thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--U.S. Records A New Coronavirus Death Every Single Minute

( Reuters ) - One person in the United States died about every minute from COVID-19 on Wednesday as the national death toll surpassed 150,000 , the highest in the world The United States recorded 1,461 new deaths on Wednesday , the highest one-day increase since 1,484 on May 27 , according to a Reuters tally .
U.S. coronavirus deaths are rising at their fastest rate in two months and have increased by 10,000 in the past 11 days .
Nationally , COVID-19 deaths have risen for three weeks in a row while the number of new cases week-over-week recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two refrigerated trailers at the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner Department were leased `` to ensure that we are prepared to help the community deal with whatever challenges this ( coronavirus ) pandemic may bring . ''
A spike in infections in Arizona , California , Florida and Texas this month has overwhelmed hospitals .
The rise has forced states to make a U-turn on reopening economies that were restricted by lockdowns in March and April to slow the spread of the virus .
Texas leads the nation with nearly 4,300 deaths so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,900 and California , the most populous state , with 2,700 .
The Texas figure includes a backlog of hundreds of deaths after the state changed the way it counted COVID-19 fatalities .
While deaths have rapidly risen in July in these three states , New York and New Jersey still lead the nation in total lives lost and for deaths per capita , according to a Reuters tally .
Of the 20 countries with the biggest outbreaks , the United States ranks sixth for deaths per capita , at 45 fatalities per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Kingdom , Spain , Italy , Peru and Chile .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
(Reuters) - One person in the United States died about every minute from COVID-19 on Wednesday as the national death toll surpassed 150,000, the highest in the world
The United States recorded 1,461 new deaths on Wednesday, the highest one-day increase since 1,484 on May 27, according to a Reuters tally.
Advertisement
U.S. coronavirus deaths are rising at their fastest rate in two months and have increased by 10,000 in the past 11 days.
Nationally, COVID-19 deaths have risen for three weeks in a row while the number of new cases week-over-week recently fell for the first time since June.
Two refrigerated trailers at the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner Department were leased "to ensure that we are prepared to help the community deal with whatever challenges this (coronavirus) pandemic may bring." ASSOCIATED PRESS
A spike in infections in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas this month has overwhelmed hospitals. The rise has forced states to make a U-turn on reopening economies that were restricted by lockdowns in March and April to slow the spread of the virus.
Advertisement
Texas leads the nation with nearly 4,300 deaths so far this month, followed by Florida with 2,900 and California, the most populous state, with 2,700. The Texas figure includes a backlog of hundreds of deaths after the state changed the way it counted COVID-19 fatalities.
While deaths have rapidly risen in July in these three states, New York and New Jersey still lead the nation in total lives lost and for deaths per capita, according to a Reuters tally.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Trump’s Sudden Photo-Op Just Happened To Be During Obama's John Lewis Eulogy

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump had his public schedule clear through mid-afternoon Thursday — right up until his predecessor Barack Obama was about to take the dais at civil rights leader John Lewis ’ funeral 600 miles to the southwest — when suddenly , reporters and cameras were called into the Oval Office .
As Obama remembered the Georgia congressman who died last week , Trump spoke to the family of murder victim Vanessa Guillen , promising he would take action .
The White House denied there was any attempt to “ counter-program ” Obama ’ s widely anticipated remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This meeting has been scheduled for weeks , ” spokesman Judd Deere said .
“ That ’ s a disgusting question , by the way.
” One White House official , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said Guillen ’ s family asked for the press to be invited in .
It ’ s believed that a colleague killed Guillen , a Fort Hood , Texas , soldier , and later committed suicide .
Trump ’ s move , in any event , adds to a long pattern for a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Party based on his willingness to push a racist conspiracy theory that the first Black president was not born in the United States and was therefore elected illegitimately .
From the day he took office , Trump has also shown irritation at comparisons to his predecessor .
In a speech in front of a wall memorializing CIA officers killed in the line of duty , Trump lied that his inaugural crowd had been larger than Obama ’ s .
He has repeatedly , and falsely , claimed that the economy under his watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has accused Obama of “ spying ” on his campaign — without explaining why he willingly used documents stolen by Russian intelligence in the final month of his 2016 campaign , even though he had been told they were stolen by Russian intelligence .
Obama was among a long list of dignitaries at Lewis ’ funeral , including former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton .
The hero of the 1960s civil rights protests died July 17 of pancreatic cancer .
Trump not only skipped the funeral in Atlanta but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Capitol to pay his respects during the two days that Lewis ’ body was lying in state .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump had his public schedule clear through mid-afternoon Thursday — right up until his predecessor Barack Obama was about to take the dais at civil rights leader John Lewis’ funeral 600 miles to the southwest — when suddenly, reporters and cameras were called into the Oval Office.
As Obama remembered the Georgia congressman who died last week, Trump spoke to the family of murder victim Vanessa Guillen, promising he would take action.
Advertisement
The White House denied there was any attempt to “counter-program” Obama’s widely anticipated remarks by creating a competing news event. “This meeting has been scheduled for weeks,” spokesman Judd Deere said. “That’s a disgusting question, by the way.”
One White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Guillen’s family asked for the press to be invited in. It’s believed that a colleague killed Guillen, a Fort Hood, Texas, soldier, and later committed suicide.
Trump’s move, in any event, adds to a long pattern for a man who rose to prominence in the Republican Party based on his willingness to push a racist conspiracy theory that the first Black president was not born in the United States and was therefore elected illegitimately.
From the day he took office, Trump has also shown irritation at comparisons to his predecessor. In a speech in front of a wall memorializing CIA officers killed in the line of duty, Trump lied that his inaugural crowd had been larger than Obama’s. He has repeatedly, and falsely, claimed that the economy under his watch had been stronger than Obama’s. He has accused Obama of “spying” on his campaign — without explaining why he willingly used documents stolen by Russian intelligence in the final month of his 2016 campaign, even though he had been told they were stolen by Russian intelligence.
Advertisement
Obama was among a long list of dignitaries at Lewis’ funeral, including former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. The hero of the 1960s civil rights protests died July 17 of pancreatic cancer.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Obama Makes Sweeping Call To Action On Voting Rights In John Lewis Eulogy

