pic.twitter.com/Fw08o3mTNb

— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) August 2, 2024

Here is Trump claiming that vice presidential picks don’t matter:

Trump completely throws JD Vance under the bus and says vice president picks are meaningless, ” Historically, the vice president in terms of the election does not have any impact. Virtually no impact.” pic.twitter.com/0rDkP2WmsR

— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) July 31, 2024

Trump is incapable of thinking strategically or beyond himself. Trump picked Vance because he thought that he had the election won and Vance would help him run up the score with the Republican base.

Donald Trump has never thought for a second if JD Vance would be capable of being president if necessary.

Whatever criticism Trump’s campaign throws at Harris’s choice, the Harris campaign can respond with the ex-president’s own words.

Trump has no strategy. We’ve reached the point in this campaign where Trump is losing and sabotaging himself.

While trying to excuse himself for a lousy running mate choice, Trump set the table for Kamala Harris and the Democrats.

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association

Jason EasleyLatest posts by Jason Easley (see all)

Ex-Google engineers from Character.AI rejoin firm with AI partnership

Pavlo Gonchar | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Founders of one of the hottest artificial intelligence startups Character.AI are rejoining Google along with other team members.

Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, in addition to certain members of Character.AI’s research team, are joining Google’s AI unit DeepMind, the companies said Friday. 

Character.AI uses large language models to allow users to create chatbots and interact with those created by other users. The startup reached a $1 billion valuation as the AI boom began last year. Character.AI did not generate revenue then but said it was considering offering a subscription service in the future.

The two founders left Google in 2021 after the search giant reportedly rebuffed their attempts to try and get Google to push a chatbot forward. They went on to start Character.AI that same year.

Freitas criticized the company’s slow-moving pace, telling Axios last March, “There are some overlaps, but we’re confident Google will never do anything fun,” regarding the Bard, which is now Gemini chatbot.

Character.AI will provide Google with a nonexclusive license for its current large language model, or LLM, technology, the company’s blog post states. “This agreement will provide increased funding for Character.AI to continue growing and to focus on building personalized AI products for users around the world,” it states.

“Over the past two years, however, the landscape has shifted — many more pre-trained models are now available,” the blog post continues. “Given these changes, we see an advantage in making greater use of third-party LLMs alongside our own. This allows us to devote even more resources to post-training and creating new product experiences for our growing user base.”

Alphabet, facing criticism of getting beat to the AI chatbot craze by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has enacted changes to its organization to move more quickly to market. Late last year, Google was reportedly in talks to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Character.AI.

“I am super excited to return to Google and work as part of the Google DeepMind team,” Shazeer said in a statement on Friday. “I am so proud of everything we built at Character.AI over the last 3 years. I am confident that the funds from the non-exclusive Google licensing agreement together with the incredible Character.AI team positions Character.AI for continued success in the future.”

A Google spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC, “We’re particularly thrilled to welcome back Noam, a preeminent researcher in machine learning, who is joining Google DeepMind’s research team, along with a small number of his colleagues.”

The move also comes amid a competitive talent and AI landscape, leading companies to form partnerships against a tough regulatory landscape that has placed scrutiny on mergers and acquisitions. Britain’s competition watchdog said earlier this week it is looking into Google’s partnership with AI startup Anthropic, for example.

In March, Microsoft hired Mustafa Suleyman, a co-founder of AI startup DeepMind that Google acquired in 2014, and much of its staff to lead AI initiatives. Suleyman became an executive vice president and CEO of Microsoft AI, reporting to CEO Satya Nadella. Last month, U.K. regulators opened a merger probe on Microsoft’s hiring of the staff.

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Half of staff might wrestle to get weight problems drug insurance coverage protection

An injection pen of Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug, is displayed in New York City on Dec. 11, 2023.

Brendan McDermid | Reuters

Companies are increasing access to new blockbuster weight-loss drugs for employees, but size of employer may make a big difference in early access. Small businesses and their workers are often stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to this burgeoning health insurance coverage market.

Small businesses employ roughly half of the workers in the U.S. labor market, and they have been adding jobs at a faster pace than large employers. Since the first quarter of 2021, small-business hiring accounted for 53% of the 12.2 million total net jobs created across all employers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, consistent with the longer-term trend.

The blockbuster obesity drugs, called GLP-1 agonists, cost roughly $1,000 per month on average — and they are typically taken for a long time. Access to these weight-loss drugs is coming from an increasing number of sources in the marketplace, drug makers are ramping up production, and use cases continue to increase, with clinical trials showing benefits for conditions from sleep apnea to heart disease risk. But many of the 100 million American adults who are obese can’t afford to pay out of pocket for drugs like Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, and are turning to their employers for help. 

