thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Coronavirus Live Updates: Read The Latest About The COVID-19 Outbreak

HuffPost reporters around the world are tracking the pandemic and its effects .
Read the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic below .
( To see the latest updates , you may need to refresh the page .
All times are Eastern .
For earlier updates on the pandemic , go here . )
Robert O ’ Brien , national security adviser to President Trump , has tested positive for COVID-19 , the White House confirmed Monday .
He is the highest-ranking official in the Trump administration known to have contracted the coronavirus .
“ He has mild symptoms and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure location off site , ” the White House said in a statement .
“ There is no risk of exposure to the President or the Vice President .
The work of the National Security Council continues.
” O ’ Brien came down with the virus after attending a family event , Bloomberg reported , citing a person familiar with the matter .
Earlier this month , he returned from a three-day trip to Paris , where he met with his counterparts from the U.K. , France , Germany and Italy , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , including his reelection campaign ’ s top fundraising official and Vice President Mike Pence ’ s press secretary , have tested positive for the virus in recent months .
Birx Urges Several States To Close Bars , Limit Social Gatherings — 7/27/20 , 9 a.m .
ET Dr. Deborah Birx , the coronavirus response coordinator for the Trump administration , urged states with rising infections to impose new restrictions that include closing bars , reducing indoor restaurant capacity and limiting social gatherings to 10 people .
“ We can see what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ north , ” Birx told reporters in Kentucky on Sunday , suggesting that new hot spots outside of Florida , Texas and other Southern states are beginning to emerge .
Birx said she is specifically focused on controlling the pandemic “ before it gets worse ” in Kentucky , Tennessee , Ohio , Indiana and Virginia , and she recommended that “ 100 % ” of individuals in these states wear masks when they ’ re in public or around others .
Kentucky allowed bars to reopen on June 29 , but Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday that he planned to announce new restrictions early this week amid a surge in new cases .
As of Monday , the state has recorded more than 27,000 cases and at least 718 deaths .
Meanwhile , Florida and California have surpassed New York , once the epicenter of the virus in the U.S. , in known infections .
World ’ s Biggest Vaccine Study Begins In U.S. — 7/27/20 , 8:05 a.m .
ET The biggest COVID-19 vaccine study to date is now underway in the United States .
Beginning Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test shots created by the National Institutes of Health and biotechnology company Moderna , the Associated Press reported .
Researchers will inject volunteers with either the experimental vaccine or a placebo and track which people contract the virus as they go about their lives .
The researchers will also track any potential negative side effects of the vaccine .
Several other vaccines made by China and Britain ’ s Oxford University are in the final stages of testing .
Read more from AP here .
Florida Records More Coronavirus Infections Than New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to figures released on Sunday , Florida has now recorded more coronavirus cases than New York , which was once the U.S. epicenter of the outbreak .
Johns Hopkins University reported that Florida had reached a total of more than 423,00 cases , nearly 77,000 of which were reported in the last seven days .
That figure exceeds New York ’ s 416,000 , which has seen just under 5,000 cases in the last week .
California currently has the most cases of any state in the country .
Despite the official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know just how many people have been infected in epicenters of the pandemic as both New York and California had surges earlier this year when testing was limited , The New York Times reported .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this month ’ s true figures may be more than 10 times higher than the reported figures in some areas .
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared a state of emergency on Saturday after the country for the first time acknowledged a suspected coronavirus case within its borders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim locked down the city of Kaesong , located near the country ’ s border with South Korea .
North Korea has previously denied having any cases of the virus , though outside experts have questioned that claim , according to The Associated Press .
North Korea ’ s official Korean Central News Agency said the suspected virus patient had illegally entered the country last week after fleeing to South Korea three years ago .
The patient , anyone who had contact with them , and those who were in Kaesong recently have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ KCNA .
During an emergency meeting of top North Korean officials , Kim was quoted as saying there was a “ critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country.
” Read more from the AP here .

— Nick Visser
Florida Reports Largest Single-Day Coronavirus Death Toll For 2nd Consecutive Day — 7/29/20, 7:05 p.m. ET
For the second day in a row, Florida has reported a record-breaking coronavirus death toll. The state’s Department of Health said Wednesday that 216 people had died of the virus — marking the highest number of COVID-19 deaths to be recorded in Florida in a single day.
On Tuesday, health officials said 191 people had died of the virus overnight, which at the time had been the daily record.
More than 6,400 people have died in Florida of COVID-19 to date.
— Dominique Mosbergen
U.S. Officially Passes 150,000 Coronavirus Deaths ― 7/29/20, 4:28 p.m. ET
More than 150,000 people in the United States have now died from the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States leads the world in both coronavirus deaths and total infections.
Months after President Donald Trump claimed Democrats were starting a false panic over COVID-19, and predicted that the number of cases in the U.S. would “go down close to zero,” the pandemic continues to ravage Americans and stifle the U.S. economy.
― Ja’han Jones
Fauci: Hydroxychloroquine Is Not Effective In Treating COVID-19 — 7/29/20, 1:45 p.m. ET
Dr. Anthony Fauci doubled down on health officials’ determination that drugs like hydroxychloroquine are ineffective in combatting the coronavirus after President Donald Trump continued to endorse its use this week.
“Hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease or COVID-19,” Fauci, a member of the president’s coronavirus task force, said Wednesday on MSNBC. He cited the results of numerous clinical trials that he said were randomized and controlled.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that the anti-malaria drug is a safe treatment for the virus, despite evidence showing otherwise.
“I happen to believe in it. I would take it. As you know, I took it for a 14-day period. And as you know, I’m here. I happen to think it works in the early stages,” Trump said Tuesday.
― Nina Golgowski
Federal Report Adds 3 More States To Coronavirus ‘Red Zone’ — 7/29/20, 9:45 a.m. ET
A new report from the White House’s coronavirus task force lists 21 states in the “red zone,” which means in the past week they recorded more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people as well as a diagnostic test positivity rate of at least 10%, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is undermining his own administration’s public health officials by urging more states to reopen.
The report, which was dated July 26 and sent to state officials, adds three states — Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin — to the “red zone,” according to the Times. A similar report was released roughly two weeks earlier.
Most states fall into the “yellow zone.” That means they have reported 10 to 100 new cases per 100,000 people last week and a diagnostic testing positivity rate of 5% to 10%, or that they reported one of those conditions and one of the “red zone” qualifying conditions.
Vermont is the only state currently in the “green zone,” according to the report, which was obtained by the Times.
Policy recommendations outlined in the report for “red zone” areas include closing bars and gyms and limiting social gatherings to 10 people or fewer. Individuals in affected areas should wear a mask at all times outside the home, the report states.
Despite the warnings and recommendations put forth by his own administration, Trump has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the virus in the United States.
He falsely claimed during a White House briefing on Monday that much of the country is “corona-free.” Later that day, the president shared misinformation about the virus to his more than 80 million Twitter followers, including a video in which a group of fringe doctors claimed hydroxychloroquine cures COVID-19 and that people don’t need to wear masks to prevent the virus’s spread.
No legitimate medical organizations have recognized any “cure” for COVID-19, and multiple clinical trials have shown hydroxychloroquine is not beneficial in treating the virus.
― Hayley Miller
6 States In South, West Break Records For Coronavirus Deaths - 7/29/20, 4:38 a.m. ET
More than 1,300 lives were lost in the U.S. on Tuesday to the coronavirus, making it the biggest one-day increase since May.
According to Reuters, Arkansas, California, Florida, Montana, Oregon and Texas each reported record spikes in fatalities.
At the time of this writing, nearly 150,000 Americans have lost their lives due to the pandemic.
―Jade Walker
Trump’s National Security Adviser Tests Positive — 7/27/20, 9:20 a.m. ET
Robert O’Brien, national security adviser to President Trump, has tested positive for COVID-19, the White House confirmed Monday. He is the highest-ranking official in the Trump administration known to have contracted the coronavirus.
“He has mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site,” the White House said in a statement. “There is no risk of exposure to the President or the Vice President. The work of the National Security Council continues.”
O’Brien came down with the virus after attending a family event, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. Earlier this month, he returned from a three-day trip to Paris, where he met with his counterparts from the U.K., France, Germany and Italy, according to Politico.
Several people close to Trump, including his reelection campaign’s top fundraising official and Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, have tested positive for the virus in recent months.
— Hayley Miller
Birx Urges Several States To Close Bars, Limit Social Gatherings — 7/27/20, 9 a.m. ET
Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator for the Trump administration, urged states with rising infections to impose new restrictions that include closing bars, reducing indoor restaurant capacity and limiting social gatherings to 10 people.
“We can see what is happening in the South is moving north,” Birx told reporters in Kentucky on Sunday, suggesting that new hot spots outside of Florida, Texas and other Southern states are beginning to emerge.
Birx said she is specifically focused on controlling the pandemic “before it gets worse” in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana and Virginia, and she recommended that “100%” of individuals in these states wear masks when they’re in public or around others.
Kentucky allowed bars to reopen on June 29, but Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said Sunday that he planned to announce new restrictions early this week amid a surge in new cases. As of Monday, the state has recorded more than 27,000 cases and at least 718 deaths. Meanwhile, Florida and California have surpassed New York, once the epicenter of the virus in the U.S., in known infections.
— Hayley Miller
World’s Biggest Vaccine Study Begins In U.S. — 7/27/20, 8:05 a.m. ET
The biggest COVID-19 vaccine study to date is now underway in the United States.
Beginning Monday, the first 30,000 volunteers will help test shots created by the National Institutes of Health and biotechnology company Moderna, the Associated Press reported. Researchers will inject volunteers with either the experimental vaccine or a placebo and track which people contract the virus as they go about their lives. The researchers will also track any potential negative side effects of the vaccine.
Several other vaccines made by China and Britain’s Oxford University are in the final stages of testing.
Read more from AP here.
— Hayley Miller
Florida Records More Coronavirus Infections Than New York — 7/27/20, 3 a.m. ET
According to figures released on Sunday, Florida has now recorded more coronavirus cases than New York, which was once the U.S. epicenter of the outbreak.
Johns Hopkins University reported that Florida had reached a total of more than 423,00 cases, nearly 77,000 of which were reported in the last seven days. That figure exceeds New York’s 416,000, which has seen just under 5,000 cases in the last week.
California currently has the most cases of any state in the country.
Despite the official figures, it’s hard to know just how many people have been infected in epicenters of the pandemic as both New York and California had surges earlier this year when testing was limited, The New York Times reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this month’s true figures may be more than 10 times higher than the reported figures in some areas.
— Nick Visser
North Korea Declares Emergency Over Suspected Coronavirus Case — 7/26/20, 12:10 p.m. ET
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared a state of emergency on Saturday after the country for the first time acknowledged a suspected coronavirus case within its borders.
In response to the apparent case, Kim locked down the city of Kaesong, located near the country’s border with South Korea. North Korea has previously denied having any cases of the virus, though outside experts have questioned that claim, according to The Associated Press.
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said the suspected virus patient had illegally entered the country last week after fleeing to South Korea three years ago. The patient, anyone who had contact with them, and those who were in Kaesong recently have been placed under quarantine, according to KCNA.
During an emergency meeting of top North Korean officials, Kim was quoted as saying there was a “critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country.”
Read more from the AP here.
— Hayley Miller


