thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--How Joe Biden Chose Kamala Harris As His Running Mate

The Michigan governor had caught the interest of Joe Biden and his vice presidential vetting committee , who were drawn to her prominence in a crucial battleground state and her aggressive response to the coronavirus outbreak there .
But by late spring , the nation was in the midst of a reckoning over race and inequality following the death of George Floyd , a Black man who died after a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes .
But Biden still wanted Whitmer in the mix , and he personally called her in mid-June to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second , more intensive round of vetting , according to the official .
Whitmer agreed .
But forces in the country , and within the Democratic Party , were indeed pushing Biden toward a history-making pick .
As protests over the death of Floyd and other Black Americans filled the streets across the country , an array of Democrats urged Biden to put a Black woman on the ticket — a nod to this moment in the nation ’ s history , to the critical role Black voters played in Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to their vital importance in his general election campaign against President Donald Trump .
On Tuesday , Biden tapped California Sen. Kamala Harris to be his running mate , making her the first Black woman to serve on a major party presidential ticket .
This account of how he made that decision , the most important of his political career , is based on interviews with 10 people with direct knowledge of the vetting and selection process .
Most spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private conversations and deliberations .
From @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris as a logical choice .
She was among the party ’ s most popular figures , a deft debater and a fundraising juggernaut .
She had been thoroughly vetted during her own campaign and Biden ’ s team expected there would be few surprises if she was the pick .
There were also nagging questions about Harris ’ most high-profile moment of the primary campaign — a harsh and deeply personal broadside against Biden over his position on school busing in the 1970s .
Though Biden would later brush the moment aside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to have stunned the former vice president , who had considered his relationship with Harris strong .
It also raised concern among a small cadre of Biden advisers that Harris would be eyeing the Oval Office herself from the start , a particular worry given that Biden has not firmly committed to serving two terms if elected in November .
The leading contenders , who also included Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth , submitted reams of financial records , texts of speeches and other personal information .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ array of Democrats to ask for their views on the candidates ’ temperament and families , then grilled the candidates on much of the same .
Biden , too , regularly discussed his potential pick with his sprawling network of friends and advisers .
He used Obama in particular as a sounding board , though confidants to both men say the former president was careful not to tip his hand in those conversations as to whom he preferred .
Harris , as she had previously done so publicly , brushed it aside as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the running mate selection committee , was put off and let that be known .
The incident was first reported by Politico and confirmed to The Associated Press by a person with direct knowledge .
The public disclosure of Dodd ’ s comments angered some of the highest-ranking women on Biden ’ s campaign team .
Some of Harris ’ allies also mobilized to defend her , including California Lt. Gov .
Eleni Kounalakis , who organized a call with Biden ’ s vetting team about two weeks ago to assuage any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right choice for the ticket .
The pandemic had largely grounded Biden in his home state of Delaware throughout the summer , and also upended some of the ways he had expected to build a rapport with the running-mate contenders .
There were no joint rallies or carefully orchestrated , yet casual-looking , outings to local restaurants in battleground states .
Biden was also accepting few in-person visitors at his home .
But he did want to speak one-on-one with the women who had made it through the vetting process and interviews with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversations with 11 women in the final nine days before he made his pick — a mixture of in-person meetings and video teleconferences .
On Tuesday , in the hours before his campaign announced Harris as the pick , Biden would call each of those women to inform them that they had not been selected .
Warren , whose relationship with Biden has deepened in recent months through regular policy discussions , was also among those to receive a personal call from the former vice president .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Gretchen Whitmer wanted out.
The Michigan governor had caught the interest of Joe Biden and his vice presidential vetting committee, who were drawn to her prominence in a crucial battleground state and her aggressive response to the coronavirus outbreak there. But by late spring, the nation was in the midst of a reckoning over race and inequality following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes.
Whitmer sent word to Biden’s team that while she was flattered, she no longer wanted to be considered for the running mate slot, according to a high-ranking Democrat familiar with the process. She recommended Biden pick a Black woman.
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But Biden still wanted Whitmer in the mix, and he personally called her in mid-June to ask if she would continue on to the second, more intensive round of vetting, according to the official. Whitmer agreed.
On Tuesday, Biden tapped California Sen. Kamala Harris to be his running mate, making her the first Black woman to serve on a major party presidential ticket. This account of how he made that decision, the most important of his political career, is based on interviews with 10 people with direct knowledge of the vetting and selection process. Most spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private conversations and deliberations.
Democratic presidential candidates former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. shake hands Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019, after a Democratic presidential primary debate hosted by ABC at Texas Southern University in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Biden, well aware of the potential pitfalls of being a 77-year-old white male standard-bearer of a party increasingly comprised of women, people of color and young voters, made clear even before he had clinched the Democratic nomination that his running mate would be a woman.
His initial list of possible contenders was sprawling: roughly 20 governors, senators, congresswomen, mayors and other Democratic stalwarts. They were young and old; Black, Hispanic, white, Asian; straight and gay. Some, including Harris, had competed against Biden for the Democratic nomination.
From the start, some Biden advisers saw Harris as a logical choice. She was among the party’s most popular figures, a deft debater and a fundraising juggernaut. She had been thoroughly vetted during her own campaign and Biden’s team expected there would be few surprises if she was the pick.
Indeed, Harris’ potential downsides were well-known to Biden advisers. Her record as a prosecutor in California was already viewed skeptically by some younger Democrats during the primary and would face even more scrutiny against the backdrop of a national debate over inequality in the criminal justice system.
There were also nagging questions about Harris’ most high-profile moment of the primary campaign — a harsh and deeply personal broadside against Biden over his position on school busing in the 1970s. Though Biden would later brush the moment aside as campaign tactics, the attack was said to have stunned the former vice president, who had considered his relationship with Harris strong. It also raised concern among a small cadre of Biden advisers that Harris would be eyeing the Oval Office herself from the start, a particular worry given that Biden has not firmly committed to serving two terms if elected in November.
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And so, as spring turned to summer, a string of other Black women would take a turn in the spotlight as Biden weighed his options. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Florida Rep. Val Demings impressed Biden’s team with their leadership during the police brutality protests.
Some House Democrats — including South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, a close Biden confidant — advocated for Rep. Karen Bass, a Californian who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus. Biden also took a strong interest in Susan Rice, with whom he worked closely when she served in the White House as President Barack Obama’s national security adviser.
The leading contenders, who also included Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, submitted reams of financial records, texts of speeches and other personal information. Biden’s selection team canvassed a vast array of Democrats to ask for their views on the candidates’ temperament and families, then grilled the candidates on much of the same.
Biden, too, regularly discussed his potential pick with his sprawling network of friends and advisers. He used Obama in particular as a sounding board, though confidants to both men say the former president was careful not to tip his hand in those conversations as to whom he preferred.
But in private, Obama suggested to others that he believed Harris was the favorite.
Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) speaks to her supporters at the official launch rally for her campaign as a candidate for President of the United States in 2020 in front of Oakland City Hall at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza on January 27; 2019; in Oakland; California. (Photo: Christopher Victorio/imageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX) ImageSPACE/MediaPunch/MediaPunch/IPx
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In one of Harris’ conversations with the vetting committee, Chris Dodd — a longtime Biden friend who served alongside him in the Senate — asked if she had remorse for her debate stage attack on his busing record.
Harris, as she had previously done so publicly, brushed it aside as simply politics. Dodd, a member of the running mate selection committee, was put off and let that be known. The incident was first reported by Politico and confirmed to The Associated Press by a person with direct knowledge.
The public disclosure of Dodd’s comments angered some of the highest-ranking women on Biden’s campaign team. Some of Harris’ allies also mobilized to defend her, including California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, who organized a call with Biden’s vetting team about two weeks ago to assuage any doubts about whether the senator was the right choice for the ticket.
On the 45-minute call, Kounalakis and other statewide officials, labor and business leaders took turns sharing their personal histories with Harris and their impressions of her as a leader.
“Speaking out as strongly as we did, collectively, helped them understand how supported she is and why,” Kounalakis said on Tuesday.
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The call ended with Biden’s vetting team telling the Harris supporters that they had all recommended her as one of the top candidates for the job.
In this July 28, 2020, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event at the William "Hicks" Anderson Community Center in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The pandemic had largely grounded Biden in his home state of Delaware throughout the summer, and also upended some of the ways he had expected to build a rapport with the running-mate contenders. There were no joint rallies or carefully orchestrated, yet casual-looking, outings to local restaurants in battleground states. Biden was also accepting few in-person visitors at his home.
But he did want to speak one-on-one with the women who had made it through the vetting process and interviews with his selection committee. He would hold conversations with 11 women in the final nine days before he made his pick — a mixture of in-person meetings and video teleconferences.
Whitmer was among those who flew to Delaware for an in-person audience. She boarded a private plane in Lansing, Michigan, on Aug. 2, spending just a few hours on the ground before returning to Michigan.
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Rice, who had perhaps the closest personal relationship with Biden of all the contenders, spoke twice with Biden in recent days. Duckworth also had a formal interview over the weekend, as did Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams, who was initially viewed as a leading contender for the job.
On Tuesday, in the hours before his campaign announced Harris as the pick, Biden would call each of those women to inform them that they had not been selected. Warren, whose relationship with Biden has deepened in recent months through regular policy discussions, was also among those to receive a personal call from the former vice president.
In some of the conversations, Biden left open an opportunity. Please consider joining me in another role in the administration, he said.
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Eggert reported from Lansing, Mich., and Ronayne from Sacramento, Calif. Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Will Weissert in Wilmington, Del., and Laurie Kellman in Washington contributed to this report.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Boogaloo Groups Have Returned To Facebook Despite Supposed Crackdown