“ If you want to honor John , let ’ s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for , ” Obama said , calling out the hypocrisy of politicians who posted tributes to Lewis while dedicating their careers to enacting voting restrictions and trying to dismantle and gut the 1965 Voting Rights Act .
“ And , by the way , naming it the John Lewis Voting Rights Act , that is a fine tribute .
But John wouldn ’ t want us to stop there , just trying to get back to where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the John Lewis Voting Rights Act , we should keep marching to make it even better.
” “ Sometimes we act as if this was inevitable .
Imagine two people , Malia ’ s age , younger than my oldest daughter , on their own , to challenge an entire infrastructure of oppression , ” Obama said .
“ John was only 20 years old , but he pushed all 20 of those years to the center of the table , betting everything , all of it , that his example could challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence and countless daily indignities suffered by African Americans.
” “ He knew from his own life that progress is fragile , that we have to be vigilant against the darker currents of this country ’ s history , of our own history , where there are whirlpools of violence and hatred and despair that can always rise again , ” Obama said .
He referred to former Alabama governor and notorious segregationist George Wallace .
“ Today , we witness with our own eyes , police officers kneeling on the necks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone , but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.
” “ We may no longer have to guess the number of jellybeans in a jar to cast a ballot .
But even as we sit here , there are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations and targeting minorities and students with restrictive ID laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision , even undermining the postal service in the run-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don ’ t get sick , ” he continued .
On Thursday morning , Trump , who was not present at the service and who Lewis warned was not a “ legitimate president , ” falsely suggested he could move the date of the November election because the COVID-19 pandemic could mean that more people vote by mail .
As he often does , Obama did not name Trump , but the current president loomed large as his predecessor warned of the importance of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take their right to vote for granted .
“ Even if we do all this , even if every bogus voter suppression law is struck off the books today , we ’ ve got to be honest with ourselves , that too many of us choose not to exercise the franchise , ” Obama said .
“ We can ’ t treat voting as an errand to run if we have some time .
We have to treat it as the most important action we can take on behalf of democracy — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it all we have.
” “ The life of John Lewis was , in so many ways , exceptional .
It vindicated the faith in our founding , redeemed that faith , that most American of ideas , the idea that any of us , ordinary people without rank or wealth or title or fame , can somehow point out the imperfections of this nation and come together and challenge the status quo , and decide that it is in our power to remake this country that we love until it more closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama said .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former President Barack Obama issued a sweeping call to action on voting rights in his eulogy for civil rights icon and longtime Georgia congressman John Lewis, calling for an end to the filibuster, automatic voter registration, allowing formerly incarcerated people to vote, expanding early voting and making Election Day a national holiday.
“If you want to honor John, let’s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for,” Obama said, calling out the hypocrisy of politicians who posted tributes to Lewis while dedicating their careers to enacting voting restrictions and trying to dismantle and gut the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Advertisement
“And, by the way, naming it the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, that is a fine tribute. But John wouldn’t want us to stop there, just trying to get back to where we already were. Once we pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, we should keep marching to make it even better.”
Obama’s eulogy was an implicit rebuke of President Donald Trump as well as Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the Supreme Court opinion that gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013 and whose defining achievement on the bench has been the erosion of voting rights.
It was only fitting for the first Black president to take center stage at Thursday’s memorial service for Lewis. The civil rights titan died of cancer on July 17.
“I’ve come here today because I, like so many Americans, owe a great debt to John Lewis and his forceful vision of freedom,” Obama began.
Advertisement
The former president traced the entire arc of Lewis’ long and storied career, which began when Lewis was on the front lines of the civil rights movement as a college student.
“Sometimes we act as if this was inevitable. Imagine two people, Malia’s age, younger than my oldest daughter, on their own, to challenge an entire infrastructure of oppression,” Obama said. “John was only 20 years old, but he pushed all 20 of those years to the center of the table, betting everything, all of it, that his example could challenge centuries of convention and generations of brutal violence and countless daily indignities suffered by African Americans.”
He went on to describe Lewis’ long congressional career and his work until the very end of his life.
“As an old man, he didn’t sit out any fight,” Obama said. “He knew that the march is not over, that the race is not yet won.”
President Barack Obama, Rep. John Lewis, and former President George W. Bush hold hands on March 7, 2015, during a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the "Bloody Sunday" events at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advertisement
Throughout the eulogy, Obama drew parallels between Lewis’ life’s work and the current political moment, including the violent police response to the anti-racism and anti-police brutality protests around the country this summer — showing how the past is prologue and that history continues to repeat itself.
“He knew from his own life that progress is fragile, that we have to be vigilant against the darker currents of this country’s history, of our own history, where there are whirlpools of violence and hatred and despair that can always rise again,” Obama said.
He referred to former Alabama governor and notorious segregationist George Wallace. “Today, we witness with our own eyes, police officers kneeling on the necks of black Americans. George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.”
“We may no longer have to guess the number of jellybeans in a jar to cast a ballot. But even as we sit here, there are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations and targeting minorities and students with restrictive ID laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision, even undermining the postal service in the run-up to an election that’s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don’t get sick,” he continued.
“I know this is a celebration of John’s life. There are some who might say we shouldn’t dwell on such things. But that’s why I’m talking about it,” Obama explained.
Advertisement
On Thursday morning, Trump, who was not present at the service and who Lewis warned was not a “legitimate president,” falsely suggested he could move the date of the November election because the COVID-19 pandemic could mean that more people vote by mail.
As he often does, Obama did not name Trump, but the current president loomed large as his predecessor warned of the importance of the November election and urged Americans not to take their right to vote for granted.
“Even if we do all this, even if every bogus voter suppression law is struck off the books today, we’ve got to be honest with ourselves, that too many of us choose not to exercise the franchise,” Obama said. “We can’t treat voting as an errand to run if we have some time. We have to treat it as the most important action we can take on behalf of democracy — and like John, we have to give it all we have.”
Obama also argued that while Lewis’ life was extraordinary, it also reflected the ways ordinary people can change the world. “America was built by John Lewises,” he said.
“The life of John Lewis was, in so many ways, exceptional. It vindicated the faith in our founding, redeemed that faith, that most American of ideas, the idea that any of us, ordinary people without rank or wealth or title or fame, can somehow point out the imperfections of this nation and come together and challenge the status quo, and decide that it is in our power to remake this country that we love until it more closely aligns with our highest ideals,” Obama said.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Herman Cain, 2012 GOP Presidential Candidate And Businessman, Dies At Age 74

Herman Cain , a former business executive who ran for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination , has died at the age of 74 .
He had been hospitalized with COVID-19 .
“ You ’ re never ready for the kind of news we are grappling with this morning , ” Dan Calabrese , the editor of Cain ’ s website , wrote .
“ But we have no choice but to seek and find God ’ s strength and comfort to deal with it .
“ Herman Cain ― our boss , our friend , like a father to so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s entering the presence of the Savior he ’ s served as an associate minister at Antioch Baptist Church in Atlanta for , and preparing for his reward.
” Cain reportedly learned that he tested positive for COVID-19 on June 29 .
He was hospitalized two days later after developing “ serious ” symptoms , according to a statement shared on his Twitter account at the time .
His diagnosis came less than two weeks after he attended President Donald Trump ’ s campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , tweeted a photo of himself without a mask at the event , which was attended by several thousand people .
Calabrese pushed back on speculation at the time that Cain might have contracted the virus at Trump ’ s rally , noting he ’ d done plenty of traveling beforehand ― including to Arizona , where cases have soared .
Cain joined Trump in actively campaigning against masks .
In a tweet sent just before he was admitted to the hospital earlier this month , he praised Trump ’ s decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s July 4 outdoor rally at Mount Rushmore .
“ Masks will not be mandatory for the event , which will be attended by President Trump , ” Cain wrote .
“ PEOPLE ARE FED UP !
” Herman Cain , pictured in 2014 , rose to political prominence as a member of the Tea Party movement and ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 .
His 2012 presidential run gained early traction , aided by the catchy simplicity of his “ 9-9-9 ” tax plan .
He ultimately suspended the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges resurfaced and he was accused of having an extramarital affair .
Cain vehemently denied any wrongdoing amid the controversy .
Trump offered his condolences to Cain ’ s family Thursday , eulogizing him on Twitter as “ a Powerful Voice of Freedom and all that is good.
” “ Herman had an incredible career and was adored by everyone that ever met him , especially me , ” Trump wrote .
“ He was a very special man , an American Patriot , and great friend.
” Former Cain spokeswoman Ellen Carmichael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recalling the man as “ a giant of a person in ways that people who would choose to see him merely as a caricature could never understand.
” Earlier this week , Cain ’ s team suggested he was on the mend , describing his “ organs and systems ” as “ strong ” and thanking people for their prayers .
“ Thank you for praying , everyone , ” a statement shared on his Twitter account read .
“ Please keep doing it .
He really is getting better , which means @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Herman Cain, a former business executive who ran for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, has died at the age of 74. He had been hospitalized with COVID-19.
His website confirmed the news Thursday morning.
“You’re never ready for the kind of news we are grappling with this morning,” Dan Calabrese, the editor of Cain’s website, wrote. “But we have no choice but to seek and find God’s strength and comfort to deal with it.
Advertisement
“Herman Cain ― our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us ― has passed away. He’s entering the presence of the Savior he’s served as an associate minister at Antioch Baptist Church in Atlanta for, and preparing for his reward.”
Cain reportedly learned that he tested positive for COVID-19 on June 29. He was hospitalized two days later after developing “serious” symptoms, according to a statement shared on his Twitter account at the time.
His diagnosis came less than two weeks after he attended President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cain, who co-chaired Black Voices for Trump, tweeted a photo of himself without a mask at the event, which was attended by several thousand people.
Advertisement
Calabrese pushed back on speculation at the time that Cain might have contracted the virus at Trump’s rally, noting he’d done plenty of traveling beforehand ― including to Arizona, where cases have soared.
Cain joined Trump in actively campaigning against masks. In a tweet sent just before he was admitted to the hospital earlier this month, he praised Trump’s decision not to mandate mask-wearing at the president’s July 4 outdoor rally at Mount Rushmore.
“Masks will not be mandatory for the event, which will be attended by President Trump,” Cain wrote. “PEOPLE ARE FED UP!”
The tweet was deleted after his death Thursday.
Cain rose to prominence in the Tea Party movement after a highly successful corporate career at Pillsbury, Burger King and finally as CEO of Godfather’s Pizza.
Herman Cain, pictured in 2014, rose to political prominence as a member of the Tea Party movement and ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advertisement
His 2012 presidential run gained early traction, aided by the catchy simplicity of his “9-9-9” tax plan. He ultimately suspended the campaign, however, after sexual harassment charges resurfaced and he was accused of having an extramarital affair. Cain vehemently denied any wrongdoing amid the controversy.
Trump offered his condolences to Cain’s family Thursday, eulogizing him on Twitter as “a Powerful Voice of Freedom and all that is good.”
“Herman had an incredible career and was adored by everyone that ever met him, especially me,” Trump wrote. “He was a very special man, an American Patriot, and great friend.”
Former Cain spokeswoman Ellen Carmichael also mourned his passing on Twitter, recalling the man as “a giant of a person in ways that people who would choose to see him merely as a caricature could never understand.”
“His American Dream story is one for the history books,” she wrote. “Overcame absolute destitution, genuine discrimination, stage IV cancer and so much hardship in between.”
Advertisement
Earlier this week, Cain’s team suggested he was on the mend, describing his “organs and systems” as “strong” and thanking people for their prayers.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Trump Suggests Delaying Presidential Election Due To Mail-In Voting

