thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Doug Jones Wants You To Know He Isn’t Doomed

Bill Clark via Getty Images Alabama Sen. Doug Jones ’ victory in a 2017 special election was the political equivalent of drawing an inside straight .
He thinks he can get lucky again .
Jones is having none of it , and blames Republicans for spreading the rumor and trying to undermine him .
“ It ’ s something that people should not even think about and talk about , ” Jones told HuffPost in an interview .
“ I am going to win this reelection .
I ’ m going to win six more years in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after that.
” Jones ’ confidence that he won ’ t need a new job come January is striking , and perhaps foolish .
Trump won Alabama by nearly 30 percentage points in 2016 , and is likely to defeat Biden by double digits this fall .
Before Jones won his special election in 2017 , Republicans had held every statewide office for more than a decade .
Democrats , in calculating how many seats they need to win to pick up the Senate , often simply assume a Jones loss is baked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He is facing an inexperienced opponent , former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville , at a time when the coronavirus pandemic is reminding voters of the need for steady leadership .
He believes this summer ’ s revitalization of the Black Lives Matter movement has sent the old political math of the South ― that wooing white voters invariably requires moves that will alienate Black ones ― to the dustbin .
In 2017 , it took perfect political positioning , a series of GOP missteps , and well-timed revelations to accomplish the impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the same time , they ’ re also taking a win for granted .
In his brief time as a political figure , Tuberville has become famous mostly for not campaigning or talking to the media , and largely won his primary over former Attorney General Jeff Sessions by virtue of not being the candidate despised by Trump .
And even as the Senate Leadership Fund and the National Republican Senatorial Committee both spend millions of dollars on ads attacking Jones , a jokey web video the NRSC released last month seemingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , Sewell said , they can be proud of Jones , the man who prosecuted members of Ku Klux Klan 30 years after they set off a bomb and killed four young girls at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham .
Jones won his seat in 2017 thanks to high Black turnout , and has spent his Senate career focused on protecting his most loyal voters .
Sewell ticked off his achievements : He secured permanent funding for the state ’ s historically Black colleges and universities .
He ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maternal mortality rates for Black women , and has been the state ’ s most prominent voice in favor of expanding Medicaid , which would cover 360,000 more people in the state .
And , she noted , he was the only senator from the Deep South who has said the political phrase of the moment , “ Black Lives Matter.
” “ As new generations have grown up and taken over , the same businesses that fought civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s are now the companies leading the way in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things to build an inclusive society , ” he said .
“ I think there will be a bigger backlash , on a statewide basis , for a candidate who does not embrace the change that is needed in this country .
People are tired of the racial animus .
People are tired of the dog whistle politics that we ’ ve seen in Alabama and around the country for so many years , that we ’ re seeing , to some extent , from the president.
” Jones ’ assertions are backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the weeks after Floyd ’ s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer , were far more willing to express support for racial justice than they had been in the past .
Those shifts could help him in Alabama ’ s metro regions , around Birmingham , Huntsville and Montgomery .
The question is whether they ’ ll last until Election Day , and whether they ’ ll stretch into parts of rural Alabama where Jones needs to limit Republican advantages .
“ Doug Jones picked the lock on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives us a prototype , ” said Zac McCrary , a Democratic pollster based in Montgomery who is working on the race for an outside group .
“ He does need to find a higher floor among rural , small-town white voters than other Democrats .
He ’ s got to go in there and claw and fight for voters to get into the 30s in rural Alabama , rather than in the teens and 20s.
” In 2017 , Trump was not on the ballot , and Roy Moore ― a highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was accused of sexually assaulting teenagers ― was his GOP opponent .
That made it easy for Jones to either win over Republicans , or for Democrats to convince them to stay home entirely .
With Trump on the ballot and voter interest in the election at record highs in public polling , the second option is gone .

Alabama Sen. Doug Jones does not act like a man who is worried about his future employment. Vulnerable senators ― and everybody involved in American politics says Jones is indisputably the most vulnerable senator in the country ― are supposed to run away from their party’s presidential candidates, vote against their ideological allies and pretend their longtime opponents are actually their best friends.
Jones voted to impeach President Donald Trump. He voted against Brett Kavanaugh. He gladly talks about his long friendship with Vice President Joe Biden, which dates back to 1988, when Jones worked for the Delawarean’s first presidential run and continued in 2017, when Biden was one of the few national Democrats who was welcome to campaign in Alabama. He’ll gladly tell you the two men still talk regularly ― Biden called Jones the night of Alabama’s GOP primary last month.
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And while vulnerable senators are supposed to avoid the party’s national conventions at all cost, Jones is set to speak at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, delivering a short speech about his friend Biden.
All of this has resulted in one of those unspoken pieces of conventional wisdom that exist in Washington, the kind of thing everybody “knows” even if nobody has actually reported it out: that Jones is auditioning for a job in the Biden administration. Maybe attorney general. Maybe somewhere else in the Justice Department, or an ambassadorship.
Jones is having none of it, and blames Republicans for spreading the rumor and trying to undermine him. “It’s something that people should not even think about and talk about,” Jones told HuffPost in an interview. “I am going to win this reelection. I’m going to win six more years in the United States Senate, and maybe six more years after that.”
Jones’ confidence that he won’t need a new job come January is striking, and perhaps foolish. Trump won Alabama by nearly 30 percentage points in 2016, and is likely to defeat Biden by double digits this fall. Before Jones won his special election in 2017, Republicans had held every statewide office for more than a decade. Democrats, in calculating how many seats they need to win to pick up the Senate, often simply assume a Jones loss is baked in.
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Jones sees things differently: He is facing an inexperienced opponent, former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, at a time when the coronavirus pandemic is reminding voters of the need for steady leadership. He believes this summer’s revitalization of the Black Lives Matter movement has sent the old political math of the South ― that wooing white voters invariably requires moves that will alienate Black ones ― to the dustbin. In 2017, it took perfect political positioning, a series of GOP missteps, and well-timed revelations to accomplish the impossible and send Jones to the Senate.
Jones thinks he can pull off the impossible again.
Republicans find all of this laughable. “Doug Jones is a hardcore liberal who sided with his party to impeach President Trump, obstruct funding for the wall, and promote abortion on demand,” said Jack Pandol, a spokesman for the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC controlled by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “He has never even attempted to pretend he cares more about representing Alabama than auditioning for a future job in a Democratic Administration, so in November we’re going to grant his wish and send him into retirement.”
The GOP is counting on a victory over Jones. Republicans have a 53-47 advantage over Democrats in the Senate, and Jones is essentially the party’s only chance to pick up a seat. If Jones somehow survives, Democrats only need to win three of the seven Republican-held seats both parties are actively contesting in order to pick up the majority.
At the same time, they’re also taking a win for granted. In his brief time as a political figure, Tuberville has become famous mostly for not campaigning or talking to the media, and largely won his primary over former Attorney General Jeff Sessions by virtue of not being the candidate despised by Trump. And even as the Senate Leadership Fund and the National Republican Senatorial Committee both spend millions of dollars on ads attacking Jones, a jokey web video the NRSC released last month seemingly sums up their view of the race.
“Doug Jones has something he doesn’t want you to know, something that will bring him down,” a gravelly narrator declares. “He’s a Democrat.”
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Jones’ path to victory undoubtedly starts with Black voters. Southern politics, especially along the Gulf Coast, has long been intensely polarized along racial lines. Sizable populations of Black voters have historically backed Democrats, but conservative white majorities have backed Republicans, in no small part because Black voters were voting the other way.
Rep. Terri Sewell, Alabama’s only other Democrat in Congress, said that meant Black voters in Alabama were often left simply hoping to avoid the worst. “You’re always praying that the blackface photo doesn’t come out or whatever,” she said. “We are always one bad incident, one bad picture of a white politician away from the World Cup not coming to Alabama, or the NCAA not coming to Alabama.”
Now, Sewell said, they can be proud of Jones, the man who prosecuted members of Ku Klux Klan 30 years after they set off a bomb and killed four young girls at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. Jones won his seat in 2017 thanks to high Black turnout, and has spent his Senate career focused on protecting his most loyal voters. Sewell ticked off his achievements: He secured permanent funding for the state’s historically Black colleges and universities. He’s worked to cut the shockingly high maternal mortality rates for Black women, and has been the state’s most prominent voice in favor of expanding Medicaid, which would cover 360,000 more people in the state. And, she noted, he was the only senator from the Deep South who has said the political phrase of the moment, “Black Lives Matter.”
Under the old rules of Southern politics, simply uttering those words would end Jones’ campaign. Any outreach to Black voters would be met by white backlash, dooming his already slim reelection chances. Appearing at a Black Lives Matter rally, like Jones did after the death of George Floyd, would be the equivalent of political suicide.
“As new generations have grown up and taken over, the same businesses that fought civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s are now the companies leading the way in racial reconciliation, and trying to do things to build an inclusive society,” he said. “I think there will be a bigger backlash, on a statewide basis, for a candidate who does not embrace the change that is needed in this country. People are tired of the racial animus. People are tired of the dog whistle politics that we’ve seen in Alabama and around the country for so many years, that we’re seeing, to some extent, from the president.”
Jones’ assertions are backed up by public polling: White voters, in the weeks after Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, were far more willing to express support for racial justice than they had been in the past. Those shifts could help him in Alabama’s metro regions, around Birmingham, Huntsville and Montgomery. The question is whether they’ll last until Election Day, and whether they’ll stretch into parts of rural Alabama where Jones needs to limit Republican advantages.
Still, Jones has his limits. A former prosecutor, he’ll eagerly talk about his work on civil rights issues, including his prosecution of police officers who were harassing Latino residents in north Alabama. But when asked if the criminal justice system is racist ― a core belief of the Black Lives Matter movement ― Jones is hesitant.
“I think there is racism within the system, for sure. But I’m reluctant to say the system is racist,” Jones said. “I think trying to put a label on it and getting into a debate about whether it is racist, or whether it’s a systemic racism problem, takes away from the fact that we all agree we’ve got to do better.”
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Unique Dunston is a 23-year-old Black woman who organized Black Lives Matter protests in Marshall County, where she lives. She loves Jones, and has canvassed for him in the past.
“That would never happen with a Republican,” she said of Jones’ willingness to say “Black Lives Matter.” “I love that he’s not afraid to take a stance and that he actually cares.”
But when told about Jones’ answer on whether the justice system is racist, she sighed.
“That’s difficult,” she said. But she bowed to the political reality: “I feel like if he’s going further, it could be a detriment for him. He’s got to get a lot of Republican votes to win this.”
Which brings us to the second, more elusive part of Jones’ path to victory: convincing enough Republicans to vote for him and Trump on the same ballot.
“Doug Jones picked the lock on the electorate in 2017, and that gives us a prototype,” said Zac McCrary, a Democratic pollster based in Montgomery who is working on the race for an outside group. “He does need to find a higher floor among rural, small-town white voters than other Democrats. He’s got to go in there and claw and fight for voters to get into the 30s in rural Alabama, rather than in the teens and 20s.”
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In 2017, Trump was not on the ballot, and Roy Moore ― a highly controversial figure in the state even before he was accused of sexually assaulting teenagers ― was his GOP opponent. That made it easy for Jones to either win over Republicans, or for Democrats to convince them to stay home entirely. With Trump on the ballot and voter interest in the election at record highs in public polling, the second option is gone.
That means Jones needs to win over a lot of Trump voters. He’s not willing to pretend to be close allies with the man he voted to impeach ― he said Trump’s approach to the coronavirus has been “more about winning reelection than it’s been about saving lives” ― and that means he’s left with convincing loyal GOP voters their own candidate is unacceptable.
On that front, Jones is ready. “Republicans have nominated what I call a hyperpartisan. The Republican primary was a divisive primary that was totally devoid of any issues that people of Alabama care about. It was totally devoid of anything about the pandemic, the economic crisis,” he said.
Jones, at least in this relatively early portion of the contest, is avoiding what would likely be the harshest hits on Tuberville ― accusations he defrauded investors while running a hedge fund, and the mere one-game suspension he handed down to an Auburn player who was charged with raping a 15-year-old girl.
Instead, Democrats and Jones are portraying Tuberville as a bored football coach who ran for Senate instead of retiring, and lacks the experience necessary to confront the pandemic and accompanying recession.
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“That might’ve been a good fit for the electorate nine months ago,” McCrary said of Tuberville’s outsider status. “But when a country is facing existential, generational threats, that could be a real problem for Republicans.”
Still, even the right opponent, two unprecedented crises and the type of strong relationship with Black voters that eludes most white Democrats may not be enough to save Jones, or even to make the race close. National Democratic groups have yet to show much faith in Jones’ chances ― neither the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee nor the major Democratic super PACs have reserved any television airtime in the race, which is causing some grumbling among Jones’ fellow senators.
“I think it would be a mistake for them not to make an effort there,” said Montana Sen. Jon Tester, a former DSCC chair. “Their primary responsibility is to protect incumbents. Alabama’s a tough state, and you don’t want to throw money away. But Doug deserves it, he’s earned it.”
And plenty of people remain willing to write Jones off. A Morning Consult poll released earlier this month showed Tuberville with massive 52% to 37% lead over Jones, prompting another round of speculation about Jones’ future employment status. Both Democrats and Republicans agree the race is closer ― the GOP believes Tuberville’s lead is in the high single digits, while Democrats insist the margin is in the low single digits.
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“There is no way in hell Doug Jones is down by even double digits, much less 17 points. No way ― period,” Joe Trippi, a senior adviser to the campaign, wrote in an email to supporters.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Trump Set For Week Of Political Events As Biden Prepares For DNC

