thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Remdesivir Didn’t Help COVID-19 Patients: WHO Study

GENEVA ( AP ) — A large study led by the World Health Organization suggests that the antiviral drug remdesivir did not help hospitalized COVID-19 patients , in contrast to an earlier study that made the medicine a standard of care in the United States and many other countries .
The results announced Friday do not negate the previous ones , and the WHO study was not as rigorous as the earlier one led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health .
But they add to concerns about how much value the pricey drug gives because none of the studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The drug has not been approved for COVID-19 in the U.S. , but it was authorized for emergency use after the previous study found it shortened recovery time by five days on average .
It ’ s approved for use against COVID-19 in the United Kingdom and Europe , and is among the treatments U.S. President Donald Trump received when he was infected earlier this month .
The WHO study involved more than 11,000 patients in 30 countries .
About 2,750 were randomly assigned to get remdesivir .
The rest got either the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interferon , the antiviral combo lopinavir-ritonavir , or just usual care .
The other drugs have largely been ruled out for COVID-19 by previous studies , but not remdesivir .
Death rates after 28 days , the need for breathing machines and time in the hospital were relatively similar for those given remdesivir versus usual care .
The results have not been published in a journal or reviewed by independent scientists , but were posted on a site researchers use to share results quickly .

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GENEVA (AP) — A large study led by the World Health Organization suggests that the antiviral drug remdesivir did not help hospitalized COVID-19 patients, in contrast to an earlier study that made the medicine a standard of care in the United States and many other countries.
The results announced Friday do not negate the previous ones, and the WHO study was not as rigorous as the earlier one led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. But they add to concerns about how much value the pricey drug gives because none of the studies have found it can improve survival.
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The drug has not been approved for COVID-19 in the U.S., but it was authorized for emergency use after the previous study found it shortened recovery time by five days on average. It’s approved for use against COVID-19 in the United Kingdom and Europe, and is among the treatments U.S. President Donald Trump received when he was infected earlier this month.
The WHO study involved more than 11,000 patients in 30 countries. About 2,750 were randomly assigned to get remdesivir. The rest got either the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, the immune-system booster interferon, the antiviral combo lopinavir-ritonavir, or just usual care. The other drugs have largely been ruled out for COVID-19 by previous studies, but not remdesivir.
Death rates after 28 days, the need for breathing machines and time in the hospital were relatively similar for those given remdesivir versus usual care.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--FBI Probing If Russia Involved In Hunter Biden Email Story

Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani gave the New York Post a hard drive that allegedly contained Hunter Biden 's emails .
WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The FBI is investigating whether emails that were published by the New York Post related to Joe Biden ’ s son , Hunter , are connected to a possible Russian influence operation to spread disinformation , according to a person familiar with the matter .
The newspaper said in its story Wednesday that it had obtained a hard drive from Rudy Giuliani containing the emails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a laptop that had been left last year at a Delaware computer repair shop for service but never retrieved .
The unlikely account of how the emails surfaced raised immediate questions about Russian involvement , particularly because U.S. officials have warned that Russia — which backed Trump ’ s 2016 campaign through hacking and a covert social media campaign — is interfering again this year .
The episode is being investigated as part of a possible Russian influence operation , according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discuss an ongoing matter .
It underscores the extent to which Giuliani , through his activities , is a risk to a White House that spent years shadowed by a federal investigation into whether Trump associates had coordinated with Russia .
The authenticity of the emails remained unclear as of Friday , including whether they were hacked or possibly forged or both .
Giuliani did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment , but he said in a Fox News interview Friday that the material was “ authentic as hell.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , citing the bureau ’ s practice of neither confirming nor denying investigations .

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani gave the New York Post a hard drive that allegedly contained Hunter Biden's emails. Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images
WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI is investigating whether emails that were published by the New York Post related to Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, are connected to a possible Russian influence operation to spread disinformation, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The newspaper said in its story Wednesday that it had obtained a hard drive from Rudy Giuliani containing the emails, and that the messages were found on a laptop that had been left last year at a Delaware computer repair shop for service but never retrieved.
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The unlikely account of how the emails surfaced raised immediate questions about Russian involvement, particularly because U.S. officials have warned that Russia — which backed Trump’s 2016 campaign through hacking and a covert social media campaign — is interfering again this year.
The episode is being investigated as part of a possible Russian influence operation, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press to discuss an ongoing matter. It underscores the extent to which Giuliani, through his activities, is a risk to a White House that spent years shadowed by a federal investigation into whether Trump associates had coordinated with Russia.
The authenticity of the emails remained unclear as of Friday, including whether they were hacked or possibly forged or both. Giuliani did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment, but he said in a Fox News interview Friday that the material was “authentic as hell.”
An FBI spokeswoman declined to comment Friday, citing the bureau’s practice of neither confirming nor denying investigations.
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NBC News was the first to report the FBI’s investigation.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Sen. David Perdue Takes Racist Jab At Kamala Harris's Name

Republican Sen. David Perdue of Georgia resorted to cheap , racist jokes about Sen. Kamala Harris ’ s name while warming up the crowd at President Donald Trump ’ s campaign rally Friday evening .
“ Ka-MA-la , KA-ma-la , Kamala-mala-mala .
I don ’ t know , whatever , ” Perdue , who ’ s in a tight race for his Senate seat , said in Macon , Georgia , according to several reporters at the rally .
As the California senator wrote in her 2019 memoir , her name is pronounced ” ‘ comma-la , ’ like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flower , ’ which is a symbol of significance in Indian culture .
A lotus grows underwater , its flower rising above the surface while its roots are planted firmly in the river bottom.
” Perdue , who ’ s been Harris ’ s colleague in the Senate for years , might benefit from listening to these children explain how to pronounce her name , which they did in a video for her 2016 Senate run .
Harris , the first Black woman and the first Asian American woman named to a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter of an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father .
Jokes about her name ― and even the careless mispronunciation of it ― are a lazy way to paint her as a political outsider because of her race , her allies say .
“ You know who ’ s further left than Crazy Bernie ?
Kamala .
Kamala .
Kamala , ” he said at a rally last month , mispronouncing her name and stretching out each syllable .
A spokesperson for Perdue told HuffPost that he wasn ’ t making fun of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Harris ’ name , and he didn ’ t mean anything by it , ” the spokesperson said .
“ Senator Perdue ’ s intentionally disrespectful mispronunciation of Senator Harris ’ s name is a bigoted and racist tactic straight from President Trump ’ s handbook , ” Nikema Williams , chair of the Georgia Democratic Party , said in a statement .
“ He owes Georgians an apology for his offensive display.
” Trump and conservative Republicans , as they did with Barack Obama throughout his presidency , pushed racist birther @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden named her as his running mate .
Legal scholars said there is no basis to their claims .
We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

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Republican Sen. David Perdue of Georgia resorted to cheap, racist jokes about Sen. Kamala Harris’s name while warming up the crowd at President Donald Trump’s campaign rally Friday evening.
“Ka-MA-la, KA-ma-la, Kamala-mala-mala. I don’t know, whatever,” Perdue, who’s in a tight race for his Senate seat, said in Macon, Georgia, according to several reporters at the rally.
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The campaign for Perdue’s opponent, Democrat Jon Ossoff, tweeted out a video of the moment.
David Perdue is just gross.
He mispronounced @KamalaHarris' name just now warming up the stage for @realDonaldTrump to score race-baiting, cheap political cheers. pic.twitter.com/kiLmn8682A — Miryam Lipper (@MiryamLipper) October 16, 2020
As the California senator wrote in her 2019 memoir, her name is pronounced ”‘comma-la,’ like the punctuation mark. It means ‘lotus flower,’ which is a symbol of significance in Indian culture. A lotus grows underwater, its flower rising above the surface while its roots are planted firmly in the river bottom.”
Perdue, who’s been Harris’s colleague in the Senate for years, might benefit from listening to these children explain how to pronounce her name, which they did in a video for her 2016 Senate run.
People pronounce my name many different ways. Let #KidsForKamala show you how it’s done. pic.twitter.com/7QoQGN0B4k — Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 24, 2016
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Harris, the first Black woman and the first Asian American woman named to a major party’s ticket, is the daughter of an Indian-born mother and Jamaican-born father. Jokes about her name ― and even the careless mispronunciation of it ― are a lazy way to paint her as a political outsider because of her race, her allies say.
Trump has similarly mocked her name.
“You know who’s further left than Crazy Bernie? Kamala. Kamala. Kamala,” he said at a rally last month, mispronouncing her name and stretching out each syllable.
A spokesperson for Perdue told HuffPost that he wasn’t making fun of her name. “Senator Perdue simply mispronounced Senator Harris’ name, and he didn’t mean anything by it,” the spokesperson said.
Democrats didn’t buy it.
“Senator Perdue’s intentionally disrespectful mispronunciation of Senator Harris’s name is a bigoted and racist tactic straight from President Trump’s handbook,” Nikema Williams, chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, said in a statement. “He owes Georgians an apology for his offensive display.”
Trump and conservative Republicans, as they did with Barack Obama throughout his presidency, pushed racist birther conspiracy theories about Harris just days after Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden named her as his running mate. Legal scholars said there is no basis to their claims.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Katie Porter 'Strongly' Disagrees With Dianne Feinstein About The Coney Barrett Hearing