States are increasingly offering mail-in ballots due to concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic , but Trump has repeatedly tried to dissuade people from voting by mail , claiming — without any supporting evidence — that it will lead to voter fraud .
Trump has no power over the election schedule ; moving it would require changing federal law .
The Constitution states the exact date and time when a president and vice president ’ s term ends .
There is no clause that would allow a president to remain in office beyond that date , which is the Jan. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s urging came on the heels of the release of dire new economic figures from the Commerce Department , which showed that the U.S. economy shrank by 9.5 % in the April-June quarter — the worst quarterly plunge ever .
President Donald Trump , seen Wednesday , has suggested delaying the November presidential election due to his own baseless concerns about mail-in voting .
His comments come as he trails in the polls with fewer than 100 days until the election .
His likely Democratic challenger , former Vice President Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try to delay the election in an effort to win .
“ I think he is gon na try to kick back the election somehow , come up with some rationale why it can ’ t be held , ” Biden told supporters in April .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , when asked about Trump ’ s tweet while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday , appeared to be unaware that Trump is unable to postpone the election , but argued that any election should take place with full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Justice and others will make that legal determination , ” he told Sen. Tim Kaine ( D-Va ) .
“ We all should want ― I know you do too , Sen. Kaine ― want to make sure we have an election everyone is confident in.
” Kaine informed Pompeo that only Congress has the legal ability to change the date of an election , not the president or the Department of Justice .
“ I don ’ t think that it ’ s that hard of a question or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by somebody who ’ s fourth in line for succession to be president of the United States , ” Kaine told him .
Trump ’ s comments on Twitter were met with a wave of opposition from political leaders and former 2020 candidates , who assured that the November election will go on as planned .
“ This is simply not true , and it ’ s dangerous for our democracy .
The President can not delay the election , ” Sen. Chris Coons ( D-Del . )
tweeted , while urging his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refute the President ’ s alarming suggestion that he can.
” “ The USA held an election during the Civil War , and we will hold one in 96 days , ” tweeted Pete Buttigieg , the former Democratic candidate and mayor of South Bend , Indiana .
Trump supporter Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming also joined the conversation during an interview on Fox Business , where he was met with pushback from the program ’ s host .
“ I think we ’ re going to vote on Election Day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In the lead up to Election Day , it will be a secure election and we will — if I have anything to do with it — we will reelect Donald Trump president of the United States .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested delaying the November presidential election while baselessly warning that mail-in voting will lead to “the most inaccurate and fraudulent election in history.”
“It will be a great embarrassment to the USA,” he tweeted. “Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”
Advertisement
With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote??? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
States are increasingly offering mail-in ballots due to concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic, but Trump has repeatedly tried to dissuade people from voting by mail, claiming — without any supporting evidence — that it will lead to voter fraud.
Trump has no power over the election schedule; moving it would require changing federal law. The Constitution states the exact date and time when a president and vice president’s term ends. There is no clause that would allow a president to remain in office beyond that date, which is the Jan. 20 following the presidential election.
Trump’s urging came on the heels of the release of dire new economic figures from the Commerce Department, which showed that the U.S. economy shrank by 9.5% in the April-June quarter — the worst quarterly plunge ever.
Advertisement
President Donald Trump, seen Wednesday, has suggested delaying the November presidential election due to his own baseless concerns about mail-in voting. His comments come as he trails in the polls with fewer than 100 days until the election. ASSOCIATED PRESS
There are fewer than 100 days until the election, and Trump is trailing badly in the polls.
His likely Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, has previously suggested that Trump may try to delay the election in an effort to win.
“I think he is gonna try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can’t be held,” Biden told supporters in April.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, when asked about Trump’s tweet while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday, appeared to be unaware that Trump is unable to postpone the election, but argued that any election should take place with full confidence.
"In the end, the Department of Justice and others will make that legal determination" -- Mike Pompeo on Trump's tweet suggesting the presidential election should be delayed pic.twitter.com/lmCoolwAg0 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 30, 2020
Advertisement
“In the end, the Department of Justice and others will make that legal determination,” he told Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va). “We all should want ― I know you do too, Sen. Kaine ― want to make sure we have an election everyone is confident in.”
Kaine informed Pompeo that only Congress has the legal ability to change the date of an election, not the president or the Department of Justice.
“I don’t think that it’s that hard of a question or one that should lead to any equivocation by somebody who’s fourth in line for succession to be president of the United States,” Kaine told him.
Trump’s comments on Twitter were met with a wave of opposition from political leaders and former 2020 candidates, who assured that the November election will go on as planned.
Donald Trump does not have the power to postpone the election based on his fear of losing (or for any reason).
Don’t let this scare you — vote. — Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) July 30, 2020
Advertisement
“This is simply not true, and it’s dangerous for our democracy. The President cannot delay the election,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) tweeted, while urging his Republican colleagues to “publicly and forcefully refute the President’s alarming suggestion that he can.”
“The USA held an election during the Civil War, and we will hold one in 96 days,” tweeted Pete Buttigieg, the former Democratic candidate and mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
Trump supporter Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming also joined the conversation during an interview on Fox Business, where he was met with pushback from the program’s host.
“I think we’re going to vote on Election Day,” Barrasso told host Stuart Varney. “In the lead up to Election Day, it will be a secure election and we will — if I have anything to do with it — we will reelect Donald Trump president of the United States.”
Advertisement
Varney responded that mail-in ballots may cause delays in when the winner is declared, which he said would create “confusion and endless challenges.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--U.S. Allows Michael Cohen To Publish Unflattering Book About Trump

( Reuters ) - Michael Cohen , the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump , will be allowed to publish a book critical of the U.S. president before the Nov. 3 election while completing his criminal sentence at home , under an agreement filed on Thursday .
The agreement between Cohen ’ s lawyers and federal prosecutors also frees Cohen to engage with news organizations and use social media , as he serves the remainder of his three-year term for campaign finance violations and other crimes in home confinement .
“ There shall be no specific media provision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the agreement , which requires approval by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan .
Cohen , 53 , had served about one year of his prison term before being sent home to his Manhattan apartment in May , because of the risk of contracting COVID-19 behind bars .
Federal authorities returned him to prison on July 9 , one week after Cohen tweeted he was close to finishing his book , when Cohen questioned their new requirement that he agree to steer clear of media .
But Hellerstein ordered his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prison amounted to government retaliation against Cohen ’ s desire to exercise his First Amendment rights .
The judge gave both sides a week to negotiate a media provision that is “ consistent with the First Amendment but yet serves the purposes of confinement.
” Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to campaign violations tied to hush money payments to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal , who claimed they had affairs with Trump .
He also pleaded guilty to evading taxes on more than $ 4 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bank .
Trump has denied having the encounters with Daniels and McDougal , and called Cohen a “ rat.
” Cohen , who once said he would “ take a bullet ” for Trump , said in court papers that his planned book would contain unflattering details about Trump , including racist and anti-Semitic remarks .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
(Reuters) - Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, will be allowed to publish a book critical of the U.S. president before the Nov. 3 election while completing his criminal sentence at home, under an agreement filed on Thursday.
The agreement between Cohen’s lawyers and federal prosecutors also frees Cohen to engage with news organizations and use social media, as he serves the remainder of his three-year term for campaign finance violations and other crimes in home confinement.
Advertisement
“There shall be no specific media provision” governing Cohen’s activities, according to the agreement, which requires approval by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan.
Cohen, 53, had served about one year of his prison term before being sent home to his Manhattan apartment in May, because of the risk of contracting COVID-19 behind bars.
Federal authorities returned him to prison on July 9, one week after Cohen tweeted he was close to finishing his book, when Cohen questioned their new requirement that he agree to steer clear of media.
But Hellerstein ordered his release last week, saying the return to prison amounted to government retaliation against Cohen’s desire to exercise his First Amendment rights.
Advertisement
The judge gave both sides a week to negotiate a media provision that is “consistent with the First Amendment but yet serves the purposes of confinement.”
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to campaign violations tied to hush money payments to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed they had affairs with Trump.
He also pleaded guilty to evading taxes on more than $4 million in income and making false statements to a bank.
Trump has denied having the encounters with Daniels and McDougal, and called Cohen a “rat.”
Cohen, who once said he would “take a bullet” for Trump, said in court papers that his planned book would contain unflattering details about Trump, including racist and anti-Semitic remarks.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Unemployment Benefits Are Tying Republicans In Knots