Trump was visiting Minnesota and Wisconsin on Monday — the latter the official host state of the entirely virtual Democratic National Convention — to launch a week of travel and political events aiming to blunt the customary polling “ bounce ” that a candidate gets during their convention week .
The president trails in both public and private surveys less than three months before Election Day .
“ I have no choice ” but to counterprogram Biden this week , Trump told “ Fox & Friends ” on Monday , pointing to what he says is media coverage that favors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the time not to .
And we have a guy that doesn ’ t come out of his basement that the media covers.
” On Tuesday , Trump will take on Biden over his immigration policies during a visit to Yuma , Arizona .
He is also set to travel to Pennsylvania , the state of Biden ’ s birth , on Thursday , ahead of the Democrat ’ s acceptance speech .
Trump ’ s aggressive push comes as his path to reelection has narrowed since the coronavirus hit , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense in the states that carried him to reelection four years ago .
Minnesota , viewed as a GOP pickup opportunity a year ago , now appears to be slipping out of reach , Republicans say .
Wisconsin , a state that had voted for Democratic presidents for decades until Trump ’ s 2016 victory , has emerged as one of the toughest battlegrounds of 2020 .
Trump ’ s campaign views the state ’ s whiter , older demographics to be more favorable than Michigan , which Trump also won four years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely Democratic pick-up .
Trump ’ s campaign is seizing on Biden ’ s decision not to travel to Milwaukee for the convention , citing the pandemic , as the Democrat ‘ effectively abandoning ’ Wisconsin .
The GOP is surging Republican surrogates to the state this week in a show of force , including Vice President Mike Pence and Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel .
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and running mate Sen. Kamala Harris , D-Calif. , look to each other as they sign required documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Vice President of the United States in Wilmington , Del.
, Friday , Aug. 14 , 2020 .
( AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster ) Democrats insist they are still contesting the state , where they are devoting resources to television ads and field organizing , but that Biden is just being cautious and curtailing non-essential travel due to the coronavirus .
He and Sen. Kamala Harris , his newly announced running mate , are set to deliver their convention addresses from Biden ’ s home state of Delaware this week , mitigating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party and Trump campaign are also ramping up their efforts as Biden takes center stage .
Trump Victory , the campaign ’ s joint field program with the Republican National Committee , will be holding over 2,500 events across the country , the RNC said .
They also plan to knock on more than 1 million doors and call millions more voters during the week of the Democratic convention .
“ Look , we ’ re going to be all over the place during this convention , ” said Trump campaign spokesman Hogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the masthead of YouTube , Daily Caller , other places , so when you go online you ’ re going to see the excitement .
You ’ re going to see the apparatus that ’ s been built at this campaign that is the envy of the political universe .
And we ’ re going to flex a little muscle this week.
” The events this week come as Trump ’ s campaign is looking to redefine what the president ’ s political events look like in the age of the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporters at airports in Oshkosh , Wisconsin , and Mankato , Minnesota , two months after he was forced to abandon plans to resume holding rallies amid a resurgence in cases .
In Minnesota , there is a statewide mask mandate for public indoor spaces , and capacity must be limited so safe social distancing can be maintained .
In Wisconsin , supporters are required to be masked , but there is no statewide limit on how many people can gather .
“ You better believe that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 10 point bump after this convention they put on , ” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told Fox on Monday , “ solely because the media just fawns all over them .
”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Unwilling to cede the political stage, President Donald Trump is ramping up his campaign schedule as Democrats begin their national convention, aiming to aggressively counter-program former Vice President Joe Biden’s show.
Trump was visiting Minnesota and Wisconsin on Monday — the latter the official host state of the entirely virtual Democratic National Convention — to launch a week of travel and political events aiming to blunt the customary polling “bounce” that a candidate gets during their convention week. The president trails in both public and private surveys less than three months before Election Day.
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“I have no choice” but to counterprogram Biden this week, Trump told “Fox & Friends” on Monday, pointing to what he says is media coverage that favors Biden. “I don’t have the time not to. And we have a guy that doesn’t come out of his basement that the media covers.”
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he walks to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Marking his heaviest week of political travel since the coronavirus put a stop to his campaign schedule and imperiled his reelection chances, Trump was expected to sharply criticize Biden’s economic policies in the Upper Midwest battleground states.
On Tuesday, Trump will take on Biden over his immigration policies during a visit to Yuma, Arizona. He is also set to travel to Pennsylvania, the state of Biden’s birth, on Thursday, ahead of the Democrat’s acceptance speech.
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Trump’s aggressive push comes as his path to reelection has narrowed since the coronavirus hit, and he’s been forced to play defense in the states that carried him to reelection four years ago. Minnesota, viewed as a GOP pickup opportunity a year ago, now appears to be slipping out of reach, Republicans say.
Wisconsin, a state that had voted for Democratic presidents for decades until Trump’s 2016 victory, has emerged as one of the toughest battlegrounds of 2020. Trump’s campaign views the state’s whiter, older demographics to be more favorable than Michigan, which Trump also won four years ago but is increasingly seen as a likely Democratic pick-up.
Trump’s campaign is seizing on Biden’s decision not to travel to Milwaukee for the convention, citing the pandemic, as the Democrat ‘effectively abandoning’ Wisconsin. The GOP is surging Republican surrogates to the state this week in a show of force, including Vice President Mike Pence and Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel.
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and running mate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., look to each other as they sign required documents for receiving the Democratic nomination for President and Vice President of the United States in Wilmington, Del., Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Democrats insist they are still contesting the state, where they are devoting resources to television ads and field organizing, but that Biden is just being cautious and curtailing non-essential travel due to the coronavirus. He and Sen. Kamala Harris, his newly announced running mate, are set to deliver their convention addresses from Biden’s home state of Delaware this week, mitigating the need for air travel.
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The Republican Party and Trump campaign are also ramping up their efforts as Biden takes center stage. Trump Victory, the campaign’s joint field program with the Republican National Committee, will be holding over 2,500 events across the country, the RNC said. They also plan to knock on more than 1 million doors and call millions more voters during the week of the Democratic convention.
“Look, we’re going to be all over the place during this convention,” said Trump campaign spokesman Hogan Gidley. “We bought out basically the masthead of YouTube, Daily Caller, other places, so when you go online you’re going to see the excitement. You’re going to see the apparatus that’s been built at this campaign that is the envy of the political universe. And we’re going to flex a little muscle this week.”
The events this week come as Trump’s campaign is looking to redefine what the president’s political events look like in the age of the coronavirus. Trump is set to address hundreds of supporters at airports in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and Mankato, Minnesota, two months after he was forced to abandon plans to resume holding rallies amid a resurgence in cases.
In Minnesota, there is a statewide mask mandate for public indoor spaces, and capacity must be limited so safe social distancing can be maintained. In Wisconsin, supporters are required to be masked, but there is no statewide limit on how many people can gather.
Trump’s campaign, meanwhile is trying to set historically high expectations for the Biden campaign.
“You better believe that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are going to get somewhere between a 8 and 10 point bump after this convention they put on,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told Fox on Monday, “solely because the media just fawns all over them.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Few States Taking Up Trump's Unemployment Offer So Far