A report published Wednesday by the Tech Transparency Project , a project run by the nonprofit Campaign for Accountability , found the number of active groups has actually grown since June , when Facebook announced it would ban them .
By July 24 , there were roughly 20 % more groups than there were in April , when TTP first warned of their growing online presence .
The loose-knit , gun-loving community of “ Boogaloo bois ” believes in the coming of a second U.S. Civil War .
Members have used private Facebook groups to distribute information like bomb-making manuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and murder methods .
At least 110 Boogaloo groups have formed on Facebook since June 30 , the day Facebook formally took action against them , and some now boast more than 1,000 members .
Circumventing Facebook ’ s efforts seemingly required little effort .
TTP found that numerous groups at risk for removal escaped scrutiny by simply changing their name while leaving much of the rest of their content largely untouched .
At least 39 such groups remain active thanks in part to that tactic .
Others have adapted by switching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead of “ Boogaloo ” or “ big igloo ” for instance , they might use the phrase “ big luau ” or entirely different words like “ [ redacted ] ” or “ liberty.
” “ Facebook ’ s supposed crackdown on Boogaloo supporters is nothing more than a PR stunt , ” Campaign for Accountability ’ s executive director , Michelle Kuppersmith , said in an emailed statement .
“ As long as Mark Zuckerberg refuses to get serious about enforcing his company ’ s own rules , Facebook users associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to exploit the platform ’ s laxity.
” A Facebook spokesperson told HuffPost that the company is trying to adapt to Boogaloo groups ’ new tactics .
“ Since we banned a violent network tied to boogaloo , we have seen continued changes in language and tactics to try to evade our detection .
Our team of experts has been expecting this behavior and we are updating the language and symbols we use to identify this network weekly to continue to enforce our policies , ” the spokesperson said .
What began as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence as individuals linked to Boogaloo groups attempted to disrupt the anti-racist protests that sprung up around the country this summer .
In May , 32-year-old Boogaloo supporter Steven Carrillo murdered a federal protective security officer during a protest in Oakland , California .
His partner in the crime , 30-year-old Robert Alvin Justus Jr. , told the FBI the two met on Facebook .
In June , police in Denver seized a large cache of weapons and tactical gear from a Boogaloo member ’ s trunk after he and a friend parked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , federal prosecutors in Nevada charged three men associated with Boogaloo with terrorism offenses after authorities broke up a plot to cause mass violence and hijack a Black Lives Matter demonstration using Molotov cocktails and explosives .
They also were members of Facebook Boogaloo groups TTP identified in April .
And in previous months , an apparent Boogaloo supporter in Arkansas was charged with planning to kill a police officer after describing his plot on a Facebook livestream , while police in Missouri shot and killed a neo-Nazi with ties to the movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital .

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Membership in far-right, anti-government “Boogaloo” militias continues to grow on Facebook despite the social media company’s recent attempts to remove their presence from the platform.
A report published Wednesday by the Tech Transparency Project, a project run by the nonprofit Campaign for Accountability, found the number of active groups has actually grown since June, when Facebook announced it would ban them. By July 24, there were roughly 20% more groups than there were in April, when TTP first warned of their growing online presence.
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The loose-knit, gun-loving community of “Boogaloo bois” believes in the coming of a second U.S. Civil War. Members have used private Facebook groups to distribute information like bomb-making manuals, advice on kidnapping and evading authorities, and murder methods.
At least 110 Boogaloo groups have formed on Facebook since June 30, the day Facebook formally took action against them, and some now boast more than 1,000 members.
Circumventing Facebook’s efforts seemingly required little effort. TTP found that numerous groups at risk for removal escaped scrutiny by simply changing their name while leaving much of the rest of their content largely untouched. At least 39 such groups remain active thanks in part to that tactic.
Others have adapted by switching up their terminology to evade detection. Instead of “Boogaloo” or “big igloo” for instance, they might use the phrase “big luau” or entirely different words like “[redacted]” or “liberty.”
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TTP found Facebook’s algorithm also continues to recommend Boogaloo-related groups to users regardless of a group’s name, helping swell their ranks with new members.
“Facebook’s supposed crackdown on Boogaloo supporters is nothing more than a PR stunt,” Campaign for Accountability’s executive director, Michelle Kuppersmith, said in an emailed statement.
“As long as Mark Zuckerberg refuses to get serious about enforcing his company’s own rules, Facebook users associated with dangerous organizations and movements will continue to exploit the platform’s laxity.”
A Facebook spokesperson told HuffPost that the company is trying to adapt to Boogaloo groups’ new tactics. “Since we banned a violent network tied to boogaloo, we have seen continued changes in language and tactics to try to evade our detection. Our team of experts has been expecting this behavior and we are updating the language and symbols we use to identify this network weekly to continue to enforce our policies,” the spokesperson said.
Members of the Boogaloo movement attend a demonstration against COVID-19 lockdowns in Concord, New Hampshire, in April. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
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What began as a largely online movement transitioned into real-world violence as individuals linked to Boogaloo groups attempted to disrupt the anti-racist protests that sprung up around the country this summer.
In May, 32-year-old Boogaloo supporter Steven Carrillo murdered a federal protective security officer during a protest in Oakland, California. His partner in the crime, 30-year-old Robert Alvin Justus Jr., told the FBI the two met on Facebook.
In June, police in Denver seized a large cache of weapons and tactical gear from a Boogaloo member’s trunk after he and a friend parked near protests there.
Earlier that month, federal prosecutors in Nevada charged three men associated with Boogaloo with terrorism offenses after authorities broke up a plot to cause mass violence and hijack a Black Lives Matter demonstration using Molotov cocktails and explosives. They also were members of Facebook Boogaloo groups TTP identified in April.
And in previous months, an apparent Boogaloo supporter in Arkansas was charged with planning to kill a police officer after describing his plot on a Facebook livestream, while police in Missouri shot and killed a neo-Nazi with ties to the movement who was planning on blowing up a hospital.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Joe Biden And Kamala Harris Make First Remarks As Historic Democratic Ticket

“ America is crying out for leadership , yet we have a president who cares more about himself than the people who elected him , ” Harris said after being introduced by Biden .
“ A president who is making every challenge we face even more difficult to solve.
” The event , held in a high school gymnasium , was only attended by press and staff , as well as Biden ’ s and Harris ’ spouses , Dr. Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff , due to social distancing protocols during the pandemic .
Speeches that would typically be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivered in a silent room , and livestreamed to a virtual audience .
Biden and Harris did not shake hands and for the most part stayed more than six feet apart .
Biden announced Harris as his running mate Tuesday , after a drawn-out vetting process that included several women of color and prominent lawmakers , like Stacey Abrams , Rep. Karen Bass ( D-Calif. ) and Sens .
Tammy Duckworth ( D-Ill. ) and Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass. )
.
Biden pledged to pick a woman as his running mate in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convention , virtually , to formally nominate Biden and Harris as their ticket for the White House next week .
Harris , 55 , who is the second Black woman to ever serve in the United States Senate , is the first Black and South Asian woman selected for a national ticket as well as the first person from west of Texas to be on a national Democratic ticket .
If elected she would also be the first woman to hold the position .
“ This morning all across the nation little girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brown girls , who so often may feel overlooked and undervalued in their communities , but today just maybe they are seeing themselves for the first time in a new way : as the stuffs of president and vice president , ” Biden said .
“ Instead of doing the hard work , of meeting face to face with congressional leaders , Democrats and Republicans in the White House like every other president has done in a crisis to get Americans the relief they need and deserve , Trump is on the golf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the stalled coronavirus relief negotiations between congressional Democrats and the White House .
“ If I told you this three years ago , you ’ d look at me like I was crazy.
” Biden also reminded the room that Wednesday was the third anniversary of the “ Unite The Right ” Rally in Charlottesville , Virginia — an event that inspired his bid for the White House and his rallying cry to “ restore the soul of the nation.
” “ The president ’ s mismanagement of the pandemic has plunged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the great Depression and we are experiencing a moral reckoning with racism and systemic injustice that has brought a new coalition of conscience to the streets of our country demanding change , ” Harris said .
But as a presidential candidate , Harris ’ positions often straddled the line between the left and center of the Democratic Party .
She supported “ Medicare For All ” before running for president , and then moved away from the idea , opting for a hybrid private-public insurance proposal .
She ’ s been seen as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favor of using executive action to give undocumented residents a better chance toward citizenship , and adopted more progressive ideas on criminal justice reform , including ending cash bail and legalizing marijuana — policies she did not back as a prosecutor .
Criminal justice advocates have questioned just how progressive her record in law enforcement actually was .
She was criticized for being too lenient in police shooting cases , turning a blind eye to certain wrongful convictions , pushing for higher cash bails for certain crimes and , as California ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s decision ruling the death penalty unconstitutional .
Arguably , Harris ’ biggest moment in the Democratic presidential primary came at the expense of Biden ; she took a shot at him on the debate stage for opposing a federally mandated busing program to racially integrate schools in the 1970s as a senator .
But there hasn ’ t been any bad blood between the two of them as they presented a united front to defeat Trump .
Both Harris and Biden referred to the closeness of their families , particularly Harris ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s revered son Beau , the former Delaware attorney general who died of brain cancer in 2015 .
Beau Biden and Harris worked together negotiating with banks during the 2011 and 2012 foreclosure crisis — a partnership that reportedly weighed heavily in Biden ’ s decision to pick Harris as his running mate .