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--GOP Group Calls Pro-Trump Commentator A ‘Karen’ And All Hell Breaks Loose

The National Republican Congressional Committee caused a stir among conservatives on Twitter Monday when it called right-wing commentator Kurt Schlichter a “ Karen.
” The NRCC hit the pro-Donald Trump pundit with the pejorative label — usually used to describe white women who exhibit entitled behavior ― after he called on the group to stop sending unsolicited text messages seeking donations .
“ WTF is wrong with you ?
” Schlichter asked , alongside a screenshot of one of the group ’ s messages .
“ Stop this .
Do it now.
” Hey @ NRCC - WTF is wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it now .
pic.twitter.com/BTQ3bnCU4q — Kurt Schlichter ( @ KurtSchlichter ) July 26 , 2020 The NRCC , which raises money and works to elect Republicans to Congress , responded by noting how much funds the message had raised .
It mockingly added : “ But we ’ ll certainly pass your complaints on to our manager , Karen.
” This text raised $ 198,021 toward electing conservatives to Congress .
But we 'll certainly pass your complaints on to our manager , Karen .
https : //t.co/ayRbnMq0PP — NRCC ( @ NRCC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clutched their pearls over the exchange between the NRCC and Schlichter , a controversial columnist for the right-wing Townhall website who ’ s appeared as a pundit on Fox News and hailed Trump in his latest book .
Others just grabbed the popcorn : Anyone know why the NRCC is using ethnic slurs ?
https : //t.co/he7Au7yZ0e — Tucker Carlson ( @ TuckerCarlson ) July 27 , 2020 I always assumed the GOP machine had nothing but contempt for their voters and benefactors and now I see it ’ s true .
— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The National Republican Congressional Committee caused a stir among conservatives on Twitter Monday when it called right-wing commentator Kurt Schlichter a “Karen.”
The NRCC hit the pro-Donald Trump pundit with the pejorative label — usually used to describe white women who exhibit entitled behavior ― after he called on the group to stop sending unsolicited text messages seeking donations.
Advertisement
“WTF is wrong with you?” Schlichter asked, alongside a screenshot of one of the group’s messages. “Stop this. Do it now.”
Hey @NRCC - WTF is wrong with you?
Stop this. Do it now. pic.twitter.com/BTQ3bnCU4q — Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) July 26, 2020
The NRCC, which raises money and works to elect Republicans to Congress, responded by noting how much funds the message had raised.
It mockingly added: “But we’ll certainly pass your complaints on to our manager, Karen.”
This text raised $198,021 toward electing conservatives to Congress. But we'll certainly pass your complaints on to our manager, Karen. https://t.co/ayRbnMq0PP — NRCC (@NRCC) July 27, 2020
Advertisement
Conservative figures clutched their pearls over the exchange between the NRCC and Schlichter, a controversial columnist for the right-wing Townhall website who’s appeared as a pundit on Fox News and hailed Trump in his latest book.
Others just grabbed the popcorn:
Anyone know why the NRCC is using ethnic slurs? https://t.co/he7Au7yZ0e — Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) July 27, 2020
I agree with Kurt. Stop. https://t.co/iiBYxea35I — Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) July 27, 2020
This is a … fascinating…. strategy.https://t.co/w4s3Fm2IWE — Jane Coaston (@cjane87) July 27, 2020
Never talk down to your audience, stupid. https://t.co/mkZjrPbPWY — Chris Pandolfo (@ChrisCPandolfo) July 27, 2020
Advertisement
Really @tomemmer @nrcc? Did you hire a 12-year-old to run this account? — Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) July 27, 2020
What is the point of this? https://t.co/BeGgxvJkq7 — Andrew Egger (@EggerDC) July 27, 2020
Just here for the deserved ratio, NRCC. *unsubscribe* — Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) July 28, 2020
I'm enjoying this spat between two stupid parties. — Rich Swinton (@RicoSuaveJD) July 27, 2020
I always assumed the GOP machine had nothing but contempt for their voters and benefactors and now I see it’s true. — Seraphina (@fenixash8) July 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Curve Ball: Trump Reportedly Never Got The Yankees Pitch Invitation He Canceled

New York Yankees officials and White House staff were stumped when President Donald Trump announced — then canceled — a date to throw out the first pitch at a Yankee Stadium game next month — because he hadn ’ t been invited , The New York Times reported Monday .
Trump said Sunday he just couldn ’ t make it to the Yankees game with the Red Sox in New York because he ’ s too focused on “ the China virus ” — meaning COVID-19 .
Trump had announced Thursday that he was invited to throw out the ceremonial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yankee President Randy Levine .
“ I think I ’ m doing that on Aug. 15 at Yankee Stadium , ” he added .
Nope , a source told the Times .
Trump had reportedly directed aides to call the Yankees and make good on a standing offer from Levine to throw out an opening pitch .
But no date was finalized , according to the newspaper .
Trump claimed to reporters that he had asked Levine : “ How ’ s the crowd gon na be ?
” and added : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a crowd ” because of COVID-19 .
Trump jumped the gun on the date because he was annoyed that infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci was about to grab the spotlight , an official familiar with Trump ’ s reaction told the Times .
Later that day , Fauci threw out the first pitch at the season opener between the Yankees and the Washington Nationals , and the press loved it — even though Fauci ’ s throw was so off base that observers joked he was trying to “ flatten the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own date and announced it , his staff told the Yankees he was booked elsewhere that day .
Trump ’ s cancellation also happened to come a day after Yankees players Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks took a knee during the national anthem before a game at Washington ’ s Nationals Park in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement — something the president has attacked .
They plan to keep it up for the rest of the season .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
New York Yankees officials and White House staff were stumped when President Donald Trump announced — then canceled — a date to throw out the first pitch at a Yankee Stadium game next month — because he hadn’t been invited, The New York Times reported Monday.
Trump said Sunday he just couldn’t make it to the Yankees game with the Red Sox in New York because he’s too focused on “the China virus” — meaning COVID-19.
Advertisement
Trump had announced Thursday that he was invited to throw out the ceremonial pitch by his “great friend” Yankee President Randy Levine. “I think I’m doing that on Aug. 15 at Yankee Stadium,” he added.
Nope, a source told the Times. Trump had reportedly directed aides to call the Yankees and make good on a standing offer from Levine to throw out an opening pitch. But no date was finalized, according to the newspaper.
Trump claimed to reporters that he had asked Levine: “How’s the crowd gonna be?” and added: “You know, you don’t have a crowd” because of COVID-19.
Trump jumped the gun on the date because he was annoyed that infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci was about to grab the spotlight, an official familiar with Trump’s reaction told the Times. Later that day, Fauci threw out the first pitch at the season opener between the Yankees and the Washington Nationals, and the press loved it — even though Fauci’s throw was so off base that observers joked he was trying to “flatten the curve.”
Advertisement
After Trump simply picked his own date and announced it, his staff told the Yankees he was booked elsewhere that day.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--‘Trump Grifts, You Die’: New Ad Rips President For Profiting Amid Pandemic