A survey last October of 205 companies by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans found that 76% of respondents provided GLP-1 drug coverage for diabetes, versus only 27% that provided coverage for weight loss. But 13% of plan sponsors indicated they were considering coverage for weight loss. Covering these drugs, however, is harder for smaller employers, many of whom rely on off-the-shelf plans offered by their insurance carriers. While there are plans that cover GLP-1 drugs, the cost can be prohibitive for many small businesses.

There’s strong demand from employees for coverage and smaller employers would like to be able to do it, but there are trade-offs, said Shawn Gremminger, president and chief executive of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, a nonprofit purchaser-led organization. Companies have to consider the impact on wages or other benefits they might like to offer. “The company money has to come from somewhere,” he said.

In some cases, small employers, even if they want to cover weight-loss drugs, are simply priced out of the market and they may have to accept they can’t offer the coverage they would like to. 

“Given the price of these drugs, you have to do the cost-benefit analysis and for a lot of small companies — even some larger ones — they just can’t do it,” Gremminger said. “No matter how much they want to.”

Here are a few issues for small business employers and employees to understand in accessing expensive weight-loss drugs as part of job benefits.

Annual benefits deals are being brokered now. Open enrollment season for health insurance doesn’t occur until the fall, but employers should be having renewal discussions with their benefits broker or agent now, and that conversation should include weight-loss drugs. Small business employers should be telling a broker they would like to be able to provide weight-loss drugs for employees, and ask for help in finding the right carrier or the right plan, said Gary Kushner, chair and president of Kushner & Company, a benefits design and management company.

The market is changing quickly. Last year, an insurance carrier asked about covering weight-loss drugs may have said no, but it’s worth asking the carrier again because they may have been forced to make changes to their offerings for competitive reasons, said Kate Moher, president of national employee health and benefits for Marsh McLennan Agency, which advises employers on plan designs and benefits programs. “You should be asking the question every year,” she said. 

Insurance premiums may rise. To gain access to weight-loss drugs, many small businesses may have to switch insurance carriers, and probably pay more. “It most likely will be more expensive if one is not covering the drugs and the other is,” Kushner said.

Employers also have to decide how much of that can be reasonably passed to employees, without unduly burdening workers who may never need these drugs. “If 20% of your population takes it, everyone’s premium goes up by whatever percentage that is to cover the cost,” Gremminger said.

Small businesses should consider a ‘captive health’ plan. Generally speaking, any business with at least 50 employees might consider working with a captive health insurance plan like Roundstone, ParetoHealth, Stealth and Amwins, Moher said. These businesses allow groups of companies who couldn’t self-insure — the approach most large corporations take — to pool resources and design a group health plan together. 

This approach may allow a small business and its employees more flexibility, Moher said, but owners still have to weigh the costs and there are requirements to qualify. It’s also not something businesses can change every year like they could when working with a traditional insurance carrier. “It’s a long-term play; you can’t jump in and out,” Moher said. 

These plans are designed for the long-term because, as member-owners, the participants all agree to spread the risk, an approach that can keep costs down over time and decrease volatility. But if business owners are looking for a quick-fix or prefer to wait and see how the market develops over the next year, it’s probably not the right model.

A GLP-1 drug standalone coverage option could also work for some small businesses. Companies like Vida Health, Calibrate, Found Health and Vitality Group provide these offerings separate from an employer’s primary carrier, Gremminger said. Employers need to do the math to determine whether it could be more cost effective, and whether the option truly suits their employees’ needs based on the offerings.

Use an FSA to help cover weight-loss drug costs. If insurance coverage options aren’t an effective solution today, small employers may have a few other ways to help employees defray the cost of weight-loss drugs. They might consider, for instance, making contributions to employees’ flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts. They could also consider a health reimbursement arrangement, or HRA, which is an employer-funded plan that reimburses employees for qualified medical expenses. 

However, there are strict rules and requirements for each of these options. For example, with an FSA, the IRS limits an employer’s contribution based on how much the employee contributes, and this still isn’t likely to suffice to cover the cost of these drugs long-term. “Does it help? Sure. Does it solve the problem? No,” Kushner said.

It’s also not a move to make without first getting sign-off from legal counsel. “You need the guidance of your ERISA attorneys to make sure you meet all the criteria,” Moher said. “It’s a creative way of doing it, but you have to make sure you’re meeting all of your compliance requirements.”