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Joe Biden and California Sen. Kamala Harris appeared together for the first time as a joint Democratic ticket Wednesday in Wilmington, Delaware, with a clear general election message: President Donald Trump is a purveyor of crisis.
“America is crying out for leadership, yet we have a president who cares more about himself than the people who elected him,” Harris said after being introduced by Biden. “A president who is making every challenge we face even more difficult to solve.”
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The event, held in a high school gymnasium, was only attended by press and staff, as well as Biden’s and Harris’ spouses, Dr. Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff, due to social distancing protocols during the pandemic. Speeches that would typically be met with big fanfare and applause were delivered in a silent room, and livestreamed to a virtual audience. Biden and Harris did not shake hands and for the most part stayed more than six feet apart.
Supporters gathered outside in support wearing masks and carrying Biden signs.
Biden announced Harris as his running mate Tuesday, after a drawn-out vetting process that included several women of color and prominent lawmakers, like Stacey Abrams, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Biden pledged to pick a woman as his running mate in March. The Democratic Party is holding its convention, virtually, to formally nominate Biden and Harris as their ticket for the White House next week.
Harris, 55, who is the second Black woman to ever serve in the United States Senate, is the first Black and South Asian woman selected for a national ticket as well as the first person from west of Texas to be on a national Democratic ticket. If elected she would also be the first woman to hold the position.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and her husband, Douglas Emhoff, right, applaud to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, after a campaign event at Alexis Dupont High School in Wilmington, Delaware on Aug. 12. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
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Biden emphasized the historic position Harris is in during his remarks.
“This morning all across the nation little girls woke up, especially little Black and Brown girls, who so often may feel overlooked and undervalued in their communities, but today just maybe they are seeing themselves for the first time in a new way: as the stuffs of president and vice president,” Biden said.
But much of both Biden’s and Harris’ remarks Wednesday were focused on Trump, emphasizing the public health, economic and social justice crisis the country is in.
“Instead of doing the hard work, of meeting face to face with congressional leaders, Democrats and Republicans in the White House like every other president has done in a crisis to get Americans the relief they need and deserve, Trump is on the golf course,” Biden said in reference to the stalled coronavirus relief negotiations between congressional Democrats and the White House. “If I told you this three years ago, you’d look at me like I was crazy.”
Biden also reminded the room that Wednesday was the third anniversary of the “Unite The Right” Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia — an event that inspired his bid for the White House and his rallying cry to “restore the soul of the nation.”
“This is what happens when we elect a guy that isn’t up for the job,” Harris said of Trump, calling 2020 a moment of “real consequence for America.”
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“He inherited the longest economic expansion in history from Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and then, like everything else he inherited, he ran it straight into the ground,” she continued.
“The president’s mismanagement of the pandemic has plunged us into the worst economic crisis since the great Depression and we are experiencing a moral reckoning with racism and systemic injustice that has brought a new coalition of conscience to the streets of our country demanding change,” Harris said.
Oakland, California native Harris, a former state attorney general and San Francisco district attorney, ran a failed presidential bid last year, billing herself as a “progressive prosecutor.” She disbanded her run last December, two months before the first primary contest in Iowa.
In federal office, Harris, who was elected to the Senate in 2016, was known for her role in high-profile Senate hearings, specifically her questioning of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Attorney General Bill Barr, which Biden referenced in his remarks Wednesday.
But as a presidential candidate, Harris’ positions often straddled the line between the left and center of the Democratic Party. She supported “Medicare For All” before running for president, and then moved away from the idea, opting for a hybrid private-public insurance proposal. She’s been seen as a strong immigrant rights advocate, in favor of using executive action to give undocumented residents a better chance toward citizenship, and adopted more progressive ideas on criminal justice reform, including ending cash bail and legalizing marijuana — policies she did not back as a prosecutor.
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People stand outside before Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) appear at Alexis Dupont High School in Wilmington on Aug. 12. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Criminal justice advocates have questioned just how progressive her record in law enforcement actually was. She was criticized for being too lenient in police shooting cases, turning a blind eye to certain wrongful convictions, pushing for higher cash bails for certain crimes and, as California’s attorney general, appealing a judge’s decision ruling the death penalty unconstitutional.
During the pandemic, she joined Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) to back a proposal that would give $2,000 monthly payments to millions of financially struggling Americans through the crisis — a proposal Biden’s campaign has not explicitly backed.
Arguably, Harris’ biggest moment in the Democratic presidential primary came at the expense of Biden; she took a shot at him on the debate stage for opposing a federally mandated busing program to racially integrate schools in the 1970s as a senator. But there hasn’t been any bad blood between the two of them as they presented a united front to defeat Trump.
Both Harris and Biden referred to the closeness of their families, particularly Harris’ past friendship and work with Biden’s revered son Beau, the former Delaware attorney general who died of brain cancer in 2015. Beau Biden and Harris worked together negotiating with banks during the 2011 and 2012 foreclosure crisis — a partnership that reportedly weighed heavily in Biden’s decision to pick Harris as his running mate.
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Republicans and Trump backers have attacked Harris for being part of the “left-wing mob” and being “extreme,” and also for being a too-moderate pick for Biden that will fail to energize the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Kamala Harris Makes Emotional Tribute To Her Friend Beau Biden

In her first public remarks as Joe Biden ’ s presidential running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris ( Calif. ) dedicated part of her speech to his son Beau Biden , whom she was close friends with up until his 2015 death .
Harris , who joined the prospective Democratic nominee ’ s ticket on Tuesday , became close with Biden ’ s eldest son when they were both serving as state attorney general ― he in Delaware and she in California .
“ Ever since I received the call , I ’ ve been thinking , yes , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know , and that of course is Joe ’ s beloved son , ” the California senator said of Beau , who was 46 when he died from brain cancer , while speaking in Wilmington , Delaware .
The two became close in 2011 , in the midst of the housing crisis , when every attorney general banded together to investigate the banks .
“ In the midst of the Great Recession , Beau and I spoke on the phone practically every day .
Sometimes multiple times a day , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back billions of dollars for homeowners from the big banks of the nation that were foreclosing on people ’ s homes.
” Both found themselves skeptical of the process and ended up collaborating on their own separate probe .
The move paid off for their states , and the pair spent several more years partnering on other initiatives .
“ Let me just tell you about Beau Biden , ” Harris continued Wednesday .
“ I learned quickly that Beau was the kind of guy who inspired people to be a better version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best of us .
And when I would ask him , ‘ Where ’ d you get that ?
Where ’ d this come from ?
’ He ’ d always talk about his dad.
” Harris is the first Black woman and the first Asian American to be selected as the running mate of a major party ’ s presidential candidate .
She and Biden are expected to accept the nomination at the Democratic National Convention next week .

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In her first public remarks as Joe Biden’s presidential running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.) dedicated part of her speech to his son Beau Biden, whom she was close friends with up until his 2015 death.
Harris, who joined the prospective Democratic nominee’s ticket on Tuesday, became close with Biden’s eldest son when they were both serving as state attorney general ― he in Delaware and she in California.
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“Ever since I received the call, I’ve been thinking, yes, about the first Biden that I really came to know, and that of course is Joe’s beloved son,” the California senator said of Beau, who was 46 when he died from brain cancer, while speaking in Wilmington, Delaware.
The two became close in 2011, in the midst of the housing crisis, when every attorney general banded together to investigate the banks.
“In the midst of the Great Recession, Beau and I spoke on the phone practically every day. Sometimes multiple times a day,” she recalled, “working together to win back billions of dollars for homeowners from the big banks of the nation that were foreclosing on people’s homes.”
Both found themselves skeptical of the process and ended up collaborating on their own separate probe. The move paid off for their states, and the pair spent several more years partnering on other initiatives.
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“Let me just tell you about Beau Biden,” Harris continued Wednesday. “I learned quickly that Beau was the kind of guy who inspired people to be a better version of themselves. He really was the best of us. And when I would ask him, ‘Where’d you get that? Where’d this come from?’ He’d always talk about his dad.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Yemeni National Granted Asylum After HuffPost Report