A new ad from a progressive PAC hits at President Donald Trump and his family for attempting to profit off the presidency in the middle of the deadly coronavirus pandemic that ’ s claimed nearly 150,000 American lives .
The “ Trump Grifts , You Die ” spot from MeidasTouch shows Trump attempting to steer government business to his own properties , and it highlights the Chinese government awarding trademarks to Ivanka Trump , the president ’ s daughter and White House adviser .
The spot also includes presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway offering what she bluntly called a “ free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as Trump using his office to promote the products of his supporters : “ Trump — and his family — have turned the White House into the Home Shopping Network and have brought humiliation to the nation , ” the super PAC said in a statement released with the video calling the coronavirus-related economic downturn the “ Trump Depression.
” MeidasTouch was founded by Ben Meiselas , the attorney who represented former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in his settlement with the NFL , along with his two brothers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump Jr. , Ivanka Trump and her husband , Jared Kushner , as well as Conway .
MeidasTouch said last week it was launching a six-figure ad buy in support of former Vice President Joe Biden in Texas .
The typically deep-red state hasn ’ t voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since selecting Jimmy Carter in 1976 , but polls show the state to be surprisingly close in 2020 .
The latest polling average has Trump and Biden locked in a tie at 46.2 % each .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A new ad from a progressive PAC hits at President Donald Trump and his family for attempting to profit off the presidency in the middle of the deadly coronavirus pandemic that’s claimed nearly 150,000 American lives.
The “Trump Grifts, You Die” spot from MeidasTouch shows Trump attempting to steer government business to his own properties, and it highlights the Chinese government awarding trademarks to Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and White House adviser.
Advertisement
The spot also includes presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway offering what she bluntly called a “free commercial” for Ivanka Trump-branded products, as well as Trump using his office to promote the products of his supporters:
“Trump — and his family — have turned the White House into the Home Shopping Network and have brought humiliation to the nation,” the super PAC said in a statement released with the video calling the coronavirus-related economic downturn the “Trump Depression.”
MeidasTouch was founded by Ben Meiselas, the attorney who represented former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in his settlement with the NFL, along with his two brothers.
Advertisement
MeidasTouch said last week it was launching a six-figure ad buy in support of former Vice President Joe Biden in Texas.
The typically deep-red state hasn’t voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since selecting Jimmy Carter in 1976, but polls show the state to be surprisingly close in 2020.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Chris Cuomo, Anderson Cooper Expose The Painful Reality Of Trump’s Coronavirus Strategy

Chris Cuomo and Anderson Cooper on Monday used their shows on CNN to hammer President Donald Trump ’ s continued failure to develop a coherent national strategy against the coronavirus .
“ You must be outraged by the inaction , ” said Cuomo , who noted Trump is “ getting killed in the polls in large part ” because he ’ s “ not taking charge in a pandemic ” that ’ s now killed at least 150,000 people in the United States .
And the anchor warned viewers : “ If you are waiting for Trump to use the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and influence , don ’ t .
Because it is not happening.
” Cooper , meanwhile , took Trump to task for failing to deliver on his promise last week that “ we are in the process of developing a strategy that ’ s going to be very , very powerful.
” “ Perhaps like a superhero , its power is invisibility because there ’ s been no sign of it today , six days and 5,000 American lives since he promised it .
No national strategy , ” Cooper pointed out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and personnel to some of the worst-hit areas right now , but still no strategy from this White House , not a new one as promised and there definitely isn ’ t an old one .
And deaths are only climbing .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Chris Cuomo and Anderson Cooper on Monday used their shows on CNN to hammer President Donald Trump’s continued failure to develop a coherent national strategy against the coronavirus.
“You must be outraged by the inaction,” said Cuomo, who noted Trump is “getting killed in the polls in large part” because he’s “not taking charge in a pandemic” that’s now killed at least 150,000 people in the United States.
Advertisement
And the anchor warned viewers: “If you are waiting for Trump to use the federal government with all of its power and influence, don’t. Because it is not happening.”
Check out Cuomo’s comments here:
Cooper, meanwhile, took Trump to task for failing to deliver on his promise last week that “we are in the process of developing a strategy that’s going to be very, very powerful.”
“Perhaps like a superhero, its power is invisibility because there’s been no sign of it today, six days and 5,000 American lives since he promised it. No national strategy,” Cooper pointed out. “The federal government is sending supplies and personnel to some of the worst-hit areas right now, but still no strategy from this White House, not a new one as promised and there definitely isn’t an old one. And deaths are only climbing.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Ex-RNC Chair Gives Portland Protesters A Cheat Sheet On Ducking Trump's Troops

Portland is among a number of cities where protesters have been demonstrating against police violence on Black people since the @ @ @ @ @ Floyd by police in Minneapolis .
In recent weeks , Trump has sent armed federal @ @ @ @ @ the protests , ostensibly to protect federal property .
But on Monday , Steele said @ @ @ @ @ a narrative to fit Trump ’ s reelection script .
He told protesters to avoid @ @ @ @

Portland is among a number of cities where protesters have been demonstrating against police violence on Black people since the May 25 killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. In recent weeks, Trump has sent armed federal law enforcement agents to quell the protests, ostensibly to protect federal property.
But on Monday, Steele said it was really to create a narrative to fit Trump’s reelection script. He told protesters to avoid playing into it.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Democrats Reject Marijuana Legalization In Party Platform

The draft version of the platform supports decriminalizing marijuana use and legalizing medical marijuana , adding that it should be left up to the states “ to make their own decisions about recreational use.
” The platform was unlikely to ever endorse full legalization , since Joe Biden , the presumptive nominee , does not back the policy .
He supports federal decriminalization , which would take away incarceration for possession .
But Dennis Obduskey , a delegate who introduced the legalization amendment during the meeting of the DNC ’ s platform committee , noted that the current document is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which supported “ providing a reasoned pathway for future legalization.
” “ I ’ m imploring all of you to approach this with an open mind and heart .
Do something big here , ” Walker said .
“ Take one small but meaningful step toward changing the course of history .
If my Black life matters to you , you will consider this amendment .
We want to get in good trouble today , and I urge you to do the right thing and support it.
” A 15-person panel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , initially put together the 80-page platform .
Many of the planks came directly from the recommendations of the joint policy task forces the two teams put together this summer as an effort to show a united front against President Donald Trump .
On Monday , the official platform committee of about 180 delegates met virtually to further make changes to the document .
The next step is for the nearly 4,000 members of the DNC to vote by mail on whether to ratify it ahead of next month ’ s national convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steadily risen , with about 66 % of Americans backing it .
It ’ s even more popular with Democrats ( 76 % ) and is legal in 11 states plus the District of Columbia .
John Fetterman , the progressive lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania , was shocked last week when he saw that the draft platform didn ’ t back legalization , as he expressed on Twitter .
DNC delegates also overwhelmingly opposed an amendment backing “ Medicare for All , ” the health care system pushed by Sanders allies .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party platform if it doesn ’ t include support for the policy , although that won ’ t be enough members to block ratification .
In the initial drafting process , however , Sanders allies did get a nod to Medicare for All into the platform , which they considered a victory .
It states that the “ party welcomes advocates who want to build on and strengthen the Affordable Care Act and those who support a Medicare for All approach ; all are critical to ensuring that health care is a @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Democratic National Committee delegates voted 105-60 against including marijuana legalization in the party platform on Monday.
The draft version of the platform supports decriminalizing marijuana use and legalizing medical marijuana, adding that it should be left up to the states “to make their own decisions about recreational use.”
Advertisement
The platform was unlikely to ever endorse full legalization, since Joe Biden, the presumptive nominee, does not back the policy. He supports federal decriminalization, which would take away incarceration for possession.
But Dennis Obduskey, a delegate who introduced the legalization amendment during the meeting of the DNC’s platform committee, noted that the current document is a step back from the 2016 platform, which supported “providing a reasoned pathway for future legalization.”
Marijuana legalization will not be part of the Democratic Party platform in 2020. Serhii Moiseiev/Getty Images
Both Obduskey and Iowa County Supervisor Stacey Walker, who served as a member of the joint Biden-Bernie Sanders criminal justice task force, argued that the current federal laws disproportionately affect Black people.
Advertisement
“I’m imploring all of you to approach this with an open mind and heart. Do something big here,” Walker said. “Take one small but meaningful step toward changing the course of history. If my Black life matters to you, you will consider this amendment. We want to get in good trouble today, and I urge you to do the right thing and support it.”
A 15-person panel, including backers of both Biden and Sanders, initially put together the 80-page platform. Many of the planks came directly from the recommendations of the joint policy task forces the two teams put together this summer as an effort to show a united front against President Donald Trump.
On Monday, the official platform committee of about 180 delegates met virtually to further make changes to the document. The next step is for the nearly 4,000 members of the DNC to vote by mail on whether to ratify it ahead of next month’s national convention.
Public support for marijuana legalization has steadily risen, with about 66% of Americans backing it. It’s even more popular with Democrats (76%) and is legal in 11 states plus the District of Columbia.
Advertisement
John Fetterman, the progressive lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, was shocked last week when he saw that the draft platform didn’t back legalization, as he expressed on Twitter.
DNC delegates also overwhelmingly opposed an amendment backing “Medicare for All,” the health care system pushed by Sanders allies. At least 600 delegates have pledged to oppose the party platform if it doesn’t include support for the policy, although that won’t be enough members to block ratification.
In the initial drafting process, however, Sanders allies did get a nod to Medicare for All into the platform, which they considered a victory. It states that the “party welcomes advocates who want to build on and strengthen the Affordable Care Act and those who support a Medicare for All approach; all are critical to ensuring that health care is a human right.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Georgia GOP Senator’s Campaign Claims ‘Anti-Semitic’ Ad Was Just A Graphic Design Gaffe