Many progressives were dismayed this week upon hearing Sen. Dianne Feinstein ’ s ( D-Calif. ) heap praise on this week ’ s confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett , calling them “ one of the best set of hearings that I ’ ve participated in.
” The comments from the 87-year-old Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee ― accompanied by her embrace with Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) afterward ― symbolized to progressives the party ’ s inability to play hardball on court nominations and sparked an outcry among some groups who called for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has undercut Democrats ’ position at every step of this process , from undermining calls for filibuster and Court reform straight through to thanking Republicans for the most egregious partisan power grab in the modern history of the Supreme Court , ” said Brian Fallon , founder and executive director of Demand Justice , a progressive judicial advocacy group .
On Friday , Rep. Katie Porter ( D-Calif. ) , a progressive rock star who has expressed interest in serving in the Senate , also said she disagreed with the senior senator from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s evasiveness in response to basic questions about health care , abortion , guns and even climate change as reasons why the hearings were a disappointment .
“ I disagree strongly with Sen. Feinstein that that set of hearings was one of the best or was even acceptable , ” Porter said in an interview with HuffPost .
“ I think Amy Coney Barrett did not answer basic questions about her beliefs and stonewalled repeatedly .
We got many fewer direct answers than we have out of most Supreme Court hearings.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any , blows against Barrett , a conservative judge who once clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia .
They railed against the process as “ illegitimate ” and a “ sham , ” especially after Republicans blocked President Barack Obama from appointing a Supreme Court justice in a similar election year .
And they cast the nomination as a vote that could threaten the future of the Affordable Care Act .
Even before this week ’ s hearings began , Democrats expressed concern that Feinstein — the second-oldest lawmaker in Congress who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be up to the task of leading her party in the Supreme Court battle .
Those concerns only deepened among some Democrats after the hearings ended .
“ It ’ s very hard to watch a colleague in decline .
That this is occurring publicly is even harder , ” one Democratic senator , who spoke on the condition of anonymity , told HuffPost on Thursday .

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Many progressives were dismayed this week upon hearing Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) heap praise on this week’s confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, calling them “one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in.”
The comments from the 87-year-old Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee ― accompanied by her embrace with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) afterward ― symbolized to progressives the party’s inability to play hardball on court nominations and sparked an outcry among some groups who called for her removal from the panel.
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“She has undercut Democrats’ position at every step of this process, from undermining calls for filibuster and Court reform straight through to thanking Republicans for the most egregious partisan power grab in the modern history of the Supreme Court,” said Brian Fallon, founder and executive director of Demand Justice, a progressive judicial advocacy group.
On Friday, Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), a progressive rock star who has expressed interest in serving in the Senate, also said she disagreed with the senior senator from California.
Porter specifically pointed to Barrett’s evasiveness in response to basic questions about health care, abortion, guns and even climate change as reasons why the hearings were a disappointment.
“I disagree strongly with Sen. Feinstein that that set of hearings was one of the best or was even acceptable,” Porter said in an interview with HuffPost. “I think Amy Coney Barrett did not answer basic questions about her beliefs and stonewalled repeatedly. We got many fewer direct answers than we have out of most Supreme Court hearings.”
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“I thought it was a very poor set of hearings,” Porter added.
Democrats succeeded in landing few, if any, blows against Barrett, a conservative judge who once clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia. They railed against the process as “illegitimate” and a “sham,” especially after Republicans blocked President Barack Obama from appointing a Supreme Court justice in a similar election year. And they cast the nomination as a vote that could threaten the future of the Affordable Care Act.
Even before this week’s hearings began, Democrats expressed concern that Feinstein — the second-oldest lawmaker in Congress who won reelection in 2018 ― wouldn’t be up to the task of leading her party in the Supreme Court battle. Those concerns only deepened among some Democrats after the hearings ended.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--'Worst American President': New York Times Flames 'Racist Demagogue' Trump

The New York Times went scorched earth in a scathing editorial Friday , calling Donald Trump — with his “ rampant corruption , celebrations of violence , gross negligence with the public ’ s health ” and incompetence — the “ worst American president in modern history.
” “ End our national crisis ” the Times pleaded with voters to oust the president , adding that Trump ’ s reelection campaign “ poses the greatest threat to American democracy since World War II.
” Trump “ can not solve the nation ’ s pressing problems because he is the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the newspaper flatly said .
“ He is a racist demagogue presiding over an increasingly diverse country ; an isolationist in an interconnected world ; a showman forever boasting about things he has never done , and promising to do things he never will.
” The editorial is part of a special package in the Times ’ Sunday Review section that also features a series of accompanying essays about Trump ’ s corruption , his COVID-19 “ superspreader agenda , ” his “ fake populism , ” his racism , and his attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rights of people of color , women and the LGBTQ community .
“ We took no pleasure in writing these pieces , ” acting editorial page editor Kathleen Kingsbury wrote in a note Friday about the extraordinary pieces .
“ They are urgent because they are a call to action , a call to deny Trump a second term and return the country to a more peaceful , stable and respectful form of self-governance.
” The Times editorial warned that “ this is the moment when Americans must recover ” a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dulled by Trump ’ s relentless , overwhelming decency-busting behavior , and vote him out of office .
The newspaper warned that even as Americans wait in lines that stretch for blocks to vote , Trump is “ engaged in a full-throated assault on the integrity of that essential democratic process .
Breaking with all of his modern predecessors , he has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power , suggesting that his victory is the only legitimate outcome.
” Trump is a “ man of no integrity , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violated his oath to preserve , protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
” It added : “ Now , in this moment of peril , it falls to the American people — even those who would prefer a Republican president — to preserve , protect and defend the United States by voting .
”

The New York Times went scorched earth in a scathing editorial Friday, calling Donald Trump — with his “rampant corruption, celebrations of violence, gross negligence with the public’s health” and incompetence — the “worst American president in modern history.”
“End our national crisis” the Times pleaded with voters to oust the president, adding that Trump’s reelection campaign “poses the greatest threat to American democracy since World War II.”
Trump “cannot solve the nation’s pressing problems because he is the nation’s most pressing problem,” the newspaper flatly said. “He is a racist demagogue presiding over an increasingly diverse country; an isolationist in an interconnected world; a showman forever boasting about things he has never done, and promising to do things he never will.”
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The editorial is part of a special package in the Times’ Sunday Review section that also features a series of accompanying essays about Trump’s corruption, his COVID-19 “superspreader agenda,” his “fake populism,” his racism, and his attacks on the environment, immigration and on the rights of people of color, women and the LGBTQ community.
“We took no pleasure in writing these pieces,” acting editorial page editor Kathleen Kingsbury wrote in a note Friday about the extraordinary pieces. “They are urgent because they are a call to action, a call to deny Trump a second term and return the country to a more peaceful, stable and respectful form of self-governance.”
The Times editorial warned that “this is the moment when Americans must recover” a “sense of outrage” that has been dulled by Trump’s relentless, overwhelming decency-busting behavior, and vote him out of office.
The newspaper warned that even as Americans wait in lines that stretch for blocks to vote, Trump is “engaged in a full-throated assault on the integrity of that essential democratic process. Breaking with all of his modern predecessors, he has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, suggesting that his victory is the only legitimate outcome.”
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Trump is a “man of no integrity,” the Times concluded. “He has repeatedly violated his oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
It added: “Now, in this moment of peril, it falls to the American people — even those who would prefer a Republican president — to preserve, protect and defend the United States by voting.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Joe Biden's Town Hall Got More Viewers Than Donald Trump's Did

More people watched Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ’ s town hall on Thursday night than watched President Donald Trump ’ s , which took place at the same time .
Trump refused to participate in a virtual second debate with Biden after getting the coronavirus , so Biden scheduled a town hall for that evening , Oct. 15 , on ABC .
Later , NBC News announced a town hall at the same time with Trump .
Early data from ratings group Nielsen shows that Biden ’ s town hall , which aired on one network , captured about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , Trump ’ s , which aired on three channels at once — NBC , CNBC and MSNBC — garnered about 13.1 million .
These figures , which account for TV viewers , do not factor in people who watched online livestreams .
The president and former vice president communicated vastly differing messages to Americans in their competing town halls .
Trump refused to denounce QAnon and waffled on the value of face masks to fight COVID-19 , while Biden dove into complex and often dry explanations of his proposals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more .
“ Turns out more people last night were interested in watching a leader with a clear plan to get this pandemic under control and Americans back to work , than the same combative , chaotic liar whose incompetence got us into this mess — regardless of how many channels he was on , ” tweeted Biden ’ s campaign spokesperson TJ Ducklo .
Trump ’ s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment .

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More people watched Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s town hall on Thursday night than watched President Donald Trump’s, which took place at the same time.
Trump refused to participate in a virtual second debate with Biden after getting the coronavirus, so Biden scheduled a town hall for that evening, Oct. 15, on ABC. Later, NBC News announced a town hall at the same time with Trump.
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Early data from ratings group Nielsen shows that Biden’s town hall, which aired on one network, captured about 13.9 million viewers, per multiple reports. Meanwhile, Trump’s, which aired on three channels at once — NBC, CNBC and MSNBC — garnered about 13.1 million.
These figures, which account for TV viewers, do not factor in people who watched online livestreams.
The president and former vice president communicated vastly differing messages to Americans in their competing town halls. Trump refused to denounce QAnon and waffled on the value of face masks to fight COVID-19, while Biden dove into complex and often dry explanations of his proposals to combat climate change, support Black Americans and more.
“Turns out more people last night were interested in watching a leader with a clear plan to get this pandemic under control and Americans back to work, than the same combative, chaotic liar whose incompetence got us into this mess — regardless of how many channels he was on,” tweeted Biden’s campaign spokesperson TJ Ducklo.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Woman Who Said She Liked Trump's Smile During Town Hall Is Still Voting For Biden

A woman who addressed President Donald Trump during Thursday ’ s town hall by first complimenting him on his smile wants it to be clear that she is no fan of the man behind the grin , and actually plans on voting for Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
Paulette Dale , who was identified last night as a registered Republican voter who voted for Hilary Clinton in 2016 and is leaning toward Biden , was present at the town hall to ask Trump if he would continue cutting support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought into the United States as children eligibility to remain .
Before asking the question , however , she exclaimed that the president had a “ great smile.
” “ You ’ re so handsome when you smile , ” Dale said as Trump thanked her and ate up the praise , eliciting applause from the audience .
Dale ’ s rapport with Trump immediately drew reactions on social media , with some commentators rolling their eyes and others , like actress Bette Midler , quipping that Dale needed better vision care .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's town hall began her question by telling him he has a great smile & he 's so handsome when he smiles .
And when # JoeBiden is President , hopefully that woman will be able to access better vision care , bless her heart .
— bettemidler ( @ BetteMidler ) October 16 , 2020 In a surprise turn of events , however , Dale — a retired Miami Dade College professor — told the Miami New Times she ’ ll still be casting her vote for Biden , despite being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his administration was “ working very hard on the DACA program.
” “ I wish [ Trump ] would smile more and talk less , ” Dale said , adding that the president “ steps in it every time he opens his mouth.
” Dale , who also had a question about Trump ’ s skepticism toward climate change that she was unable to ask at the town hall , said that Trump was “ very combative and he doesn ’ t believe in science.
” “ And by his own words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows more than the public health experts , knows more than anybody , ” Dale said .
“ I believe Joe Biden will listen to the experts.
” Dale was sincere about the president ’ s looks though : “ I believe the man has a very nice smile ; there was no reason not to comment on it .
Smiles are important to me .
I like nice teeth.
” Twitter immediately reacted to news of this plot twist , pointing out that Dale ’ s praise of the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many men in power — including Trump himself — focus on women ’ s appearances rather than their ideas .
I may be an outlier here , but I loved Paulette Dale ’ s flattering Trump .
It ’ s brilliant , really .
Her remark that he should “ smile more , and talk less ” is spot on .
How many times have women heard that ?
She treated Trump like Trump treats women .
Good for her .
— Dianna Marie Iwillvote.com ( @ dianna912 ) October 16 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who told Trump he should smile more then grilled him on DACA is far more subversive than anything that 's appeared on Saturday Night Live .
— Aaron ( @ BobbyBigWheel ) October 16 , 2020 I will not hear a word against national treasure Paulette Dale who told the president he ’ d be much prettier if he smiled more and tried to be a little less shrill https : //t.co/GSxO4uFq23 — Kathleen Walsh ( @ kath_walsh ) October 16 , 2020

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A woman who addressed President Donald Trump during Thursday’s town hall by first complimenting him on his smile wants it to be clear that she is no fan of the man behind the grin, and actually plans on voting for Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Paulette Dale, who was identified last night as a registered Republican voter who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and is leaning toward Biden, was present at the town hall to ask Trump if he would continue cutting support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, which grants undocumented immigrants who were brought into the United States as children eligibility to remain.
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Before asking the question, however, she exclaimed that the president had a “great smile.”
“You’re so handsome when you smile,” Dale said as Trump thanked her and ate up the praise, eliciting applause from the audience.
Voter to President Trump at #TrumpTownHall: “You’re so handsome when you smile." pic.twitter.com/KgJThAtAQg — NBC News (@NBCNews) October 16, 2020
Dale’s rapport with Trump immediately drew reactions on social media, with some commentators rolling their eyes and others, like actress Bette Midler, quipping that Dale needed better vision care.
“You have a great smile”.........
- Live action Ms. Frizzle from Magic school bus talking to Trump — Chris Redd (@Reddsaidit) October 16, 2020
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congrats to the family that can use the pandemic as an excuse to not invite that trump-smile-loving lady to thanksgiving — maura quint (@behindyourback) October 16, 2020
Paulette Dale is an Allison Janney character waiting to happen pic.twitter.com/2RhAaZWI5A — rachel leishman (@RachelLeishman) October 16, 2020
Tonight a woman in the audience of Trump's town hall began her question by telling him he has a great smile & he's so handsome when he smiles. And when #JoeBiden is President, hopefully that woman will be able to access better vision care, bless her heart. — bettemidler (@BetteMidler) October 16, 2020
In a surprise turn of events, however, Dale — a retired Miami Dade College professor — told the Miami New Times she’ll still be casting her vote for Biden, despite being pleased with Trump’s answer that his administration was “working very hard on the DACA program.”
“I wish [Trump] would smile more and talk less,” Dale said, adding that the president “steps in it every time he opens his mouth.”
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Dale, who also had a question about Trump’s skepticism toward climate change that she was unable to ask at the town hall, said that Trump was “very combative and he doesn’t believe in science.”
“And by his own words, he knows more than the generals, knows more than the public health experts, knows more than anybody,” Dale said. “I believe Joe Biden will listen to the experts.”
Dale was sincere about the president’s looks though: “I believe the man has a very nice smile; there was no reason not to comment on it. Smiles are important to me. I like nice teeth.”
Twitter immediately reacted to news of this plot twist, pointing out that Dale’s praise of the president’s smile was ironically similar to the way that many men in power — including Trump himself — focus on women’s appearances rather than their ideas.
I may be an outlier here, but I loved Paulette Dale’s flattering Trump. It’s brilliant, really. Her remark that he should “smile more, and talk less” is spot on. How many times have women heard that? She treated Trump like Trump treats women. Good for her. — Dianna Marie Iwillvote.com (@dianna912) October 16, 2020
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The woman at the town hall who told Trump he should smile more then grilled him on DACA is far more subversive than anything that's appeared on Saturday Night Live. — Aaron (@BobbyBigWheel) October 16, 2020
I will not hear a word against national treasure Paulette Dale who told the president he’d be much prettier if he smiled more and tried to be a little less shrill https://t.co/GSxO4uFq23 — Kathleen Walsh (@kath_walsh) October 16, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Twitter Users Skewer Kayleigh McEnany's 'Everyone Is Against Us' Tweet

TWITTER is against us .
THE MEDIA is against us .
BIG TECH is against us .
THE SWAMP is @ @ @ @ @ STATE is against us .
THE HOLLYWOOD ELITE is against us .
CHINA is against @ @ @ @ @ has the WORKING MAN AND WOMAN and NOTHING can beat that‼

TWITTER is against us.
THE MEDIA is against us.
BIG TECH is against us.
THE SWAMP is against us.
THE DEEP STATE is against us.
THE HOLLYWOOD ELITE is against us.
CHINA is against us.
But President Trump has the WORKING MAN AND WOMAN and NOTHING can beat that‼


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Donald Trump's Contempt For Black Women On Full Display In Scathing New Video

Bestselling author Don Winslow ’ s latest viral video calls out President Donald Trump over his yearslong racist rhetoric and contempt for Black women .
In the 88-second spot shared Friday on YouTube , the narrator begins by noting Trump ’ s “ long history of racism ” before pointing out that the president “ especially hates Black women.
” The ad includes clips of Trump verbally attacking and insulting Rep. Maxine Waters ( D-Calif. ) as well as journalists Abby Phillip , Yamiche Alcindor and April Ryan , showing that the accusation is “ not hyperbole , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows part of an interview with Fox Business ’ Maria Bartiromo where Trump calls Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris ( D-Calif. ) a “ monster ” who had been “ destroyed ” by Vice President Mike Pence in last week ’ s debate .
The president ’ s verbal attacks on women were similarly the focus of a video released Friday by The Lincoln Project , the group of disaffected Republicans who are working to defeat Trump this November .
The videos combined have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have noted , it remains unclear whether viral attack ads convince swing voters on Election Day .