After trekking across several countries , languishing for over nine months in U.S. immigration custody , and then being denied protection from deportation , Yemeni national Osamah Mahyoub was granted asylum this week .
Immigration officials are set to release Mahyoub from Adams County Detention Center in Mississippi on Wednesday .
It ’ s a triumph for Mahyoub , who was initially denied protection by immigration officials and faced deportation back to Yemen alongside Yemeni national Emad Al-Azabi .
HuffPost published an investigation in May into their cases and long-term detention .
“ Winning Osamah ’ s case was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of pain and grief in his life in his home country of Yemen .
He lost almost everything before fleeing to the United States , ” Assma Ali , Mahyoub ’ s lawyer , told HuffPost .
“ Now , he has another opportunity to live a life free of fear , intimidation , and violence , ” Ali added .
“ Justice was served in this case , and cases like this give us hope that justice prevails at the end of the day.
” Mahyoub ’ s case demonstrated how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be , particularly under President Donald Trump , whose administration has made consistent efforts to limit asylum protections .
But unlike many asylum-seekers , Mahyoub ultimately prevailed .
He is set to fly to New York this week to join Al-Azabi , who was released in early June but is still waiting to be granted asylum .
Mahyoub and Al-Azabi fled Yemen due to threats on their lives by the local armed rebel group there and journeyed across eight Latin American countries to get to the United States .
ICE detained them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined that Mahyoub and Al-Azabi did not qualify for asylum because they did not have a “ credible fear , ” or a reason to fear persecution or torture in their home country .
After HuffPost ’ s initial story about their plight , U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services granted both men new interviews .
A few days later , USCIS reversed its decision and noted that both men did indeed have a credible fear .
Al-Azabi was then released on bond later that month .
Mahyoub and Al-Azabi noted that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s report during their new credible fear interviews .
Both men and their lawyers believe public attention may have played a role in USCIS ’ s reversal of its initial decisions .
USCIS told HuffPost it did not comment on individual cases .
“ I can ’ t explain how I feel .
I am just so happy , especially after having faced such danger against my life .
But now , I found out that justice does exist in the United States , ” said Al-Azabi , who is in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said he is hopeful that he will also be granted asylum .

Osamah Mahyoub in Ecuador. Courtesy Osamah Mahyoub
After trekking across several countries, languishing for over nine months in U.S. immigration custody, and then being denied protection from deportation, Yemeni national Osamah Mahyoub was granted asylum this week.
Immigration officials are set to release Mahyoub from Adams County Detention Center in Mississippi on Wednesday. It’s a triumph for Mahyoub, who was initially denied protection by immigration officials and faced deportation back to Yemen alongside Yemeni national Emad Al-Azabi. HuffPost published an investigation in May into their cases and long-term detention.
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“Winning Osamah’s case was a true victory because he has endured a lot of pain and grief in his life in his home country of Yemen. He lost almost everything before fleeing to the United States,” Assma Ali, Mahyoub’s lawyer, told HuffPost.
“Now, he has another opportunity to live a life free of fear, intimidation, and violence,” Ali added. “Justice was served in this case, and cases like this give us hope that justice prevails at the end of the day.”
Mahyoub’s case demonstrated how difficult and fickle the U.S. immigration system can be, particularly under President Donald Trump, whose administration has made consistent efforts to limit asylum protections. But unlike many asylum-seekers, Mahyoub ultimately prevailed. He is set to fly to New York this week to join Al-Azabi, who was released in early June but is still waiting to be granted asylum.
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Mahyoub and Al-Azabi fled Yemen due to threats on their lives by the local armed rebel group there and journeyed across eight Latin American countries to get to the United States. ICE detained them in November 2019.
U.S. officials initially determined that Mahyoub and Al-Azabi did not qualify for asylum because they did not have a “credible fear,” or a reason to fear persecution or torture in their home country.
After HuffPost’s initial story about their plight, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services granted both men new interviews. A few days later, USCIS reversed its decision and noted that both men did indeed have a credible fear. Al-Azabi was then released on bond later that month.
Mahyoub and Al-Azabi noted that they were each asked extensive questions about HuffPost’s report during their new credible fear interviews. Both men and their lawyers believe public attention may have played a role in USCIS’s reversal of its initial decisions. USCIS told HuffPost it did not comment on individual cases.
“I can’t explain how I feel. I am just so happy, especially after having faced such danger against my life. But now, I found out that justice does exist in the United States,” said Al-Azabi, who is in the midst of his own immigration proceedings. He said he is hopeful that he will also be granted asylum.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Could Meghan Markle Run For Office One Day?

HuffPost spoke with Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie — authors of the bombshell royals book “ Finding Freedom ” that came out earlier this week — about their reporting , the Duchess of Sussex ’ s voting comments , and whether they think she would ever consider getting more involved in politics or running for office herself .
“ She ’ s an incredibly eloquent and inspirational speaker and she has the capacity to really inspire people and get involved and I think that ’ s what we need in our country right now , ” the journalist told HuffPost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wonderful moment if she decided to do that , but I wouldn ’ t venture a guess nor would I encourage her to do so , ” Durand said , adding that she ’ s “ sure that there are many people that would love to see that.
” “ I think right now [ Meghan and Harry ] want to focus on the family and really look to the future ― setting up their Archewell nonprofit , ” Durand said .
“ Maybe in the future , we ’ ll see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ I also know that so many men and women have put their lives on the line for us to be heard , ” the duchess added .
“ And that opportunity , that fundamental right , is in our ability to exercise our right to vote and to make all of our voices heard.
” When asked what the duchess meant by feeling “ voiceless , ” Scobie told HuffPost that “ within the institution of the monarchy there is a freedom to talk about many things , but there often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perhaps slightly too politically sensitive.
” Because the Sussexes have stepped back as working members of the royal family , Scobie , who is the royal editor for Harper ’ s Bazaar , said that the two “ don ’ t have those same boundaries anymore.
” Before the change in their royals commitments , the couple “ never would ’ ve been able to get involved in the Stop Hate for Profit campaign and calling up big organizations to talk to them about the way they sell their advertising or buy their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign is made up of civil rights and other advocacy groups asking advertisers to boycott Facebook until it curtails the spread of hate speech and disinformation and the amplification of violent content on its platform .
“ People often ask us , ‘ Do you think they have freedom ?
’ ” Scobie said of the couple ’ s transition .
“ And looking at the work that they ’ re doing , I do think that they are much freer to do the things that mean the most for them .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact a lot and I think that that impact ― we ’ re seeing it right in front of us , ” he said .
We “ see Meghan talking about voting for the first time in a while , because of course that ’ s something she would ’ ve been almost silent about throughout her time as a working royal.
” He mentioned a scene from the book that recounts a story from Harry and Meghan ’ s wedding reception , where she gave a speech , “ which is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her American friends sort of [ started ] hooting and hollering because they felt they hadn ’ t heard their friend Meg speak in so long ...
I think now we really do hear her voice , as it should be.
” A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex previously told HuffPost that the couple “ were not interviewed and did not contribute to ‘ Finding Freedom ’ ” and that the “ book is based on the authors ’ own experiences as members of the royal press corps and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has been a fierce advocate for women ’ s rights since she was a little girl , has made her political opinions known in the past .
She denounced Donald Trump as “ divisive ” and “ misogynistic ” during an appearance on “ The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore ” prior to the 2016 election .