A GOP senator ’ s reelection campaign team was accused of playing off anti-Semitic tropes with a digital attack ad involving a manipulated image of his 2020 opponent .
Sen. David Perdue ’ s ( R-Ga. ) campaign has now removed from Facebook the ad , below , that showed Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff , who is Jewish , with a bigger nose : Ossoff denounced the edited version of a 2017 image of himself , below , as “ the oldest , most obvious , least original anti-Semitic trope in history.
” The Forward , the Jewish newspaper , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the image Monday , citing three graphic designers who confirmed its alteration .
The donation-soliciting post further accused “ the radical left ” Democrats of “ trying to buy Georgia ” and featured a picture of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) , who is also Jewish .
Perdue ’ s campaign claimed that “ in the graphic design process handled by an outside vendor , the photo was resized and a filter was applied , which appears to have caused an unintentional error that distorted the image.
” “ Obviously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure there is absolutely no confusion , we have immediately removed the image from Facebook , ” a spokesperson said in a statement sent to multiple media outlets .
Perdue himself hadn ’ t seen the ad before it was released , they said .
“ Anybody who implies that this was anything other than an inadvertent error is intentionally misrepresenting Senator Perdue ’ s strong and consistent record of standing firmly against anti-Semitism and all forms of hate , ” they added .
Sitting U.S .
Senator David Perdue 's digital attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend my nose .
I 'm Jewish .
This is the oldest , most obvious , least original anti-Semitic trope in history .
Senator , literally no one believes your excuses.https : //t.co/PiA7P4O4M2 — Jon Ossoff ( @ ossoff ) July 28 , 2020 Bend the Arc , a Jewish advocacy group , described the ad as “ blatant antisemitism.
” “ It ’ s not an accident .
It ’ s their platform , ” it tweeted : Senator David Perdue just ran an attack ad that artificially enlarged the nose of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The ad claims that “ Democrats are trying to buy Georgia.
” This is blatant antisemitism .
It ’ s not an accident .
It ’ s their platform .
@ Perduesenate , apologize now .
pic.twitter.com/h0sOpllgHe — Bend the Arc : Jewish Action ( @ jewishaction ) July 28 , 2020 According to a listing on Facebook ’ s political ad library , Perdue ’ s campaign spent $ 300- $ 399 on the ad that began running on July 22 .
It targeted the over-65s in Georgia and Texas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perdue campaign has so far spent more than $ 150,000 on Facebook ads in the race against media executive Ossoff , which political pundits expect to be a close contest .
Ossoff , meanwhile , is currently in self-isolation after his wife , Dr. Alisha Kramer , tested positive for the coronavirus , reported the Associated Press .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A GOP senator’s reelection campaign team was accused of invoking an anti-Semitic trope with a digital attack ad that used a manipulated image of his Democratic challenger.
Sen. David Perdue’s (R-Ga.) campaign has since removed the ad, below, from Facebook. It showed 2020 Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff, who is Jewish, with a bigger nose:
Advertisement
Ossoff denounced the altered version of a 2017 image of himself, below, as “the oldest, most obvious, least original anti-Semitic trope in history.”
Christopher Aluka Berry / Reuters
The Forward, the Jewish newspaper, first reported on the edited image on Monday, citing three graphic designers who confirmed its alteration.
Advertisement
Purdue’s donation-soliciting post accused “the radical left” Democrats of “trying to buy Georgia” and featured a picture of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who also is Jewish.
Perdue’s campaign claimed the altered Ossoff photo was an accident, and blamed technology and an outside vendor.
“In the graphic design process handled by an outside vendor, the photo was resized and a filter was applied, which appears to have caused an unintentional error that distorted the image,” a spokesperson said in a statement sent to multiple media outlets. “Obviously, this was accidental, but to ensure there is absolutely no confusion, we have immediately removed the image from Facebook.”
Perdue hadn’t seen the ad before it was posted, his campaign said.
“Anybody who implies that this was anything other than an inadvertent error is intentionally misrepresenting Senator Perdue’s strong and consistent record of standing firmly against anti-Semitism and all forms of hate,” the campaign added.
Ossoff wasn’t buying the explanation.
“Senator, literally no one believes your excuses,” the Democrat tweeted.
Sitting U.S. Senator David Perdue's digital attack ad distorted my face to enlarge and extend my nose.
I'm Jewish.
This is the oldest, most obvious, least original anti-Semitic trope in history.
Senator, literally no one believes your excuses.https://t.co/PiA7P4O4M2 — Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) July 28, 2020
Advertisement
Bend the Arc, a Jewish advocacy group, described the ad as “blatant antisemitism.” “It’s not an accident. It’s their platform.”
Senator David Perdue just ran an attack ad that artificially enlarged the nose of his Jewish opponent, Jon @Ossoff.
The ad claims that “Democrats are trying to buy Georgia.”
This is blatant antisemitism. It’s not an accident. It’s their platform.@Perduesenate, apologize now. pic.twitter.com/h0sOpllgHe — Bend the Arc: Jewish Action (@jewishaction) July 28, 2020
According to a listing on Facebook’s political ad library, Perdue’s campaign spent $300 to $399 to place the ad, which began running on July 22. It targeted people over age 65 in Georgia and Texas and netted 3,000 to 4,000 impressions.
The Perdue campaign has so far spent more than $150,000 on Facebook ads in the race against media executive Ossoff, which political pundits expect to be a close contest.
Ossoff, meanwhile, is in self-isolation after his wife Dr. Alisha Kramer tested positive for the coronavirus, reported The Associated Press.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--'Excessive Force' Used On Peaceful Protesters At Trump Photo-Op, National Guard Major Says

Shortly after the Park Police drove back the protesters , Milley walked in his military fatigues alongside Trump as the @ @ @ @ @ .
Milley later called his participation in the president ’ s photo-op a “ mistake.
@ @ @ @ @ I should not have been there .
My presence in that moment and in that @ @ @ @ @ the military involved in domestic politics.
” The National Park Service , which oversees the @ @ @ @ @ DeMarco ’ s account Monday by repeating a statement from Park Police Cheif Gregory Monahan @ @ @ @ @ that his force acted to “ curtail the violence that was underway , ” The @ @ @ @ @ account is contradicted by witnesses and videos , which reveal several incidents of apparent police @ @ @ @ @ Scott Morrison last month called for an investigation after an Australian news crew was attacked @ @ @ @ @ in the tweet below ) .

Shortly after the Park Police drove back the protesters, Milley walked in his military fatigues alongside Trump as the president headed to the church. Milley later called his participation in the president’s photo-op a “mistake.” He added: “I should not have been there. My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.”
The National Park Service, which oversees the Park Police, responded to DeMarco’s account Monday by repeating a statement from Park Police Cheif Gregory Monahan, who said last month that his force acted to “curtail the violence that was underway,” The Associated Press reported.
That account is contradicted by witnesses and videos, which reveal several incidents of apparent police violence. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison last month called for an investigation after an Australian news crew was attacked by police officers (seen in the tweet below).


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Joe Biden Urges Trump To Keep Coronavirus Vaccine Progress ‘Free From Political Pressure’