In his announcement , the president said he was giving the unemployed an extra $ 400 per week , but it turns out the federal government is only offering $ 300 .
And because it ’ s technically disaster assistance rather than unemployment compensation , states have to figure out how to pay the benefits without imposing costs on their regular unemployment programs ― meaning it could be administratively difficult to do so .
Trump ’ s move seemed designed to spur negotiations on Capitol Hill , but talks between Democrats and his administration remain stalled as the coronavirus keeps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brink of a double dip recession .
At least 25 million people had been receiving the extra $ 600 , which helped prop up the economy from April through July .
“ They claimed benefits would arrive ‘ immediately , ’ then said it would be a week or two , and now admit unemployed workers will see a lapse of a full month from late July if not longer , ” Beyer said .
“ This is no substitute for a real economic aid package ― the White House must get serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , these gimmicks and half measures will not suffice.
” The original memorandum implied states would have to contribute $ 100 on top of the $ 300 payment from the federal government ― an obligation New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) called “ simply impossible.
” The administration quickly clarified that states didn ’ t actually have to add the extra money , but states still aren ’ t rushing to sign up .
So far , only seven states have said they ’ ll try to pay the lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which said Sunday that it had approved Colorado , Missouri and Utah after having previously approved Arizona , Iowa , Louisiana and New Mexico .
Spokespeople for the U.S. Labor Department , which is overseeing the program , did not immediately respond to a request for more information about how many states are signing up .
For states that do try to pay lost wages assistance , it will take an average of three weeks for people to see the money , according to a “ Frequently Asked Questions ” document that FEMA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Washington , said that since the extra $ 600 expired , he and his wife have been receiving just $ 324 per week in state benefits on top of her income as a DoorDash driver .
They had managed to save more than $ 2,000 , but then had a car problem put them out $ 1,700 .
They had to pay August ’ s rent a week late .
Now , the laid-off technology salesman said he ’ s “ freaking out ” about how they are going to survive on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said relevant job openings he ’ s been able to find pay only a little more than unemployment , but with the additional risk of catching the coronavirus .
He feels that there are economic and health crises swirling around him .
It seems unlikely that the lost wages assistance program will find him .
An alert on the Washington state Employment Security Department ’ s website simply says that the state is assessing the program .
“ When we have additional information , we will update claimants on our website , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via claimant communications , ” the alert says .
One state has outright refused to run the lost wages assistance program .
South Dakota governor Kristi Noem ( R ) said in a tweet that while she was “ very grateful ” to the president ’ s offer , “ South Dakota is in the fortunate position of not needing to accept it ” due to the state ’ s strong economy .
The unemployment rate in South Dakota is 7.2 % , which is below the national average but still higher than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to 1976 .
“ We will work with them , but we want money to go to the people that need it , and they don ’ t want to do that , ” he said .
“ They just want to take care of the bailout money .
They want bailout money to go to their friends that are doing a bad job running Democrat states .
”

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Most states have not asked to participate in President Donald Trump’s proposal to replace the extra $600 unemployment benefit that lapsed amid congressional dithering last month with a smaller “lost wages assistance program.”
Democrats pushed to save the $600 supplemental benefit as part of a bigger coronavirus relief bill, but Republicans disagreed with the amount, both for the benefits and for the overall pandemic response.
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So Trump took executive action, inviting states to set up “lost wages assistance” programs that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would pay, using money that Congress previously appropriated for disasters.
In his announcement, the president said he was giving the unemployed an extra $400 per week, but it turns out the federal government is only offering $300. And because it’s technically disaster assistance rather than unemployment compensation, states have to figure out how to pay the benefits without imposing costs on their regular unemployment programs ― meaning it could be administratively difficult to do so.
Trump’s move seemed designed to spur negotiations on Capitol Hill, but talks between Democrats and his administration remain stalled as the coronavirus keeps spreading and the economy teeters on the brink of a double dip recession. At least 25 million people had been receiving the extra $600, which helped prop up the economy from April through July.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), a member of the House committee that oversees unemployment, said the details of Trump’s plan keep getting worse.
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“They claimed benefits would arrive ‘immediately,’ then said it would be a week or two, and now admit unemployed workers will see a lapse of a full month from late July if not longer,” Beyer said. “This is no substitute for a real economic aid package ― the White House must get serious about providing real relief to American families, these gimmicks and half measures will not suffice.”
The original memorandum implied states would have to contribute $100 on top of the $300 payment from the federal government ― an obligation New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) called “simply impossible.” The administration quickly clarified that states didn’t actually have to add the extra money, but states still aren’t rushing to sign up.
So far, only seven states have said they’ll try to pay the lost wages assistance, according to FEMA, which said Sunday that it had approved Colorado, Missouri and Utah after having previously approved Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana and New Mexico.
Spokespeople for the U.S. Labor Department, which is overseeing the program, did not immediately respond to a request for more information about how many states are signing up.
For states that do try to pay lost wages assistance, it will take an average of three weeks for people to see the money, according to a “Frequently Asked Questions” document that FEMA posted Sunday.
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Matt Bessler of Puyallup, Washington, said that since the extra $600 expired, he and his wife have been receiving just $324 per week in state benefits on top of her income as a DoorDash driver. They had managed to save more than $2,000, but then had a car problem put them out $1,700. They had to pay August’s rent a week late. Now, the laid-off technology salesman said he’s “freaking out” about how they are going to survive on the reduced income.
Bessler, 41, said relevant job openings he’s been able to find pay only a little more than unemployment, but with the additional risk of catching the coronavirus. He feels that there are economic and health crises swirling around him.
“I didn’t ask for this, it all just found me,” Bessler said.
It seems unlikely that the lost wages assistance program will find him. An alert on the Washington state Employment Security Department’s website simply says that the state is assessing the program. “When we have additional information, we will update claimants on our website, our social media platforms, and directly via claimant communications,” the alert says.
One state has outright refused to run the lost wages assistance program. South Dakota governor Kristi Noem (R) said in a tweet that while she was “very grateful” to the president’s offer, “South Dakota is in the fortunate position of not needing to accept it” due to the state’s strong economy.
The unemployment rate in South Dakota is 7.2%, which is below the national average but still higher than at any time in state history going back to 1976.
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Trump said Monday he still wants to work with Democrats on a coronavirus bill, but disparaged their demands that the legislation include money to help states fill budget gaps to avoid layoffs.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Widespread Fears About Unfair Election As Democrats Prepare To Nominate Joe Biden