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Meghan Markle spoke out about the importance of voting in a feature for Marie Claire magazine published on Tuesday. But might the royal have a future in U.S. politics herself?
HuffPost spoke with Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie — authors of the bombshell royals book “Finding Freedom” that came out earlier this week — about their reporting, the Duchess of Sussex’s voting comments, and whether they think she would ever consider getting more involved in politics or running for office herself.
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Your Majesty or Madame President? Lisa Maree Williams via Getty Images
Durand said she would not make a prediction, but added that the Duchess of Sussex is “an incredible role model for women and for young people.
“She’s an incredibly eloquent and inspirational speaker and she has the capacity to really inspire people and get involved and I think that’s what we need in our country right now,” the journalist told HuffPost.
“I think that would be a wonderful moment if she decided to do that, but I wouldn’t venture a guess nor would I encourage her to do so,” Durand said, adding that she’s “sure that there are many people that would love to see that.”
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“I think right now [Meghan and Harry] want to focus on the family and really look to the future ― setting up their Archewell nonprofit,” Durand said. “Maybe in the future, we’ll see that, maybe we won’t.”
The Duchess of Sussex is used to charming crowds. Pool via Getty Images
On Tuesday, Marie Claire published a piece featuring 100 women, including the Duchess of Sussex, talking about why they’re voting in the upcoming 2020 election.
Meghan told the outlet that she knows “what it’s like to have a voice, and also what it’s like to feel voiceless.”
“I also know that so many men and women have put their lives on the line for us to be heard,” the duchess added. “And that opportunity, that fundamental right, is in our ability to exercise our right to vote and to make all of our voices heard.”
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When asked what the duchess meant by feeling “voiceless,” Scobie told HuffPost that “within the institution of the monarchy there is a freedom to talk about many things, but there often many areas that are also deemed as perhaps slightly too politically sensitive.”
British royals can vote but the queen must remain politically neutral.
Because the Sussexes have stepped back as working members of the royal family, Scobie, who is the royal editor for Harper’s Bazaar, said that the two “don’t have those same boundaries anymore.”
Before the change in their royals commitments, the couple “never would’ve been able to get involved in the Stop Hate for Profit campaign and calling up big organizations to talk to them about the way they sell their advertising or buy their advertising,” he said.
The campaign is made up of civil rights and other advocacy groups asking advertisers to boycott Facebook until it curtails the spread of hate speech and disinformation and the amplification of violent content on its platform.
Meghan Markle opens up about why she's voting in our August 2020 digital issue: "I know what it's like to have a voice, and also what it's like to feel voiceless."https://t.co/Z9v5dGR9l8 pic.twitter.com/LWg0IARkaF — Marie Claire (@marieclaire) August 11, 2020
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“People often ask us, ‘Do you think they have freedom?’” Scobie said of the couple’s transition. “And looking at the work that they’re doing, I do think that they are much freer to do the things that mean the most for them.
“They are a couple that talk about impact a lot and I think that that impact ― we’re seeing it right in front of us,” he said. We “see Meghan talking about voting for the first time in a while, because of course that’s something she would’ve been almost silent about throughout her time as a working royal.”
He mentioned a scene from the book that recounts a story from Harry and Meghan’s wedding reception, where she gave a speech, “which is a slight diversion from protocol anyway and all of her American friends sort of [started] hooting and hollering because they felt they hadn’t heard their friend Meg speak in so long ... I think now we really do hear her voice, as it should be.”
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex previously told HuffPost that the couple “were not interviewed and did not contribute to ‘Finding Freedom’” and that the “book is based on the authors’ own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting.”
Meghan, who has been a fierce advocate for women’s rights since she was a little girl, has made her political opinions known in the past. She denounced Donald Trump as “divisive” and “misogynistic” during an appearance on “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore” prior to the 2016 election.
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Trump has called Meghan “nasty” twice and later weighed in on the couple’s decision to step back as working members of the royal family in January. He tweeted in March that he wouldn’t be providing security for the Sussexes and that they “must pay!” after reports that the two had moved to Meghan’s hometown of Los Angeles.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes said that “privately funded security arrangements have been made” and the couple did not have plans to ask the U.S. for security assistance. In “Finding Freedom,” Scobie and Durand say Meghan reportedly rolled her eyes in reaction to Trump’s Twitter outburst.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Corporate America's Investments In Clean Energy Fell 30% So Far This Year

Corporate deals to buy clean electricity decreased by nearly 30 % in the U.S. this year as the pandemic ’ s economic shockwave widened , highlighting the need for dramatic government intervention to cut planet-heating emissions from the power grid .
Between January and July , U.S. companies signed deals to buy just 4.3 gigawatts of clean electricity , down from 6 gigawatts during the same period in 2019 , according to a new study released by the research firm BloombergNEF on Tuesday .
“ A lot of these are not energy companies , and they have so many other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond sustainability , ” Kyle Harrison , a senior associate at BloombergNEF and co-author of the report , said by phone .
“ The pandemic highlights the fact that , right now , when there are other components of the company that are compromised , that ’ s what ’ s prioritized over sustainability.
” Over the past few years , dozens of big American corporations , particularly electricity-hungry tech firms , funded the development of new wind and solar projects by agreeing to buy the electricity produced .
But some companies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 % clean-electricity targets in 2018 , reducing pressure for new purchasing agreements even as their electricity needs increased .
Corporations have long been fickle on sustainability , even as investors increasingly scrutinize companies ’ environmental impacts .
A 2017 study published in the peer-reviewed Academy of Management Journal found that several big companies that had announced ambitious climate goals retreated when profits decreased or top executives changed .
The cutbacks in the U.S. aren ’ t limited to corporate belt-tightening .
While the Trump administration focused federal aid on oil and gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new solar and wind projects into disarray , leaving 511,075 clean-energy workers unemployed as of July , according to data released Wednesday by a coalition of industry groups .
As a result , the gap between corporate pledges to use 100 % clean electricity and inked deals to fulfill them has widened .
Since the start of this year , 21 new companies joined the RE100 , a voluntary club of 242 firms vowing to use 100 % renewable power that includes such behemoths as Apple , the insurance giant Anthem and Bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total demand for clean electricity is projected to reach 247 terawatt hours by 2030 , but the lack of deployments and contracts has left a 224 terawatt-hour shortfall , BloombergNEF ’ s analysis found .
The report found some bright spots .
Companies in Europe , Australia and Taiwan significantly increased power purchase agreement during the first half of this year .
South Korea , meanwhile , rolled out a new pilot program allowing companies to buy or invest in clean electricity directly , and the national government is expected to propose new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yet the speed and scale of the clean-energy build-out remains starkly out of sync with the planetary changes that emissions from fossil-fuel power plants are causing .
A Woods Hole Research Center study published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the worst-case scenario for greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere is tracking with the world ’ s current output of emissions .
There are already ample signs of that warming .
A historic heat wave in the Arctic is producing record volumes of pollution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Atlantic cyclone season , predicting an “ extremely active ” period with up to 25 named storms and six major hurricanes .
The entire state of Colorado is in drought .
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden proposed a sweeping federal program to transition the country to 100 % carbon-free electricity by 2035 .
The United States generated just 10 % of its electricity from renewables and 19 % from nuclear in 2018 .
But a recent study from the group Rewiring America found that the United States could generate virtually all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and nuclear by 2035 and cap average global temperature increases at the relatively safe 1.5 degrees Celsius , even without drastically altering other facets of American life .

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Corporate deals to buy clean electricity decreased by nearly 30% in the U.S. this year as the pandemic’s economic shockwave widened, highlighting the need for dramatic government intervention to cut planet-heating emissions from the power grid.
Between January and July, U.S. companies signed deals to buy just 4.3 gigawatts of clean electricity, down from 6 gigawatts during the same period in 2019, according to a new study released by the research firm BloombergNEF on Tuesday.
Advertisement
The numbers reflect both the effect of the coronavirus and the degree to which specific industries dominated corporate clean-energy purchases.
“A lot of these are not energy companies, and they have so many other things these companies need to focus on beyond sustainability,” Kyle Harrison, a senior associate at BloombergNEF and co-author of the report, said by phone. “The pandemic highlights the fact that, right now, when there are other components of the company that are compromised, that’s what’s prioritized over sustainability.”
A solar plant co-owned by Google in the Mojave Desert. Ethan Miller via Getty Images
Over the past few years, dozens of big American corporations, particularly electricity-hungry tech firms, funded the development of new wind and solar projects by agreeing to buy the electricity produced. But some companies, including Apple and Google, hit their 100% clean-electricity targets in 2018, reducing pressure for new purchasing agreements even as their electricity needs increased.
Advertisement
Corporations have long been fickle on sustainability, even as investors increasingly scrutinize companies’ environmental impacts. A 2017 study published in the peer-reviewed Academy of Management Journal found that several big companies that had announced ambitious climate goals retreated when profits decreased or top executives changed.
The cutbacks in the U.S. aren’t limited to corporate belt-tightening. While the Trump administration focused federal aid on oil and gas companies, the pandemic threw construction of new solar and wind projects into disarray, leaving 511,075 clean-energy workers unemployed as of July, according to data released Wednesday by a coalition of industry groups.
As a result, the gap between corporate pledges to use 100% clean electricity and inked deals to fulfill them has widened. Since the start of this year, 21 new companies joined the RE100, a voluntary club of 242 firms vowing to use 100% renewable power that includes such behemoths as Apple, the insurance giant Anthem and Bank of America. The group’s total demand for clean electricity is projected to reach 247 terawatt hours by 2030, but the lack of deployments and contracts has left a 224 terawatt-hour shortfall, BloombergNEF’s analysis found.
The blue portion, representing corporate power purchase agreements across the Americas, looks much smaller this year, driven down by weak U.S. numbers. BloombergNEF
The report found some bright spots. Companies in Europe, Australia and Taiwan significantly increased power purchase agreement during the first half of this year. South Korea, meanwhile, rolled out a new pilot program allowing companies to buy or invest in clean electricity directly, and the national government is expected to propose new legislation to make such arrangements even easier.
Advertisement
Yet the speed and scale of the clean-energy build-out remains starkly out of sync with the planetary changes that emissions from fossil-fuel power plants are causing.
A Woods Hole Research Center study published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the worst-case scenario for greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere is tracking with the world’s current output of emissions.
There are already ample signs of that warming. A historic heat wave in the Arctic is producing record volumes of pollution. Federal forecasters last week updated their outlook for the Atlantic cyclone season, predicting an “extremely active” period with up to 25 named storms and six major hurricanes. The entire state of Colorado is in drought.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden proposed a sweeping federal program to transition the country to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035. The United States generated just 10% of its electricity from renewables and 19% from nuclear in 2018. But a recent study from the group Rewiring America found that the United States could generate virtually all of its electricity from wind, solar and nuclear by 2035 and cap average global temperature increases at the relatively safe 1.5 degrees Celsius, even without drastically altering other facets of American life.
But for big companies to even make a dent, Harrison said, power purchases need to grow by “several orders of magnitude.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Trump Adviser's Bid To Insult Kamala Harris As 'Marge Simpson' Goes Totally Awry

Trump campaign senior legal adviser Jenna Ellis threw a petty insult at Kamala Harris as the senator and former Vice @ @ @ @ @ debut joint appearance of their historic Democratic presidential ticket .
It did not go down @ @ @ @ @ .
Twitter commentators and “ Simpsons ” fans were quick to note that the fierce @ @ @ @ @ got things done on the show .
A reliable , competent and moralistic fixture of @ @ @ @ @ was the one who was always there to clean up the mess ( often left @ @ @ @ @ act as a grounding voice amid chaos .