Former Vice President Joe Biden urged the Trump administration to take steps to ensure the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus will be “ free from political pressure ” and asked the White House to respect science as the nation reels from the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ It ’ s great news that scientists are making progress in the search for a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine , ” Biden wrote in the blog entry .
“ We all hope the next phases of clinical trials will yield positive results to support an approval based on the scientific evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine requires a dedication to science , coordination , transparency , truth , and fairness to all — and we have a President who stands for none of these things.
” The comments come as cases continue to surge in many places around the nation .
More than 4.2 million people have been infected with the virus in the U.S. , and more than 148,000 have died .
Four states — California , Florida , New York and Texas — have all reported more than 400,000 cases each .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert , said Monday he was “ cautiously optimistic ” amid reports several vaccine candidates had entered large-scale human trials in the ultimate hope of finding a treatment that can help prevent or minimize COVID-19 cases .
“ We ’ re trying to figure out does it actually work , ” Fauci told CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer , noting it would “ take several months to determine if in fact [ the vaccine ] does work.
” “ To go from not even knowing what the virus was in early January to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , ” the doctor added .
The comments came amid news the pharmaceutical company Moderna had launched a 30,000-person Phase 3 trial of its vaccine candidate in partnership with the National Institutes of Health .
Pfizer has also launched a similar Phase 3 trial for its vaccine candidate , and both efforts are currently enrolling participants .
Biden wrote Monday that , despite this success , President Donald Trump should refrain from weighing in on research without the science to back it up , pointing to the White House ’ s initial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Food and Drug Administration ultimately warned against .
“ The White House should not weigh in on these matters or push the FDA to provide emergency authorizations prematurely , as they did for hydroxychloroquine , ” he wrote .
“ The President should not ‘ hype ’ treatments or vaccines , overstate their results , or undermine confidence in scientific findings.
” Many leading health experts , Fauci included , have thrown cold water on the public ’ s hopes for a speedy vaccine that provides ultimate immunity to the coronavirus .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a process that can take years into months , but even if the vaccine candidates are successful , it will take time for them to be produced and distributed .
It ’ s also unclear how supply chains for hundreds of millions — or potentially billions — of doses would hold up amid high demand .
The Atlantic noted this week that many of the vaccine candidates rely on new science that hasn ’ t been replicated at scale before , and a bevy of other concerns include some Americans ’ resistance toward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of society .
Biden called for any vaccine research to be made public once it attains FDA approval and called for full transparency on medical recommendations to help assuage any fears about the vaccination should it become available .
“ Before a license is final , senior career scientists and public health experts should be allowed to make public , uncensored statements and appear before Congress unconstrained to speak the truth , ” he said .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former Vice President Joe Biden urged the Trump administration to take steps to ensure the development of a vaccine for the coronavirus will be “free from political pressure” and asked the White House to respect science as the nation reels from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The presumptive Democratic nominee for president made the comments in a blog post Monday amid news that several potential coronavirus vaccines were entering large-scale trials.
Advertisement
“It’s great news that scientists are making progress in the search for a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” Biden wrote in the blog entry. “We all hope the next phases of clinical trials will yield positive results to support an approval based on the scientific evidence, but the development of a new vaccine requires a dedication to science, coordination, transparency, truth, and fairness to all — and we have a President who stands for none of these things.”
The development of a new vaccine requires a dedication to science, coordination, transparency, truth, and fairness to all — and we have a President who stands for none of these things. https://t.co/38t303Fknw — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 27, 2020
The comments come as cases continue to surge in many places around the nation. More than 4.2 million people have been infected with the virus in the U.S., and more than 148,000 have died. Four states — California, Florida, New York and Texas — have all reported more than 400,000 cases each.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said Monday he was “cautiously optimistic” amid reports several vaccine candidates had entered large-scale human trials in the ultimate hope of finding a treatment that can help prevent or minimize COVID-19 cases.
Advertisement
“We’re trying to figure out does it actually work,” Fauci told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, noting it would “take several months to determine if in fact [the vaccine] does work.”
“To go from not even knowing what the virus was in early January to a Phase 3 trial is really record time,” the doctor added.
Dr. Fauci on being “cautiously optimistic” about the Phase 3 clinical trial of a Covid-19 vaccine: “If you look at the early data…The kinds of response that we induced in those volunteers they were robust antibody responses…and that’s one of the hallmarks" that predicts success pic.twitter.com/OPOYMCqEtk — The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) July 27, 2020
The comments came amid news the pharmaceutical company Moderna had launched a 30,000-person Phase 3 trial of its vaccine candidate in partnership with the National Institutes of Health. Pfizer has also launched a similar Phase 3 trial for its vaccine candidate, and both efforts are currently enrolling participants.
Biden wrote Monday that, despite this success, President Donald Trump should refrain from weighing in on research without the science to back it up, pointing to the White House’s initial support for an anti-malaria drug that the Food and Drug Administration ultimately warned against.
Advertisement
“The White House should not weigh in on these matters or push the FDA to provide emergency authorizations prematurely, as they did for hydroxychloroquine,” he wrote. “The President should not ‘hype’ treatments or vaccines, overstate their results, or undermine confidence in scientific findings.”
Many leading health experts, Fauci included, have thrown cold water on the public’s hopes for a speedy vaccine that provides ultimate immunity to the coronavirus. The Phase 3 trials will likely squeeze in a process that can take years into months, but even if the vaccine candidates are successful, it will take time for them to be produced and distributed. It’s also unclear how supply chains for hundreds of millions — or potentially billions — of doses would hold up amid high demand.
The Atlantic noted this week that many of the vaccine candidates rely on new science that hasn’t been replicated at scale before, and a bevy of other concerns include some Americans’ resistance toward vaccination, which could impede the reopening of society.
Biden called for any vaccine research to be made public once it attains FDA approval and called for full transparency on medical recommendations to help assuage any fears about the vaccination should it become available.
“Before a license is final, senior career scientists and public health experts should be allowed to make public, uncensored statements and appear before Congress unconstrained to speak the truth,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Portland 'Wall Of Moms' Sues DOJ, Homeland Security For Violating Constitutional Rights

Portland ’ s Wall of Moms , Black Lives Matter and the Don ’ t Shoot protest groups filed a lawsuit Monday against the U.S. Justice and Homeland Security departments , arguing that federal officers are using excessive violence and violating protesters ’ constitutional rights .
Military-style squads dispatched to the city by the Trump administration are trampling protesters ’ right to free speech by overstepping their authority and using violence , the lawsuit alleges .
The 114 federal officers sent to Portland this month have made unlawful arrests without probable cause and used violence to “ stamp out peaceful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit alleges .
“ Rather than protect and defend Plaintiffs ’ constitutional rights , as they are bound to do by law and their Oaths of Office , Defendants have implemented an unlawful policy to quash Plaintiffs ’ speech and end their protests , ‘ ’ the suit says .
The moms have been “ tear-gassed night after night , left vomiting and unable to eat or sleep because of the toxic poison blasted at them , ” the lawsuit continues .
“ They have been shot at over and over — with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spray , and a range of other projectiles fired at close range and with brutal effect .
They have had flash-bang explosive devices detonated right in front of them.
” The court action argues that Chad Wolf , who heads Homeland Security , has no legal authority to order officers into Portland because he is an “ acting secretary ” not confirmed by the Senate .
In fact , he hasn ’ t even been nominated to the role by President Donald Trump .
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protect Democracy Project , a three-year-old group founded by former officials in the White House counsel ’ s office and the Department of Justice .
The Wall of Moms , formed to protect other protesters from attack by the military-style federal cops , has captured the attention of a sympathetic public and media .
Several videos have shown the clearly peaceful moms being viciously attacked by the squads .
“ Wall of Moms is non-violent , ” Bev Barnum , an organizer of the group , wrote on Facebook .
“ Portland is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tear gas , bean bag rounds and beaten by federal officers and local law enforcement.
” She added : “ Once you experience Trump ’ s tyranny for yourself , you will understand why we ’ re protecting the protesters .
They have a right to demand necessary changes.
” The suit seeks a temporary restraining order that would restrict federal officers ’ actions to protecting federal property .
It would bar them from acts that would “ intimidate and deter protesters , ” including surveillance , the use of militarized force , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as tear gas and pepper spray .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Portland’s Wall of Moms, Black Lives Matter and the Don’t Shoot protest groups filed a lawsuit Monday against the U.S. Justice and Homeland Security departments, arguing that federal officers are using excessive violence and violating protesters’ constitutional rights.
Military-style squads dispatched to the city by the Trump administration are trampling protesters’ right to free speech by overstepping their authority and using violence, the lawsuit alleges.
Advertisement
The 114 federal officers sent to Portland this month have made unlawful arrests without probable cause and used violence to “stamp out peaceful and constitutionally protected protests,” the lawsuit alleges.
“Rather than protect and defend Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights, as they are bound to do by law and their Oaths of Office, Defendants have implemented an unlawful policy to quash Plaintiffs’ speech and end their protests,‘’ the suit says.
The moms have been “tear-gassed night after night, left vomiting and unable to eat or sleep because of the toxic poison blasted at them,” the lawsuit continues. “They have been shot at over and over — with rubber bullets, bean bags, pepper spray, and a range of other projectiles fired at close range and with brutal effect. They have had flash-bang explosive devices detonated right in front of them.”
The court action argues that Chad Wolf, who heads Homeland Security, has no legal authority to order officers into Portland because he is an “acting secretary” not confirmed by the Senate. In fact, he hasn’t even been nominated to the role by President Donald Trump.
Advertisement
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by the Protect Democracy Project, a three-year-old group founded by former officials in the White House counsel’s office and the Department of Justice.
The Wall of Moms, formed to protect other protesters from attack by the military-style federal cops, has captured the attention of a sympathetic public and media. Several videos have shown the clearly peaceful moms being viciously attacked by the squads.
“Wall of Moms is non-violent,” Bev Barnum, an organizer of the group, wrote on Facebook. “Portland is done being shot with rubber bullets, tear gas, bean bag rounds and beaten by federal officers and local law enforcement.”
She added: “Once you experience Trump’s tyranny for yourself, you will understand why we’re protecting the protesters. They have a right to demand necessary changes.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Department Of Homeland Security Has Always Been Controversial. Trump Has Made It Toxic.