Yet , as Democrats nationwide gather online this week to nominate him as their party ’ s choice to challenge President Donald Trump on Nov. 3 , many fear Biden may just do that - for factors almost entirely out of his control .
The former vice president and his allies have every reason to feel bullish .
Polls show Biden has built an expansive lead in nearly every battleground state that Trump won narrowly in 2016 , as the Republican ’ s approval numbers tumble amid the coronavirus pandemic .
For the first time in a decade , retaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress - is within sight .
Yet interviews with more than a dozen Democratic officials , activists and voters reveal deep anxieties that Trump will make voting as difficult as possible during the pandemic , and should he lose the vote , he won ’ t accept its outcome .
Biden himself has called it his biggest fear .
Former President Barack Obama sounded the alarm on Friday , saying on Twitter the Trump administration is “ more concerned with suppressing the vote than suppressing a virus.
” And eight of 10 Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a Reuters/Ipsos poll in late July .
Trump has railed against voting by mail for months , proclaiming without evidence that it will lead to fraud , and on Thursday all but acknowledged he was blocking Democratic demands for additional funding for the post office because of his opposition to mail-in voting .
“ We can ’ t predict what ’ s going to happen other than the closer we get to the election , the more desperate Trump and his campaign will become , ” said Rodell Mollineau , an adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action committee that backs Biden .
Tim Murtaugh , a spokesman for the Trump campaign , said the president wants a “ free and fair ” election , adding that it is Democrats who are inviting “ chaos and the very real possibility of fraud ” by trying to expand voting by mail .
Democrats and voting rights groups say mail-in voting can help protect voters from the coronavirus , and that a failure to guarantee that option during the pandemic will disenfranchise millions of Americans , especially the poor and African-Americans who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden ’ s commanding edge in the polls only makes them more nervous .
They worry that increasing cases of COVID-19 could keep voters away from polling places , particularly if Biden is perceived as coasting to an easy win .
At about this time in 2016 , then Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton had around a five-point lead in various polls and still lost the election three months later , partly due to the first decline in African-American turnout in 20 years .
Michigan Democrat Patty Leitzel , who lives in politically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still traumatized by the win Trump squeaked out in her state four years ago and worries he could do so again - as do the voters she talks to on a regular basis .
Leitzel , who was county chairman for the Clinton campaign , has been phone-banking and organizing virtual house parties on Biden ’ s behalf .
“ If I had Biden ’ s ear , I would tell him this : Don ’ t follow the polls , ” she said .
WHAT AUGUST LEAD WILL MEAN Like most Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter suppression .
But she said she also would like to see Biden make a greater effort to get his message out so that the election hinges less on Trump ’ s performance in office .
Democrats fret that the race has become overly focused on Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic .
That has so far worked in Biden ’ s favor , but has also left him vulnerable to a sudden shift in the country ’ s fortunes , such as the economy improving greatly in the run-up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they say .
“ These changes could narrow the race , ” said Geoffrey Skelley , an elections analyst for FiveThirtyEight , a website that analyzes polling data .
“ Because the president generally polls better in the states that are most likely to decide the election than he does nationally , he doesn ’ t necessarily have to recover that much to improve his chances of winning in the Electoral College .
”

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With less than 80 days to go before the U.S. presidential election, it looks like Joe Biden’s race to lose.
Yet, as Democrats nationwide gather online this week to nominate him as their party’s choice to challenge President Donald Trump on Nov. 3, many fear Biden may just do that - for factors almost entirely out of his control.
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The former vice president and his allies have every reason to feel bullish. Polls show Biden has built an expansive lead in nearly every battleground state that Trump won narrowly in 2016, as the Republican’s approval numbers tumble amid the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time in a decade, retaking the Senate - and full control of Congress - is within sight.
Yet interviews with more than a dozen Democratic officials, activists and voters reveal deep anxieties that Trump will make voting as difficult as possible during the pandemic, and should he lose the vote, he won’t accept its outcome.
Biden himself has called it his biggest fear. Former President Barack Obama sounded the alarm on Friday, saying on Twitter the Trump administration is “more concerned with suppressing the vote than suppressing a virus.” And eight of 10 Democrats are concerned about voter suppression, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll in late July.
Trump has railed against voting by mail for months, proclaiming without evidence that it will lead to fraud, and on Thursday all but acknowledged he was blocking Democratic demands for additional funding for the post office because of his opposition to mail-in voting.
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“We can’t predict what’s going to happen other than the closer we get to the election, the more desperate Trump and his campaign will become,” said Rodell Mollineau, an adviser to Unite the Country, a political action committee that backs Biden.
Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, said the president wants a “free and fair” election, adding that it is Democrats who are inviting “chaos and the very real possibility of fraud” by trying to expand voting by mail.
Democrats and voting rights groups say mail-in voting can help protect voters from the coronavirus, and that a failure to guarantee that option during the pandemic will disenfranchise millions of Americans, especially the poor and African-Americans who tend to vote Democratic.
Some say Biden’s commanding edge in the polls only makes them more nervous. They worry that increasing cases of COVID-19 could keep voters away from polling places, particularly if Biden is perceived as coasting to an easy win.
“If Biden is up by 10 points, how likely are you to risk your life to pull that lever,” Stefan Smith, who was a top digital strategist for Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.
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At about this time in 2016, then Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton had around a five-point lead in various polls and still lost the election three months later, partly due to the first decline in African-American turnout in 20 years.
Michigan Democrat Patty Leitzel, who lives in politically divided Macomb County, said she is still traumatized by the win Trump squeaked out in her state four years ago and worries he could do so again - as do the voters she talks to on a regular basis.
Leitzel, who was county chairman for the Clinton campaign, has been phone-banking and organizing virtual house parties on Biden’s behalf. “If I had Biden’s ear, I would tell him this: Don’t follow the polls,” she said.
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference at the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, Del., Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) ASSOCIATED PRESS
WHAT AUGUST LEAD WILL MEAN
Like most Democrats, Leitzel’s biggest concern is voter suppression. But she said she also would like to see Biden make a greater effort to get his message out so that the election hinges less on Trump’s performance in office.
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Democrats fret that the race has become overly focused on Trump’s handling of the pandemic. That has so far worked in Biden’s favor, but has also left him vulnerable to a sudden shift in the country’s fortunes, such as the economy improving greatly in the run-up to the election or a coronavirus vaccine becoming available, they say.
“These changes could narrow the race,” said Geoffrey Skelley, an elections analyst for FiveThirtyEight, a website that analyzes polling data. “Because the president generally polls better in the states that are most likely to decide the election than he does nationally, he doesn’t necessarily have to recover that much to improve his chances of winning in the Electoral College.”
Murtaugh said Democrats wanted the country to remain in desperate shape through the election. “President Trump looks forward to our continued recovery, but Joe Biden fears it,” he said.
Biden has taken a far more cautious stance than Trump on reopening the economy and repeatedly emphasized the need to follow public health guidelines.
He will accept his presidential nomination virtually from his home state of Delaware, while Trump plans visits this week to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona and Pennsylvania, all politically competitive states.
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The Biden campaign’s on-the-ground efforts have also gone largely digital. The Trump campaign, by contrast, says it is knocking on one million doors a week.
The wisdom of each side’s approach won’t be known until election day. But Biden allies are keenly aware that a 10-point edge in August does not guarantee a win in November.
At a July 30 fundraiser, Representative Cedric Richmond, a co-chair of Biden’s campaign, raised the specter of the Atlanta Falcons, the National Football League team that in 2017 squandered a 25-point lead to lose the championship game.
“We’re not going to be up 28 to 3 at halftime at the Super Bowl and watch our lead whittle away,” Richmond said. “We’re going to keep pressing, and we’re going to keep working.”
(Reporting by James Oliphant; Editing by Soyoung Kim and Daniel Wallis)


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Democrats To Kick Off Virtual Convention With Michelle Obama, Bernie Sanders

NEW YORK ( AP ) — Joe Biden and the Democrats are highlighting the party ’ s inclusive “ big tent ” Monday night as their 2020 National Convention gets underway with a lineup that features as many former Republican governors as “ democratic socialists ” — along with the star power of Michelle Obama .
The first national political convention of the coronavirus era will be unique for its logistical challenges .
The all-virtual affair will be the first without a central meeting place or cheering throngs .
Republicans face the same challenge next week .
Democrats abandoned their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Wisconsin , because of the pandemic .
And as the four-day convention begins , it ’ s unclear whether the program , which consists of both live speeches and prerecorded videos , can generate the same level of excitement and momentum as past gatherings .
The unprecedented gathering will also test the bonds of the diverse Biden-Harris coalition , disparate factions who have clashed in the past but are , at least for now , united by a deep desire to defeat President Donald Trump this fall .
“ The theme tonight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — not , ‘ We the Democrats , ’ not , ‘ We the Black People , ’ not , ‘ We White People , ’ not , ‘ We Republicans , ’ but ’ We the People , ” said Biden campaign co-chair , Rep. Cedric Richmond , D-La .
“ There are a bunch of people out there , silent Biden voters , Republicans that want to vote for Biden or will be voting for Biden , and it ’ s important to let them know they ’ re not alone.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be to actually vote is also sure to get attention Monday night .
Democrats and some Republicans are openly concerned that Postal Service changes will make it hard for voters to be sure their mail-in ballots are received in time and counted .
The former vice president is opening the week in a stronger position than Trump , who has struggled to expand his political coalition under the weight of his turbulent leadership and prolonged health and economic crises .
But 78 days before votes are counted , history is not on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incumbent president has been defeated in the last four decades .
Polls also suggest that Biden , a 77-year-old lifelong politician , is on the wrong end of an enthusiasm gap .
His supporters consistently say they ’ re motivated more by opposition to Trump , who is 74 , than excitement about Biden .
Democrats hope to shift that dynamic beginning with the convention .
The campaign is hosting drive-in viewing stations in six states , much like drive-in movies , where viewers watch on a big screen from the safety of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online watch parties featuring celebrities and elected officials to make the experience more interactive .
It will be impossible to engage the total viewership on the first night .
Broadcast TV networks plan to show the final hour each night live , cable news will show both hours and many viewers will stream the event from Biden ’ s website or on social media .
The speakers will outline Biden ’ s plans and positive vision for America , which will “ stand in stark contrast to the lack of leadership and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , ” said Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield .
“ The convention tonight , it ’ s about Joe Biden , it ’ s not about Donald Trump.
” The Republican president was making two swing-state campaign appearances on Monday , first in Minnesota and then in Wisconsin , which was to be the location for the Democrats ’ convention before the coronavirus outbreak .
Trump said he had “ no choice ” but to campaign during the Democratic convention in order to address voters in the face of what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their overwhelming opposition to Trump , there appears to be far less tension among the Democrats ’ often-competing factions heading into the 2020 convention than many predicted earlier in the year .
Just six months ago , political operatives were openly contemplating the prospect of a contested convention in which none of the Democratic candidates had a clear delegate majority going in .
Even if there is leftover resentment between wings of the party , the convention ’ s online forum doesn ’ t provide an opportunity for public infighting .
Key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken place by mail ballot .
The details , expected to be approved overwhelmingly , were hammered out in Zoom meetings .