Right now, the end result can be very discouraging for small businesses and their employees given the costs and limited options, but it’s also important to know that there are 20 or so drugs in the approval pipeline. Once they get approved, costs are likely to come down, Moher said. “This is something that may be a short-term thing until we get more GLP-1 drugs approved.”

We’re inspired by Abbott inventory buying and selling however discouraged by strikes in Honeywell

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Harris VP brief listers Shapiro, Kelly, Walz, Buttigieg can elevate huge cash

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during a campaign event at West Allis Central High School, in West Allis, Wisconsin, U.S., July 23, 2024. 

Vincent Alban | Reuters

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will rub elbows this week with a group of Vice President Kamala Harris’ allies at a meet and greet in the ritzy New York beach enclave of the Hamptons hosted by PR executive Mike Kempner, according to an invitation reviewed by CNBC.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. has raised money from those working for tech giants as Harris and those close to her try to recruit more supporters from that community.

Both of these lawmakers have two things in common: they are among those being considered to be Vice President Harris’ running mate and can help raise a boatload of money for her heading into November.

A Harris fundraiser who is familiar with at least half a dozen of the potential running mates who are being vetted said, “Any of these VPs could make it work. They all have different strengths.” 

This person was one of several who were granted anonymity by CNBC to speak freely about private efforts to raise money for Harris.

In addition to Shapiro and Kelly, Harris’s team is also vetting Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, among others, according to NBC News.

Harris’ political operation has already raised over $200 million since July 21, when President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed her, according to her campaign.

Still, in order to keep up that momentum, they may need to select a candidate for vice president who can help bolster her campaign coffers to take on former President Donald Trump.

Trump is raising big money

Despite Harris’ momentum, Trump is still raising a lot of money.

Trump’s running mate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio is headlining a fundraiser in Silicon Valley on Monday that is being hosted by BitGo CEO Mike Belshe, with tickets going for up to $50,000.

Trump was hosted in New Jersey for a fundraiser on Sunday that raised over $10 million, according to people familiar with the matter. Tickets went from $3,300 to $500,000, according to the invitation. There were over 300 people at the event, one of the people explained.

Next month, Cantor Fitzgerlad CEO Howard Lutnick plans to host a Trump fundraiser at his home in the Hamptons which is expected to raise at least $10 million, according to a person familiar with the gathering.

The money for these events is going toward the Trump 47 Committee, a joint fundraising committee that benefits the campaign, the Republican National Committee and dozens of state parties.

CNBC cannot confirm these estimates, which come from people close to the Trump campaign, until Oct. 15, when the committee will file its mandatory quarterly report with the Federal Election Commission.

The Harris campaign figures cannot be independently verified either, until Aug. 20, when her campaign disclose its financials. Her associated committees must file federal disclosures by Oct. 15.

“Vice President Harris has directed her team to begin the process of vetting potential running mates,” the Harris campaign said in response to a request for comment.

“That process has begun in earnest and we do not expect to have additional updates until the Vice President announces who will be serving as her running mate and as the next Vice President of the United States.”

A Trump campaign spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment from CNBC.

Shapiro hits the Hamptons

Shapiro’s fundraising strengths could be on full display on Sunday when he heads to the Hamptons for a lunch with top party donors at Kempner’s home in Water Mill.

“Starting with Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, many Governors and Senators are ready to be her partner in leading the nation with sensible, moderate, common-sense solutions,” Kempner wrote in an email to potential attendees which was obtained by CNBC.

“None more so than Josh Shapiro. I know you will love meeting him (he’s a fantastic person) and will be inspired by what he has to say,” wrote Kempner.

The event is not technically a campaign fundraiser. In fact, the invitation has a donation link at the bottom of the page for Shapiro’s 2026 statewide reelection campaign.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro react during a visit to the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024. 

Kevin Mohatt | Reuters

Shapiro’s 2022 campaign for governor set new fundraising and spending records for Pennsylvania statewide races.

In that race, Shapiro raised $1 million from billionaire Mike Bloomberg, who has spent millions backing candidates who support gun safety reforms, according to campaign finance records. He also raised an additional $3 million from longtime Democratic donor Jennifer Duda, who lives in California.

Bloomberg has yet to publicly endorse Harris. But some of the vice president’s allies are planning to approach the former New York mayor for his support, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Bloomberg has a net worth of over $100 billion, according to Forbes. A spokesman for Bloomberg did not return a request for comment. Duda did not return emails seeking comment.