Trump campaign senior legal adviser Jenna Ellis threw a petty insult at Kamala Harris as the senator and former Vice President Joe Biden made a debut joint appearance of their historic Democratic presidential ticket. It did not go down well for the attacking party.
Twitter commentators and “Simpsons” fans were quick to note that the fierce matriarch was the character who got things done on the show. A reliable, competent and moralistic fixture of the family, Marge Simpson was the one who was always there to clean up the mess (often left by lazy men) and act as a grounding voice amid chaos.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Gets Just 1 Minute To Deliver Remarks At The DNC

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) , one of the most prominent and outspoken progressives in the Democratic Party , will have just one minute to deliver remarks at the virtual Democratic National Convention next week .
The lawmaker has been allocated 60 seconds , her spokesperson told HuffPost .
She ’ s scheduled to speak on Tuesday .
She will record the address from her base in New York and write it herself with the blessing of the Democratic National Committee , according to Business Insider , which first reported the news .
Ocasio-Cortez eloquently acknowledged the limited time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Benjamin E. Mays , “ I have only just a minute.
” The late Rep. Elijah Cummings ( D-Md . )
recited it during his first floor speech to Congress in 1996 .
“ I only have a minute .
Sixty seconds in it .
Forced upon me , I did not choose it , But I know that I must use it .
Give account if I abuse it .
Suffer , if I lose it .
Only a tiny little minute , But eternity is in it.
” - Dr. Benjamin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cummings ) 💜 https : //t.co/ul9CE7NriV — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( @ AOC ) August 12 , 2020 The convention , where presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is slated to formally accept his presidential nomination , will be a dramatically scaled-back version of an event that typically draws tens of thousands of people to mark the start of the general election campaign .
Rumblings that Ocasio-Cortez might be left off the DNC speaking roster altogether galled progressives and set off a debate among Democrats in the lead-up to the decision .
Politico reported last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prominent speaking spot , given her role leading Biden ’ s climate task force and her ability to energize younger voters .
However , some moderate Democrats reportedly expressed concerns a prime-time speaking slot would fuel the Trump campaign ’ s efforts to cast Biden as a vessel for the left .
Earlier this year , Ocasio-Cortez co-chaired Biden ’ s “ unity ” climate change task force with former Secretary of State John Kerry .
She was appointed to the panel as a representative of Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Democratic nomination .
“ It would be stupid ” not to give her a slot , Corbin Trent , a former top adviser to Ocasio-Cortez , told Politico .
“ She ’ s one of the best speakers the Democratic Party ’ s got.
” And Winnie Wong , a prominent activist and former adviser to the Sanders campaign , tweeted last week : “ You want Bill Clinton to speak but maybe not AOC .
Okay , dummies.
” The four-day convention will also feature remarks from Democrats like former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kerry , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota , former President Bill Clinton , former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois .
It appears that other members from the “ Squad ” of progressive first-time lawmakers ― Reps. Ilhan Omar ( Minn. ) , Rashida Tlaib ( Mich. ) and Ayanna Pressley ( Mass . )
― are not @ @ @ @ @

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), one of the most prominent and outspoken progressives in the Democratic Party, will have just one minute to deliver remarks at the virtual Democratic National Convention next week.
The lawmaker’s address will be 60 seconds long, her spokesperson told HuffPost. She’s scheduled to speak on Tuesday. She will prerecord the address from her base in New York and write it herself with the blessing of the Democratic National Committee, according to Business Insider, which first reported the news.
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Ocasio-Cortez eloquently acknowledged the limited time slot, tweeting a poem by Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, “I have only just a minute.” The late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) recited it during his first floor speech to Congress in 1996.
“I only have a minute.
Sixty seconds in it.
Forced upon me, I did not choose it,
But I know that I must use it.
Give account if I abuse it.
Suffer, if I lose it.
Only a tiny little minute,
But eternity is in it.”
- Dr. Benjamin E. Mays
(and recited by Elijah Cummings) 💜 https://t.co/ul9CE7NriV — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 12, 2020
The convention, where presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden is slated to formally accept his presidential nomination, will be a dramatically scaled-back version of an event that typically draws tens of thousands of people to mark the start of the general election campaign.
Rumblings that Ocasio-Cortez might be left off the DNC speaking roster altogether galled progressives and set off a debate among Democrats in the lead-up to the decision. Politico reported last week that her supporters felt Ocasio-Cortez deserved a prominent speaking spot, given her role leading Biden’s climate task force and her ability to energize younger voters. However, some moderate Democrats reportedly expressed concerns a prime-time speaking slot would fuel the Trump campaign’s efforts to cast Biden as a vessel for the left.
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Earlier this year, Ocasio-Cortez co-chaired Biden’s “unity” climate change task force with former Secretary of State John Kerry. She was appointed to the panel as a representative of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whom she endorsed during his race for the Democratic nomination.
“It would be stupid” not to give her a slot, Corbin Trent, a former top adviser to Ocasio-Cortez, told Politico. “She’s one of the best speakers the Democratic Party’s got.”
And Winnie Wong, a prominent activist and former adviser to the Sanders campaign, tweeted last week: “You want Bill Clinton to speak but maybe not AOC. Okay, dummies.”
The four-day convention will also feature remarks from Democrats like former first lady Michelle Obama, Sanders, Kerry, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.
It appears that other members from the “Squad” of progressive first-time lawmakers ― Reps. Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) ― are not on the speaking schedule.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Air Force Pilot Injured After Military Helicopter Shot At Over Virginia: FBI

ASSOCIATED PRESS A U.S. Navy helicopter is seen during a training exercise .
On Monday , a UH-1N helicopter ( not pictured ) was shot at while flying over Virginia , authorities said .
A U.S. Air Force helicopter was shot at from the ground while flying in Northern Virginia on Monday afternoon , leaving a pilot on board with a minor injury , authorities said .
The UH-1N helicopter was flying near the town of Manassas on a routine training mission when it was hit while flying at an altitude of 1,000 feet , McClatchy reported , citing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to safely land at a nearby airport and the wounded pilot was transported to a hospital where he was treated and released .
The FBI ’ s Washington Field Office , in a statement to HuffPost on Wednesday , said it “ is working jointly with our law enforcement partners , including the Air Force Office of Special Investigations , to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
” The FBI has asked that anyone near the area at the time of the incident who may have information call its officials at 202-278-2000 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment .
Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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A U.S. Air Force helicopter was shot at from the ground while flying in Northern Virginia on Monday afternoon, leaving a pilot on board with a minor injury, authorities said.
The UH-1N helicopter was flying near the town of Manassas on a routine training mission when it was hit while flying at an altitude of 1,000 feet, McClatchy reported, citing the Air Force.
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The aircraft was able to safely land at a nearby airport and the wounded pilot was transported to a hospital where he was treated and released.
A U.S. Navy helicopter is seen during a training exercise. On Monday, a UH-1N helicopter (not pictured) was shot at while flying over Virginia, authorities said. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The FBI’s Washington Field Office, in a statement to HuffPost on Wednesday, said it “is working jointly with our law enforcement partners, including the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
The FBI has asked that anyone near the area at the time of the incident who may have information call its officials at 202-278-2000.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Judge Reverses Trump Administration's Removal Of Migratory Bird Protections