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Bestselling author Don Winslow’s latest viral video calls out President Donald Trump over his yearslong racist rhetoric and contempt for Black women.
In the 88-second spot shared Friday on YouTube, the narrator begins by noting Trump’s “long history of racism” before pointing out that the president “especially hates Black women.”
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The ad includes clips of Trump verbally attacking and insulting Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) as well as journalists Abby Phillip, Yamiche Alcindor and April Ryan, showing that the accusation is “not hyperbole,” the voiceover says.
Elsewhere, the video shows part of an interview with Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo where Trump calls Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) a “monster” who had been “destroyed” by Vice President Mike Pence in last week’s debate.
The president’s verbal attacks on women were similarly the focus of a video released Friday by The Lincoln Project, the group of disaffected Republicans who are working to defeat Trump this November.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--11-Year-Old's Kamala Harris Costume Gets VP Candidate's Stamp Of Approval

An 11-year-old Virginia girl ’ s timely tribute to Kamala Harris earned a thumbs-up from none other than the Democratic vice presidential candidate herself .
Last week , Erinn Harley-Lewis of Vienna , Virginia , posted a short video of her daughter Celeste Harley dressed as Harris to Twitter .
Wearing a blue blazer , pearl necklace and high heels , Celeste walks confidently down her family ’ s driveway as if it were a debate stage .
“ I want to help all the American people , ” she proclaims to her mother , who plays the role of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care for all , equality and justice under the law.
” Harley-Lewis posted the adorable video to Twitter on Oct. 6 , just one day before Harris debated Vice President Mike Pence .
A day later , the clip got a stamp of approval from Harris herself , who quipped , “ She has my vote.
” As of Friday afternoon , Harley-Lewis ’ video had been viewed more than 733,000 times , appearing in national news outlets like BET and “ Good Morning America.
” Harley-Lewis said seeing her daughter emulate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American woman to be nominated for vice president by a major party , touched her heart .
“ It was a moving moment for me , ” she said .
“ When I was 11 , I didn ’ t have anybody standing on that American political stage , not at this level .
So it ’ s certainly , for me , moving history forward.
” Though honored by the support her family has received on social media , Harley-Lewis said her sole aim in posting the video of her daughter was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I threw it out in the ether and thought , ‘ For some , one-in-a-bazillion chance that she sees this , at least I will have said thank you to her , ’ ” she told Virginia news outlet WDVM .
“ That ’ s what it was about : ‘ I ’ m grateful .
Thank you for giving us a good role model ― being a good role model ― and representation matters .
’ ”

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An 11-year-old Virginia girl’s timely tribute to Kamala Harris earned a thumbs-up from none other than the Democratic vice presidential candidate herself.
Last week, Erinn Harley-Lewis of Vienna, Virginia, posted a short video of her daughter Celeste Harley dressed as Harris to Twitter.
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Wearing a blue blazer, pearl necklace and high heels, Celeste walks confidently down her family’s driveway as if it were a debate stage.
“I want to help all the American people,” she proclaims to her mother, who plays the role of reporter. “I want to deliver health care for all, equality and justice under the law.”
Harley-Lewis posted the adorable video to Twitter on Oct. 6, just one day before Harris debated Vice President Mike Pence.
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A day later, the clip got a stamp of approval from Harris herself, who quipped, “She has my vote.”
She has my vote. Tell her to keep leading. — Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 7, 2020
As of Friday afternoon, Harley-Lewis’ video had been viewed more than 733,000 times, appearing in national news outlets like BET and “Good Morning America.”
Harley-Lewis said seeing her daughter emulate Harris, the first Black and Asian American woman to be nominated for vice president by a major party, touched her heart.
“It was a moving moment for me,” she said. “When I was 11, I didn’t have anybody standing on that American political stage, not at this level. So it’s certainly, for me, moving history forward.”
Though honored by the support her family has received on social media, Harley-Lewis said her sole aim in posting the video of her daughter was to express her gratitude to Harris.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Susan Collins Donated To QAnon Supporters Running For Office

Sen. Susan Collins , the Maine Republican facing stiff competition from Democratic challenger Sara Gideon , donated to two state legislature candidates who support the bizarre conspiracy theory QAnon , Mainer was first to report Friday .
Polls show Gideon has a solid lead over Collins , a centrist whose 2018 vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court kicked off a massive fundraising effort for her eventual opponent .
She has recently drawn the ire of President Donald Trump for a “ nasty rumor ” that she would not vote to support his latest Supreme Court nominee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than just a rumor : Collins pledged last month not to vote on Trump ’ s nominee to fill the seat vacated by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg .
Now , in the final weeks of her campaign , Collins is facing criticism for indirectly promoting QAnon , a baseless far-right conspiracy that posits Trump is fighting a deep-state cabal of Satanic pedophiles .
Its followers have exhibited violent tendencies in the past .
Trump also sparked outrage when he was asked about the conspiracy theory during his town hall Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ nothing ” about the group .
“ What I do hear about it is they are very strongly against pedophilia , and I agree with that , ” the president said , adding that they “ fight it very hard.
” Their social media activity showed them advocating for QAnon and its convoluted belief system , according to Mainer , which also interviewed Redmond .
“ What I understand about the QAnon program is that the military is going to need to intervene eventually , ” Redmond told the outlet , explaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ II ” because although ” [ Nazism ] was dissolved , they were consumed into the U.S.A. , and the rich , cultist , Satanist families continued to utilize this Nazi force.
” Bushey , whose writings and views are not difficult to find on the internet , is challenging Democrat John Martin , currently serving his 21st non-consecutive term in the Maine House .
Bushey is featured in YouTube videos as a leader of a “ QAnon church , ” which interprets the conspiracy theory through the teachings of the Bible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicts “ military trials ” and “ God-declared executions ” of people involved with progressive and mainstream Democratic organizations after Election Day .
In an interview for a Mainer podcast posted in May , Bushey spoke in disparaging terms about Freemasons , bankers , Catholics and Jews , saying they “ have worked very diligently to support the idea that we should be in continuous war or having wars , because they like to finance both sides of the equation .
They ’ re the producers , the manufacturers , and they control @ @ @ @ @

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Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican facing stiff competition from Democratic challenger Sara Gideon, donated to two state legislature candidates who support the bizarre conspiracy theory QAnon, Mainer was first to report Friday.
Both of the Republican candidates, Kevin Bushey and Brian Redmond, received $400 from Collins’ political action committee, Dirigo PAC, records show.
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A request for comment from Collins’ office was not immediately returned.
Polls show Gideon has a solid lead over Collins, a centrist whose 2018 vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court kicked off a massive fundraising effort for her eventual opponent.
She has recently drawn the ire of President Donald Trump for a “nasty rumor” that she would not vote to support his latest Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. It is more than just a rumor: Collins pledged last month not to vote on Trump’s nominee to fill the seat vacated by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Now, in the final weeks of her campaign, Collins is facing criticism for indirectly promoting QAnon, a baseless far-right conspiracy that posits Trump is fighting a deep-state cabal of Satanic pedophiles. Its followers have exhibited violent tendencies in the past.
Trump also sparked outrage when he was asked about the conspiracy theory during his town hall Thursday night and dodged by claiming to know “nothing” about the group.
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“What I do hear about it is they are very strongly against pedophilia, and I agree with that,” the president said, adding that they “fight it very hard.”
Both Bushey and Redmond are military veterans running to represent districts in northern Maine.
Their social media activity showed them advocating for QAnon and its convoluted belief system, according to Mainer, which also interviewed Redmond.
“What I understand about the QAnon program is that the military is going to need to intervene eventually,” Redmond told the outlet, explaining that “Nazis never lost World War II” because although ”[Nazism] was dissolved, they were consumed into the U.S.A., and the rich, cultist, Satanist families continued to utilize this Nazi force.”
“The end of World War III will end with Donald Trump,” Redmond said. He is challenging Democrat David McCrea, a second-term incumbent.
Bushey, whose writings and views are not difficult to find on the internet, is challenging Democrat John Martin, currently serving his 21st non-consecutive term in the Maine House.
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Bushey is featured in YouTube videos as a leader of a “QAnon church,” which interprets the conspiracy theory through the teachings of the Bible. A website for the “church” predicts “military trials” and “God-declared executions” of people involved with progressive and mainstream Democratic organizations after Election Day.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Police Are Cutting Ties With Domestic Violence Programs That Support Black Lives Matter

In September , Bement said , she began receiving emails from local law enforcement who were disturbed by the signs , interpreting them as anti-police .
Around the same time , mass protests had erupted in Wisconsin over the police shooting of Jacob Blake .
After some private back-and-forths , Embrace issued a formal statement online to explain its support for Black Lives Matter .
“ If we want to end intimate partner violence and sexual violence , we must grapple with our country ’ s long history of racism , slavery , genocide , and colonization , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 , read .
“ We hope you will join us in breaking the cycle of trauma created by racism and violence.
” Eight days after Embrace ’ s statement was posted online , Barron County voted to strip the organization of $ 25,000 in funding for 2021 .
The county ’ s director of health and human services resigned from Embrace ’ s board of directors .
Since then , a majority of the 17 law enforcement agencies that work with Embrace have indicated that they will no longer partner with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement in Washburn County .
That means women who call the police for help , for instance , may not be referred to Embrace for help with safety planning , counseling and support .
As an emotional dialogue over police brutality and racial justice has roiled the nation , domestic violence agencies have found themselves in an uneasy position .
Founded on anti-violence principles , many have felt compelled to reflect on the ways in which their historical reliance on the criminal justice system has excluded and even harmed some victims , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and on private email lists , domestic violence advocates have embarked on soul-searching .
A working group of national leaders has even been formed to discuss the issue .
But staking out a public position that might be perceived as anti-police can be perilous for domestic violence groups , who rely on partnerships with local law enforcement and often receive funding from criminal justice sources .
Some have still chosen to do so .
In June , 47 state and territorial coalitions against sexual assault and domestic violence signed a letter decrying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the solution to violence and calling for greater investment in community resources .
The experience of survivors is not a monolith , Miller added .
Some who call the police experience safety and the form of justice they seek .
“ Others experience revictimization as a result of implicit bias or discrimination , or choose not report to police , often fearing they would not be believed , nothing would be done , or that the criminal justice system would not otherwise offer what is most helpful to their healing , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ captured in an anonymous survey of survivors conducted by Alliance for Hope International , a domestic violence organization based in California , in August .
When survivors were asked if they had positive experiences with police officers or detectives during domestic violence incidents , almost 57 % said yes .
But when asked if they ’ d had a negative experience , 50 % also said yes .
Exactly how Embrace will be affected by the police revolt will vary from county to county , police department to police department .
In Barron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local news outlet that while his office would no longer partner with Embrace on projects , it would continue to refer victims until an alternative was found .
Some other police departments in Barron have indicated they will not make referrals , Bement said .
Either way , the domestic violence agency will have less money to work with , as the county has withdrawn $ 25,000 in funding .