Shapiro is one of the more moderate contenders to be Harris’ running mate. He supported a Republican backed state plan to send $100 million to families for private school tuition and school supplies, according to the Associated Press. The plan was ultimately scrapped.

Shapiro has taken a pro-Israel stance in its 10 month war on Hamas in Gaza, although he has also acknowledged Palestinian suffering. Shapiro is also an advocate for gun reform legislation.

A spokesperson for the governor did not respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

Kelly’s tech ties

When it comes to fundraising, the Arizona senator has an advantage that most of Harris’ potential running mates do not: a record of support from the tech sector.

As Trump makes headways with the traditionally progressive donor class in Silicon Valley — in part by promising laissez faire regulations — Harris’ allies in the tech space have been trying to raise money from Silicon Valley donors, too.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) looks at reporters during a press conference following the weekly Senate caucus luncheons on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 9, 2024. 

Amanda Andrade-Rhoades | Reuters

As a senator, Kelly has pushed for tech related investments in Arizona, including around the U.S.-Mexico border. Kelly and fellow Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema celebrated when it was announced that Arizona-based Amkor Technology Inc. would receive $400 million from the CHIPS and Science Act.

Kelly’s 2022 reelection campaign raised almost $90 million, according to OpenSecrets. Employees from Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, AT&T, Alphabet and Meta combined to donate over $1.5 million to his campaign coffers.

Kelly, though, could have his detractors in the tech sector, too. He introduced a bill last year that would require internet giants to contribute to Federal Communications Commission’s universal service fund program, according to Broadband Breakfast.

A spokesperson for Kelly did not reply to a request for comment from CNBC.

Walz has strong union support

Though many of Harris’ options to be her running have ties to unions, few have allegiances to them stronger than Walz.

Since he first ran for Congress in 2005, Walz has received regular campaign donations from the National Education Association, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and International Brotherhood of Teamsters, according to the campaign finance website Follow The Money.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks with Dr. Sarah Traxler and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as she visits an abortion clinic in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., March 14, 2024. 

Nicole Neri | Reuters

A career high school teacher and former union member himself, Walz and has been advocating for years for the importance of organized labor.

But Walz could also have a tougher time making inroads with the kinds of donors who are meeting with Shapiro this weekend, or some Silicon Valley and Wall Street Democratic donors who believe organized labor wields too much power in the party’s broader coalition.

A spokesperson for Walz did not reply to a request for comment from CNBC.

Buttigieg has his own fundraising network

Ever since Buttigieg ran in the 2020 Democratic primary for president, he’s maintained his own national fundraising network. After he dropped out of the race, he launched a political action committee called Win the Era.

After he was confirmed as transportation secretary, the PAC remained active, and it had over $1 million cash on hand heading into July, according to Federal Election Commission records. His primary campaign for president raised almost $100 million, according to OpenSecrets. He too received donations from those working in tech.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on impact of global cyber outage

And that network has been a benefit to the Biden campaign, which is now run by Harris, according to a person briefed on the matter.

In 2020, Buttigieg and his allies helped raise at least $12 million for Biden and around $4 million for other Democrats, this person explained. Since May 2023, Buttigieg and his network have helped the campaign raise around $7 million.

Buttigieg’s “donors still work together,” this person explained. “Any fundraiser Pete does on behalf of the Harris team, they show up (even without being asked) and rally.”

A spokesperson for the Transportation Department did not return a request for comment.

Former MLB Pitcher Reyes Moronta Useless at 31 in Visitors Accident

The baseball community is mourning the loss of an MLB star. 

Reyes Moronta, a pitcher from the Dominican Republic who played for the San Francisco Giants, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Angels and Arizona Diamondbacks, died in a traffic accident in his native country July 28, according to the Los Angeles Times. He was 31. 

In addition to his six-year stint playing actively in the MLB, Reyes had transitioned into the Mexican League earlier this year, where he played for the León Braves and the Mexico Red Devils. The Mexican League confirmed the former pitcher’s death on July 29. 

“We grieve on behalf of his family, friends and former teammates,” the statement, translated from Spanish, read on X, formerly Twitter. “Rest in peace.”

The Quiniqua, Dominican Republic native—who married Ivelka Felin in 2020—was also remembered by the Major League Baseball Players Association. 

“The player community was shocked and saddened to learn of Reyes Moronta’s death in a traffic accident Sunday,” the organization wrote in a statement on X July 29. “We send our heartfelt sympathies to his family and friends in his native Dominican Republic and throughout the game.”