ASSOCIATED PRESS A heavily oiled bird from the waters of Barataria Bay , Louisiana , in June 2010 .
The Trump administration in 2017 ended criminal penalties imposed under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to pressure companies into taking measures to prevent unintentional bird deaths .
A federal judge has reversed the Trump administration ’ s 2017 rollback of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act ( MBTA ) that allowed for the killing of migratory birds by corporations and individuals so long as the deaths could not be proven as intentional .
The New York judge , quoting Harper Lee ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her ruling Tuesday , excoriated the administration ’ s interpretation of the 1918 federal wildlife law , stating that it “ runs counter to the purpose of the MBTA to protect migratory bird populations.
” “ It is not only a sin to kill a mockingbird , it is also a crime , ” Justice Valerie Caproni , quoting the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel , stated in her ruling .
“ That has been the letter of the law for the past century .
But if the Department of the Interior has its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birds that delight people and support ecosystems throughout the country will be killed without legal consequence.
” A pair of snow geese land among others on a farm field at their winter grounds near Conway , Washington , in 2019 .
More than 50,000 of the birds flock annually to the valley , after migrating from the Arctic tundra .
Under the Trump administration ’ s controversial 2017 legal opinion , deaths of migratory birds by such things as oil spills , uncovered oil pits and liquid waste tanks , and uninsulated power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service , which administers and enforces the MBTA , estimates that these human-caused threats result in tens of millions of bird deaths each year .
The BP Deepwater Horizon oil well disaster in 2010 , on its own , is estimated to have killed 1 million birds .
Daniel Jorjani , a former Koch brothers adviser who wrote the Interior Department ’ s legal opinion as principal deputy solicitor in December 2017 , argued that the 100-year-old law only prohibits the intentional hunting , capturing or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the MBTA to apply to incidental or accidental actions hangs the sword of Damocles over a host of otherwise lawful and productive actions , ” he wrote .
His opinion replaced one from the Obama administration 11 months earlier that concluded the law did apply to incidental wounding , killing or trapping of birds .
“ This is a huge victory for birds and it comes at a critical time — science tells us that we ’ ve lost 3 billion birds in less than a human lifetime and that two-thirds of North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to climate change , ” Sarah Greenberger , interim chief conservation officer for the National Audubon Society , said in a statement .
Under the Trump administration ’ s change of the MBTA , the deaths of migratory birds by such things as oil spills , uncovered oil pits and liquid waste tanks , and uninsulated power lines had been excused from legal repercussions .
In her ruling Tuesday , Caproni argued that the Trump administration ’ s MBTA guidance to the law went beyond excusing lawful accidents and was “ contrary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ Killing a bird by firing a gun , setting a trap , dumping oil waste , or pressure washing nests from a bridge all fit within Interior ’ s active sense of ‘ kill , ’ and yet the Jorjani Opinion concludes that the first two are prohibited by the MBTA while the latter two are not , ” she wrote .
The rollback , which federal wildlife officials have now treated as the established rule for more than two years , has had far-reaching effects .
As HuffPost previously reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service largely abandoned investigating migratory bird deaths , opening the the door for gross negligence by polluting industries and the general public .
In January , the administration introduced a rule to make the changes permanent , and it remains to be seen how Tuesday ’ s ruling will affect that process .
A draft environmental impact statement released in June made clear that the rule would result in more bird deaths and fewer entities implementing best practices to avoid killing feathered species .
The Interior Department and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to HuffPost ’ s questions Wednesday about how the court decision would impact future enforcement or if the agency still plans to move forward with a final rule to permanently slash protections for hundreds of species of migratory birds .
Instead , Interior spokesman Connor Swanson sent a general statement arguing that the court opinion “ undermines a common sense interpretation of the law and runs contrary to recent efforts , shared across the political spectrum , to de-criminalize unintentional conduct.
” The judge ’ s ruling “ made it pretty clear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Treaty Act is not going to fly in the courts , ” he said .
“ Any attempt to try to codify it will result in further legal losses .
”

A heavily oiled bird from the waters of Barataria Bay, Louisiana, in June 2010. The Trump administration in 2017 ended criminal penalties imposed under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to pressure companies into taking measures to prevent unintentional bird deaths. ASSOCIATED PRESS
A federal judge has reversed the Trump administration’s 2017 rollback of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) that allowed for the killing of migratory birds by corporations and individuals so long as the deaths could not be proven as intentional.
The New York judge, quoting Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” in her ruling Tuesday, excoriated the administration’s interpretation of the 1918 federal wildlife law, stating that it “runs counter to the purpose of the MBTA to protect migratory bird populations.”
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“It is not only a sin to kill a mockingbird, it is also a crime,” Justice Valerie Caproni, quoting the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, stated in her ruling. “That has been the letter of the law for the past century. But if the Department of the Interior has its way, many mockingbirds and other migratory birds that delight people and support ecosystems throughout the country will be killed without legal consequence.”
A pair of snow geese land among others on a farm field at their winter grounds near Conway, Washington, in 2019. More than 50,000 of the birds flock annually to the valley, after migrating from the Arctic tundra. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Under the Trump administration’s controversial 2017 legal opinion, deaths of migratory birds by such things as oil spills, uncovered oil pits and liquid waste tanks, and uninsulated power lines had been excused from legal repercussions. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which administers and enforces the MBTA, estimates that these human-caused threats result in tens of millions of bird deaths each year. The BP Deepwater Horizon oil well disaster in 2010, on its own, is estimated to have killed 1 million birds.
Daniel Jorjani, a former Koch brothers adviser who wrote the Interior Department’s legal opinion as principal deputy solicitor in December 2017, argued that the 100-year-old law only prohibits the intentional hunting, capturing or killing of bird species. “Interpreting the MBTA to apply to incidental or accidental actions hangs the sword of Damocles over a host of otherwise lawful and productive actions,” he wrote. His opinion replaced one from the Obama administration 11 months earlier that concluded the law did apply to incidental wounding, killing or trapping of birds.
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The Trump rule change broke from decades of legal precedent and prompted a number of lawsuits by environmental groups ― including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Audubon Society ― as well as several states.
“This is a huge victory for birds and it comes at a critical time — science tells us that we’ve lost 3 billion birds in less than a human lifetime and that two-thirds of North American birds are at risk of extinction due to climate change,” Sarah Greenberger, interim chief conservation officer for the National Audubon Society, said in a statement.
Under the Trump administration’s change of the MBTA, the deaths of migratory birds by such things as oil spills, uncovered oil pits and liquid waste tanks, and uninsulated power lines had been excused from legal repercussions. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In her ruling Tuesday, Caproni argued that the Trump administration’s MBTA guidance to the law went beyond excusing lawful accidents and was “contrary to the plain meaning of the MBTA.”
“Killing a bird by firing a gun, setting a trap, dumping oil waste, or pressure washing nests from a bridge all fit within Interior’s active sense of ‘kill,’ and yet the Jorjani Opinion concludes that the first two are prohibited by the MBTA while the latter two are not,” she wrote.
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The rollback, which federal wildlife officials have now treated as the established rule for more than two years, has had far-reaching effects. As HuffPost previously reported, the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service largely abandoned investigating migratory bird deaths, opening the the door for gross negligence by polluting industries and the general public.
In January, the administration introduced a rule to make the changes permanent, and it remains to be seen how Tuesday’s ruling will affect that process. A draft environmental impact statement released in June made clear that the rule would result in more bird deaths and fewer entities implementing best practices to avoid killing feathered species.
The Interior Department and Fish and Wildlife Service did not respond to HuffPost’s questions Wednesday about how the court decision would impact future enforcement or if the agency still plans to move forward with a final rule to permanently slash protections for hundreds of species of migratory birds. Instead, Interior spokesman Connor Swanson sent a general statement arguing that the court opinion “undermines a common sense interpretation of the law and runs contrary to recent efforts, shared across the political spectrum, to de-criminalize unintentional conduct.”
Erik Schneider, a policy analyst at Audubon, told HuffPost on Wednesday that Interior has failed to carry out the law for more than two years and should immediately reverse course.
The judge’s ruling “made it pretty clear that this radical interpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act is not going to fly in the courts,” he said. “Any attempt to try to codify it will result in further legal losses.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Hank Williams Jr., Marty Stuart Chosen For Country Hall of Fame

AP Photo Songwriter Dean Dillon ( L ) , Hank Williams Jr. , and Marty Stuart are the newest inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame .
Announced by the Country Music Association on Wednesday , Williams , who often is referred to as Hank Jr. or the nickname Bocephus , will join his father , country legend Hank Williams Sr. , in the Hall of Fame ’ s rotunda .
“ I have been making Top 10 records for 56 years , ” said Williams , 71 .
“ I fell off a mountain and tried to reinvent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one who stepped out of the shadows of a very famous man ... one of the greatest .
I ’ ve got to thank all those rowdy friends who , year after year , still show up for me .
It ’ s an honor to carry on this family tradition .
It is much appreciated.
” Williams is known for his songs like “ A Country Boy Can Survive , ” “ Family Tradition ” and “ All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin ’ Over Tonight , ” which later became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Football.
” He has had 10 No .
1 Billboard Hot Country songs with his first one coming at the age of 21 in 1970 .
While Williams ’ influence on country music has been undeniable , his absence from the Hall of Fame in previous years was widely considered a snub based on his outspoken politics .
Williams has been a vocal critic of former President Barack Obama , falsely calling him a “ Muslim president ” from the stage and comparing a golf outing between Obama and John Boehner to Hitler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a result , ESPN pulled his song from “ Monday Night Football , ” although it has since returned .
He won entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards twice , in 1987 and 1988 , and three times at the Academy of Country Music Awards between 1986 and 1988 .
In 1989 , he won CMA vocal event of the year for “ There ’ s a Tear in My Beer , ” a virtual duet with his late father , which also earned him a Grammy for best country vocal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner , started his career as a sideman playing in bands led by bluegrass legend Lester Flatt and Johnny Cash before starting his own artist career in the 1980s .
Stuart charted six top 10 Billboard Country songs , mostly during the 1990s , with songs like “ Hillbilly Rock , ” “ Little Things ” and “ Tempted.
” “ It is the ultimate honor in country music , ” said Stuart , 61 , in a statement .
“ I ’ m so honored to be included in this class and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside Hank Jr. and Dean Dillon .
I love those people .
To be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is beyond words .
I ’ m usually not at a loss for words.
” He has won Grammys for his collaborations with Asleep at the Wheel , Earl Scruggs and Travis Tritt , including their well known duet “ The Whiskey Ain ’ t Workin.
’ ” Stuart is also a photographer , a producer and an archivist of country music history , with plans to open a museum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dillon is known for being the tunesmith behind George Strait ’ s dozens of hits , including “ The Chair , ” “ Ocean Front Property ” and “ Here For a Good Time.
” With Linda Hargrove , he also wrote the timeless classic “ Tennessee Whiskey , ” which has been covered by David Allan Coe , George Jones and Chris Stapleton , who turned it into a seven-time platinum hit .
“ I was just speechless , ” said Dillon , 65 , in a statement .
“ Trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had just heard .
My life flashed before my eyes .
You could ’ ve knocked me over with a feather .
”