Over the summer, Embrace, a domestic violence organization in northwestern Wisconsin, decided to hang Black Lives Matter signs at its four locations.
It was a small but meaningful sign of allyship amid a national reckoning on police violence and systemic racism. Embrace serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in four rural, predominantly white counties ― Rusk, Washburn, Barron and Price ― and Katie Bement, the executive director, wanted to ensure people of color felt comfortable visiting it.
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“We were approaching it from an accessibility standpoint,” she told HuffPost over Zoom on Thursday. “We needed to show that we’re safe for those communities of color.”
In September, Bement said, she began receiving emails from local law enforcement who were disturbed by the signs, interpreting them as anti-police. Around the same time, mass protests had erupted in Wisconsin over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. After some private back-and-forths, Embrace issued a formal statement online to explain its support for Black Lives Matter. “If we want to end intimate partner violence and sexual violence, we must grapple with our country’s long history of racism, slavery, genocide, and colonization,” the letter, posted to Facebook on Sept. 30, read. “We hope you will join us in breaking the cycle of trauma created by racism and violence.”
The goal was to clear up any misunderstandings, Bement said. Instead, it has led to an all-out revolt from local officials and law enforcement who have since cut ties with the domestic violence agency.
Katie Bement, executive director of Embrace, poses at Rusk County Office & Safe Shelter in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. The agency recently lost both funding and police support after displaying Black Lives Matter signs at its four locations. Nicole Neri for HuffPost
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Eight days after Embrace’s statement was posted online, Barron County voted to strip the organization of $25,000 in funding for 2021. The county’s director of health and human services resigned from Embrace’s board of directors. Since then, a majority of the 17 law enforcement agencies that work with Embrace have indicated that they will no longer partner with the domestic violence organization, including all law enforcement in Washburn County. That means women who call the police for help, for instance, may not be referred to Embrace for help with safety planning, counseling and support.
Embrace is not the only domestic violence organization feeling the backlash. In multiple states, a number of groups are experiencing a similar reckoning with law enforcement agencies for backing the Black Lives Matter movement. Support is being withdrawn, alliances broken.
As an emotional dialogue over police brutality and racial justice has roiled the nation, domestic violence agencies have found themselves in an uneasy position. Founded on anti-violence principles, many have felt compelled to reflect on the ways in which their historical reliance on the criminal justice system has excluded and even harmed some victims, especially people of color. In internal meetings and on private email lists, domestic violence advocates have embarked on soul-searching. A working group of national leaders has even been formed to discuss the issue.
But staking out a public position that might be perceived as anti-police can be perilous for domestic violence groups, who rely on partnerships with local law enforcement and often receive funding from criminal justice sources. Some have still chosen to do so. In June, 47 state and territorial coalitions against sexual assault and domestic violence signed a letter decrying the consequences of centering police and prisons as the solution to violence and calling for greater investment in community resources.
At home, some of the signers faced backlash. In Nebraska, the Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence was contacted by the state Sheriffs’ Association, which requested that it remove the coalition’s name from the letter. It declined.
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Top left: Kendra Carillon, youth development advocate at Embrace, is shown working at the shelter. Top right: Binders and toys sit on shelves inside the shelter, which serves clients in four rural counties. Bottom left: A drawing from a child who stayed in the shelter is pinned up. Bottom right: Bement walks by a Maya Angelou quote on the wall. Nicole Neri for HuffPost
“Our organization has chosen to intentionally center our work with an anti-oppression lens, and to raise the voices of women of color,” said Lynne Lange, the coalition’s executive director. “We will not shy away from that now.”
In Idaho, the state Chiefs of Police Association, Sheriffs Association, and the Prosecuting Attorneys Association withdrew their support from the state’s coalition against sexual and domestic violence because it signed the letter, according to its executive director Kelly Miller.
“We wonder how these responses will support the healing and safety of people who experience violence?” she wrote in an email to HuffPost.
The experience of survivors is not a monolith, Miller added. Some who call the police experience safety and the form of justice they seek. “Others experience revictimization as a result of implicit bias or discrimination, or choose not report to police, often fearing they would not be believed, nothing would be done, or that the criminal justice system would not otherwise offer what is most helpful to their healing,” she said.
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That complicated picture was captured in an anonymous survey of survivors conducted by Alliance for Hope International, a domestic violence organization based in California, in August. When survivors were asked if they had positive experiences with police officers or detectives during domestic violence incidents, almost 57% said yes. But when asked if they’d had a negative experience, 50% also said yes.
To date, Embrace is the most extreme example of a domestic violence agency losing law enforcement support over its anti-racism work.
“To me, it sounded like they were declaring war on Embrace, none of which is good for victims and survivors,” said Gricel Santiago-Rivera, the interim executive director of Wisconsin’s state coalition, End Domestic Abuse.
Embrace has three outreach offices and one shelter serving victims from all four counties, a geographic area almost the size of Connecticut. In 2019, it provided services to almost a thousand people. It is the only domestic violence agency in the four-county area.
While the counties are around 95% white, a reservation for the St. Croix Chippewa Tribe falls partially within Embrace’s service area, and a large community of Somali Muslim refugees reside in Barron County. According to Embrace’s annual report, around 15% of survivors seen by the organization are Black, Indigenous or people of color.
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Exactly how Embrace will be affected by the police revolt will vary from county to county, police department to police department. In Barron County, Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald told a local news outlet that while his office would no longer partner with Embrace on projects, it would continue to refer victims until an alternative was found. Some other police departments in Barron have indicated they will not make referrals, Bement said. Either way, the domestic violence agency will have less money to work with, as the county has withdrawn $25,000 in funding.
“If you put the most marginalized and oppressed person in our community at the center of our work and you work towards their safety and liberation, it’s going to necessitate the safety and liberation of everybody else,” said Bement. Nicole Neri for HuffPost
In Rusk County, where the shelter is located, law enforcement has not changed its relationship with Embrace. In Price County, two departments have indicated to Bement that they are looking for different service options.
In Washburn County, all law enforcement has cut ties with Embrace.
On Oct. 8, the day after Barron County stripped Embrace’s funding, Bement received an email from Washburn County Chief Deputy Nick Helstern, notifying her that the Washburn County Sheriff’s Office, Shell Lake Police Department, Spooner Police Department, Minong Police Department and the Birchwood Police Department had withdrawn their partnership from Embrace.
Bement said police in Washburn County will no longer refer victims to Embrace for help. “They asked us to come pick up all of our brochures and referral materials because they don’t need them anymore,” she said.
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HuffPost reached out to law enforcement in Washburn County for comment and did not receive a response.
Among her biggest concerns is how police will handle high-risk domestic violence cases. In the four counties that Embrace serves, police are encouraged to screen victims for risk of lethality using a questionnaire, and to immediately refer high-risk victims to a domestic violence advocate for safety planning or shelter. “Lethality assessments,” as they are called, have been found to reduce domestic violence homicides.
Bement said she did not know what police in Washburn County will do now when they interact with victims who are at high risk of homicide, as Embrace is the only domestic violence agency in the county.
“A lot of times, what those calls result in is either somebody being transported to our shelter, or using a hotel voucher system that we have set up in each of our counties,” she said. “We’re extremely worried about this collaborative program in particular not existing as we believe it saves lives.”
Embrace has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month.
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Bement said she never expected the level of pushback that Embrace has received from law enforcement. She believed the Black Lives Matter statement would inspire tough, important conversations with Embrace’s partners, she added, not having her budget held hostage, and ultimately victims denied services.
“The best practices philosophy in our field is if you put the most marginalized and oppressed person in our community at the center of our work and you work towards their safety and liberation, it’s going to necessitate the safety and liberation of everybody else,” she said. “We felt we couldn’t stay silent and neutral.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Joe Biden Stays Behind After Town Hall, Continues To Answer Questions

Donald Trump likes to refer to Joe Biden as “ Sleepy Joe , ” but apparently he was the one who got tired first Thursday night .
The two presidential candidates held dueling town halls on rival networks ― Trump on NBC , Biden on ABC ― but it ’ s what they did after their events were over that is getting the attention .
After the president ’ s town hall , which lasted an hour , Trump stayed for a few photos but didn ’ t answer voter questions , according to USA Today .
Biden took a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended , he stayed on at least 30 additional minutes to answer questions to voters who didn ’ t get to speak during the ABC broadcast .
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden answers a question from a voter after an ABC town hall event on Oct. 15 .
Topics ranged from whether the National Guard should quell protests to the Trump administration ’ s Muslim travel ban .
After the @ ABC town hall in Philadelphia ended , @ JoeBiden has stayed behind to answer questions from voters who didn ’ t get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken questions on sending in the National Guard to quell protests , and on the Muslim travel ban pic.twitter.com/FapIxu6B0R — Johnny Verhovek ( @ JTHVerhovek ) October 16 , 2020 Mediaite noted that Biden received lots of praise for answering voter questions off-camera .
Still , ABC came under fire for only showing the interactions in the background while the network ’ s pundits speculated on what it all means .