People in Portland have led anti-racism protests for 60 straight nights in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 .
The federal officers in Portland , usually dressed in military fatigues and often in uniforms that obscure officers ’ names or the agencies they work for , have ostensibly been sent to protect the federal courthouse at the center of the protests .
But instead , they have been caught on video yanking protesters into unmarked vans , tear-gassing demonstrators and violently cracking down on otherwise peaceful gatherings .
The president ’ s intent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic sink his approval ratings to record lows , he views the authoritarian crackdown in Portland as a way to bolster his image as the nation ’ s only bulwark against “ violent anarchy , ” the phrase Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf has used to justify his officers ’ actions .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany showed footage from the city during a briefing last week ; Trump ’ s campaign has used it to lash out at what might occur in “ Joe Biden ’ s America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is happening on Trump ’ s watch ) .
The post-9/11 period was marked by “ failure to stand up to fear , ” said former Sen. Russ Feingold ( D-Wis. ) , one of just nine senators who voted against the creation of DHS , told HuffPost on Monday .
“ And now it ’ s being exploited by an administration that sees itself as under siege and wants to change the subject from what ’ s going on with COVID-19.
” From the early days of the Trump administration , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls to abolish or overhaul agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection ― both of which are housed inside DHS .
Protesters have recently staged demonstrations outside Wolf ’ s home in Virginia and have pledged to keep taking to the streets in other cities until the department is gone .
Trump ’ s naked politicization of federal law enforcement in response to the anti-racist protests has already drawn rebukes and concerns from top members of Congress and former federal officials , although most have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overhaul of the department : House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) accused Trump of sending “ stormtroopers ” to Portland .
Oregon ’ s Democratic senators blasted Trump for turning their home into an “ authoritarian police state ” and sponsored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would limit Trump ’ s ability to send federal agents to states without the consent of local elected officials .
They also demanded an investigation into the administration ’ s actions , and inspectors general from Homeland Security and Justice Departments launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , the House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing over the department ’ s actions in Portland .
Wolf , the acting secretary , has not yet said if he plans to attend , and for now , Democrats are focused on obtaining documents and gleaning more information about the legality of the use of federal forces in American cities rather than on potential reforms to the department .
Even before Trump took office , DHS was rife with problems that had made it clear that it probably should have never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agencies have produced reports showing that its security and intelligence programs are often duplicative and far less efficient than existing efforts in more established agencies , such as the FBI .
Some of its most high-profile divisions , including the Transportation Security Administration , have repeatedly failed national security trials , raising questions about its effectiveness in bolstering security or counterterrorism efforts .
Its intelligence efforts have generated serious concerns about privacy for American citizens , and its scope and structure have rendered congressional oversight of the department almost impossible , creating a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it wants to do , ” Chertoff said in 2013 .
Its role in immigration enforcement during the Trump years has led to calls for abolition from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) and Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) .
DHS is also intimately linked to the policing issues at the heart of the racial justice protests that erupted in late May and have swept the nation over the last two months : Since 2003 , two DHS programs have funneled more than $ 24 billion in funding to local police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them combat the spread of terrorism that led to the hyper-militarization of police forces nationwide .
The DHS programs , Bloomberg reported , have been subject to relatively little oversight from Congress , especially compared with existing programs inside the Department of Defense .
But in the hands of a president with an explicit authoritarian streak , DHS has been a convenient ― and pliant ― tool .
While Trump has at times met resistance from at least some officials inside other agencies , including the FBI , the Department of Justice and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and National Guard , there has been little pushback from within DHS , even as he has wielded it as a secret police force .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
For weeks, federal law enforcement personnel have violently clashed with demonstrators in Portland, Oregon. On Wednesday, news came that the Trump administration has decided to significantly expand the federal presence there: The Washington Post reported that at least 150 federal agents are expected to flood the city in the coming days.
People in Portland have led anti-racism protests for 60 straight nights in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. The federal officers in Portland, usually dressed in military fatigues and often in uniforms that obscure officers’ names or the agencies they work for, have ostensibly been sent to protect the federal courthouse at the center of the protests. But instead, they have been caught on video yanking protesters into unmarked vans, tear-gassing demonstrators and violently cracking down on otherwise peaceful gatherings.
Advertisement
The president’s intent is clear: As nationwide protests and the coronavirus pandemic sink his approval ratings to record lows, he views the authoritarian crackdown in Portland as a way to bolster his image as the nation’s only bulwark against “violent anarchy,” the phrase Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf has used to justify his officers’ actions. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany showed footage from the city during a briefing last week; Trump’s campaign has used it to lash out at what might occur in “Joe Biden’s America” (with no acknowledgment that it is happening on Trump’s watch).
But the stunning use of federal law enforcement to quash domestic unrest, particularly for obvious political purposes, has had another effect: It has generated strong rebukes from congressional leaders and renewed debate about whether Congress and the next president ― if it is presumptive Democratic nominee Biden ― should radically reform the controversial department that’s now carrying out Trump’s violent, autocratic fantasies.
“What we’ve been seeing over the last few weeks is exactly why I voted against the Department of Homeland Security’s creation in the first place,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said Monday. “Many members of Congress thought it would be an unwieldy and unaccountable bureaucracy — and it turns out we were right. I’m hopeful a new administration will take office in the coming months that will drastically overhaul the department to help ensure we have a government that works for, and is on the side of, the American people.”
Federal law enforcement officers confront anti-racist protesters during demonstrations in Portland, Oregon. Spencer Platt via Getty Images
Advertisement
On Saturday, former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) called her vote in favor of establishing the Department of Homeland Security “a mistake” in a Washington Post column that called on congressional leaders to overhaul the two-decade-old agency.
“I can’t get my vote back, but Congress can act to both condemn this gross tyranny and then restructure the department so that no president, now or ever again, can have a private police force and menace the people he or she swears to protect,” Boxer wrote.
The rebuke from Boxer followed suggestions from former Obama administration officials that Biden should take a reformist approach to the department should he win the presidency in November.
Ben Rhodes, who served as deputy national security adviser in the Obama administration, tweeted last week that Biden “should give serious thought to breaking up DHS.”
“Of all the thorny problems a President Biden would face, what to do with DHS will be high on the list,” Matthew Miller, a former Department of Justice spokesman under President Barack Obama, tweeted.
Advertisement
Biden last week slammed Trump for “egregious tactics” in Portland in a statement to BuzzFeed, adding that “Homeland Security agents — without a clearly defined mandate or authority — are ranging far from federal property, stripped of badges and insignia and identifying markings, to detain people. They are brutally attacking peaceful protesters, including a U.S. Navy veteran.”
A hodgepodge of agencies smashed together in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Department of Homeland Security has faced opposition from across the political spectrum since its inception in 2002.
Critics worried that it would become an unnecessary and ineffective bureaucracy that would duplicate and complicate the federal government’s existing efforts to protect national security. Worse, they feared that it would do more to threaten American freedoms than it would to protect them.
“Things have played out even worse than what we feared. What we’re seeing now is a worst-case scenario.” - Julian Sanchez, senior fellow, Cato Institute
The post-9/11 period was marked by “failure to stand up to fear,” said former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), one of just nine senators who voted against the creation of DHS, told HuffPost on Monday. “And now it’s being exploited by an administration that sees itself as under siege and wants to change the subject from what’s going on with COVID-19.”
Advertisement
“We’re not supposed to have a domestic military, and that’s essentially what’s happening,” Feingold, who is now the president of the American Constitution Society, said. “All I can say is it’s being abused in this instance, and there have been other instances, and I would hope that the people of both parties would realize that it needs to be reformed.”
What’s happening on the streets of Portland is “maybe even worse than what we were imagining,” said Julian Sanchez, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank that has long opposed the existence of the Department of Homeland Security and called for its abolition in 2011.
“If we had painted this scenario, people might have reasonably called us paranoid,” Sanchez said. “Things have played out even worse than what we feared. What we’re seeing now is a worst-case scenario.”
From the early days of the Trump administration, his strongarm tactics on immigration have generated activist calls to abolish or overhaul agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection ― both of which are housed inside DHS. Protesters have recently staged demonstrations outside Wolf’s home in Virginia and have pledged to keep taking to the streets in other cities until the department is gone.
Trump’s naked politicization of federal law enforcement in response to the anti-racist protests has already drawn rebukes and concerns from top members of Congress and former federal officials, although most have stopped short of calling for an outright overhaul of the department: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) accused Trump of sending “stormtroopers” to Portland. Oregon’s Democratic senators blasted Trump for turning their home into an “authoritarian police state” and sponsored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would limit Trump’s ability to send federal agents to states without the consent of local elected officials. They also demanded an investigation into the administration’s actions, and inspectors general from Homeland Security and Justice Departments launched a joint probe last week.
Advertisement
The criticism didn’t come just from Democrats: Tom Ridge, who served as the first Homeland Security secretary under President George W. Bush, decried Trump’s wielding of his own “personal militia” in a “reality TV approach” to the demonstrations. And Michael Chertoff, who helped write the post-9/11 USA Patriot Act and later served as DHS secretary under Bush and later Obama, said Trump’s “very unsettling” actions undermined “the credibility of the department’s principal mission.”
Federal law enforcement agents under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security have been arresting protesters, sometimes violently, in Portland, Oregon. Spencer Platt via Getty Images
On Friday, the House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing over the department’s actions in Portland. Wolf, the acting secretary, has not yet said if he plans to attend, and for now, Democrats seem focused on obtaining documents and gleaning more information about the legality of the use of federal forces in American cities rather than on potential reforms to the department.
Pelosi and other congressional Democrats who voted against the original creation of DHS in 2002 did not respond to requests for comment about Democratic plans to re-examine the role or structure of the department.
Advertisement
Even before Trump took office, DHS was rife with problems that had made it clear that it probably should have never been created. Lawmakers and government oversight agencies have produced reports showing that its security and intelligence programs are often duplicative and far less efficient than existing efforts in more established agencies, such as the FBI. Some of its most high-profile divisions, including the Transportation Security Administration, have repeatedly failed national security trials, raising questions about its effectiveness in bolstering security or counterterrorism efforts.
Its intelligence efforts have generated serious concerns about privacy for American citizens, and its scope and structure have rendered congressional oversight of the department almost impossible, creating a situation in which “the department does what it wants to do,” Chertoff said in 2013. Its role in immigration enforcement during the Trump years has led to calls for abolition from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
DHS is also intimately linked to the policing issues at the heart of the racial justice protests that erupted in late May and have swept the nation over the last two months: Since 2003, two DHS programs have funneled more than $24 billion in funding to local police departments ― an effort meant to help them combat the spread of terrorism that led to the hyper-militarization of police forces nationwide. The DHS programs, Bloomberg reported, have been subject to relatively little oversight from Congress, especially compared with existing programs inside the Department of Defense.
But in the hands of a president with an explicit authoritarian streak, DHS has been a convenient ― and pliant ― tool. While Trump has at times met resistance from at least some officials inside other agencies, including the FBI, the Department of Justice and, more recently, the U.S. military and National Guard, there has been little pushback from within DHS, even as he has wielded it as a secret police force.
“It has not developed a similar culture, and because of that, it’s more susceptible to a corrupt administration coming in and completely steering the organization off track,” Miller, the former Justice Department official, said.
Advertisement
Sanchez is skeptical there is enough momentum in Congress or the public to actually abolish the department and move its necessary agencies elsewhere, although he didn’t dismiss the possibility entirely, especially given the broader political shifts that have occurred amid the protests. Doing so, Miller suggested, wouldn’t immediately fix every problem, especially inside ICE, CBP and the nation’s immigration enforcement system.
Taking apart a department as unwieldy as DHS “will be at least as messy as putting it together was,” Miller said.
With Trump out of office, a prospective President Biden and a Democratic Congress would have an opportunity to reform or dismantle DHS, though paradoxically it might then seem less urgent. But longtime critics of the agency say the problem isn’t simply confined to Trump.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Can You Name That Knock? Drummer Bangs On Doors Using Rock-Song Rhythms