More than 25 million laid-off workers received their final $ 600 weekly supplemental payments from the federal government last weekend and Senate Republicans are in disarray over whether to replace the benefits or just drop them .
“ From my standpoint , it ’ s a pretty generous proposal , ” Johnson told reporters on Thursday .
“ I don ’ t know why they should object to it if they ’ re really concerned about Americans who are unemployed.
” Johnson ’ s proposal is actually even less generous than what McConnell has offered .
It would give states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at $ 200 per week or 66 % of previous wages .
McConnell ’ s bill would cap benefits at 70 % of what workers earned from their previous jobs .
( Most state workforce agencies would be unable to implement either wage-replacement proposal anytime soon . )
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) objected to Johnson ’ s request , calling the measure “ stingy ” and “ shocking.
” He accused Republicans of advancing it in order to create “ some political cover ” for their party because , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t get their act together ” on extending unemployment benefits .
McConnell hasn ’ t signaled any support for Johnson ’ s proposal .
The Kentucky Republican instead teed up votes next week on competing GOP proposals to extend supplemental unemployment benefits at less than $ 600 per week , none of which appear to have enough support to pass with the necessary 60 votes .
“ Our guys want to vote , they want to be able to prove they ’ re moving the ball down the field and the Democrats want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Senate Majority Whip John Thune ( R-S.D . )
told reporters after McConnell ’ s speech .
Back in May , the House of Representatives approved legislation reauthorizing the extra $ 600 for the rest of the year .
Senate Democrats tried to pass that bill twice on Thursday , but Republicans objected .
( Senate rules allow any senator to block legislation . )
Economists generally say that dropping the extra benefits will reduce economic growth this year .
State benefits vary , and replacing the $ 600 with $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 43 % for those currently receiving the unemployment payments .
The federal government usually doesn ’ t add any money to state unemployment benefits , which typically pay less than $ 400 per week to encourage workers to find new jobs .
But in March , Congress added $ 600 per week to state benefits as the coronavirus pandemic shuttered businesses and public health officials urged everyone to stay home .
That additional $ 600 was designed to help people survive without desperately seeking work .
For many workers , the combined state-federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wages ― prompting Johnson and other Republicans to say that the more generous payments would destroy economic growth as the virus subsided .
The problem is , the virus hasn ’ t subsided as planned , with infections surging in most states and the death toll topping 150,000 .
But Johnson , a businessman who wrote in a March op-ed that “ death is an unavoidable part of life , ” thinks it ’ s more important for people to go back to work , regardless of the pandemic .
Senate Republicans struggled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even before strained negotiations with top congressional Democrats kicked off earlier this week .
Twenty Republican senators oppose spending any new money on relief because of the impact on the deficit , McConnell told Fox News on Wednesday .
Meanwhile , the enhanced unemployment benefits for millions of people expire on Friday , jobless claims are on the rise again , the economy contracted at the fastest quarterly rate in history between April and June , and the coronavirus continues to surge across the country .
“ We are stepping up to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Schumer said in a floor speech on Thursday , before issuing a plea to the nation .
“ Please let your Senators know on the Republican side of the aisle how deep this crisis is , how painful it is for people , and to step up to the plate .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
More than 25 million laid-off workers received their final $600 weekly supplemental payments from the federal government last weekend and Senate Republicans are in disarray over whether to replace the benefits or just drop them.
Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) put forward a proposal Thursday to supplement state benefits with $200 per week, after their fellow Republicans failed to coalesce around a broader coronavirus relief package offered by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Advertisement
“From my standpoint, it’s a pretty generous proposal,” Johnson told reporters on Thursday. “I don’t know why they should object to it if they’re really concerned about Americans who are unemployed.”
Johnson’s proposal is actually even less generous than what McConnell has offered. It would give states the option to extend federal unemployment benefits at $200 per week or 66% of previous wages. McConnell’s bill would cap benefits at 70% of what workers earned from their previous jobs. (Most state workforce agencies would be unable to implement either wage-replacement proposal anytime soon.)
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) objected to Johnson’s request, calling the measure “stingy” and “shocking.” He accused Republicans of advancing it in order to create “some political cover” for their party because, he said, “they can’t get their act together” on extending unemployment benefits.
McConnell hasn’t signaled any support for Johnson’s proposal. The Kentucky Republican instead teed up votes next week on competing GOP proposals to extend supplemental unemployment benefits at less than $600 per week, none of which appear to have enough support to pass with the necessary 60 votes.
Advertisement
“We’ve had enough rope-a-dope. We’ve had enough empty talk. It’s time to go on the record,” McConnell on the Senate floor.
The strategy may be more about trying to box in Democrats after negotiations over a broader stimulus package stalled this week.
“Our guys want to vote, they want to be able to prove they’re moving the ball down the field and the Democrats want to keep blocking. This exposes that,” Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters after McConnell’s speech.
Back in May, the House of Representatives approved legislation reauthorizing the extra $600 for the rest of the year. Senate Democrats tried to pass that bill twice on Thursday, but Republicans objected. (Senate rules allow any senator to block legislation.)
Economists generally say that dropping the extra benefits will reduce economic growth this year. State benefits vary, and replacing the $600 with $200 would represent an average cut of 43% for those currently receiving the unemployment payments.
Advertisement
The federal government usually doesn’t add any money to state unemployment benefits, which typically pay less than $400 per week to encourage workers to find new jobs. But in March, Congress added $600 per week to state benefits as the coronavirus pandemic shuttered businesses and public health officials urged everyone to stay home.
That additional $600 was designed to help people survive without desperately seeking work. For many workers, the combined state-federal benefits amounted to more than their previous wages ― prompting Johnson and other Republicans to say that the more generous payments would destroy economic growth as the virus subsided.
The problem is, the virus hasn’t subsided as planned, with infections surging in most states and the death toll topping 150,000. But Johnson, a businessman who wrote in a March op-ed that “death is an unavoidable part of life,” thinks it’s more important for people to go back to work, regardless of the pandemic.
“We’re creating a very perverse incentive for people to remain unemployed when our economy is calling for more workers,” he said on the Senate floor Thursday.
Senate Republicans struggled to unify around a single stimulus proposal even before strained negotiations with top congressional Democrats kicked off earlier this week. Twenty Republican senators oppose spending any new money on relief because of the impact on the deficit, McConnell told Fox News on Wednesday.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, the enhanced unemployment benefits for millions of people expire on Friday, jobless claims are on the rise again, the economy contracted at the fastest quarterly rate in history between April and June, and the coronavirus continues to surge across the country.
“We are stepping up to the plate on this side of the aisle,” Schumer said in a floor speech on Thursday, before issuing a plea to the nation. “Please let your Senators know on the Republican side of the aisle how deep this crisis is, how painful it is for people, and to step up to the plate.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Obama: Senate Should Eliminate Filibuster To Protect Voting Rights