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Donald Trump likes to refer to Joe Biden as “Sleepy Joe,” but apparently he was the one who got tired first Thursday night.
The two presidential candidates held dueling town halls on rival networks ― Trump on NBC, Biden on ABC ― but it’s what they did after their events were over that is getting the attention.
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After the president’s town hall, which lasted an hour, Trump stayed for a few photos but didn’t answer voter questions, according to USA Today.
Biden took a different approach: After his 90-minute broadcast ended, he stayed on at least 30 additional minutes to answer questions to voters who didn’t get to speak during the ABC broadcast.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden answers a question from a voter after an ABC town hall event on Oct. 15. Heidi Gutman via Getty Images
Topics ranged from whether the National Guard should quell protests to the Trump administration’s Muslim travel ban.
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After the @ABC town hall in Philadelphia ended, @JoeBiden has stayed behind to answer questions from voters who didn’t get a chance to ask
He’s taken questions on sending in the National Guard to quell protests, and on the Muslim travel ban pic.twitter.com/FapIxu6B0R — Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) October 16, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Trump Backs Off Denying Disaster Aid To Fire-Scorched California

President Donald Trump , who has repeatedly threatened to cut off wildfire relief aid for fire-scorched California , has reversed his own administration ’ s decision this week to reject the state ’ s request for federal disaster funds to help communities recover from a string of devastating infernos this year .
Less than 24 hours after news broke that the Trump administration had turned down California ’ s request without any explanation , Rep. Tom McClintock ( R-Calif. ) , a Trump ally , took to Twitter to announce Trump ’ s commitment to reverse course .
Congressman McCarthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President has committed to reverse FEMA ’ s decision to deny the request for a federal disaster declaration for the recent fires .
The Presidential Disaster Declaration is imminent and help is on the way .
— Tom McClintock ( @ RepMcClintock ) October 16 , 2020 “ Just got off the phone with President Trump who has approved our Major Disaster Declaration request , ” Newsom said in a statement .
“ Grateful for his quick response.
” White House spokesman Judd Deere said in an email that Newsom and House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ spoke and presented a convincing case and additional on-the-ground perspective for reconsideration leading the President to approve the declaration.
” He said an official announcement was expected Friday evening .
Again , Trump has threatened to do exactly what the Federal Emergency Management Agency temporarily did this week .
He has on numerous occasions blamed California ’ s wildfire problem on the state , claiming that it has failed to properly manage ― more specifically , “ rake ” and “ sweep ” ― its forests , despite that fact that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s 33 million forest acres than the state does and many of the largest blazes have burned on federally managed lands .
“ Unless they get their act together , which is unlikely , I have ordered FEMA to send no more money , ” Trump tweeted in January 2019 .
“ It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money !
” So far this year , wildfires have burned more than 4 million acres in California , more than double the state ’ s previous one-year record of nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the six largest fires in the state ’ s history have occurred in 2020 .
The extreme blazes are due to a combination of factors , including decades of fire suppression that left America ’ s forests overgrown ; increased development in and around wildland areas ; and climate change driving up temperatures , fueling drought and drying out vegetation .
“ It will start getting cooler .
You just watch , ” Trump told state officials during a visit to assess fire damage in the state last month .
Before Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agency that administers disaster funds , said the it had “ determined that the early September fires were not of such severity and magnitude to exceed the combined capabilities of the state , affected local governments , voluntary agencies and other responding federal agencies .

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President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to cut off wildfire relief aid for fire-scorched California, has reversed his own administration’s decision this week to reject the state’s request for federal disaster funds to help communities recover from a string of devastating infernos this year.
Less than 24 hours after news broke that the Trump administration had turned down California’s request without any explanation, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), a Trump ally, took to Twitter to announce Trump’s commitment to reverse course.
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“The Presidential Disaster Declaration is imminent and help is on the way,” McClintock wrote, adding “THANK YOU, Mr. President.”
Congressman McCarthy @GOPLeader has just informed me that the President has committed to reverse FEMA’s decision to deny the request for a federal disaster declaration for the recent fires. The Presidential Disaster Declaration is imminent and help is on the way. — Tom McClintock (@RepMcClintock) October 16, 2020
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) later confirmed Trump’s approval of the disaster declaration in a news release.
“Just got off the phone with President Trump who has approved our Major Disaster Declaration request,” Newsom said in a statement. “Grateful for his quick response.”
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White House spokesman Judd Deere said in an email that Newsom and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) “spoke and presented a convincing case and additional on-the-ground perspective for reconsideration leading the President to approve the declaration.” He said an official announcement was expected Friday evening.
Again, Trump has threatened to do exactly what the Federal Emergency Management Agency temporarily did this week. He has on numerous occasions blamed California’s wildfire problem on the state, claiming that it has failed to properly manage ― more specifically, “rake” and “sweep” ― its forests, despite that fact that the federal government owns far more of the state’s 33 million forest acres than the state does and many of the largest blazes have burned on federally managed lands.
“Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money,” Trump tweeted in January 2019. “It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!”
So far this year, wildfires have burned more than 4 million acres in California, more than double the state’s previous one-year record of nearly 2 million in 2018. And five of the six largest fires in the state’s history have occurred in 2020. The extreme blazes are due to a combination of factors, including decades of fire suppression that left America’s forests overgrown; increased development in and around wildland areas; and climate change driving up temperatures, fueling drought and drying out vegetation.
Trump has chosen to ignore and dismiss the climate impact.
“It will start getting cooler. You just watch,” Trump told state officials during a visit to assess fire damage in the state last month.
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Before Trump’s reversal Friday, FEMA, the agency that administers disaster funds, said the it had “determined that the early September fires were not of such severity and magnitude to exceed the combined capabilities of the state, affected local governments, voluntary agencies and other responding federal agencies.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Abortion Rights Group Calls For Dianne Feinstein To Lose Senate Judiciary Post

Abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America called Friday for Sen. Dianne Feinstein to be replaced as ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee after the Democratic senator from California praised the highly contentious Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Amy Coney Barrett .
“ Amy Barrett and this power grab pose a grave threat to every freedom and right we hold dear and tears the very fabric of our democracy .
Americans ― whose lives hang in the balance ― deserve leadership that underscores how unprecedented , shameful and wrong this process is , ” NARAL President Ilyse Hogue said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Senate Judiciary Committee , Senator Dianne Feinstein , failed to make this clear and in fact offered an appearance of credibility to the proceedings that is wildly out of step with the American people , ” she added .
“ As such , we believe the committee needs new leadership.
” Feinstein faced swift criticism after she hugged and praised Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) for running what she said was a great Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Barrett , who was nominated to fill the late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the court .
“ I just want to thank you .
This has been one of the best set of hearings that I ’ ve participated in , ” Feinstein told Graham .
“ Thank you so much for your leadership.
” “ It ’ s very hard to watch a colleague in decline .
That this is occurring publicly is even harder , ” one Democratic senator , who spoke on the condition of anonymity , told HuffPost of the 87-year-old lawmaker .
“ She has undercut Democrats ’ position at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermining calls for filibuster and court reform straight through to thanking Republicans for the most egregious partisan power grab in the modern history of the Supreme Court , ” said Brian Fallon , founder and executive director of Demand Justice .
The hearings were hotly contested by Democrats because they took place just weeks away from the presidential election in which the GOP could lose control of the White House and during a public health crisis that has left millions of Americans in dire need of government assistance .
Democrats openly opposed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nomination of Barrett also went against Ginsburg ’ s final request that her seat be filled by the winner of the presidential election .
Polling showed that the majority of Americans agreed with Ginsburg and thought that the vacancy should be filled after the election .
“ I disagree strongly with Sen. Feinstein that that set of hearings was one of the best or was even acceptable , ” said Porter , who has expressed interest in running for Senate .
“ I think Amy Coney Barrett did not answer basic questions about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got many fewer direct answers than we have out of most Supreme Court hearings .
”

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Abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America called Friday for Sen. Dianne Feinstein to be replaced as ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee after the Democratic senator from California praised the highly contentious Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Amy Coney Barrett.
“Amy Barrett and this power grab pose a grave threat to every freedom and right we hold dear and tears the very fabric of our democracy. Americans ― whose lives hang in the balance ― deserve leadership that underscores how unprecedented, shameful and wrong this process is,” NARAL President Ilyse Hogue said in a statement.
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“The Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Dianne Feinstein, failed to make this clear and in fact offered an appearance of credibility to the proceedings that is wildly out of step with the American people,” she added. “As such, we believe the committee needs new leadership.”
Feinstein faced swift criticism after she hugged and praised Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) for running what she said was a great Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Barrett, who was nominated to fill the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the court.
“I just want to thank you. This has been one of the best set of hearings that I’ve participated in,” Feinstein told Graham. “Thank you so much for your leadership.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) hugs Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) as the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett come to a close on Thursday. Neither senator wore a mask. Samuel Corum via Getty Images
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Multiple Democrats and progressive organizations reacted to Feinstein’s praise of Graham with shock and anger on Thursday.
“It’s very hard to watch a colleague in decline. That this is occurring publicly is even harder,” one Democratic senator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told HuffPost of the 87-year-old lawmaker.
Progressive groups Demand Justice, Fix Our Senate and Move On all called for Feinstein’s removal as ranking member of the Judiciary Committee.
“She has undercut Democrats’ position at every step of this process, from undermining calls for filibuster and court reform straight through to thanking Republicans for the most egregious partisan power grab in the modern history of the Supreme Court,” said Brian Fallon, founder and executive director of Demand Justice.
The hearings were hotly contested by Democrats because they took place just weeks away from the presidential election in which the GOP could lose control of the White House and during a public health crisis that has left millions of Americans in dire need of government assistance. Democrats openly opposed the nomination.
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President Donald Trump’s nomination of Barrett also went against Ginsburg’s final request that her seat be filled by the winner of the presidential election. Polling showed that the majority of Americans agreed with Ginsburg and thought that the vacancy should be filled after the election.
Rep Katie Porter (D-Calif.) thought quite the opposite of Feinstein, telling HuffPost on Friday that “it was a very poor set of hearings.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Long-Term Unemployment Is Rising At The Worst Possible Time