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NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Biden and the Democrats are highlighting the party’s inclusive “big tent” Monday night as their 2020 National Convention gets underway with a lineup that features as many former Republican governors as “democratic socialists” — along with the star power of Michelle Obama.
The former first lady will stress Biden’s competency and character in a keynote address expected to draw sharp contrasts between the Republican incumbent seeking reelection and the man who was her husband’s two-term vice president, an adviser said.
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“This election is very personal for her,” Valerie Jarrett, a longtime adviser to Barack and Michelle Obama, told The Associated Press.
The first national political convention of the coronavirus era will be unique for its logistical challenges. The all-virtual affair will be the first without a central meeting place or cheering throngs. Republicans face the same challenge next week.
Democrats abandoned their plans for an in-person gathering in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, because of the pandemic. And as the four-day convention begins, it’s unclear whether the program, which consists of both live speeches and prerecorded videos, can generate the same level of excitement and momentum as past gatherings.
Some of the presentations risk being stale. Obama, for example, recorded her keynote address before Biden announced his running mate six days ago.
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The unprecedented gathering will also test the bonds of the diverse Biden-Harris coalition, disparate factions who have clashed in the past but are, at least for now, united by a deep desire to defeat President Donald Trump this fall.
“The theme tonight is, ‘We the People’ — not, ‘We the Democrats,’ not, ‘We the Black People,’ not, ‘We White People,’ not, ‘We Republicans,’ but ’We the People,” said Biden campaign co-chair, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La. “There are a bunch of people out there, silent Biden voters, Republicans that want to vote for Biden or will be voting for Biden, and it’s important to let them know they’re not alone.”
The question of how difficult it will be to actually vote is also sure to get attention Monday night. Democrats and some Republicans are openly concerned that Postal Service changes will make it hard for voters to be sure their mail-in ballots are received in time and counted.
The former vice president is opening the week in a stronger position than Trump, who has struggled to expand his political coalition under the weight of his turbulent leadership and prolonged health and economic crises. But 78 days before votes are counted, history is not on Biden’s side. Just one incumbent president has been defeated in the last four decades.
Polls also suggest that Biden, a 77-year-old lifelong politician, is on the wrong end of an enthusiasm gap. His supporters consistently say they’re motivated more by opposition to Trump, who is 74, than excitement about Biden. Democrats hope to shift that dynamic beginning with the convention.
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Biden will accept the nomination Thursday night in a mostly empty ballroom in his home state of Delaware. California Sen. Kamala Harris, the first Black woman on a national ticket, speaks Wednesday night.
Michelle Obama, whom Gallup determined was the nation’s most admired woman last year, is delivering the keynote address. She is following a collection of elected officials and ordinary Americans that highlight extraordinary political and racial diversity.
The scheduled Monday speakers include plenty of Democratic politicians: Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, who is the highest ranking African American in Congress; New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; Alabama Sen. Doug Jones; Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and two former presidential contenders: Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
However, there are also four high-profile Republicans featured on the convention’s opening night: former Ohio two-term Gov. John Kasich, California businesswoman Meg Whitman, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Whitman and former New York Congresswoman Susan Molinari.
While united by their disdain for Trump, the speakers represent dramatically different visions for America.
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Kasich, who speaks before Sanders, opposed abortion rights and fought labor unions while in office. Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, wants to end the private health insurance market in favor of “Medicare for All,” a plan that Biden says is too liberal.
Biden’s team also is highlighting several average Americans, such as Kristin Urquiza, who lost her father to COVID-19.
With no live audience, the Democrats were forced to get creative to generate a sense of enthusiasm.
The campaign is hosting drive-in viewing stations in six states, much like drive-in movies, where viewers watch on a big screen from the safety of their vehicles. There are also many online watch parties featuring celebrities and elected officials to make the experience more interactive.
It will be impossible to engage the total viewership on the first night. Broadcast TV networks plan to show the final hour each night live, cable news will show both hours and many viewers will stream the event from Biden’s website or on social media.
The speakers will outline Biden’s plans and positive vision for America, which will “stand in stark contrast to the lack of leadership and the chaos we’re seeing from Donald Trump,” said Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield. “The convention tonight, it’s about Joe Biden, it’s not about Donald Trump.”
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Yet Trump is ensuring he’ll be a part of the political conversation.
The Republican president was making two swing-state campaign appearances on Monday, first in Minnesota and then in Wisconsin, which was to be the location for the Democrats’ convention before the coronavirus outbreak.
Trump said he had “no choice” but to campaign during the Democratic convention in order to address voters in the face of what he described as hostile news media.
“I have to work. I don’t have the time not to,” the president said on “Fox and Friends.”
Because of their overwhelming opposition to Trump, there appears to be far less tension among the Democrats’ often-competing factions heading into the 2020 convention than many predicted earlier in the year. Just six months ago, political operatives were openly contemplating the prospect of a contested convention in which none of the Democratic candidates had a clear delegate majority going in.
Even if there is leftover resentment between wings of the party, the convention’s online forum doesn’t provide an opportunity for public infighting. Key votes on the party platform already have taken place by mail ballot. The details, expected to be approved overwhelmingly, were hammered out in Zoom meetings.
Without approximately 4,800 Democratic delegates from across the country gathering on the same convention hall floor, as is tradition, the opportunity for a genuine convention debate over the direction of the party has been eliminated.
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Trump tried to undermine the convention from afar, noting that several speeches were prerecorded.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--John Hickenlooper Trolls Cory Gardner With Pro-Trump Facebook Ad

“ We ’ re asking patriots nationwide to show that they support the pro-growth , conservative agenda that President Trump and I are fighting for ― will you join them ?
Sign your name now to say ‘ thanks ’ to President Trump for delivering REAL results on behalf of ALL Americans !
” reads the text of Gardner ’ s Facebook ad , which also has a little video featuring pictures of the senator and Trump side-by-side .
But voters in Colorado aren ’ t seeing this spot , which has four versions that began running last week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been seen the least in Gardner ’ s own state .
“ This is the ad Cory Gardner doesn ’ t want Colorado to see .
He ran it all across America , but not here .
What ’ s Cory Gardner hiding ?
” reads the Hickenlooper ad , which then posts the video from the Gardner ad .
The ad from the popular former governor is running only in Colorado .
Gardner ’ s campaign did not return multiple requests for comment from HuffPost last week .
But it later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not deliberately hide the ad from voters in the state : “ Facebook ’ s algorithms are just optimizing based on people who engage with similar content.
” As Democratic digital strategist Emily Bengtson noted on Twitter , that explanation would seem to be a problem for the Gardner campaign , indicating that the senator was “ promoting content which *not a single one of his voters* is engaging with ― kind of a pickle to be in as an incumbent seeking re-election !
” The Gardner campaign also said that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to June , reaching only Colorado voters , so it wasn ’ t trying to hide this spot now .
“ Colorado is not suppressed , ” spokeswoman Meghan Graft told Colorado Politics .
“ Facebook ’ s algorithms are just optimizing based on people who engage with similar content , which also factors in population and demographics , so obviously Texas , California and Florida are going to be amongst the top three.
” A Republican strategist told Colorado Politics that the ad looked like it was intended to collect contact information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since it had already run in Colorado ― and presumably resulted in a sizable number of email sign-ups ― the Gardner campaign could have asked for the ad to exclude people already on its list .
That would have resulted in a larger share of national viewers .
“ Not only is Senator Gardner trying to hide his unwavering support for Trump from Coloradans , his campaign actually claimed that even Gardner ’ s own Facebook audience dislikes Trump !
” said Hickenlooper spokeswoman Alyssa Roberts .
“ Once again , Senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coloradans because he ’ s too afraid of the president he has stood with 100 % .
” Gardner is considered one of the most at-risk senators in the 2020 election cycle , with Democrats looking at his seat as one of their best pickup opportunities .
Colorado increasingly leans blue , and Democrats have won the presidential election there for the past three cycles .
That makes the Trump relationship tricky for Gardner .
On the one hand , completely disowning the president could anger GOP voters , donors and even Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to the president could energize Democrats and turn off independent voters , who make up a sizable chunk of the state ’ s electorate .
Though Gardner has distanced himself from Trump ’ s remarks at times , he doesn ’ t go out of his way to forcefully denounce the president .
And when Trump went to Colorado in February for a rally , Gardner appeared with him and said the president had “ done so much good for Colorado.
” “ You are going to help us get Cory Gardner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been with us 100 % , ” Trump told the crowd .
“ There was no waver .
He ’ s been with us .
There was no waver with Cory , and we appreciate that .
”