If that knock sounds a little rhythmic ― and a little familiar ― you might have a drummer at your @ @ @ @ @ Samus Paulicelli of Winnipeg , a.k.a .
66Samus , shows how to turn rock songs @ @ @ @ @ latest video , “ How Drummers Knock On Doors.
” The name of each song @ @ @ @ @ but if you close your eyes , you can play a game of name that @ @ @ @ @ some of the clips are a little NSFW , like Metallica ’ s “ Enter @ @ @ @ @ for drumsticks , while others are just plain weird , like “ Fart Metal.
” @ @ @ @ @ .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

LOADING ERROR LOADING
If that knock sounds a little rhythmic ― and a little familiar ― you might have a drummer at your door.
Drummer and YouTuber Samus Paulicelli of Winnipeg, a.k.a. 66Samus, shows how to turn rock songs into door knocks in his latest video, “How Drummers Knock On Doors.”
Advertisement
The name of each song appears on the screen, but if you close your eyes, you can play a game of name that knock:
Just beware that some of the clips are a little NSFW, like Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” played with dildos for drumsticks, while others are just plain weird, like “Fart Metal.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Trevor Noah Takes Down Tom Cotton's 'Possibly Stupidest' Slavery Argument

Trevor Noah on Monday took aim at Sen. Tom Cotton ( R-Ark . )
for his “ possibly stupidest ” argument against teaching about America ’ s history of slavery in schools .
Cotton has been the subject of fierce criticism over his attempts to prevent schools from teaching the 1619 Project , a New York Times-based curriculum that seeks to reframe American history around 1619 ― the year slaves first arrived on America ’ s shores .
In an interview published by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Sunday , Cotton called the project a “ racially divisive ” account of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the “ necessary evil upon which the union was built.
” Instead of portraying America as “ an irredeemably corrupt , rotten and racist country , ” Cotton said the nation should be viewed “ as an imperfect and flawed land , but the greatest and noblest country in the history of mankind.
” “ Sen .
Cotton thinks this curriculum is racially divisive ?
” “ The Daily Show ” host asked .
” You know what ’ s really racially divisive ?
Slavery.
” Watch below for “ The Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ less racially divisive version of slavery ” would go down as a lesson plan : Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Trevor Noah on Monday took aim at Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) for his “possibly stupidest” argument against teaching about America’s history of slavery in schools.
Cotton has been the subject of fierce criticism over his attempts to prevent schools from teaching the 1619 Project, a New York Times-based curriculum that seeks to reframe American history around 1619 ― the year slaves first arrived on America’s shores.
Advertisement
In an interview published by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Sunday, Cotton called the project a “racially divisive” account of history and described the institution of slavery as the “necessary evil upon which the union was built.” Instead of portraying America as “an irredeemably corrupt, rotten and racist country,” Cotton said the nation should be viewed “as an imperfect and flawed land, but the greatest and noblest country in the history of mankind.”
“Sen. Cotton thinks this curriculum is racially divisive?” “The Daily Show” host asked. ”You know what’s really racially divisive? Slavery.”
Watch below for “The Daily Show” take on how Cotton’s “less racially divisive version of slavery” would go down as a lesson plan:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-27--Chainsmokers Concert On Blast Over Videos Of 'Egregious Social Distancing Violations'

A drive-in charity concert in the Hamptons headlined by The Chainsmokers has drawn criticism and a state investigation after videos showed a large crowd of concertgoers failing to socially distance .
The July 25 event in Water Mill , New York , was designed so that attendees could watch the show from inside their vehicles or in designated areas beside them .
Their temperatures were checked on arrival , they were provided with face masks and instructed not to leave the 20-by-20-foot spots except to use restrooms , event organizers In The Know Experiences and Invisible Noise said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event to promote social distancing , the organizers added .
However , viral footage appeared to show a sizable gathering of people disregarding those rules as they assembled in front of the stage for the DJ set , setting off a firestorm of criticism online over the blatant disregard for public health advice as coronavirus cases surge around the country .
Many ( if not most ?
! )
of these people live in NYC .
How on earth could you have lived through March/April in NYC and then just ... decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Sarah Baicker ( @ sbbaicker ) July 27 , 2020 The benefit concert was held to raise money for charities including No Kid Hungry , Southampton Fresh Air Home and the Children ’ s Medical Fund of New York .
Tickets ranged from $ 850 to $ 25,000 for a VIP package .
“ The video that everyone is talking about was taken from an angle that doesn ’ t properly convey how careful we were to follow the guidelines created by the CDC , ” organizers claimed in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enforce New York ’ s social distancing guidelines and collaborated with all state and local health officials to keep everyone safe.
” New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo tweeted Monday that he was “ appalled ” by the “ egregious social distancing violations ” depicted in the video .
Videos from a concert held in Southampton on Saturday show egregious social distancing violations .
I am appalled .
The Department of Health will conduct an investigation .
We have no tolerance for the illegal & reckless endangerment of public health.pic.twitter.com/gf9kggdo8w — Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 New York State Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in a letter to Southhampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman that his department would conduct an investigation into the event .
Zucker said he was “ greatly disturbed ” to learn that the concert “ involved thousands of people in close proximity , out of their vehicles , a VIP area where there was no pretense of a vehicle , and generally not adhering to social distancing guidance.
” “ I am at a loss as to how the Town of Southhampton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an event , how they believed it was legal and not an obvious public health threat .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
A drive-in charity concert in the Hamptons headlined by The Chainsmokers has drawn criticism and a state investigation after videos showed a large crowd of concertgoers failing to socially distance.
The July 25 event in Water Mill, New York, was designed so that attendees could watch the show from inside their vehicles or in designated areas beside them. Their temperatures were checked on arrival, they were provided with face masks and instructed not to leave the 20-by-20-foot spots except to use restrooms, event organizers In The Know Experiences and Invisible Noise said in a statement to Billboard. Security guards patrolled the event to promote social distancing, the organizers added.
Advertisement
However, viral footage appeared to show a sizable gathering of people disregarding those rules as they assembled in front of the stage for the DJ set, setting off a firestorm of criticism online over the blatant disregard for public health advice as coronavirus cases surge around the country.
Roughly 2,000 people were estimated to have attended the concert, BuzzFeed News reported.
The Hamptons:
The Chainsmokers had a “Drive-in” concert last night.
No social-distancing during a pandemic. We may be doomed...pic.twitter.com/rreahTaK0p — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) July 27, 2020
Y’all gonna risk it all for a chainsmokers dj set huh — The Knocks (@theknocks) July 27, 2020
Many (if not most?!) of these people live in NYC. How on earth could you have lived through March/April in NYC and then just ... decided this was OK? https://t.co/N1y2Ncqame — Sarah Baicker (@sbbaicker) July 27, 2020
Advertisement
Fitting that The Chainsmokers are causing permanent lung damage. https://t.co/viFm4HiuIg — Jesse McLaren (@McJesse) July 27, 2020
y’all really out here risking your lives for the chainsmokers, goodnight. i know it’s 10am but goodnight. https://t.co/YKMd7rCMc3 — elijah daniel (@elijahdaniel) July 27, 2020
The benefit concert was held to raise money for charities including No Kid Hungry, Southampton Fresh Air Home and the Children’s Medical Fund of New York. Tickets ranged from $850 to $25,000 for a VIP package.
“The video that everyone is talking about was taken from an angle that doesn’t properly convey how careful we were to follow the guidelines created by the CDC,” organizers claimed in a statement. “We did everything in our power to enforce New York’s social distancing guidelines and collaborated with all state and local health officials to keep everyone safe.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted Monday that he was “appalled” by the “egregious social distancing violations” depicted in the video.
Advertisement
Videos from a concert held in Southampton on Saturday show egregious social distancing violations. I am appalled.
The Department of Health will conduct an investigation.
We have no tolerance for the illegal & reckless endangerment of public health.pic.twitter.com/gf9kggdo8w — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 28, 2020
New York State Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said in a letter to Southhampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman that his department would conduct an investigation into the event. Zucker said he was “greatly disturbed” to learn that the concert “involved thousands of people in close proximity, out of their vehicles, a VIP area where there was no pretense of a vehicle, and generally not adhering to social distancing guidance.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Trump Clings To Unproven Treatments As U.S. Sinks Deeper Into Pandemic