The temporary furloughs caused by springtime shutdown orders are turning into permanent job losses .
And the one entity that could do something about it ― the government ― is doing nothing .
More than 2.4 million workers had been unemployed for at least six months as of September , according to the most recent data from the U.S. Labor Department .
It ’ s the most people mired in long-term joblessness since 2015 and a huge increase of 781,000 from the month before .
Six months is what economists consider long-term unemployment , and it ’ s bad .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their resources dwindle , as does their likelihood of obtaining a new job , partly because employers don ’ t want to hire someone with a long gap on their resume .
The increase in long-term joblessness is not a huge surprise considering the unprecedented wave of layoffs in March and April , but the increase does reflect an ominous shift in the economy .
Back in May , 73 % of those who lost their jobs were on temporary layoffs and expected to return to work .
Subsequent months saw huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cities lifted lockdown restrictions .
In September , only 37 % of layoff victims were on temporary layoffs , which is a more historically normal percentage .
In other words , the jobs situation has shifted from a temporary crisis caused by a public health emergency to what looks like the beginning of a more normal recession .
The problem is , the public health emergency is worsening , with the country headed into a third wave of coronavirus infections , and Congress is doing nothing to mitigate the economic fallout .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to reauthorize some of the relief programs that expired over the summer , and ― it gets worse ― long-term unemployment benefits will disappear at the end of the year .
The long-term benefits , formally known as Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation , kick in for workers who exhaust the six months of benefits provided by most states .
A big transition is now happening : The number of claims for regular state benefits fell by about 800,000 in late September , according to the most recent data released by the Labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term jobless benefits rose by roughly the same amount .
Meanwhile , job growth has slowed , and waves of more than 800,000 fresh unemployment claims keep crashing every week .
President Donald Trump says he won ’ t agree to Democratic demands for more spending partly because of “ pride , ” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) has refused to go along with the president anyway , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) is being extremely tactical , waiting endlessly for her bargaining position to strengthen .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , long-term joblessness was the last thing to improve .
It peaked at 6 million in 2010 and the proportion of unemployed workers in the long-term category remained abnormally high for the next eight years .
Older workers and Black workers were more likely to be long-term jobless after the Great Recession .
And in the coronavirus recession , people with health problems could be especially susceptible to long jobless spells , as could people whose jobs simply can ’ t exist in a plague .
Marilyn Coyne , 67 , is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has been canceled through the year , including its popular holiday production of “ The Nutcracker.
” The ballet received payroll funds from the Paycheck Protection Program ― the small business initiative created alongside expanded unemployment benefits as part of the CARES Act in March ― and Coyne said she ’ s been receiving unemployment benefits since the payroll money ran out in May .
When Coyne ’ s state benefits expire at the beginning of December , she should be able switch to Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation , which lasts for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would if Congress had not set it to expire on Dec. 26 .
She said she and her partner have savings , and they expect to have some work next year , so they feel better off than other people they know .
Coyne lamented that the federal government seems to be doing less than it did in the Great Depression , when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt launched a series of public works projects to make work for people , including artists , as part of the New Deal .

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The temporary furloughs caused by springtime shutdown orders are turning into permanent job losses. And the one entity that could do something about it ― the government ― is doing nothing.
More than 2.4 million workers had been unemployed for at least six months as of September, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Labor Department. It’s the most people mired in long-term joblessness since 2015 and a huge increase of 781,000 from the month before.
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“It’s the biggest increase in long-term unemployment we’ve ever seen,” said Heidi Shierholz, a former Labor Department economist now with the Economic Policy Institute think tank.
Six months is what economists consider long-term unemployment, and it’s bad. When a worker is unemployed that long, their resources dwindle, as does their likelihood of obtaining a new job, partly because employers don’t want to hire someone with a long gap on their resume.
“The jobs situation has shifted from a temporary crisis caused by a public health emergency to what looks like the beginning of a more normal recession.”
The increase in long-term joblessness is not a huge surprise considering the unprecedented wave of layoffs in March and April, but the increase does reflect an ominous shift in the economy.
Advertisement
Back in May, 73% of those who lost their jobs were on temporary layoffs and expected to return to work. Subsequent months saw huge declines in the unemployed population as states and cities lifted lockdown restrictions. In September, only 37% of layoff victims were on temporary layoffs, which is a more historically normal percentage. In other words, the jobs situation has shifted from a temporary crisis caused by a public health emergency to what looks like the beginning of a more normal recession.
The problem is, the public health emergency is worsening, with the country headed into a third wave of coronavirus infections, and Congress is doing nothing to mitigate the economic fallout. Lawmakers can’t agree on a plan to reauthorize some of the relief programs that expired over the summer, and ― it gets worse ― long-term unemployment benefits will disappear at the end of the year.
The long-term benefits, formally known as Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, kick in for workers who exhaust the six months of benefits provided by most states. A big transition is now happening: The number of claims for regular state benefits fell by about 800,000 in late September, according to the most recent data released by the Labor Department on Thursday, while claims for long-term jobless benefits rose by roughly the same amount.
Meanwhile, job growth has slowed, and waves of more than 800,000 fresh unemployment claims keep crashing every week. President Donald Trump says he won’t agree to Democratic demands for more spending partly because of “pride,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has refused to go along with the president anyway, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is being extremely tactical, waiting endlessly for her bargaining position to strengthen.
In the aftermath of the Great Recession, long-term joblessness was the last thing to improve. It peaked at 6 million in 2010 and the proportion of unemployed workers in the long-term category remained abnormally high for the next eight years.
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Older workers and Black workers were more likely to be long-term jobless after the Great Recession. And in the coronavirus recession, people with health problems could be especially susceptible to long jobless spells, as could people whose jobs simply can’t exist in a plague.
Marilyn Coyne, 67, is an oboist with the San Francisco Ballet, which has been canceled through the year, including its popular holiday production of “The Nutcracker.” The ballet received payroll funds from the Paycheck Protection Program ― the small business initiative created alongside expanded unemployment benefits as part of the CARES Act in March ― and Coyne said she’s been receiving unemployment benefits since the payroll money ran out in May.
When Coyne’s state benefits expire at the beginning of December, she should be able switch to Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which lasts for 13 weeks ― or at least it would if Congress had not set it to expire on Dec. 26. She said she and her partner have savings, and they expect to have some work next year, so they feel better off than other people they know.
“Many of our friends and colleagues feel terribly that they committed themselves to being musicians,” she said.
Coyne lamented that the federal government seems to be doing less than it did in the Great Depression, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt launched a series of public works projects to make work for people, including artists, as part of the New Deal.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Joe Biden Calls Transphobic Violence 'Epidemic That Needs National Leadership'

Joe Biden promised on Friday that , if elected , he will work to end discrimination against the LGBTQ community , expand economic opportunities , and reform how the criminal justice system treats transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals .
In a statement released to the media , the Democratic presidential nominee said violence against transgender and gender-nonconforming people is an “ epidemic that needs national leadership ” and cited 33 violent deaths in the community this year .
“ This is the highest number on record with more than two months left in the year , and the vast majority are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statement read .
“ It ’ s unacceptable.
” The former vice president said those deaths “ didn ’ t happen in a vacuum , ” and blamed Trump administration actions such as banning transgender people from serving in the military , limiting access to health care and eliminating the word “ transgender ” from government websites .
Biden said such policies “ have fueled the flames of transphobia in our nation.
” A spokesperson for the National Center for Transgender Equality hadn ’ t seen Friday ’ s tweet , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year because of his strong support of transgender rights and the LGBTQ community .
It appears Biden ’ s statement is an addendum to an exchange he had with a voter during his ABC town hall event on Thursday .
After the mother of a transgender daughter asked Biden how he would protect LGBTQ rights if he is elected president , he said he would just “ flat-out change the law , ” according to CBS News .
That would mean eliminating the Trump administration ’ s anti-trans executive orders and explicitly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected categories , according to Vox .
“ There is no reason to suggest that there should be any right denied your daughter , ” Biden told the woman .
“ I would eliminate [ Mr. Trump ’ s ] executive orders , number one .
”