The former president made his appeal for Democrats in Congress to do everything in their power to protect voting rights during the funeral for civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis , arguing drastic action was needed to properly complete Lewis ’ life ’ s work .
“ You want to honor John ?
Let ’ s honor him by revitalizing the law he was willing to die for , ” Obama said while delivering a eulogy for the Georgia congressman , who died last week at age 80 and was famously beaten by state troopers during a march for voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1965 .
“ Naming it the John Lewis Voting Rights Act is a fine tribute , but John wouldn ’ t want us to stop there , just getting back to where we already were.
” Obama ’ s speech could be a watershed moment in Democratic politics .
He is by far the highest-ranking member of the party to openly embrace the filibuster ’ s elimination , and his move prompted Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , the grandfather of the modern progressive movement , to adopt the same stance .
If Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and maintain control of the House in November , which polls show is a strong possibility , removing the filibuster would dramatically expand the potential for major new legislation .
The former president ’ s comments will likely encourage Democrats who are pushing the party to go bold in the case of a November sweep , and could put moderates who defend the filibuster in an awkward position .
It could effectively ensure that democracy reform is at the top of a crowded Democratic Party agenda in 2021 .
The former president called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revitalizing the nation ’ s democracy and expanding the right to vote , and said Congress should be prepared to eliminate the filibuster in order to pass those reforms .
The Supreme Court essentially gutted the Voting Rights Act in a 2013 decision decided along ideological lines .
Obama said Congress should fix the decision , but also make every American automatically registered to vote , extend the franchise to people who have completed their criminal sentences , add additional polling places and opportunities for early voting , and make Election Day a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ equal representation in our government ” for citizens of Washington , D.C. , and Puerto Rico , neither of which has voting representation in Congress ; and for legislation to end political gerrymandering .
Obama did not move to eliminate the legislative filibuster while he was president , even as Republicans deployed it to stop or delay virtually all of the president ’ s legislative priorities , but has spoken about its negative influence .
“ Adding the filibuster , I think , has made it almost impossible for us to effectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least one party that is not willing to compromise on issues , ” Obama said during an appearance on the podcast of one of his former advisers , David Axelrod .
Both parties have chipped away at the filibuster in recent years .
Under Obama , Democrats eliminated the 60-vote requirement for confirming most presidential nominees .
Republicans eliminated the ability to filibuster nominations to the Supreme Court in 2017 in order to secure Neil Gorsuch ’ s seat on the nation ’ s highest court .
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s vice president , was a long-serving senator who was known for respecting the institution ’ s traditions , but has recently expressed some interest in eliminating the 60-vote requirement , which has long been used to block progressive policy priorities .
“ We ’ re going to have to remember what John said : ‘ If you don ’ t do everything you can to change things , they ’ re going to remain the same .
You only pass this way once , ’ ” Obama said .
Obama ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact .
Sanders , an independent who caucuses with Democrats and has long resisted calling for a formal end to the filibuster , said it was time to do away with the 60-vote requirement .
“ President Obama is absolutely right , ” Sanders said .
“ It is an outrage that modern-day poll taxes , gerrymandering , ID requirements , and other forms of voter suppression still exist today .
We must pass a comprehensive agenda to guarantee the rights and dignity of everyone in this country .
And that means , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Voting Rights Act , for which Congressman John Lewis put his life on the line .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Barack Obama delivered a forceful criticism of the way the Senate conducts business on Thursday, calling the filibuster a “Jim Crow relic” and telling the chamber to get rid of the 60-vote requirement needed to pass major legislation.
The former president made his appeal for Democrats in Congress to do everything in their power to protect voting rights during the funeral for civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, arguing drastic action was needed to properly complete Lewis’ life’s work.
Advertisement
“You want to honor John? Let’s honor him by revitalizing the law he was willing to die for,” Obama said while delivering a eulogy for the Georgia congressman, who died last week at age 80 and was famously beaten by state troopers during a march for voting rights in Selma, Alabama, in 1965. “Naming it the John Lewis Voting Rights Act is a fine tribute, but John wouldn’t want us to stop there, just getting back to where we already were.”
“If all this takes eliminating the filibuster, another Jim Crow relic, in order to secure the God-given rights of every American, then that’s what we should do,” he added.
Obama’s speech could be a watershed moment in Democratic politics. He is by far the highest-ranking member of the party to openly embrace the filibuster’s elimination, and his move prompted Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the grandfather of the modern progressive movement, to adopt the same stance. If Democrats win the White House and the Senate and maintain control of the House in November, which polls show is a strong possibility, removing the filibuster would dramatically expand the potential for major new legislation.
The former president’s comments will likely encourage Democrats who are pushing the party to go bold in the case of a November sweep, and could put moderates who defend the filibuster in an awkward position. It could effectively ensure that democracy reform is at the top of a crowded Democratic Party agenda in 2021.
Advertisement
The former president called for a host of reforms aimed at revitalizing the nation’s democracy and expanding the right to vote, and said Congress should be prepared to eliminate the filibuster in order to pass those reforms.
Former President Barack Obama speaks at the funeral of Rep. John Lewis, a legendary civil rights leader. Obama said Democrats may need to eliminate the filibuster to fulfill Lewis’ legacy. ALYSSA POINTER via Getty Images
The Supreme Court essentially gutted the Voting Rights Act in a 2013 decision decided along ideological lines. Obama said Congress should fix the decision, but also make every American automatically registered to vote, extend the franchise to people who have completed their criminal sentences, add additional polling places and opportunities for early voting, and make Election Day a national holiday.
Obama also called for “equal representation in our government” for citizens of Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, neither of which has voting representation in Congress; and for legislation to end political gerrymandering.
Obama did not move to eliminate the legislative filibuster while he was president, even as Republicans deployed it to stop or delay virtually all of the president’s legislative priorities, but has spoken about its negative influence.
Advertisement
“Adding the filibuster, I think, has made it almost impossible for us to effectively govern at a time when you have at least one party that is not willing to compromise on issues,” Obama said during an appearance on the podcast of one of his former advisers, David Axelrod.
The filibuster was first regularly deployed by segregationist Southern Democrats in the first half of the 20th century to block civil rights legislation, stymieing anti-lynching legislation and other proposals to protect and expand civil rights.
Both parties have chipped away at the filibuster in recent years. Under Obama, Democrats eliminated the 60-vote requirement for confirming most presidential nominees. Republicans eliminated the ability to filibuster nominations to the Supreme Court in 2017 in order to secure Neil Gorsuch’s seat on the nation’s highest court.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who served as Obama’s vice president, was a long-serving senator who was known for respecting the institution’s traditions, but has recently expressed some interest in eliminating the 60-vote requirement, which has long been used to block progressive policy priorities.
“We’re going to have to remember what John said: ‘If you don’t do everything you can to change things, they’re going to remain the same. You only pass this way once,’” Obama said.
Advertisement
Obama’s comments appeared to have had an immediate impact. Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats and has long resisted calling for a formal end to the filibuster, said it was time to do away with the 60-vote requirement.
“President Obama is absolutely right,” Sanders said. “It is an outrage that modern-day poll taxes, gerrymandering, ID requirements, and other forms of voter suppression still exist today. We must pass a comprehensive agenda to guarantee the rights and dignity of everyone in this country. And that means, among other things, reauthorizing and expanding the Voting Rights Act, for which Congressman John Lewis put his life on the line.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Laura Ingraham Gets Roasted For Rosy Tweet On Texas Coronavirus Cases

While Texas did record its fifth straight day of decreasing coronavirus cases earlier this week , it was no time for a victory lap .
But Fox News host Laura Ingraham did one for the state anyway , posting a graph Wednesday that appeared to indicate some improvement in the situation so she could take a swipe at Democrats .
“ Texas ... looking pretty good , ” she wrote .
“ Bad news for the ‘ Shut it all Down ’ Democrats.
” Her rosy outlook for a state that rushed to reopen and balked at mask measures before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued a mandate seemed out of step , however .
The graph itself revealed the grim reality of how far out of control the pandemic had become there .
And Texas ’ promising run ended Tuesday with its second-highest case increase ( 11,408 ) .
On Wednesday the state got hit with its second-highest rise in daily deaths , 327 , the Houston Chronicle reported .
The toll stands at more than 403,000 cases and 6,100 deaths .
In the last few weeks , a spike from 4000 to 9000 cases a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
— Paul `` stronger than dirt '' Irvin ( @ pabloalto ) July 30 , 2020 Looking at the worst graph in the world and thinking “ pretty good ” is the kind of optimism I need to find .
That ’ s some “ the glass is 1/64th full ” positivity .
— Jeremy Sutton ( @ JeremyTheSutton ) July 30 , 2020

LOADING ERROR LOADING
While Texas did record its fifth straight day of decreasing coronavirus cases earlier this week, it was no time for a victory lap.
But Fox News host Laura Ingraham did one for the state anyway, posting a graph Wednesday that appeared to indicate some improvement in the situation so she could take a swipe at Democrats.
Advertisement
“Texas ... looking pretty good,” she wrote. “Bad news for the ‘Shut it all Down’ Democrats.”
Texas...looking pretty good. Bad news for the “Shut it all Down” Democrats. pic.twitter.com/avqYzzi01c — Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) July 30, 2020
Her rosy outlook for a state that rushed to reopen and balked at mask measures before Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a mandate seemed out of step, however. The graph itself revealed the grim reality of how far out of control the pandemic had become there. And Texas’ promising run ended Tuesday with its second-highest case increase (11,408). On Wednesday the state got hit with its second-highest rise in daily deaths, 327, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The toll stands at more than 403,000 cases and 6,100 deaths.
Twitter let her have it.
Advertisement
In what universe does this look "pretty good"? pic.twitter.com/P4IFWPUHtJ — James Martini (@nulltensor) July 30, 2020
In the last few weeks, a spike from 4000 to 9000 cases a day... "looking pretty good"?! — Paul "stronger than dirt" Irvin (@pabloalto) July 30, 2020
One person dying in Texas every 6 minutes Laura. Good job Republicans. You’re ALL done. #RIPGOP — Barb (@BarbL219) July 30, 2020
Looking at the worst graph in the world and thinking “pretty good” is the kind of optimism I need to find. That’s some “the glass is 1/64th full” positivity. — Jeremy Sutton (@JeremyTheSutton) July 30, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Barack Obama Reveals The Thing About Donald Trump That Keeps Him Up At Night