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Democrat John Hickenlooper is out with a new Facebook ad that highlights a Facebook ad from his Republican opponent, Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner.
The move seems unusual. But as HuffPost first reported on Friday, Gardner’s ad ― which touts his close relationship with President Donald Trump ― is unusual too.
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“We’re asking patriots nationwide to show that they support the pro-growth, conservative agenda that President Trump and I are fighting for ― will you join them? Sign your name now to say ‘thanks’ to President Trump for delivering REAL results on behalf of ALL Americans!” reads the text of Gardner’s Facebook ad, which also has a little video featuring pictures of the senator and Trump side-by-side.
GOP Sen. Cory Gardner is facing a tough reelection race in Colorado. Susan Walsh/Associated Press
But voters in Colorado aren’t seeing this spot, which has four versions that began running last week. According to Facebook data, the ad has been seen the least in Gardner’s own state.
An Aug. 10 Facebook ad highlighting the close relationship between President Donald Trump and Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) has been seen the least in Colorado. Facebook
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“This is the ad Cory Gardner doesn’t want Colorado to see. He ran it all across America, but not here. What’s Cory Gardner hiding?” reads the Hickenlooper ad, which then posts the video from the Gardner ad. The ad from the popular former governor is running only in Colorado.
Gardner’s campaign did not return multiple requests for comment from HuffPost last week. But it later told a Colorado Sun reporter that it did not deliberately hide the ad from voters in the state: “Facebook’s algorithms are just optimizing based on people who engage with similar content.”
As Democratic digital strategist Emily Bengtson noted on Twitter, that explanation would seem to be a problem for the Gardner campaign, indicating that the senator was “promoting content which *not a single one of his voters* is engaging with ― kind of a pickle to be in as an incumbent seeking re-election!”
The Gardner campaign also said that it ran a nearly identical ad from February to June, reaching only Colorado voters, so it wasn’t trying to hide this spot now.
“Colorado is not suppressed,” spokeswoman Meghan Graft told Colorado Politics. “Facebook’s algorithms are just optimizing based on people who engage with similar content, which also factors in population and demographics, so obviously Texas, California and Florida are going to be amongst the top three.”
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A Republican strategist told Colorado Politics that the ad looked like it was intended to collect contact information from potential voters, donors and volunteers. Since it had already run in Colorado ― and presumably resulted in a sizable number of email sign-ups ― the Gardner campaign could have asked for the ad to exclude people already on its list. That would have resulted in a larger share of national viewers.
But that is not what the Gardner campaign is saying on the record.
“Not only is Senator Gardner trying to hide his unwavering support for Trump from Coloradans, his campaign actually claimed that even Gardner’s own Facebook audience dislikes Trump!” said Hickenlooper spokeswoman Alyssa Roberts. “Once again, Senator Gardner has failed to be straight with Coloradans because he’s too afraid of the president he has stood with 100%.”
Gardner is considered one of the most at-risk senators in the 2020 election cycle, with Democrats looking at his seat as one of their best pickup opportunities. Colorado increasingly leans blue, and Democrats have won the presidential election there for the past three cycles.
That makes the Trump relationship tricky for Gardner. On the one hand, completely disowning the president could anger GOP voters, donors and even Trump himself, but being seen as too close to the president could energize Democrats and turn off independent voters, who make up a sizable chunk of the state’s electorate.
Though Gardner has distanced himself from Trump’s remarks at times, he doesn’t go out of his way to forcefully denounce the president. And when Trump went to Colorado in February for a rally, Gardner appeared with him and said the president had “done so much good for Colorado.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Postmaster General Agrees To Testify At 'Urgent' House Hearing

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has agreed to testify before Congress over recent changes to the U.S .
Postal Service that have caused major postal delays nationwide and that threaten mail-in voting in the upcoming presidential election .
DeJoy will testify at the hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Aug. 24 .
DeJoy , whom President Donald Trump appointed postmaster general in May , is a top Republican donor who has reportedly given more than $ 2 million to the Trump campaign , according to The Washington Post .
Postal Service Board of Governors Chairman Mike Duncan also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Politico first reported on DeJoy and Duncan ’ s decision .
House Oversight Chair Carolyn Maloney ( D-N.Y. ) sent a letter to the postmaster general Sunday , asking him to appear at an “ urgent hearing ” before the House committee three weeks earlier than Sept. 17 , the day he ’ d originally indicated he was available .
Maloney said in a statement Monday that she was “ pleased ” that DeJoy was testifying next week “ about the sweeping operational and organizational changes he has been making to the Postal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their mail , medicines , and mail-in ballots delivered in a timely way , and they certainly do not want drastic changes and delays in the midst of a global pandemic just months before the election , ” Maloney said .
DeJoy is expected to speak about the reported policy changes that have taken hold at the USPS , including the removal of mail collection boxes in at least four states and plans to remove some automatic mail-sorting machines .
Top congressional Democrats , including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( Calif. ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed in their own letter to DeJoy that the changes will have a “ profoundly negative impact on mail delivery ” ahead of the upcoming presidential election on Nov. 3 , which is expected to bring in a surge of mail-in ballots due to the threat the ongoing coronavirus pandemic poses at polling places .

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Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has agreed to testify before Congress over recent changes to the U.S. Postal Service that have caused major postal delays nationwide and that threaten mail-in voting in the upcoming presidential election.
DeJoy will testify at the hearing before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Aug. 24. DeJoy, whom President Donald Trump appointed postmaster general in May, is a top Republican donor who has reportedly given more than $2 million to the Trump campaign, according to The Washington Post.
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Postal Service Board of Governors Chairman Mike Duncan also agreed to testify at the hearing. Politico first reported on DeJoy and Duncan’s decision.
House Oversight Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to the postmaster general Sunday, asking him to appear at an “urgent hearing” before the House committee three weeks earlier than Sept. 17, the day he’d originally indicated he was available.
NEW: Postmaster General DEJOY has agreed to testify a week from today. pic.twitter.com/5qgkItMQvu — Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) August 17, 2020
Maloney said in a statement Monday that she was “pleased” that DeJoy was testifying next week “about the sweeping operational and organizational changes he has been making to the Postal Service.”
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“The American people want their mail, medicines, and mail-in ballots delivered in a timely way, and they certainly do not want drastic changes and delays in the midst of a global pandemic just months before the election,” Maloney said.
DeJoy is expected to speak about the reported policy changes that have taken hold at the USPS, including the removal of mail collection boxes in at least four states and plans to remove some automatic mail-sorting machines.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Latest Postal Service Blow: Higher Rates On Packages

Following weeks of cutbacks and delayed mail delivery , the U.S .
Postal Service is about to raise rates .
The temporary increase will affect commercial packages like the ones COVID-19 shut-ins are getting online shopping .
It will begin Oct. 18 and last through the winter holiday shopping season until Dec. 27 , the U.S .
Postal Service said in a statement Friday .
Prices will rise on commercial domestic competitive parcels sent via USPS services such as Priority Mail Express , Priority Mail and First-Class Package Service .
The hikes will take advantage of “ heightened demand for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic and expected holiday ecommerce , ” the statement said .
The price hikes , targeting commercial deliveries , likely will be passed on to consumers .
The increase adds to a string of moves by President Donald Trump and his allies to cripple America ’ s mail service ahead of the November election , when vast numbers of people will vote by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Democrats have called the actions deliberate sabotage by Trump and his handpicked Postmaster General Louis DeJoy , a prominent contributor to Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he believes mail-in voting benefits Democrat Joe Biden .
DeJoy last month announced a halt to overtime pay for letter carriers and a new limit on hours when mail can be delivered .
Last week , the USPS began ripping up scores of mailboxes and removed automated mail-sorting machines that speeded processing and delivery .
After an avalanche of criticism , the agency agreed to hold off on removing the mailboxes until after the election .
Cost-cutting moves are already delaying mail delivery by as much as a week , according to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are anticipating 10 times the normal volume of election mail as voters seek to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 at polling stations .
The USPS last week warned 46 states that mail delivery may be so slow that mail-in ballots might not be delivered in enough time to count .
The USPS defended its upcoming rate increase by noting that it “ receives no tax dollars for operating expenses , and relies on the sale of postage , products and services to fund its operations.
” 🚨 BREAKING 🚨 Chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeJoy to testify at an urgent Oversight Cmte hearing on Aug. 24 to examine his sweeping changes and their impact on mail-in voting .
# SavetheUSPS Read more here : https : //t.co/WETO762Dsq pic.twitter.com/PJn6XPoFHj — Oversight Committee ( @ OversightDems ) August 16 , 2020

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Following weeks of cutbacks and delayed mail delivery, the U.S. Postal Service is about to raise rates.
The temporary increase will affect commercial packages like the ones COVID-19 shut-ins are getting online shopping. It will begin Oct. 18 and last through the winter holiday shopping season until Dec. 27, the U.S. Postal Service said in a statement Friday.
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Prices will rise on commercial domestic competitive parcels sent via USPS services such as Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and First-Class Package Service. The hikes will take advantage of “heightened demand for online shopping package volume due to the coronavirus pandemic and expected holiday ecommerce,” the statement said.
The price hikes, targeting commercial deliveries, likely will be passed on to consumers.
The increase adds to a string of moves by President Donald Trump and his allies to cripple America’s mail service ahead of the November election, when vast numbers of people will vote by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Democrats have called the actions deliberate sabotage by Trump and his handpicked Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a prominent contributor to Trump’s campaign. Trump has said he believes mail-in voting benefits Democrat Joe Biden.
DeJoy last month announced a halt to overtime pay for letter carriers and a new limit on hours when mail can be delivered.
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Last week, the USPS began ripping up scores of mailboxes and removed automated mail-sorting machines that speeded processing and delivery. After an avalanche of criticism, the agency agreed to hold off on removing the mailboxes until after the election.
Cost-cutting moves are already delaying mail delivery by as much as a week, according to The Washington Post.
Some states, meanwhile, are anticipating 10 times the normal volume of election mail as voters seek to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 at polling stations. The USPS last week warned 46 states that mail delivery may be so slow that mail-in ballots might not be delivered in enough time to count.
The USPS defended its upcoming rate increase by noting that it “receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Democratic Party Chair Tom Perez Wants To End Presidential Caucuses

Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez said Monday that the handful of 2020 presidential caucuses should be the last the party ever holds .
He didn ’ t specifically name Iowa , which for decades has led off the nominating calendar , but his position would represent a seismic shift in the party ’ s traditions .
Perez ’ s term as chair will end before the 2024 nominating calendar is determined .
But he told The Associated Press on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention that he plans to “ use the bully pulpit as a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress ” of changes after the bitter 2016 primary fight between nominee Hillary Clinton and runner-up Bernie Sanders .
Among the changes was to push states toward primaries and at least require the remaining caucus states like Iowa to create a paper ballot system .
The Iowa caucuses were chaotic this year , with state and national party officials spending days trying to determine the winner .
Iowa ’ s first-in-the-nation caucuses , as well as New Hampshire ’ s status as the first primary state a week later , are further threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states are overwhelmingly white , while the national party is much more diverse .
That gap was underscored this year when eventual nominee Joe Biden finished fourth in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire , only to dominate the nominating fight over the ensuing months once more diverse states voted .
Perez wouldn ’ t comment on whether he thinks Iowa or New Hampshire should give up or share their leadoff spots .
But he said the demographics “ will undoubtedly come up ” in future party discussions .