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Joe Biden promised on Friday that, if elected, he will work to end discrimination against the LGBTQ community, expand economic opportunities, and reform how the criminal justice system treats transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.
In a statement released to the media, the Democratic presidential nominee said violence against transgender and gender-nonconforming people is an “epidemic that needs national leadership” and cited 33 violent deaths in the community this year.
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“This is the highest number on record with more than two months left in the year, and the vast majority are Black and Brown transgender women,” the statement read. “It’s unacceptable.”
The former vice president said those deaths “didn’t happen in a vacuum,” and blamed Trump administration actions such as banning transgender people from serving in the military, limiting access to health care and eliminating the word “transgender” from government websites. Biden said such policies “have fueled the flames of transphobia in our nation.”
The complete statement appears below.
INBOX: Statement by Vice President Joe Biden on the Epidemic of Violence Against Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People pic.twitter.com/ypm6pfTZ0Z — Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) October 16, 2020
A spokesperson for the National Center for Transgender Equality hadn’t seen Friday’s tweet, but said the group endorsed Biden earlier in the year because of his strong support of transgender rights and the LGBTQ community.
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“He has a comprehensive plan for great equality,” the spokesperson told HuffPost.
It appears Biden’s statement is an addendum to an exchange he had with a voter during his ABC town hall event on Thursday.
After the mother of a transgender daughter asked Biden how he would protect LGBTQ rights if he is elected president, he said he would just “flat-out change the law,” according to CBS News.
That would mean eliminating the Trump administration’s anti-trans executive orders and explicitly making sexual orientation and gender identity legally protected categories, according to Vox.
“There is no reason to suggest that there should be any right denied your daughter,” Biden told the woman. “I would eliminate [Mr. Trump’s] executive orders, number one.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Courts' Republican Appointees Are Dismantling Voting Rights: Study

A study commissioned by a group that favors expanding the U.S. Supreme Court found that Republican-appointed judges and justices in 2020 have repeatedly ruled in favor of making it harder for Americans to vote .
The “ Anti-Democracy Scorecard ” study from the group Take Back the Court found that on election-related cases , Republican appointees interpreted the law in a way that hindered voting access 80 % of the time , as compared to 37 % of the time with Democratic appointees .
Take Back the Court included all cases that federal judges and Supreme Court justices voted on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom to vote , ballot access , or lowered signature requirements , ” the group said .
The group used nine different litigation-tracking databases to identify the cases .
Overall , it counted 309 votes by judges in 175 decisions .
The study included a decision in Ohio last week , in which a Trump-appointed federal judge and one appointed by former President George W. Bush determined that it was reasonable to limit ballot drop boxes to one site per Ohio county .
It also included a Supreme Court decision in April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative justices voted against expanding Wisconsin ’ s window for receiving mail-in ballots in light of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The study comes on the heels of confirmation hearings for Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett , in which she refused to say whether voting discrimination exists in the U.S. and sparred with Democratic senators who questioned her commitment to upholding voting access .
Since the death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month , which gave Trump the chance to rush through a new nominee before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been talk among progressive Democrats of expanding the size of the Supreme Court , a practice that ’ s been referred to as “ court packing.
” Take Back the Court ’ s position is that “ the Supreme Court has broken democracy by allowing hyper-partisan gerrymandering , dismantling the Voting Rights Act , and enabling unlimited dark money to flood our politics .
Because the Roberts majority will not allow Congress to enact new laws to restore democracy , the Court must be expanded if the system is to be un-rigged.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about whether he supports that idea but said at his town-hall-style event Thursday that he would offer a clear position on expanding the court before Election Day .

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A study commissioned by a group that favors expanding the U.S. Supreme Court found that Republican-appointed judges and justices in 2020 have repeatedly ruled in favor of making it harder for Americans to vote.
The “Anti-Democracy Scorecard” study from the group Take Back the Court found that on election-related cases, Republican appointees interpreted the law in a way that hindered voting access 80% of the time, as compared to 37% of the time with Democratic appointees.
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Among judges and justices appointed by President Donald Trump, that figure jumped to 85%.
Take Back the Court included all cases that federal judges and Supreme Court justices voted on this year that concerned litigants “seeking freedom to vote, ballot access, or lowered signature requirements,” the group said. The group used nine different litigation-tracking databases to identify the cases. Overall, it counted 309 votes by judges in 175 decisions.
The study included a decision in Ohio last week, in which a Trump-appointed federal judge and one appointed by former President George W. Bush determined that it was reasonable to limit ballot drop boxes to one site per Ohio county.
It also included a Supreme Court decision in April, in which the court’s five conservative justices voted against expanding Wisconsin’s window for receiving mail-in ballots in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
If confirmed, Judge Amy Coney Barrett will become President Donald Trump's third Supreme Court appointee in four years. Leah Millis / Reuters
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The study comes on the heels of confirmation hearings for Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, in which she refused to say whether voting discrimination exists in the U.S. and sparred with Democratic senators who questioned her commitment to upholding voting access.
Since the death of liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month, which gave Trump the chance to rush through a new nominee before the Nov. 3 election, there’s been talk among progressive Democrats of expanding the size of the Supreme Court, a practice that’s been referred to as “court packing.”
Take Back the Court’s position is that “the Supreme Court has broken democracy by allowing hyper-partisan gerrymandering, dismantling the Voting Rights Act, and enabling unlimited dark money to flood our politics. Because the Roberts majority will not allow Congress to enact new laws to restore democracy, the Court must be expanded if the system is to be un-rigged.”
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has dodged questions about whether he supports that idea but said at his town-hall-style event Thursday that he would offer a clear position on expanding the court before Election Day.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Mitt Romney Slams Trump For Failure To Condemn 'Dangerous' QAnon

A core belief of disciples of the mysterious QAnon is the baseless conspiracy theory that high-ranking Democrats , the imagined deep state , media figures and celebrities are secretly members of a satanic pedophile ring that Trump is covertly working to stop ( despite his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein , who was indicted on charges of child sex trafficking before his apparent suicide in jail ) .
That belief has triggered violence , including a 2016 shooting at a Washington pizza parlor that had been falsely targeted as a site of the imagined ring .
Romney also condemned those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremist groups , such as white supremacists , and other conspiracy peddlers , vaccination denouncers , militias and anti-fascist activists .
In the first debate against Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden , Trump stumbled when asked directly to condemn white supremacists .
He ended up saying to the hate group Proud Boys to “ stand back and stand by.
” We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

A core belief of disciples of the mysterious QAnon is the baseless conspiracy theory that high-ranking Democrats, the imagined deep state, media figures and celebrities are secretly members of a satanic pedophile ring that Trump is covertly working to stop (despite his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, who was indicted on charges of child sex trafficking before his apparent suicide in jail).
That belief has triggered violence, including a 2016 shooting at a Washington pizza parlor that had been falsely targeted as a site of the imagined ring.
Romney also condemned those who fail to “convincingly repudiate” other extremist groups, such as white supremacists, and other conspiracy peddlers, vaccination denouncers, militias and anti-fascist activists.
In the first debate against Democratic presidential rival Joe Biden, Trump stumbled when asked directly to condemn white supremacists. He ended up saying to the hate group Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”
We want to know what you’re hearing on the ground from the candidates. If you get any interesting ― or suspicious! ― campaign mailers, robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about, email us at scoops@huffpost.com.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--U.S. Budget Deficit Hits Record $3.132 Trillion

WASHINGTON , Oct 16 ( Reuters ) - The U.S. budget deficit hit a record $ 3.132 trillion during fiscal 2020 , more than triple the2019 shortfall , as a result of massive coronavirus rescue spending , the U.S. Treasury said on Friday .
The deficit more than doubled the previous record of $ 1.416trillion in fiscal 2009 , when the United States was battling a financial crisis .
At the start of the 2020 fiscal year ended Sept. 30 , theU.S .
government had been forecast to rack up a $ 1 trillion deficit before coronavirus lockdowns began in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s final month , the U.S. budget deficit was $ 125 billion , compared with an $ 83 billion surplus in September 2019 , the Treasury said .
September receipts totaled $ 373 billion , just $ 1 billion below a year earlier as higher Federal Reserve earnings and excise tax collections made up for lower personal and corporate income tax receipts .
September outlays rose by $ 206 billion from a year earlier to $ 498 billion .
Receipts for the full fiscal year totaled $ 3.42 billion , a decrease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from fiscal 2019 .
Fiscal 2020outlays jumped $ 2.105 trillion from 2019 to a total of $ 6.55trillion , with the increase made up almost entirely from increased healthcare and unemployment compensation costs , and the cost of small business and corporate rescue programs approved by Congress .

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WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. budget deficit hit a record $3.132 trillion during fiscal 2020, more than triple the2019 shortfall, as a result of massive coronavirus rescue spending, the U.S. Treasury said on Friday.
The deficit more than doubled the previous record of $1.416trillion in fiscal 2009, when the United States was battling a financial crisis.
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At the start of the 2020 fiscal year ended Sept. 30, theU.S. government had been forecast to rack up a $1 trillion deficit before coronavirus lockdowns began in March.
In September, the year’s final month, the U.S. budget deficit was $125 billion, compared with an $83 billion surplus in September 2019, the Treasury said.
September receipts totaled $373 billion, just $1 billion below a year earlier as higher Federal Reserve earnings and excise tax collections made up for lower personal and corporate income tax receipts. September outlays rose by $206 billion from a year earlier to $498 billion.
Receipts for the full fiscal year totaled $3.42 billion, a decrease of $43 billion or 1% from fiscal 2019. Fiscal 2020outlays jumped $2.105 trillion from 2019 to a total of $6.55trillion, with the increase made up almost entirely from increased healthcare and unemployment compensation costs, and the cost of small business and corporate rescue programs approved by Congress.
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