Former President Barack Obama reportedly revealed to supporters this week what ’ s keeping him awake at night .
Obama , during a virtual fundraiser for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday , said he feared the prospect of President Donald Trump questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election , The New York Times reported on Thursday .
In the online event with actor George Clooney , Obama also reportedly expressed grave concern about Republican voter suppression efforts .
In public , Obama ’ s criticism of his successor has mostly been muted , and he rarely mentions Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , Obama has explicitly called out Trump multiple times , according to the Times .
Former President Barack Obama reportedly revealed to supporters this week what ’ s keeping him up at night .
In an online exchange with Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ( D ) , Obama reportedly said Trump tries to redirect “ the fears and anger and resentment of people who , in some cases , really are having a tough time and have seen their prospects , or communities where they left , declining ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” During another with LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman , Obama said Trump ’ s use of racist terms to describe the coronavirus “ still shocks and pisses me off.
” A spokesperson for Obama did not immediately respond to HuffPost ’ s request for comment .
His office did not dispute the remarks attributed to him in the Times , the newspaper reported .
Obama officially endorsed Biden in April with a 12-minute video in which he hailed his former vice president for having “ the character and the experience to guide us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heal us through a long recovery.
” In a video that the Biden campaign released last week , Obama called out Trump for failing to take responsibility for his administration ’ s disastrous handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ Can you imagine standing up when you were president and saying ’ it ’ s not my responsibility , I take no responsibility , ’ ” Biden asked Obama in the clip .
“ I mean literally .
Literally .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former President Barack Obama reportedly revealed to supporters this week what’s keeping him awake at night.
Obama, during a virtual fundraiser for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday, said he feared the prospect of President Donald Trump questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
Advertisement
In the online event with actor George Clooney, Obama also reportedly expressed grave concern about Republican voter suppression efforts.
In public, Obama’s criticism of his successor has mostly been muted, and he rarely mentions Trump by name. In private fundraising appearances, however, Obama has explicitly called out Trump multiple times, according to the Times.
Former President Barack Obama reportedly revealed to supporters this week what’s keeping him up at night. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In an online exchange with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D), Obama reportedly said Trump tries to redirect “the fears and anger and resentment of people who, in some cases, really are having a tough time and have seen their prospects, or communities where they left, declining” in “nativist, racist, sexist ways.”
Advertisement
During another with LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, Obama said Trump’s use of racist terms to describe the coronavirus “still shocks and pisses me off.”
A spokesperson for Obama did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment. His office did not dispute the remarks attributed to him in the Times, the newspaper reported.
Obama officially endorsed Biden in April with a 12-minute video in which he hailed his former vice president for having “the character and the experience to guide us through one of our darkest times and heal us through a long recovery.”
In a video that the Biden campaign released last week, Obama called out Trump for failing to take responsibility for his administration’s disastrous handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Advertisement
“Can you imagine standing up when you were president and saying ’it’s not my responsibility, I take no responsibility,’” Biden asked Obama in the clip. “I mean literally. Literally.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Most Americans Are Buying Into President Trump's False Arguments About Crime

Most Americans incorrectly believe crime is on the rise nationally , a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds , although few are seriously concerned about crime in their own communities .
As they did in 2016 , Americans ’ false perceptions of crime rates stand to potentially benefit President Donald Trump , who has stoked fears about crime in cities and promised to protect mostly white suburbs from demographic groups he claims will bring in crime .
At the same time , however , concerns about crime have ticked down since the last election , and most voters ’ attention remains on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say they believe crime is a very serious problem nationally , down from 53 % who shared this belief in an August 2016 survey , when then-candidate Trump was also campaigning on a vision of restoring order to a nation he portrayed as plagued by lawlessness .
Still , a 57 % majority currently say they believe crime has increased over the past decade .
Just 10 % of Americans believe , correctly , that crime rates decreased over the past decade .
According to FBI statistics , both the violent crime rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2008 and 2018 , the last year for which data is available .
The FBI ’ s preliminary 2019 data shows yet another drop .
While there ’ s been an increase in violent crime in certain cities in recent months , even those spikes remain extremely unlikely to reverse the historic downward trend in crime rates .
Views remain sharply divided along political lines : 63 % of voters who backed Trump in the 2016 election call crime a very serious national problem , compared to 35 % of those who voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An 81 % majority of Trump voters — but just 43 % of Clinton voters — say they think crime is on the rise .
Far fewer Americans are concerned about crime rates closer to home .
Just 12 % say that crime is a very serious problem in their community , and just 29 % say that crime has increased in their community over the past decade .
So while relatively few Americans think crime is a very serious problem or on the rise in their communities , nearly half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem nationally and the majority think crime is on the rise nationally .
That suggests that many Americans ’ views of crime rates are largely shaped by social media and national or regional media coverage of crime , and not necessarily lived experience or personal knowledge .
There ’ s little sign of a partisan gap at the community level ― a roughly equivalent 11 % of Clinton voters and 14 % of Trump voters call crime in their areas a serious problem .
There are , however , racial and geographic divides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 % of city-dwellers call crime a very serious concern , compared to 11 % of white Americans and 6 % of those living in less densely populated areas .
Among registered voters , 44 % say that crime will be a very important issue in their vote for president this year , with 62 % of Trump ’ s 2016 voters — but just about a third of Clinton supporters — calling it very important .
In a separate poll , when voters were asked to choose three top issues from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picked crime , ranking it far behind issues like the economy , health care and coronavirus .
Another survey , from Reuters/Ipsos , found the same trend even among white suburbanites .
A recent Trump ad , featuring an elderly white woman watching television news as a burglar breaks into her home , appeals to a demographic particularly susceptible to fear-based appeals on crime .
Older Americans are particularly likely to believe ( incorrectly ) that crime is on the rise nationally : 72 % of those over 65 and 67 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rose nationally over the past decade , and majorities of both of those groups described crime as a very serious national problem .
Even so , only about half of voters over 65 described crime as very important to their 2020 presidential vote .
The HuffPost/YouGov poll came the same week Trump stoked racist fears in an appeal to white suburbanites , warning about an impending invasion of low-income housing that only he could stop .
Touting his rescinding of an Obama-era fair housing rule , Trump told people living their “ Suburban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go down ” in the suburbs because of his action .
The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing mandate required suburbs subsidized by federal grants and aid to evaluate their racial segregation and offer plans to address the issue .
( Suburbs , which exploded during an even more explicitly racist period in American history , were heavily subsidized by the federal government , which for decades locked Black Americans out of the opportunity to build up their savings through homeownership , exacerbating the current massive racial gap in wealth . )
The reasons for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex , but racial segregation ― and the increased concentrations of poverty that the government ’ s subsidization of white-only suburbs brought about ― undeniably remains a key driving factor today .
Trump , instead of engaging in the growing national dialogue around the consequences of historic government-backed racist policies and potential modern-day remedies , has sought to reassure white suburbanites benefiting from the explicitly racist housing policies of the past that he ’ ll maintain the status quo and kill even modest efforts to help remedy past inequities .
Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 playbook isn ’ t particularly surprising .
His Justice Department brushed aside its mandate to reform troubled police departments , all but abandoning the federal government ’ s police reform work based in part on the belief that highlighting patterns of unconstitutional conduct against American citizens hurts police officers ’ feelings .
Trump also endorsed police brutality in a speech he gave to members of law enforcement .
For the 2020 campaign , Trump is falsely claiming that Joe Biden ― who championed a massive , federally subsidized expansion of local police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defund police departments .
Trump ’ s warnings about crime have come after his long-running attacks on federal law enforcement officials , whom he ’ s criticized for investigating crimes committed by his friends and associates .
Trump ’ s attacks on the FBI even boosted the defense of three Trump supporters later convicted in a domestic terrorism plot targeting a community of Muslim refugees .
Still , it ’ s tough for Trump to paint Biden , a well-established white politician with a long history of support for and from law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s also targeted ( often Black ) mayors and progressive prosecutors in major cities whom he accuses of enabling and coddling rioters during the protests that began after a white police officer killed George Floyd , a Black man , in late May .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Most Americans incorrectly believe crime is on the rise nationally, a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds, although few are seriously concerned about crime in their own communities. As they did in 2016, Americans’ false perceptions of crime rates stand to potentially benefit President Donald Trump, who has stoked fears about crime in cities and promised to protect mostly white suburbs from demographic groups he claims will bring in crime. At the same time, however, concerns about crime have ticked down since the last election, and most voters’ attention remains on other issues.
Over the past month, the Trump campaign has flooded the airwaves with ads mentioning crime ― between July 1 and July 26, 85% of the president’s ads dealt in some way with the topic of public safety, while none focused on the current coronavirus pandemic.
Advertisement
Forty-four percent of Americans say they believe crime is a very serious problem nationally, down from 53% who shared this belief in an August 2016 survey, when then-candidate Trump was also campaigning on a vision of restoring order to a nation he portrayed as plagued by lawlessness. Still, a 57% majority currently say they believe crime has increased over the past decade.
Just 10% of Americans believe, correctly, that crime rates decreased over the past decade. According to FBI statistics, both the violent crime rate and the property crime rate dropped between 2008 and 2018, the last year for which data is available. The FBI’s preliminary 2019 data shows yet another drop. While there’s been an increase in violent crime in certain cities in recent months, even those spikes remain extremely unlikely to reverse the historic downward trend in crime rates.
Views remain sharply divided along political lines: 63% of voters who backed Trump in the 2016 election call crime a very serious national problem, compared to 35% of those who voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. An 81% majority of Trump voters — but just 43% of Clinton voters — say they think crime is on the rise.
Far fewer Americans are concerned about crime rates closer to home. Just 12% say that crime is a very serious problem in their community, and just 29% say that crime has increased in their community over the past decade. So while relatively few Americans think crime is a very serious problem or on the rise in their communities, nearly half of Americans think crime is a very serious problem nationally and the majority think crime is on the rise nationally. That suggests that many Americans’ views of crime rates are largely shaped by social media and national or regional media coverage of crime, and not necessarily lived experience or personal knowledge.
Advertisement
There’s little sign of a partisan gap at the community level ― a roughly equivalent 11% of Clinton voters and 14% of Trump voters call crime in their areas a serious problem. There are, however, racial and geographic divides: 21% of Black Americans and 22% of city-dwellers call crime a very serious concern, compared to 11% of white Americans and 6% of those living in less densely populated areas.
Results of a HuffPost/YouGov poll on perceptions of crime. Ariel Edwards-Levy/HuffPost
Among registered voters, 44% say that crime will be a very important issue in their vote for president this year, with 62% of Trump’s 2016 voters — but just about a third of Clinton supporters — calling it very important. In a separate poll, when voters were asked to choose three top issues from a list of 15, just 12% picked crime, ranking it far behind issues like the economy, health care and coronavirus. Another survey, from Reuters/Ipsos, found the same trend even among white suburbanites.
A recent Trump ad, featuring an elderly white woman watching television news as a burglar breaks into her home, appeals to a demographic particularly susceptible to fear-based appeals on crime. Older Americans are particularly likely to believe (incorrectly) that crime is on the rise nationally: 72% of those over 65 and 67% of those between 45 and 64 believe crime rose nationally over the past decade, and majorities of both of those groups described crime as a very serious national problem. Even so, only about half of voters over 65 described crime as very important to their 2020 presidential vote.
The HuffPost/YouGov poll came the same week Trump stoked racist fears in an appeal to white suburbanites, warning about an impending invasion of low-income housing that only he could stop. Touting his rescinding of an Obama-era fair housing rule, Trump told people living their “Suburban Lifestyle Dream” that “crime will go down” in the suburbs because of his action. The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing mandate required suburbs subsidized by federal grants and aid to evaluate their racial segregation and offer plans to address the issue. (Suburbs, which exploded during an even more explicitly racist period in American history, were heavily subsidized by the federal government, which for decades locked Black Americans out of the opportunity to build up their savings through homeownership, exacerbating the current massive racial gap in wealth.)
Advertisement
The reasons for disparities in violent crime rates are unquestionably complex, but racial segregation ― and the increased concentrations of poverty that the government’s subsidization of white-only suburbs brought about ― undeniably remains a key driving factor today. Trump, instead of engaging in the growing national dialogue around the consequences of historic government-backed racist policies and potential modern-day remedies, has sought to reassure white suburbanites benefiting from the explicitly racist housing policies of the past that he’ll maintain the status quo and kill even modest efforts to help remedy past inequities.
Trump’s return to a major component of his 2016 playbook isn’t particularly surprising. His Justice Department brushed aside its mandate to reform troubled police departments, all but abandoning the federal government’s police reform work based in part on the belief that highlighting patterns of unconstitutional conduct against American citizens hurts police officers’ feelings. Trump also endorsed police brutality in a speech he gave to members of law enforcement.
For the 2020 campaign, Trump is falsely claiming that Joe Biden ― who championed a massive, federally subsidized expansion of local police forces in the 1990s ― wants to defund police departments. Trump’s warnings about crime have come after his long-running attacks on federal law enforcement officials, whom he’s criticized for investigating crimes committed by his friends and associates. Trump’s attacks on the FBI even boosted the defense of three Trump supporters later convicted in a domestic terrorism plot targeting a community of Muslim refugees.
Still, it’s tough for Trump to paint Biden, a well-established white politician with a long history of support for and from law enforcement, as an anti-cop radical. So he’s also targeted (often Black) mayors and progressive prosecutors in major cities whom he accuses of enabling and coddling rioters during the protests that began after a white police officer killed George Floyd, a Black man, in late May.
Advertisement
Use the widget below to further explore the results of the HuffPost/YouGov survey, using the menu at the top to select survey questions and the buttons at the bottom to filter the data by subgroups.
The HuffPost/YouGov poll consisted of 1,000 completed interviews conducted July 22-24 among U.S. adults, using a sample selected from YouGov’s opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population.
HuffPost has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov’s nationally representative opinion polling. More details on the polls’ methodology are available here.
Most surveys report a margin of error that represents some but not all potential survey errors. YouGov’s reports include a model-based margin of error, which rests on a specific set of statistical assumptions about the selected sample rather than the standard methodology for random probability sampling. If these assumptions are wrong, the model-based margin of error may also be inaccurate.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Oregon Governor Says Trump's Plan To 'Dominate' The Streets 'Failed'

Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown and President Donald Trump both refused to back down over whether federal force is appropriate at the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests in Portland .
Trump tweeted at Brown on Thursday morning , accusing her of “ not doing her job ” as the demonstrations at federal buildings in downtown Portland continue .
He described the protesters as “ Anarchists & Agitators ” and threatened to continue using federal force in the state if she didn ’ t “ clear out ” and “ arrest ” protesters .
“ If she can ’ t do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it for her , ” Trump said in a tweet .
“ We will not be leaving until there is safety !
” “ The President ’ s plan to ‘ dominate ’ the streets of American cities has failed , ” the governor tweeted .
“ And today , federal troops are preparing to leave downtown Portland .
We will protect free speech and the right to protest peacefully.
” I think we ’ ve had enough political grandstanding from DC .
The President ’ s plan to `` dominate '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And today , federal troops are preparing to leave downtown Portland .
We will protect free speech and the right to protest peacefully .
— Governor Kate Brown ( @ OregonGovBrown ) July 30 , 2020 For two months , protesters have marched the streets of downtown Portland in response to the police killings of George Floyd and other unarmed Black civilians .
While Black Lives Matter protests have been sweeping major cities across the country , the presence of federal agents in military gear in Portland and their sometimes violent clashes with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump has said he sent federal agents into Portland in an attempt to “ quell ” unrest at the protests , though Oregon leaders accuse the administration of violating the state ’ s public right to “ safety ” and “ peace.
” A lawsuit filed by Oregon ’ s attorney general claims that the federal agents are injuring citizens by taking away their “ ability to determine whether they are being kidnapped by militia or other malfeasants dressed in paramilitary gear.
” Earlier this week , Brown announced that there would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal agents from Portland as a result of an agreement she made with Vice President Mike Pence and other officials .
“ These federal officers have acted as an occupying force , refused accountability , and brought violence and strife to our community , ” Brown said in a statement .
“ Beginning Thursday , all Customs and Border Protection and ICE officers will leave downtown Portland , and shortly thereafter will begin going home .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and President Donald Trump both refused to back down over whether federal force is appropriate at the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests in Portland.
Trump tweeted at Brown on Thursday morning, accusing her of “not doing her job” as the demonstrations at federal buildings in downtown Portland continue.
Advertisement
He described the protesters as “Anarchists & Agitators” and threatened to continue using federal force in the state if she didn’t “clear out” and “arrest” protesters.
“If she can’t do it, the Federal Government will do it for her,” Trump said in a tweet. “We will not be leaving until there is safety!”
Pushing back on Trump’s threat, Brown responded: “I think we’ve had enough political grandstanding from DC.”
“The President’s plan to ‘dominate’ the streets of American cities has failed,” the governor tweeted. “And today, federal troops are preparing to leave downtown Portland. We will protect free speech and the right to protest peacefully.”
Advertisement
I think we’ve had enough political grandstanding from DC. The President’s plan to "dominate" the streets of American cities has failed. And today, federal troops are preparing to leave downtown Portland. We will protect free speech and the right to protest peacefully. — Governor Kate Brown (@OregonGovBrown) July 30, 2020
For two months, protesters have marched the streets of downtown Portland in response to the police killings of George Floyd and other unarmed Black civilians.
While Black Lives Matter protests have been sweeping major cities across the country, the presence of federal agents in military gear in Portland and their sometimes violent clashes with protesters has put a spotlight on Oregon.
Videos of federal agents in unmarked vans detaining peaceful protesters in the city prompted outrage at the Trump administration.
Trump has said he sent federal agents into Portland in an attempt to “quell” unrest at the protests, though Oregon leaders accuse the administration of violating the state’s public right to “safety” and “peace.”
Advertisement
A lawsuit filed by Oregon’s attorney general claims that the federal agents are injuring citizens by taking away their “ability to determine whether they are being kidnapped by militia or other malfeasants dressed in paramilitary gear.”
Earlier this week, Brown announced that there would be a “phased withdrawal” of federal agents from Portland as a result of an agreement she made with Vice President Mike Pence and other officials.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--John Lewis Wrote An Op-Ed Just Before His Death