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Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez said Monday that the handful of 2020 presidential caucuses should be the last the party ever holds.
He didn’t specifically name Iowa, which for decades has led off the nominating calendar, but his position would represent a seismic shift in the party’s traditions.
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Perez’s term as chair will end before the 2024 nominating calendar is determined. But he told The Associated Press on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention that he plans to “use the bully pulpit as a former chair to make sure we continue the progress” of changes after the bitter 2016 primary fight between nominee Hillary Clinton and runner-up Bernie Sanders.
Among the changes was to push states toward primaries and at least require the remaining caucus states like Iowa to create a paper ballot system. The Iowa caucuses were chaotic this year, with state and national party officials spending days trying to determine the winner.
Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, as well as New Hampshire’s status as the first primary state a week later, are further threatened in the Democratic pecking order because the states are overwhelmingly white, while the national party is much more diverse.
That gap was underscored this year when eventual nominee Joe Biden finished fourth in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire, only to dominate the nominating fight over the ensuing months once more diverse states voted.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Conventions Usually Give Candidates A Boost In The Polls. What About This Time?

This year ’ s political conventions are throwing tradition by the wayside .
With the Democratic convention going digital , and the GOP ’ s set to be significantly pared down , both events are jettisoning much of their usual pageantry , buzz and hordes of on-scene reporters .
What ’ s less clear is whether that ’ ll also dampen a subsequent tradition : the post-convention bounce .
Presidential-year conventions , which give parties a highly publicized , largely scripted platform to rally around their chosen nominees , usually give candidates a boost in the polls .
With many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election , the conventions are an opportunity to introduce the candidates , their platforms and their running mates .
That tends to have a measurable effect on the polls .
On average , candidates between 1964 and 1992 saw about a 6-point “ convention bounce , ” according to Gallup ’ s polling , with those in more recent years seeing a more modest bump , just shy of 4 points .
( General election debates , by contrast , tend to have less of an effect . )
“ It feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much less in terms of a ‘ reset ’ for the campaign , ” Rick Klein , ABC News ’ political director , told U.S News & World Report .
“ The storylines and color that can make conventions compelling to cover – it ’ s hard to see them materializing this year.
” On the other hand , with other campaigning also pared to a minimum by the pandemic , and an unusually high share of the public bored at home , the events could still attract significant attention .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should expect ” to see in the polling after the convention , Tom Holbrook , a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee , wrote .
“ On one hand , the well-choreographed convention floor ‘ show ’ will be missing , potentially robbing ... both Biden and Trump of whatever benefits there are from the spectacle nature of these sorts of events .
At the same time , the candidates are still the beneficiaries of four straight days during which they probably will dominate media coverage , including two-hours of prime-time television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even if this year ’ s conventions looked more like business as usual , their effects on the race might be limited .
For one thing , some analysts have expressed skepticism about the phenomenon of “ bounces ” in general .
They suggest that some of the difference is due less to shifting opinions than to a temporary shift in how likely Republicans and Democrats are to take surveys .
This represents a form of an effect called differential non-response , in which partisans are more apt to answer polls following an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vice versa , less likely to respond in the wake of bad news for the side they support ) .
In 2012 , for instance , internal polling for Barack Obama ’ s campaign , controlling for the partisan composition of the sample , registered far less of a convention bounce than some public polls at the time .
Then , there ’ s that decline in the average size of a convention bounce .
Increasingly compressed scheduling ― this year , there are just four days between the end of the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one ― may be helping to limit the events ’ potential impact .
Voters are also tuning in to election news earlier .
And responses to the conventions have grown increasingly partisan in recent years , meaning there may be fewer possibilities for persuasion .
“ Conventions may no longer serve to introduce the nominees to Americans , ” Gallup ’ s Jeffrey M. Jones wrote in 2012 .
“ Rather , Americans probably already have a good sense of who the nominees are and what they would do if elected president ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which incumbents are running for re-election , and voters ’ choices may boil down to whether they want to re-elect the president as opposed to choosing which of two candidates they would prefer to be president.
” That ’ s precisely the case in 2020 : Both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are well-known to the public , interest in the election is already high , and much of the electorate views the race as primarily a referendum on Trump .
“ Maybe there ’ s less to be gained from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past , ” said Christopher Wlezien , a political scientist at the University of Texas at Austin .
Often , “ the conventions get people to take stock ” of the current political situation , including their views of the incumbent president , he said .
“ But people have already taken stock .
There ’ s not much stock-taking left to do .
”

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This year’s political conventions are throwing tradition by the wayside. With the Democratic convention going digital, and the GOP’s set to be significantly pared down, both events are jettisoning much of their usual pageantry, buzz and hordes of on-scene reporters. What’s less clear is whether that’ll also dampen a subsequent tradition: the post-convention bounce.
Presidential-year conventions, which give parties a highly publicized, largely scripted platform to rally around their chosen nominees, usually give candidates a boost in the polls. With many voters just beginning to tune in to the election, the conventions are an opportunity to introduce the candidates, their platforms and their running mates.
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That tends to have a measurable effect on the polls. On average, candidates between 1964 and 1992 saw about a 6-point “convention bounce,” according to Gallup’s polling, with those in more recent years seeing a more modest bump, just shy of 4 points. (General election debates, by contrast, tend to have less of an effect.)
It’s unclear whether largely digital conventions are likely to have the same effect.
“It feels to me that the conventions will be much less in terms of a ‘reset’ for the campaign,” Rick Klein, ABC News’ political director, told U.S News & World Report. “The storylines and color that can make conventions compelling to cover – it’s hard to see them materializing this year.”
On the other hand, with other campaigning also pared to a minimum by the pandemic, and an unusually high share of the public bored at home, the events could still attract significant attention.
A banner of the Democratic National Convention hangs outside the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, on Aug. 17. OLIVIER DOULIERY via Getty Images
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“It’s hard to say what we should expect” to see in the polling after the convention, Tom Holbrook, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, wrote. “On one hand, the well-choreographed convention floor ‘show’ will be missing, potentially robbing ... both Biden and Trump of whatever benefits there are from the spectacle nature of these sorts of events. At the same time, the candidates are still the beneficiaries of four straight days during which they probably will dominate media coverage, including two-hours of prime-time television coverage each night of the convention.”
Even if this year’s conventions looked more like business as usual, their effects on the race might be limited. For one thing, some analysts have expressed skepticism about the phenomenon of “bounces” in general. They suggest that some of the difference is due less to shifting opinions than to a temporary shift in how likely Republicans and Democrats are to take surveys.
This represents a form of an effect called differential non-response, in which partisans are more apt to answer polls following an energizing event like a convention (or vice versa, less likely to respond in the wake of bad news for the side they support). In 2012, for instance, internal polling for Barack Obama’s campaign, controlling for the partisan composition of the sample, registered far less of a convention bounce than some public polls at the time.
Then, there’s that decline in the average size of a convention bounce. Increasingly compressed scheduling ― this year, there are just four days between the end of the Democratic convention and the start of the Republican one ― may be helping to limit the events’ potential impact. Voters are also tuning in to election news earlier. And responses to the conventions have grown increasingly partisan in recent years, meaning there may be fewer possibilities for persuasion.
“Conventions may no longer serve to introduce the nominees to Americans,” Gallup’s Jeffrey M. Jones wrote in 2012. “Rather, Americans probably already have a good sense of who the nominees are and what they would do if elected president ... This could particularly be true in years in which incumbents are running for re-election, and voters’ choices may boil down to whether they want to re-elect the president as opposed to choosing which of two candidates they would prefer to be president.”
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That’s precisely the case in 2020: Both Donald Trump and Joe Biden are well-known to the public, interest in the election is already high, and much of the electorate views the race as primarily a referendum on Trump.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Review Cites 'Operational Failures' In Jussie Smollett Prosecution