President Donald Trump ’ s press conference quickly unraveled on Tuesday as he struggled to defend a video he ’ d retweeted that is full of false claims about the coronavirus and complained about his low approval rating .
Reporters asked Trump repeated questions about his continued support for hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment a day after he retweeted several conspiracy theories about the drug .
Multiple clinical trials have found hydroxychloroquine is not an effective coronavirus treatment , despite the president ’ s suggestions to the contrary .
“ Many doctors think it is extremely successful , ” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding , “ I happen to believe in it .
I would take it .
As you know , I took it for a 14-day period , and I ’ m here .
...
It ’ s safe .
It doesn ’ t cause problems.
” Trump was also forced to answer for a video he retweeted on Monday that showed a group of self-proclaimed medical experts claiming that social distancing and masks were not necessary to curb the spread of COVID-19 and alleging that officials were suppressing the use of hydroxychloroquine for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and funded by the right-wing nonprofit Tea Party Patriots , which has been organizing projects to promote that narrative .
A reporter pointed out to Trump ― who ’ d just recently encouraged Americans to wear protective masks ( in line with Dr. Anthony Fauci and other real experts in infectious diseases ) ― that one of the main doctors featured in the video is a full-blown conspiracy theorist : “ She ’ s also made videos saying that doctors make medicine using DNA from aliens and that they ’ re trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from becoming religious.
” “ She was on air , along with many other doctors , ” Trump said .
“ They were big fans of hydroxychloroquine , and I thought she was very impressive .
... She said that she ’ s had tremendous success with hundreds of different patients.
” In reality , studies have found that hydroxychloroquine , an anti-malarial drug , is not effective for COVID-19 treatment or prevention .
After Trump began touting it in March , leading to panic-buying of the medication , the Food and Drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone using it to treat COVID-19 outside a hospital or clinical setting ― because it can trigger serious heart rhythm problems .
The doctors speaking in the video presented no evidence of any patients they ’ ve successfully treated .
After fumbling through his answer about the video , Trump quickly walked off the podium , ending the briefing after less than 30 minutes .
In the past , his coronavirus-related briefings have lasted for over an hour .
But the president appeared eager to wrap up the event on Tuesday , complaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maligned .
At one point he suggested that health experts were not backing hydroxychloroquine to spite him .
“ It doesn ’ t seem to be too popular , ” Trump said of the drug .
“ You know why ?
Because I recommend it .
When I recommend something , they like to say don ’ t use it.
” Trump , who typically maintains that he ’ s very well-liked by voters , also complained to reporters that Fauci , the country ’ s leading infectious disease expert who frequently contradicts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is .
“ He ’ s got this high approval rating , so why don ’ t I have a high approval rating with respect ― and the administration ― with respect to the virus ?
We should have it very high , ” Trump said .
“ They ’ re highly thought of , ” he said of Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx , who are both on the White House ’ s coronavirus task force .
“ But nobody likes me .
It can only be my personality , that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public approves of the federal government ’ s response to the pandemic , a new HuffPost/YouGov survey found last week , marking a new low .
Trump ’ s ratings on the pandemic are similarly dismal , with just 38 % of the public approving and 58 % disapproving .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump’s press conference quickly unraveled on Tuesday as he struggled to defend a video he’d retweeted that is full of false claims about the coronavirus and complained about his low approval rating.
Reporters asked Trump repeated questions about his continued support for hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment a day after he retweeted several conspiracy theories about the drug. Multiple clinical trials have found hydroxychloroquine is not an effective coronavirus treatment, despite the president’s suggestions to the contrary.
Advertisement
“Many doctors think it is extremely successful,” Trump claimed when asked about the retweets, adding, “I happen to believe in it. I would take it. As you know, I took it for a 14-day period, and I’m here. ... It’s safe. It doesn’t cause problems.”
Trump was also forced to answer for a video he retweeted on Monday that showed a group of self-proclaimed medical experts claiming that social distancing and masks were not necessary to curb the spread of COVID-19 and alleging that officials were suppressing the use of hydroxychloroquine for political reasons. The event was hosted and funded by the right-wing nonprofit Tea Party Patriots, which has been organizing projects to promote that narrative.
A reporter pointed out to Trump ― who’d just recently encouraged Americans to wear protective masks (in line with Dr. Anthony Fauci and other real experts in infectious diseases) ― that one of the main doctors featured in the video is a full-blown conspiracy theorist: “She’s also made videos saying that doctors make medicine using DNA from aliens and that they’re trying to create a vaccine to make you immune from becoming religious.”
The president all but shrugged his shoulders.
“I happen to believe in it. I would take it," President Donald Trump said of hydroxychloroquine on Tuesday. Alex Wong via Getty Images
Advertisement
“She was on air, along with many other doctors,” Trump said. “They were big fans of hydroxychloroquine, and I thought she was very impressive. ... She said that she’s had tremendous success with hundreds of different patients.”
In reality, studies have found that hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, is not effective for COVID-19 treatment or prevention. After Trump began touting it in March, leading to panic-buying of the medication, the Food and Drug Administration had to post a caution against anyone using it to treat COVID-19 outside a hospital or clinical setting ― because it can trigger serious heart rhythm problems. The doctors speaking in the video presented no evidence of any patients they’ve successfully treated.
After fumbling through his answer about the video, Trump quickly walked off the podium, ending the briefing after less than 30 minutes. In the past, his coronavirus-related briefings have lasted for over an hour.
But the president appeared eager to wrap up the event on Tuesday, complaining several times that he was being unfairly maligned. At one point he suggested that health experts were not backing hydroxychloroquine to spite him.
“It doesn’t seem to be too popular,” Trump said of the drug. “You know why? Because I recommend it. When I recommend something, they like to say don’t use it.”
Advertisement
Trump, who typically maintains that he’s very well-liked by voters, also complained to reporters that Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert who frequently contradicts Trump, is more popular than he is.
“He’s got this high approval rating, so why don’t I have a high approval rating with respect ― and the administration ― with respect to the virus? We should have it very high,” Trump said.
“They’re highly thought of,” he said of Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, who are both on the White House’s coronavirus task force. “But nobody likes me. It can only be my personality, that’s all.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-28--Ed Sheeran Says 'Addictive Personality' Led To Battle With Alcohol, Binge Eating

As part of the Hay House Chasing the Present Summit , the four-time Grammy winner opened up about what he describes as the “ lowest ” point in his life .
The challenging period in question , he said , came in 2015 , while on tour to support his second album , “ x.
” “ I have a very addictive personality , ” the 29-year-old said in the interview .
“ I would stay up and drink all night .
The buses would park underneath arenas and I ’ d sleep on the bus all day and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the show , drink , get back on the bus .
I didn ’ t see sunlight for like maybe like four months.
” “ I ’ m covered in tattoos and I don ’ t do things by halves , ” he added .
“ If I ’ m gon na drink , I kinda see no point in having a glass of wine .
I ’ d rather have two bottles of wine .
...
It ’ s all fun and games at the start .
It ’ s all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fun , and then it starts getting just sad .
So I think that was probably the lowest that I ’ ve been.
” Sheeran , who announced plans to take “ a breather ” from music in December , said he related to Elton John ’ s battles with substance abuse as recounted in the Rocket Man ’ s 2019 memoir , “ Me.
” “ He would be like , ‘ I would just go on an ice cream binge and eat four fucking desserts until I threw it up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oh , I ’ ve done that before , ’ ” he said .
“ Or his martini binges , where he sees how many martinis he can drink .
And I ’ m like , ‘ I ’ ve done that before , too.
’ ” He went on to credit his wife of one year , Cherry Seaborn , with helping him stay focused on a healthier lifestyle .
“ She exercises a lot , so I went and started going on runs with her , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so I wasn ’ t drinking .
I think that all changed things.
” The Hay House Chasing the Present Summit “ explores the modern epidemic of anxiety and ways to find freedom and healing , ” according to its website .
In addition to Sheeran , other participants in this year ’ s event ― which runs July 23 to 30 ― include actor-comedian Russell Brand and globally renowned yoga instructor Kino MacGregor .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Ed Sheeran broke a monthslong hiatus from the public eye to get candid about his mental and physical health.
As part of the Hay House Chasing the Present Summit, the four-time Grammy winner opened up about what he describes as the “lowest” point in his life. The challenging period in question, he said, came in 2015, while on tour to support his second album, “x.”
Advertisement
“I have a very addictive personality,” the 29-year-old said in the interview. “I would stay up and drink all night. The buses would park underneath arenas and I’d sleep on the bus all day and then wake up and then come out, do the show, drink, get back on the bus. I didn’t see sunlight for like maybe like four months.”
“I’m covered in tattoos and I don’t do things by halves,” he added. “If I’m gonna drink, I kinda see no point in having a glass of wine. I’d rather have two bottles of wine. ... It’s all fun and games at the start. It’s all rock and roll and it’s fun, and then it starts getting just sad. So I think that was probably the lowest that I’ve been.”
Sheeran, who announced plans to take “a breather” from music in December, said he related to Elton John’s battles with substance abuse as recounted in the Rocket Man’s 2019 memoir, “Me.”
“He would be like, ‘I would just go on an ice cream binge and eat four fucking desserts until I threw it up,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve done that before,’” he said. “Or his martini binges, where he sees how many martinis he can drink. And I’m like, ‘I’ve done that before, too.’”
Advertisement
He went on to credit his wife of one year, Cherry Seaborn, with helping him stay focused on a healthier lifestyle.
“She exercises a lot, so I went and started going on runs with her,” he said. “She doesn’t drink that much, so I wasn’t drinking. I think that all changed things.”
The Hay House Chasing the Present Summit “explores the modern epidemic of anxiety and ways to find freedom and healing,” according to its website. In addition to Sheeran, other participants in this year’s event ― which runs July 23 to 30 ― include actor-comedian Russell Brand and globally renowned yoga instructor Kino MacGregor.
Catch the full interview with Ed Sheeran below.