Rep. John Lewis ( D-Ga. ) , who will be buried Thursday after a memorial service , wrote a New York Times op-ed shortly before his death that he asked to be published on the day of his funeral .
In it , the legendary civil rights leader implored younger generations to continue his work fighting for racial equity and justice .
“ Though I may not be here with you , I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe , ” Lewis wrote .
“ In my life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrate that the way of peace , the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way .
Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.
” Lewis , who died of cancer on July 17 , sent the op-ed to the Times just two days earlier , according to the paper ’ s acting editorial page editor Kathleen Kingsbury .
He specifically requested that it be published on the day of his funeral , she said .
Lewis wrote that this summer ’ s nationwide anti-racism and anti-police brutality protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next chapter of the great American story.
” His last public appearance was in June , when Washington , D.C. , renamed a street a block from the White House as Black Lives Matter Plaza .
“ I just had to see and feel it for myself that , after many years of silent witness , the truth is still marching on , ” he wrote .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who will be buried Thursday after a memorial service, wrote a New York Times op-ed shortly before his death that he asked to be published on the day of his funeral.
In it, the legendary civil rights leader implored younger generations to continue his work fighting for racial equity and justice.
Advertisement
“Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe,” Lewis wrote. “In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.”
Lewis, who died of cancer on July 17, sent the op-ed to the Times just two days earlier, according to the paper’s acting editorial page editor Kathleen Kingsbury. He specifically requested that it be published on the day of his funeral, she said.
Lewis wrote that this summer’s nationwide anti-racism and anti-police brutality protests “filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story.” His last public appearance was in June, when Washington, D.C., renamed a street a block from the White House as Black Lives Matter Plaza.
“I just had to see and feel it for myself that, after many years of silent witness, the truth is still marching on,” he wrote.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Ohio House Votes To Remove Republican Speaker Charged With Bribery

The Ohio House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday to remove Republican Larry Householder as speaker of the GOP-controlled chamber following his arrest in a bribery case last week .
Householder and four others were arrested July 21 in connection with a $ 60 million federal bribery scheme involving state officials and associates .
Authorities say Householder and others enriched themselves by endorsing a bailout of more than $ 1 billion for a coal and nuclear power company in the state .
On Thursday , minutes before the Ohio House voted to strip Householder of power , the U.S. Attorney for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a grand jury had indicted the former speaker and the others who had been charged .
The speaker plays a key role in determining which legislation is taken up by House lawmakers and outlining the legislative session .
Householder had previously served as House speaker from 2001 to 2004 .
Both Democratic and Republican leaders in Ohio , including Republican Gov .
Mike DeWine , called for Householder to resign after the charges were announced .
On Tuesday , Ohio Republicans met privately to discuss removing Householder from the speakership and concluded they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After the meeting , a statement from Householder ’ s leadership team said he is “ entitled to his day in court and a presumption of innocence , ” but acknowledged it had “ become abundantly clear that he has lost the trust of his colleagues and the public , and is unable to effectively lead this chamber.
” A number of Ohio Republicans are reportedly already jockeying for the speaker ’ s job .
Ohio Republican Larry Householder , the former state House speaker , was removed from his position after being @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The Ohio House of Representatives voted unanimously Thursday to remove Republican Larry Householder as speaker of the GOP-controlled chamber following his arrest in a bribery case last week.
Householder and four others were arrested July 21 in connection with a $60 million federal bribery scheme involving state officials and associates. Authorities say Householder and others enriched themselves by endorsing a bailout of more than $1 billion for a coal and nuclear power company in the state.
Advertisement
On Thursday, minutes before the Ohio House voted to strip Householder of power, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio announced that a grand jury had indicted the former speaker and the others who had been charged.
#BREAKING: A federal grand jury has indicted Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and 4 others.
(Defendants were previously charged by criminal complaint)@USAttyDeVillers: “Dark money is a breeding ground for corruption. This investigation continues.” — US Attorney S. Ohio (@SDOHnews) July 30, 2020
Householder has resisted calls to resign from his House seat.
The speaker plays a key role in determining which legislation is taken up by House lawmakers and outlining the legislative session. Householder had previously served as House speaker from 2001 to 2004.
Both Democratic and Republican leaders in Ohio, including Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, called for Householder to resign after the charges were announced.
Advertisement
On Tuesday, Ohio Republicans met privately to discuss removing Householder from the speakership and concluded they had enough support to do so. After the meeting, a statement from Householder’s leadership team said he is “entitled to his day in court and a presumption of innocence,” but acknowledged it had “become abundantly clear that he has lost the trust of his colleagues and the public, and is unable to effectively lead this chamber.”
A number of Ohio Republicans are reportedly already jockeying for the speaker’s job.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-30--Trump Has No Legal Authority To Postpone 2020 Election, Experts Say

( Reuters ) - President Donald Trump on Thursday raised the possibility of delaying the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election , but the Constitution bestows that power on Congress , not the president .
Below are some facts around what changing the date of the election would entail : Article II of the Constitution gives Congress the power to set the date of the presidential election .
Since 1845 , that day has been every four years on the firstTuesday after the first Monday in November , which in 2020 is Nov. 3 .
Even if Trump declared a state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would not be permitted to change the day , legal experts said .
“ President Trump has absolutely no legal authority to delay the election , ” said Joshua Douglas , a professor at theUniversity of Kentucky and an election law expert .
Douglas noted that every presidential election since 1845 has gone forward as scheduled , even in the midst of wars and pandemics .
Congress could technically extend the ability to postpone anelection to the executive , according to a 2004 Congressional Research Service report .
However , given that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is virtually certain that Congress would not entertain any sort of postponement .
Any delay in the election could also require Congress to postpone other deadlines , including Dec. 14 , when the ElectoralCollege - the electors from each state whose votes technically determine the presidential winner - must submit its ballots .
Bylaw , Congress must also gather on Jan. 6 at 1 p.m. to count the electoral votes and formally declare a winner .
Those dates are set out in the U.S. Code , a compilation of federal law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election , Trump ’ s presidential term would still end at noon on Jan. 20 , 2021 , adate that is set in the Constitution ’ s 20th Amendment .
Only another amendment , which requires a supermajority of two-thirds approval in both chambers of Congress as well as ratification by at least 38 U.S. states , can alter that date .
If there were no winner of the presidential election by Jan.20 , the Constitution dictates that the Speaker of the House - currently Democrat Nancy Pelosi - would become acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @

LOADING ERROR LOADING
(Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday raised the possibility of delaying the Nov. 3 U.S. presidential election, but the Constitution bestows that power on Congress, not the president.
Below are some facts around what changing the date of the election would entail:
CONGRESSIONAL POWER
Article II of the Constitution gives Congress the power to set the date of the presidential election.
Advertisement
Since 1845, that day has been every four years on the firstTuesday after the first Monday in November, which in 2020 is Nov. 3.
Even if Trump declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus, he would not be permitted to change the day, legal experts said.
“President Trump has absolutely no legal authority to delay the election,” said Joshua Douglas, a professor at theUniversity of Kentucky and an election law expert.
Douglas noted that every presidential election since 1845 has gone forward as scheduled, even in the midst of wars and pandemics.
Advertisement
Congress could technically extend the ability to postpone anelection to the executive, according to a 2004 Congressional Research Service report.
However, given that Democrats currently control the House of Representatives, it is virtually certain that Congress would not entertain any sort of postponement.
Any delay in the election could also require Congress to postpone other deadlines, including Dec. 14, when the ElectoralCollege - the electors from each state whose votes technically determine the presidential winner - must submit its ballots. Bylaw, Congress must also gather on Jan. 6 at 1 p.m. to count the electoral votes and formally declare a winner.
Those dates are set out in the U.S. Code, a compilation of federal law.
DELAY COULD ONLY BE TEMPORARY
Even if Congress decided to delay the election, Trump’s presidential term would still end at noon on Jan. 20, 2021, adate that is set in the Constitution’s 20th Amendment.
Only another amendment, which requires a supermajority of two-thirds approval in both chambers of Congress as well as ratification by at least 38 U.S. states, can alter that date.
Advertisement
If there were no winner of the presidential election by Jan.20, the Constitution dictates that the Speaker of the House - currently Democrat Nancy Pelosi - would become acting president until a successor was confirmed.