Songwriter Dean Dillon (L), Hank Williams Jr., and Marty Stuart are the newest inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame. AP Photo
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Hank Williams Jr., Marty Stuart and songwriter Dean Dillon are the newest inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Announced by the Country Music Association on Wednesday, Williams, who often is referred to as Hank Jr. or the nickname Bocephus, will join his father, country legend Hank Williams Sr., in the Hall of Fame’s rotunda.
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“Bocephus has been eyeing this one for awhile. It’s a bright spot during a difficult year,” said Williams in a statement. Williams’ 27-year-old daughter Katherine died in a car accident in June.
“I have been making Top 10 records for 56 years,” said Williams, 71. “I fell off a mountain and tried to reinvent myself as a truly individual artist and one who stepped out of the shadows of a very famous man... one of the greatest. I’ve got to thank all those rowdy friends who, year after year, still show up for me. It’s an honor to carry on this family tradition. It is much appreciated.”
Williams is known for his songs like “A Country Boy Can Survive,” “Family Tradition” and “All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin’ Over Tonight,” which later became the opening theme song for “Monday Night Football.” He has had 10 No. 1 Billboard Hot Country songs with his first one coming at the age of 21 in 1970.
While Williams’ influence on country music has been undeniable, his absence from the Hall of Fame in previous years was widely considered a snub based on his outspoken politics. Williams has been a vocal critic of former President Barack Obama, falsely calling him a “Muslim president” from the stage and comparing a golf outing between Obama and John Boehner to Hitler playing golf with Benjamin Netanyahu. As a result, ESPN pulled his song from “Monday Night Football,” although it has since returned.
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He won entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards twice, in 1987 and 1988, and three times at the Academy of Country Music Awards between 1986 and 1988. In 1989, he won CMA vocal event of the year for “There’s a Tear in My Beer,” a virtual duet with his late father, which also earned him a Grammy for best country vocal collaboration.
Stuart, a five-time Grammy winner, started his career as a sideman playing in bands led by bluegrass legend Lester Flatt and Johnny Cash before starting his own artist career in the 1980s. Stuart charted six top 10 Billboard Country songs, mostly during the 1990s, with songs like “Hillbilly Rock,” “Little Things” and “Tempted.”
“It is the ultimate honor in country music,” said Stuart, 61, in a statement. “I’m so honored to be included in this class and I’m honored to be included alongside Hank Jr. and Dean Dillon. I love those people. To be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is beyond words. I’m usually not at a loss for words.”
He has won Grammys for his collaborations with Asleep at the Wheel, Earl Scruggs and Travis Tritt, including their well known duet “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin.’” Stuart is also a photographer, a producer and an archivist of country music history, with plans to open a museum in his hometown of Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Dillon is known for being the tunesmith behind George Strait’s dozens of hits, including “The Chair,” “Ocean Front Property” and “Here For a Good Time.” With Linda Hargrove, he also wrote the timeless classic “Tennessee Whiskey,” which has been covered by David Allan Coe, George Jones and Chris Stapleton, who turned it into a seven-time platinum hit.
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Other hits he co-wrote include Kenny Chesney’s “A Lot of Things Different” and “I’m Alive,” as well as Toby Keith’s “A Little Too Late” and “Get My Drink On.”
“I was just speechless,” said Dillon, 65, in a statement. “Trying to soak in the words that I had just heard. My life flashed before my eyes. You could’ve knocked me over with a feather.”
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-08-12--Musical About Princess Diana Bypassing Broadway For Netflix

NEW YORK ( AP ) — The Broadway musical “ Diana ” isn ’ t waiting for theaters to reopen in New York to offer its show to a live audience — it ’ s going to Netflix .
In an unconventional step , the cast and crew will reunite in an empty theater to perform the musical for cameras and put the finished product on the digital platform for broadcast next year , before the show welcomes a live audience again .
“ We speak for the entire company when we say that we couldn ’ t be more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our show with theater lovers everywhere .
Though there is no substitute for the live theater , we are honored to be a part of the quality entertainment that Netflix provides its subscribers worldwide , ” the show ’ s producers said in statement Wednesday .
Producers have worked out safety protocols with Actors ’ Equity Association , the labor union representing actors and stage managers .
The provisions include initial and recurring testing for Equity members , an isolation plan for the actors and stage managers , and changes to ensure ventilation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among other requirements .
“ Now comes the hard part — taking a safety plan from the page and putting it into practice .
The work to provide the safest workplace possible in this environment will require everyone to work together , from the employer to every employee , ” said Mary McColl , executive director of Actors ’ Equity Association .
Netflix has several live-capture Broadway shows in its library — like Bruce Springsteen ’ s one-man musical and Kerry Washington ’ s “ American Son ” — but the cameras usually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the live show ’ s run , or the release was made after the show ’ s conclusion .
“ Diana , ” which tells the story of the late Diana Spencer , started previews on Broadway in early March but never officially opened at the Longacre Theatre before the pandemic wiped out all live theater .
Producers said Wednesday that the show ’ s new opening night will be May 25 , 2021 .
Shows usually have a few weeks of previews where kinks are worked out and changes can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frozen and critics are invited to attend the finished product .
“ Diana ” never got over the finish line this year .
Data has indicated that instead of cannibalizing fans , broadcasts of theatrical shows actually may whet an audience ’ s appetite .
A recent survey by ticketing app TodayTix found more than a third of respondents who hadn ’ t seen “ Hamilton ” live were more likely to buy a ticket after seeing the recent broadcast of the musical on Disney+ .
“ Diana ” is the tragic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning to break free of the confines of the British royal family .
It has songs by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan and a story by playwright Joe DiPietro .
The pair also collaborated on the Tony-winning “ Memphis.
” “ Diana ” stars Jeanna De Waal in the title role , and explores Diana ’ s glamour and charity work and the slow public crumbling of her relationship with Prince Charles .
She died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 while being pursued by paparazzi .
Her story is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crown ” and her sons — princes Harry and William — are a source of constant news .

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NEW YORK (AP) — The Broadway musical “Diana” isn’t waiting for theaters to reopen in New York to offer its show to a live audience — it’s going to Netflix.
In an unconventional step, the cast and crew will reunite in an empty theater to perform the musical for cameras and put the finished product on the digital platform for broadcast next year, before the show welcomes a live audience again.
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“We speak for the entire company when we say that we couldn’t be more excited to finally be able to share our show with theater lovers everywhere. Though there is no substitute for the live theater, we are honored to be a part of the quality entertainment that Netflix provides its subscribers worldwide,” the show’s producers said in statement Wednesday.
Producers have worked out safety protocols with Actors’ Equity Association, the labor union representing actors and stage managers. The provisions include initial and recurring testing for Equity members, an isolation plan for the actors and stage managers, and changes to ensure ventilation in the back of the theater, among other requirements.
“Now comes the hard part — taking a safety plan from the page and putting it into practice. The work to provide the safest workplace possible in this environment will require everyone to work together, from the employer to every employee,” said Mary McColl, executive director of Actors’ Equity Association.
Netflix has several live-capture Broadway shows in its library — like Bruce Springsteen’s one-man musical and Kerry Washington’s “American Son” — but the cameras usually came in to film at the end of the live show’s run, or the release was made after the show’s conclusion.
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“Diana,” which tells the story of the late Diana Spencer, started previews on Broadway in early March but never officially opened at the Longacre Theatre before the pandemic wiped out all live theater. Producers said Wednesday that the show’s new opening night will be May 25, 2021.
Shows usually have a few weeks of previews where kinks are worked out and changes can be made before the show is finally deemed frozen and critics are invited to attend the finished product. “Diana” never got over the finish line this year.
Data has indicated that instead of cannibalizing fans, broadcasts of theatrical shows actually may whet an audience’s appetite. A recent survey by ticketing app TodayTix found more than a third of respondents who hadn’t seen “Hamilton” live were more likely to buy a ticket after seeing the recent broadcast of the musical on Disney+.
“Diana” is the tragic and yet inspiring story of a young woman learning to break free of the confines of the British royal family. It has songs by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan and a story by playwright Joe DiPietro. The pair also collaborated on the Tony-winning “Memphis.”
“Diana” stars Jeanna De Waal in the title role, and explores Diana’s glamour and charity work and the slow public crumbling of her relationship with Prince Charles. She died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 while being pursued by paparazzi. Her story is also featured in season 4 of “The Crown” and her sons — princes Harry and William — are a source of constant news.
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