CHICAGO ( AP ) — A special prosecutor in Chicago said Monday that Cook County State ’ s Attorney Kim Foxx and her office abused their discretion in the case against actor Jussie Smollett but did nothing criminal .
In a statement on the conclusions his investigation , special prosecutor Dan Webb sharply criticized the handling of the Smollett case by Foxx and her assistant prosecutors , saying their handling was marked by disarray and misleading statements .
In March last year , Foxx ’ s office surprised and angered many in Chicago by dropping charges that accused the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist , homophobic attack against himself .
Smollett is still adamant that the attack was real and wasn ’ t a publicity hoax .
Webb ’ s statement said his investigation “ did not develop evidence that would support any criminal charges against State ’ s Attorney Foxx or any individual working at ( her office ) .
” But it added , it “ did develop evidence that establishes substantial abuses of discretion and operational failures ” in how it handled the Smollett matter .
Webb ’ s findings announced Monday came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same special prosecutor in February .
Webb said at the time that dropping the charges against Smollett were unjustified , including because the evidence against Smollett seem and because he was not required to admit that the attack was a hoax .
One of the focuses of Webb ’ s inquiry was about whether Foxx acted improperly by speaking to a Smollett relative and a onetime aide of former first lady Michelle Obama before the charges were dropped , or by weighing in on the case after recusing herself .
Foxx is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s top law enforcement job .
She defeated her primary opponents earlier this year even as they made her handling of the Smollett case central to their campaigns .
In overwhelmingly Democratic Chicago , the primary invariably determines who wins the general election .
Charging documents refiled by Webb in February accuse the Black , openly gay actor of making a false police report in claiming two men attacked him early on Jan. 29 , 2019 , in downtown Chicago , shouting slurs and looping a rope around his neck .
Reform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — often over the angry objections of Chicago ’ s police union and chiefs of police across Cook County , including treating certain nonviolent crimes , such as shoplifting , as lower priorities .

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CHICAGO (AP) — A special prosecutor in Chicago said Monday that Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and her office abused their discretion in the case against actor Jussie Smollett but did nothing criminal.
In a statement on the conclusions his investigation, special prosecutor Dan Webb sharply criticized the handling of the Smollett case by Foxx and her assistant prosecutors, saying their handling was marked by disarray and misleading statements.
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In March last year, Foxx’s office surprised and angered many in Chicago by dropping charges that accused the former “Empire” actor of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself. Smollett is still adamant that the attack was real and wasn’t a publicity hoax.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx (right) is the first Black woman to hold Chicago’s top law enforcement job. Scott Olson via Getty Images
Webb’s statement said his investigation “did not develop evidence that would support any criminal charges against State’s Attorney Foxx or any individual working at (her office).” But it added, it “did develop evidence that establishes substantial abuses of discretion and operational failures” in how it handled the Smollett matter.
Webb’s findings announced Monday came after charges were restored against Smollett by the same special prosecutor in February. Webb said at the time that dropping the charges against Smollett were unjustified, including because the evidence against Smollett seem and because he was not required to admit that the attack was a hoax.
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One of the focuses of Webb’s inquiry was about whether Foxx acted improperly by speaking to a Smollett relative and a onetime aide of former first lady Michelle Obama before the charges were dropped, or by weighing in on the case after recusing herself.
In this Feb. 24, 2020 file photo, former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett leaves the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Foxx is the first Black woman to hold Chicago’s top law enforcement job. She defeated her primary opponents earlier this year even as they made her handling of the Smollett case central to their campaigns. In overwhelmingly Democratic Chicago, the primary invariably determines who wins the general election.
Charging documents refiled by Webb in February accuse the Black, openly gay actor of making a false police report in claiming two men attacked him early on Jan. 29, 2019, in downtown Chicago, shouting slurs and looping a rope around his neck.
Reform advocates have hailed reforms Foxx pushed through — often over the angry objections of Chicago’s police union and chiefs of police across Cook County, including treating certain nonviolent crimes, such as shoplifting, as lower priorities.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Youth Choir Brings People To Tears With Powerful National Anthem To Open DNC

The Democratic National Convention opened with a stirring rendition of the national anthem , delivered by a choir of young @ @ @ @ @ .
The 57 voices chosen for the event represented each of the 50 states as @ @ @ @ @ Columbia , the five populated U.S. territories and the Cherokee Nation .
They were recorded @ @ @ @ @

The Democratic National Convention opened with a stirring rendition of the national anthem, delivered by a choir of young singers from around the nation.
The 57 voices chosen for the event represented each of the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, the five populated U.S. territories and the Cherokee Nation. They were recorded in socially distanced settings.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--'America: Endgame': Colbert Gives 2020 Election A Terrifying New Movie Trailer

Stephen Colbert ’ s “ Late Show ” team has turned the upcoming presidential election into an ominous fake movie @ @ @ @ @ Avengers : Endgame , ” the “ Late Show ” trailer features former Vice President @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden as Captain America facing off against President Donald Trump as Thanos .
And @ @ @ @ @ getting underway this week , the trailer has some of the biggest names in the @ @ @ @ @ the Avengers .
Or as the “ Late Show ” calls it , “ America @ @ @ @ @ says this year ’ s election is “ The Battle for the Soul of the @ @ @ @ @ 're calling it something else .
# LateShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/XERfo0wI4q — A Late Show ( @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 Important conversations are happening now .
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-17--Al Gore: Trump Puts 'His Knee On The Neck" Of U.S. Democracy In Crippling The USPS

Former Vice President Al Gore tore into Donald Trump during an interview with CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper , asserting that the president is intentionally trying to undermine the U.S .
Postal Service and in doing so suppressing the voice of the American people .
“ During a pandemic , there are lots of older voters and voters of all ages with a pre-existing condition who worry they can ’ t breathe safely standing in line to vote , ” Gore said Sunday .
He then attacked Trump ’ s recent attempts to undermine the USPS , which has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postmaster general even as it anticipates a deluge of mail-in ballots in November ’ s election .
“ By tampering with the postal service , [ Trump ] is in effect putting his knee on the neck of American democracy and trying to make it impossible for people to vote by mail , ” Gore said .
He argued that Trump was acting out of political desperation .
Gore , who as the 2000 Democratic nominee lost the presidency by one of the narrowest margins in U.S. history , lambasted Trump as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any other person to sit in the White House .
That included , he said , Richard Nixon , who in 1974 was forced to resign the presidency in disgrace because of his role in the Watergate scandal .
Trump “ does not seem to me to share the basic bedrock beliefs [ and ] values the United States of America is based on , ” Gore said .
Trump has resisted efforts to provide the USPS with additional funding .
He ’ s also tweeted conspiracy theories contending that “ MILLIONS OF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COUNTRIES ” and in general claimed that mail-in voting has been plagued by widespread fraud .
No evidence supports any of his claims .
On Monday , Trump seemed to change his tune , tweeting that the postal service should be saved ― though both political pundits and internet commentators alike responded to his words with skepticism , calling the tweet a misdirection .
At the same time on Monday , he continued his efforts to undermine public confidence in the voting process , claiming during a stop in Wisconsin that “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose this election is if this election is rigged.
” Gore lost his presidential race to Republican George W. Bush when , after a lengthy and contentious recount in Florida that sparked a lawsuit settled by the Supreme Court , Bush was ruled to have carried the state by 537 votes out of almost 6 million that were cast .
In his mid-December concession speech , Gore said that “ while I strongly disagree with the court ’ s decision , I accept it .
I accept the finality of this outcome .
@

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Former Vice President Al Gore tore into Donald Trump during an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, asserting that the president is intentionally trying to undermine the U.S. Postal Service and in doing so suppressing the voice of the American people.
“During a pandemic, there are lots of older voters and voters of all ages with a pre-existing condition who worry they can’t breathe safely standing in line to vote,” Gore said Sunday. He then attacked Trump’s recent attempts to undermine the USPS, which has been targeted for cutbacks by the presidentially appointed postmaster general even as it anticipates a deluge of mail-in ballots in November’s election.
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“By tampering with the postal service, [Trump] is in effect putting his knee on the neck of American democracy and trying to make it impossible for people to vote by mail,” Gore said.
Al Gore: "By tampering with the Postal Service, [President Trump] is in effect putting his knee on the neck of American democracy." pic.twitter.com/uAfB1arfZA — The Hill (@thehill) August 17, 2020
He argued that Trump was acting out of political desperation. Gore, who as the 2000 Democratic nominee lost the presidency by one of the narrowest margins in U.S. history, lambasted Trump as a “different breed of cat” from any other person to sit in the White House. That included, he said, Richard Nixon, who in 1974 was forced to resign the presidency in disgrace because of his role in the Watergate scandal.
Trump “does not seem to me to share the basic bedrock beliefs [and] values the United States of America is based on,” Gore said.
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Al Gore: "[Trump's] a different breed of cat from anyone who has ever served in the Oval Office, including even Richard Nixon." pic.twitter.com/NFqUQFZ1xI — The Hill (@thehill) August 17, 2020
Trump has resisted efforts to provide the USPS with additional funding. He’s also tweeted conspiracy theories contending that “MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WILL BE PRINTED BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES” and in general claimed that mail-in voting has been plagued by widespread fraud. No evidence supports any of his claims.
On Monday, Trump seemed to change his tune, tweeting that the postal service should be saved ― though both political pundits and internet commentators alike responded to his words with skepticism, calling the tweet a misdirection.
At the same time on Monday, he continued his efforts to undermine public confidence in the voting process, claiming during a stop in Wisconsin that “the only way we’re going to lose this election is if this election is rigged.”
Gore lost his presidential race to Republican George W. Bush when, after a lengthy and contentious recount in Florida that sparked a lawsuit settled by the Supreme Court, Bush was ruled to have carried the state by 537 votes out of almost 6 million that were cast. In his mid-December concession speech, Gore said that “while I strongly disagree with the court’s decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome.”